Public Health Education
B.S. in Public Health Education
This degree will qualify and prepare you for positions in community health and public health as well as hospitals, insurance companies, primary care provider offices, private and commercial community health organizations, research organizations, health coaches in wellness centers, educators within biology and pharmaceutical industry and governmental public health organizations.
This is an interdisciplinary program crossing the departments of Natural Sciences, Nursing, Business, Psychology, and Sociology. Students will complete experiential field internships with clinical affiliates which currently include St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, ADAPT of Essex County and TeleNurse Network, and RWJBarnabas Health
Why BSPHE?
Community health education specialists are in demand in response to the nation’s need to address the staggering rise in healthcare costs related to preventable diseases. Community health educators are prepared to provide health promotion and disease prevention education. The national healthcare delivery system has taken initiatives to support efforts by insurance companies, employers, healthcare providers, and governments to educate health professionals to more effectively teach people how to live healthy lives and thereby avoid costly diseases that are preventable.
The Demand for Health Educators
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the demand for health educators and community health workers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be driven by efforts to improve health outcomes and to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people about healthy habits and behaviors and utilization of available health care services. Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities.
For more information about health, educators visit http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm.
| Liberal Arts (CS 115 waived ) | 37 credits |
| Pre-Requisite Major Core | 25 credits |
| Major Inter-disciplinary Coursework | 41 credits |
| Open electives | 18 credits |
| Total | 121 credits |
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education is an inter-disciplinary program crossing the departments of Natural Sciences, Nursing, Business, Psychology, Political Science and Sociology. The program is based upon 37 credit hours of core liberal arts and enriched core; 25 credit hours major prerequisites; 41 hours of cross-disciplinary major coursework. The program also provides 18 hours of free electives, allowing students the opportunity to earn a minor degree. Students will complete experiential field internships with clinical affiliates.
Direct assessment metrics include objective tests, written assignments with rubrics, oral presentations with rubrics and classroom assignments with clearly described learning objectives. Written and oral communication skills will be evaluated with rubrics based upon core competencies and necessary skills for public health education students, such as motivational interviewing techniques which are applied at the community level. Capstone project developed in senior year includes a community health assessment and population-based intervention with evaluation.
Programmatic Objectives: At the conclusion of the academic degree program, BSPHE majors will be able to:
1. Examine behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors that enhance or compromise population health status at the individual and community level.
2. Demonstrate effective assessment skills to determine needs, assets and capacity for health education.
3. Provide health promotion and disease prevention advocacy to Individuals groups and communities.
4. Apply ethical principles and values to the practice of promoting population health.
5. Describe and define healthcare delivery systems.
6. Identify resources needed to implement programs of health education and disease prevention.
7. Collect and analyze health promotion and disease prevention data to develop evidence based interventions
8. Provide health education programs to specific populations in a variety of settings.
9. Utilize targeted approaches to assist clients in a variety of settings to increase health literacy
10. Demonstrate effective communication skills in organizing and implementing health promotion programs.
11. Collaborate with clients and health care professionals to maximize health education programs for populations in a variety of settings.
12. Identify and describe interventions to affect policy change affecting public health.
Requirements for B.S. in Public Health Education
Students pursuing this degree must complete the following nine required courses (Total Major & Interdisciplinary 41 Credits)
Public Health Major Requirements (26 Credits)
Course Code : BI 203
Course Description :
This course is geared toward students who are pursuing careers in nursing and the allied health sciences. The study of anatomy and physiology provides the strong foundation needed to support students clinical experiences. The structure and function of the human body is introduced in systematic fashion from the cellular and molecular level to more complex interacting organ systems. Emphasis is placed on the mechanisms and regulation of body processes that maintain life in the face of environmental change. This course covers levels of organization, support and movement, integration and coordination. Prerequisite for the nursing program.
Credit : 3
Instruction methods : Lecture: 3 Hours
Prerequisites :
MA 113 or higher
Course Code : BI 203L
Course Description :
Laboratory exercises correlate with materials covered in lecture. Prerequisite for the nursing program.
Credit : 1
Prerequisites :
BI203
Course Code : BI 204
Course Description :
A continuation of BI 203. This course covers transport, absorption and excretion and the human life cycle. Prerequisite for the nursing program.
