Social and Behavioral Sciences, Public Health Concentration, B.A.

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The Public Health Concentration is available to SBS majors.

A concentration is simply a way for SBS majors to organize their six required SBS electives at the 300-level or above. The Public Health concentration addresses a need for awareness of public health issues not only in Maine, but globally. Evolutionary and multicultural aspects of diseases and their interface with human populations are daily headlines in the media: for instance, health care systems; food utilization and governmental policies; epidemics of flu, HIV/AIDS, COVID, and other emerging infectious diseases; as well as the threat of bioterrorism, are all concerns of the discipline of Public Health. Professions that utilize knowledge of public health include medical and allied health and human services, mental health, gerontology, and child and family support. Public health approaches address the full spectrum of services, planning, and evaluation.

The Public Health concentration is intended to prepare SBS majors to become decision makers and policy advocates by shaping their ability to understand myriad public health concerns, and developing their facility in applying pertinent theoretical and practical knowledge to create a safe and functioning society. The concentration also prepares students for the pursuit of graduate study in Public Health and Policy.

IMPORTANT: This page describes the Public Health Concentration. Public Health (offered through the Social and Behavioral Sciences program) is also available as a Minor for students in any USM degree program, and as a Certificate, which is open to anyone. Students pursuing the Public Health Concentration may also be interested in USM’s Bachelor in Public Health.

**Students should complete the necessary paperwork so that the Public Health Concentration appears on their MaineStreet academic plan.**

Graduate Study in Public Health:

Students pursuing the Public Health Concentration may also be interested in USM’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Please visit the Office of Admission for application information.

Program Requirements

To complete the Public Health Concentration, students select their six SBS electives by taking the five required courses, plus one chosen from the Public Health electives below. Any substitutions must be approved by a faculty adviser. A minimum grade of C- in each of the SBS courses is required to earn the Public Health concentration.

Minimum number of credits (exclusive of the University’s Core Curriculum) required for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Public Health Concentration major: 51.
Minimum grade requirement for major courses listed below: C-.
Minimum GPA requirement for major courses listed below: 2.0.

In addition to the requirements listed in the BA (see BA Page), the following requirements apply to the Public Health Concentration:

Required courses

SBS 304 - Food and Culture Credits: 3
OR
SBS 308 - Medical Anthropology Credits: 3
SBS 335 - Legal Issues in Health and Human Services Credits: 3
SBS 336 - Fundamentals of Public Health Credits: 3
OR
BPH 201 - Fundamentals of Public Health Credits: 3
SBS 337 - Introduction to Epidemiology Credits: 3
OR
BPH 337 - Introduction to Epidemiology Credits: 3

Public Health elective

Students select one of the following or, with advisor approval, a course equivalent in substance and intent:

SBS 303 - Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3
SBS 339 - Migration, Ethnicity, and Identity Credits: 3
SBS 341 - The Family Credits: 3
SBS 343 - Substance Use Disorders Credits: 3
SBS 345 - Diversity: Many Voices Credits: 3
SBS 350 - Psychosocial Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence Credits: 3
PSY 368 - Health Psychology Credits: 3
NUR 356 - Community and Public Health Nursing Credits: 3

Major Courses that Satisfy Core Requirements

Students are encouraged to explore Core courses that also count towards their major or minor. Courses listed below are part of this major and also satisfy University Core Curriculum requirements. Course lists that satisfy each requirement can be found on the Core Curriculum webpage.

Writing, Reading, and Inquiry 3: SBS 370
Quantitative Reasoning: LOS 120
Creative Expression:
Cultural Interpretation:
Science Exploration:
Socio-cultural Analysis: ANT 101 , HRD 200 /SBS 200 , SOC 100
Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, and Citizenship: SBS 363 , SBS 370
Culture, Power, and Equity: ANT 101 , SBS 316 /LOS 316 , SBS 300
International: ANT 101 , SBS 370 , SBS 470
Engaged Learning: SBS 301 /LOS 301 , SBS 302 /LOS 302 , SBS 329 /LOS 329 , SBS 398 , SBS 430 , SBS 447 , SBS 470
Capstone: SBS 430

USM Core Requirements

Students must complete all Core and degree requirements as part of the Graduation Requirements. For more information, see Academic Policies.

The USM Core Curriculum provides a coherent, integrative, and rigorous liberal arts education that fulfills general education requirements. It is designed to help students become globally aware, purposeful, and lifelong learners.

Please Note: Core requirements may be part of your major and/or minor, and Core may have been fulfilled with transfer credit. Please consult your MaineStreet Degree Progress Report (DPR) and review your degree progress with your Advisor. For additional information, access the USM Core webpage.