Public Health

The MMU graduate with a BS in Public Health will be prepared to engage in addressing the world’s most pressing health problems. The multi-disciplinary study of Public Health at Mount Mercy University includes improving and protecting the health of individuals, families, communities and populations both locally and globally. The MMU graduate will acknowledge that public health initiatives improve global health, affect environmental health, reduce the impact of natural disasters and global epidemics, address health disparities and create healthier communities. The MMU graduate may explore employment in public health agencies, health care environments, and human service agencies as well as be prepared for graduate programs, law school, and further medical professional programs. A student majoring in nursing, social work, business, science, or health care may find a minor in Public Health an excellent complement to these majors. The Public Health major or minor will gain skill in critical analysis, strategic communication, advocacy, activism, global and community awareness, and health policy development. The student majoring or minoring in Public Health at Mount Mercy University will be highly encouraged to engage in service learning and community volunteerism while pursuing this degree. 

See the Graduate section of this Catalog for more information on Graduate programs offered at Mount Mercy. Juniors and seniors may be eligible to take up to 13 graduate-level credits through the MMU Plus program.

Public Health Major

Required:
HS 210	Introduction to Public Health	3
HS 215	Introduction to Epidemiology	3
HS 450	Internship in Health Care	3
MA 135	Basic Statistics	3
PS 259	Health Psychology: Health & Wellness Applied	3
SO 240	Medical Sociology	3
Choose One of the Following:		3-4.5
BI 123	Biology of Human Concern
BI 125	Foundations of Biology & Scientific Inquiry I
BI 150	Basic Microbiology
Choose Six of the Following:		18-19.5
BI 225	Global Environmental Issues
HS 200	Organization of Health Care Services
HS 201	Quality Patient/Resident Care
HS 205	Essentials and Practice in Health Care Navigation
HS 220	Health Literacy
HS 305	Spiritual and Cultural Perspectives in Health Care Management
HS 399	Special Topics: Health Care
PO 112	Globalization and Human Survival
SO 235	Social Inequalities
SO 342	Sociology of Mental Health & Illness
SO 343	Global Health
SO 344	Gender & Health
SW 225	Aging In America
SW 245	Basic Helping Skills
SW 300	Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Total Hours		39-42

Academic Requirements

All Public Health majors must achieve a minimum grade of C in all required major HS (Health Services) courses and prerequisite courses. This applies to equivalent courses transferred from other institutions. Additionally, Public Health majors must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0.

Public Health Minor

Required:
HS 210	Introduction to Public Health	3
SO 240	Medical Sociology	3
Choose Three of the Following: 1		9
HS 200	Organization of Health Care Services
HS 201	Quality Patient/Resident Care
HS 205	Essentials and Practice in Health Care Navigation
HS 215	Introduction to Epidemiology
HS 220	Health Literacy
HS 305	Spiritual and Cultural Perspectives in Health Care Management
HS 399	Special Topics: Health Care
HS 450	Internship in Health Care
BI 225	Global Environmental Issues
PO 112	Globalization and Human Survival
PS 259	Health Psychology: Health & Wellness Applied
SO 235	Social Inequalities
SO 315	Methods of Social Research 2
SO 342	Sociology of Mental Health & Illness
SO 343	Global Health
SO 344	Gender & Health
SW 225	Aging In America
SW 245	Basic Helping Skills
SW 300	Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Total Hours		15

¹

Students who complete coursework in Nursing (NU) may use 6 credit hours towards the elective requirement

²

or equivalent methods course

Academic Requirements

All Public Health minors must achieve a minimum grade of C in all minor HS (Health Services) courses. This applies to equivalent courses transferred from other institutions.

The following is the typical sequence of courses required for the major*:

Freshman
Fall	Hours	Winter	Hours	Spring	Hours
SO 122 or PS 101	3	CO 101	3	PS 101 or SO 122	3
MA 135	3			Historical Roots	3
Writing Competency	4			Expressive Arts: Lit	3
Expressive Arts: Fine Arts	3			Ultimate Questions: Religion	3
				Elective	3
	13		3		15
Sophomore
Fall	Hours	Winter	Hours	Spring	Hours
HS 210	3	SO 310 (or Elective)	3	HS 215	3
BI 1231	4			Ultimate Questions: Philosophy	3
NU 113	1			SO 235 (or Public Health Restricted Elective)	3
Global Awareness Domain	3			Elective	3
SW 245 (or Public Health Restricted Elective)	3			Elective	3
	14		3		15
Junior
Fall	Hours	Winter	Hours	Spring	Hours
SO 240	3	Elective	3	HS 450	3
GS 138 (or Public Health Restricted Elective)	3			SO 342 (or Public Health Restricted Elective)	3
HS 220 (or Public Health Restricted Elective)	3			Elective	3
Elective	3			Elective	3
Elective	3
	15		3		12
Senior
Fall	Hours	Winter	Hours	Spring	Hours
PS 259	3	Elective	3	SO 441	3
Public Health Restricted Elective	3			ME 450	1
Elective	3			Public Health Restricted Elective	3
Elective	3			Elective	3
Elective	3			Elective	3
	15		3		13
Total Hours: 124

Note: Elective courses could be used for a second major, a minor, a course of interest, internship or study abroad experience. For complementary majors/minors see: Health Care Administration; Health Care Navigation; Nursing; and Sociology

¹

Students may also choose between BI 125 + Lab or BI 150 (nursing students only).

*Disclaimer

The course offerings, requirements, and policies of Mount Mercy University are under continual examination and revision. This Catalog presents the offerings, requirements, and policies in effect at the time of publication and in no way guarantees that the offerings, requirements, and policies will not change.

This plan of study represents a typical sequence of courses required for this major. It may not be applicable to every student. Students should contact a department faculty member to be sure of appropriate course sequence.