Credit : 3
Instruction methods : Lecture: 3 Hours
Prerequisites :
BI203, BI203
Course Code : BI 204L
Course Description :
Laboratory exercises correlate with materials covered in lecture. Prerequisite for the nursing program.
Credit : 1
Prerequisites :
BI204
Course Code : BI 217
Course Description :
Required course for nursing majors. Treats morphology, physiology and genetics of selected microorganisms and their role in environmental, health, and industrial processes.
Credit : 3
Course Code : BI 217L
Course Description :
Required course for nursing majors. Reinforces and illustrates concepts introduced in BI 315N. Students learn to work with and understand microorganisms and learn to recognize microbiological phenomena from experimental findings, ultimately applying such findings to broad biological principles.
Credit : 1
Course Code : BU 214
Course Description :
The United States Healthcare system is facing continuous change on multiple fronts: access to care, quality of health care, rapidly changing technologies in prevention, treatment, and administration, informed consent and patient access to information and healthcare records, and recent legislative changes to Medicare and the Affordable Care Act. This course explores the ethical implications facing various kinds of healthcare facilities and practices, underscored by the essential tension between effective healthcare delivery and rising costs. Topics addressed include ethical theory and justice, moral integrity, organizational mission and culture, institutional codes of ethics, patient-centered issues (privacy, experimentation and autonomy, end-of-life issues), public health ethics (population health and epidemiology), market forces, and community responsibility.
Credit : 3
Course Code : CH 110
Course Description :
This course is a one semester course with lecture and laboratory experiences designed for students in the nursing program. This course introduces the fundamental concepts of general chemistry and provides the essential features of organic and biological chemistry. It begins with a study of concepts in general chemistry: periodic table, atomic structure, bonding, chemical reactions and states of matter. The second half of the course focuses on the structure and properties of organic molecules, culminating in the study of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. Radioactivity and its effects and uses in biological systems will also be examined. Note: This course is also a prerequisite for the nursing program.
Credit : 3
Instruction methods : Lecture: 3 Hours
Co requisites :
MA 118 or higher
Course Code : CH 110L
Course Description :
Laboratory experiments correlate with material covered in lecture. Note: This course is also a prerequisite for the nursing program.
Credit : 1
Prerequisites :
CH110
Course Code : HS 101
Course Description :
Provides a working knowledge of the special language and terms used in the healthcare environment for students in pre-health professional studies. Includes a study of the basic language related to the medical science, word analysis, construction, spelling and definitions of the vocabulary used in the medical, dental and health professions field. Meets the prerequisite requirement for admission to health professional programs such as medicine; dentistry; occupational therapy; physical therapy; physician assistant, and other healthcare fields.
Credit : 2
Instruction methods : Lecture: 2 Hours
Prerequisites :
BI 110 The Human Body, or BI 203 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, or BI 207 Physiology.
Course Code : MA 207
Course Description :
Introduces the fundamentals of statistics as employed in a variety of disciplines. Includes sampling, descriptive statistics, probability, discrete and continuous probability distributions, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
MA120, MA131, MA130, MA112, MA222, MA140, MA220, MA116, MA106, Core requirement in mathematics.
Course Code : PS 101
Course Description :
This course provides a survey of the major areas of psychology, the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Major content areas include research methodology, biopsychology, learning, psychopathology, and cognitive, social, and developmental psychology
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 215
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 2
Course Description :
Examines the physical, social and psychological aspects of the sexual experience. The student learns how sexuality relates to reproduction, intimacy, attraction, values, the life cycle, and inhibitions and dysfunctions. Current issues in pregnancy, birth control, sexually transmitted disease and infection, and sexual preference are discussed.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PU 200
Course Description :
This course provides Public Health Education majors with a fundamental understanding of the professional field of public health education and other health related fields. Students will identify and explore the theoretical and practical issues in the field of population health locally, nationally and globally. Successful completion of the course provides students with the ability to identity and apply principles of population health teaching to promote health and prevent disease. Students will explore the cultural, social and economic barriers faced by individuals, groups and communities that affect population health. Students will receive an understanding of the role of health educator in promoting health and preventing disease as they identify methods for assessment, planning, implementing and evaluating an intervention for an identified population through academic experiences including experiential learning within the community.
Course Code : PU 205
Course Description :
Students will receive an overview of how social and behavioral sciences contribute to our understanding of health behavior. This course provides an introduction to health belief theories and describes the relationship between health belief and health promotion interventions. Associations between behavior and selected major health issues will be discussed. Emphasis is placed on research related to determinants of health behavior and interventions to improve population health.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PU 215
Course Description :
Students will explore, research, and analyze the role of public health entities in identifying, responding to and containing emergencies. Students will further consider the requirements for recovering from the different forms of emergencies to address the physical, mental, social, and emotional needs of those who experience emergencies directly or vicariously. Students will examine at length case studies of infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and environmental disasters to analyze the coordinated approach required of first responders, elected officials and public health and clinical health professionals.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PU 301
Course Description :
This course provides an introduction to epidemiology and covers the fundamentals of infectious disease epidemiology, environmental epidemiology, and psychosocial behavioral epidemiology. Students will examine the epidemiology of infectious diseases, chronic diseases and their impact on population health. Basic concepts of epidemiology and biostatistics will be applied to public health problems to measure and describe population health. Students will learn to apply basic epidemiologic concepts to public health practice and to promote public health at the population level.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PU 410
Course Description :
Students will receive an overview of the role nutrition plays in public health, as well as community and global health. This course introduces nutrition and food science, while also considering health belief theories and describes the relationship between nutrition that will contribute to healthy outcomes for the public, food intake and health promotion interventions. Associations between behavior and selected major health issues will be discussed. Emphasis is placed on nutrition education as vital to healthy behavior and interventions to improve population health.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PU 415
Course Description :
The course provides an overview of systematic approaches for identification of population based health promotion needs for intervention. Students will learn the process for assessing, planning, developing, implementing and evaluating public health promotion programs addressing the health issues affecting populations at the local, national and international level. Students will engage in program planning processes as a method to explore various levels of intervention. Students will review the theories that describe health problems to develop appropriate health promotion and educational interventions and systematic program evaluation.
Credit : 3
Instruction methods : Lecture: 3 Hours
Prerequisites :
PU205: Theory of Health Beliefs; PU301, Fundamentals of Epidemiology
Course Code : SO 101
Course Description :
Introduces the study of society and acquaints the student with principles and major areas of sociological inquiry. Examines topics related to the individual, culture, deviance and social inequalities.
Credit : 3
Interdisciplinary Core (15 Credits)
In addition to the required courses above, students must take an additional five interdisciplinary courses (15 credits) from the following clusters (with advisement).
Business Cluster
Course Code : BU 101
Course Description :
Introduces students to the essentials of economics and how economics affects households, businesses and government. Topics include concepts of supply and demand, savings and investments, and the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Students gain a moral, ethical and practical perspective in exploring the dynamics of economic change occurring in world markets and its impact on populations and governments. This course cannot be taken for major credit for any Business or Computer Science major except for Healthcare Administration.
Credit : 3
Course Code : BU 105
Course Description :
Surveys the various fields of business. The student will be introduced to the different forms of business ownership, managerial skills, marketing principles, accounting, financial analysis, computer terminology, money and banking, business law and international trade.
Credit : 3 – 3
Course Code : BU 110
Course Group(s) : GE DIV
Active Term : Fall
Course Description :
Emphasizes models of management-oriented modern business communications in the digital age: letters, reports, memoranda, emails, blogs and digital résumés. Develops oral communication skills: interviews, presentations, listening techniques. Includes use of computer lab and relevant presentation, writing and report generating technologies.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
CS 115 or waiver, CS115, CS115X
Course Code : BU 213
Course Description :
This course introduces fundamental concepts in managing various kinds of healthcare organizations (HCOs) in the United States, emphasizing the integrated approach to management needed in today’s complex healthcare delivery system. The course introduces the foundational structure and operation of the U.S. health care system and addresses challenges in the delivery of effective health care. Topics include the history and evolution of healthcare in the United States and its evolution, the role of participants in healthcare delivery, the nature and scope of various HCOs (hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory care centers, rehabilitation centers, physician offices, etc.), the administration and financing of healthcare, the concept of managed care, and the role of government in healthcare delivery.
Credit : 3
Course Code : BU 217
Course Description :
An overview of the basic accounting theory as applied to healthcare organizations, including fundamental accounting vocabulary (assets, liabilities, owners equity/net assets, the accounting equation, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), and an introduction to accounting tools and concepts, including key financial statements, valuation of assets and equities, recording and reporting financial information, depreciation, audits, ratio analysis, and capital structure and analysis.
Credit : 3
Instruction methods : Lecture: 3 Hours
Prerequisites :
MA112 or other equivalent math core.
Course Code : BU 221
Course Description :
Marketing is an organizational philosophy and a set of guiding principles for interfacing with customers, competitors, collaborators, and the environment. The class will cover the fundamental theories and concepts of marketing as well as real life applications including digital and social media strategies. Students will create a marketing plan for a real business at the end of the course.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
CS115
Course Code : BU 223
Course Description :
The increasingly well-educated patient in the highly-regulated healthcare marketplace presents new challenges to healthcare providers and facilities. Innovative approaches are required to provide information for patients-as-consumers. This course introduces foundational principles in marketing with particular emphasis on the unique applications to the healthcare industry. Topics include basic marketing concepts (marketing process and marketing strategy), fundamentals of consumer-patient focus (market research, market segmentation, buyer behavior), and the marketing mix (product, price, distribution, promotion and advertising, selling and sales management).
Credit : 3
Course Code : BU 235
Course Description :
This course is designed to teach students practical techniques that can accelerate the path to success in life. Students will acquire a mastery of thirtyfour tools, focusing on essential life skills that include areas such as goal setting, motivation, resourcefulness, communication, time, stress and conflict management, creative problem solving, teaming, and leading. These techniques will be positioned within the context of Caldwell University’s Core Values – Respect, Integrity, Community, and Excellence. The emphasis will be on helping students carve out meaningful lives that make a difference based on these value choices.
Credit : 3
Course Code : BU 260
Course Description :
This course focuses on the basic management skills of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, with additional emphasis on ethics, social responsibility, and management skills for the future. This course deals with understanding the manager’s job, decision-making, motivation, leading change, and innovation.
Credit : 3
Instruction methods : Lecture: 3 Hours
Prerequisites :
BU105
Course Code : BU 470
Course Description :
Focuses on organizational structure, employment policies and selecting, performance appraisal, training and development, motivation, morale, discipline and grievance handling, financial compensation, health and safety and ethics in personnel.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
BU260
Course Code : CS 238
Course Description :
This course will examine the evolution of data communications as a tool for commercial transactions. The history of networks and the Internet in transacting business will be reviewed. The marketing, financial and technical components of the e-commerce market will be examined so that students will be familiar with the motivations and operations of this rapidly growing worldwide marketplace. E-commerce will be analyzed as the primary facilitator in the globalization of the world economy. The technical aspects of planning, developing and implementing e-commerce web sites and electronic transfers of business transactions will be studied. The costs and benefits of typical E-commerce technical platforms using Windows and Linux (LAMP) webservers will be analyzed.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
CS 115 or waiver, CS115X
Course Code : CS 310
Course Description :
An overview of the knowledge necessary to understand HIT (healthcare information technology) and develop skills in HIT management, including topics in hardware, software, and communication systems; operational, management, and clinical applications; and selection, implementation, and valuation. The importance of HIT strategic alignment is evaluated and emphasized in the rapidly-changing economic, political, regulatory, and technological arenas of today’s healthcare industry, with specific application to networks, security, health records, administrative and financial systems, project portfolio management, and strategic competitive advantage.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
CS 115 or waiver
Political Science Cluster
Course Code : PO 125
Course Description :
A cross-national analysis of the major issues, topics, and institutions with which politics deals. Develops a critical awareness and understanding of the role of politics in a global society.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PO 225
Course Description :
Focuses on the structure and power of the national government and major problems of national policy.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PO 328
Course Description :
Traces the historic political involvement of various ethnic and racial groups and examines their effect on American political institutions and the processes of organized government.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PO 362
Course Description :
Studies the historical development, principles, and procedures of the diplomatic relations between nations in the modern period.
Credit : 3
Psychology Cluster
Course Code : PS 207
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses
Course Description :
This course continues the examination of the main theories, methods, and principles of psychology begun in PS150. Topics include research methodology, neuroscience, consciousness, sensation and perception, learning, memory, thinking and language.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
PS150
Course Code : PS 209
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 3
Course Description :
This course examines physiological, social, psychological, and cognitive development from conception until the end of the second year of life. Topics include genetic and chromosomal factors, pregnancy, birth, temperament, sensorimotor intelligence, attachment, emotions, language, personality development, and family and community interaction.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 211
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 3
Course Description :
This course examines physiological, social, psychological, and cognitive development from age three until the beginning of adolescence. Topics include brain, motor, emotional, personality, cognitive, and language development, gender roles, play, divorce, child maltreatment, and family and community interaction.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 216
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 3
Course Description :
This course examines physiological, social, psychological, and cognitive development from the beginning to the end of adolescence. Topics include puberty and sexual development, identity, peer interaction, drug and alcohol use and abuse, suicide, and family and community interaction.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 232
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 4
Course Description :
Studies major theoretical approaches to personality structure and dynamics, the disorganization of the personality, and problems involved in personality assessment. Theorists studied include: Freud, Jung, Adler, Horney, May, Maslow, Rogers and Skinner
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 261
Course Group(s) : Psychology 200 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 2
Course Description :
Provides an experiential seminar in group dynamics and interpersonal effectiveness. Sensitivity training techniques will be used to illustrate and to discuss skills in communication, listening, and confrontation in social and business situations. The aim is to foster win/win situations. Group interaction exercises and discussions will be used to enhance these skills.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 309
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 4
Course Description :
Examines the symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.
Credit : 3
Prerequisites :
PS204, PS150, PS207.
Course Code : PS 313
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 4
Course Description :
Examines counseling theories and the counseling relationship. The course also includes family and group counseling and career counseling
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 318
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 2
Course Description :
Examines cross-cultural influences in understanding psychology. Course emphasizes the interplay of individual, ethnic, and cultural factors in psychosocial growth and well-being, cross-cultural and cross-ethnic communication, and counseling and psychotherapeutic interactions.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 321
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 2
Course Description :
Explores current theories and research in motivation; needs for approval and achievement, affiliation, love, and affection; self-preservation, self-actualization, aggression and assertiveness.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 322
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 3
Course Description :
Examines areas of psychology relevant to the educational process. Topics include: theories of instruction, teaching and learning styles, classroom management and motivation, individual differences and the exceptional child.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 328
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 1
Course Description :
This course focuses on major learning perspectives including classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning theory.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 335
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 4
Course Description :
Provides an introduction to the biological, psychological, and social factors that interact to influence physical health and illness. The course examines research on the application of psychological models to the maintenance of health and to the prevention and treatment of illness. Topics include lifestyle choices and health; stress and stress management; pain and pain management; psychoneuroimmunology; chronic illness; adherence to medical treatment recommendations; and alternative medicine.
Credit : 3
Course Code : PS 336
Course Group(s) : Psychology 300 Level Courses, Psychology Cluster 2
Course Description :
Examines the variables and processes critical to understanding and achieving personal success and fulfillment. Included will be a discussion of the concepts of “flow,” optimism, virtue, gratitude, meaning, and emotional intelligence. Course will also examine how concepts in positive psychology can inform interventions in areas such as family and parenting, friendships and romance, recreation and leisure, school, work, and service.
Credit : 3
Sociology Cluster
Course Code : SO 231
Course Description :
Investigates poverty as a product of a complex social system and theories and strategies for its alleviation.
Credit : 3
Course Code : SO 323
Course Description :
Involves the study of the history of ethnic, cultural and religious subgroups in present day societies; inter-group relations as they are influenced by competition, conflict and prejudice; the significance of these relationships to the structure of society.
Credit : 3
Course Code : SO 326
Course Description :
Examines theories of inequality, social ranking, and the distribution of resources and opportunity as they affect individuals and groups in social institutions, lifestyles, value systems, and quality of life. Variables of power, power elites, class consciousness, alienation, class mobility, and stratification criteria will be explored.
Credit : 3
Course Code : SO 330
Course Description :
Examines American dating, marriage, and family patterns with emphasis on the family life cycle, parenting and family disorganization.
Credit : 3
Course Code : SO 334
Course Description :
Examines major topics in the sociology of medicine including socio-cultural concepts of health and disease; consequences of illness; the social context of health care; and problem areas such as mental illness, ethical issues and the high costs of health care.
Credit : 3
Course Code : SO 339
Course Description :
Details the non-physical aspects of aging; the developmental and group behavior of adults following maturation.
Credit : 3