Skip Sub Menu
Global & Comparative Public Health Concentration
The Global and Comparative Public Health (GCPH) Concentration provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of health from a global perspective. The concentration integrates theory and practice from the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities to offer a comprehensive educational experience that supports students’ academic, professional, and personal goals.
Through the GCPH concentration, students will learn to:
-
Identify how determinants of health—including biological, cultural, environmental, economic, political, institutional, and social factors—affect the health status of diverse populations;
-
Evaluate public health interventions and their potential impact on population health;
-
Explain how the health of a given population is interconnected with the health of populations worldwide;
-
Assess population health using commonly accepted indicators of health status.
The GCPH concentration complements a wide range of majors, including biology; biochemistry, cell and molecular biology; pharmacy; health sciences; occupational therapy; international relations; politics; law, politics and society; sociology; environmental science and policy; and philosophy. Students who complete the concentration are well prepared for graduate study and careers in public health–related fields.
Requirements:
-
Students must complete 12 credit hours of approved electives for the concentration.
-
At least 3 credit hours must come from Natural Science electives, and at least 3 credit hours must come from Humanities/Social Science electives.
Students seeking to transfer coursework from other colleges or universities must complete the GCPH Course Transfer Request Form.
-
No more than 3 credit hours may be transferred toward the concentration from other institutions.
-
Students completing the three-course sequence in Foundations of Interpreting (SPAN 136, 139, 141) should note that only one (1) course may be applied toward the concentration.
-
For study abroad courses and experiential rotations, a maximum of 3 credit hours may be applied toward the concentration.
Students seeking an exception to any concentration policy must submit an Exception to Program Policy Request Form for review and approval.
REQUIRED COURSES (9 credits)
HSCI 143 – Introduction to Epidemiology (3 credits - Fall only)
HSCI 144 – Introduction to Public Health (3 credits - Fall only)
HSCI 104 – Global Health (3 credits - Spring only)
ELECTIVE COURSES (12 credits required)
|
Courses in the Natural Sciences |
Courses in the Social Sciences/Humanities |
|
BIO 092/L – Introduction to Ethnobotany (3 credits + 1 credit lab) BIO 108 – Infectious Disease (3 credits) BIO 111 – Evolved Foodways (3 credits) BIO 117/118L – Ecology (3 credits + 1 credit lab; lab recommended) BIO 140 – Biology Research and Statistical Methods (3 credits) BIO 145/L – Medicinal Ethnobotany (3 credits + 1 credit lab)* HSCI 060 – Statistics in Health Sciences (3 credits) INTD 087 – Disease, Dialogue, and Democracy (3 credits) |
ANTH 175 – Medical Anthropology (3 credits) BUS/HIST/HONR 067 – Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (3 credits; limited to 3 credits toward the concentration) HIST 185 – Public Health and Medical History (3 credits) HSCI 025 – Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System (3 credits) ** HSCI 102 – Principles of Health Economics (3 credits) ** HSCI 105 – Values and Ethics in Health Sciences (3 credits) ** HSCI 106 – Cultural Care and Health Literacy (3 credits) ** HSCI 108 – Introduction to U.S. Health Care Policy (3 credits) ** HSCI 147 – International Health Topics: India Trip (3 credits; limited to 3 credits toward the concentration) ** HSCI 181 – Health Communication and Advocacy (3 credits) ** PHAR 091 – History of Health Professions (3 credits) PHAR 150 – Biotechnology for “Glocal” Health Care Professionals (3 credits) PHAR 171 – Health Care Policies and Systems (3 credits; restricted to P1 status) PHAR 285 – P4 Global Rotations (Belize, China, India, South Africa) (3 credits; restricted to P4 status) SOC 081 – Medical Sociology (3 credits) SOC 181 – Death and Society (3 credits) SPAN 135 – Spanish Medical Terminology (3 credits) SPAN 136 – Basic Methods of Bilingual Medical Interpreting (3 credits) SPAN 139 – Applied Spanish Medical Terminology (3 credits) SPAN 141 – Spanish for Health Care Professionals (3 credits) SPAN 154 – Cultural Health Perspectives (3 credits) WLC 148 – Intercultural Communication (3 credits) |
|
Previously Approved (Legacy) Courses
|
*This course number is subject to change. Students should enroll using the course title. **HSCI courses typically reserved for HSCI majors during Phase I of registration. |
CPHS Calendar 
CPHS News
November 21, 2025
November 17, 2025
September 16, 2025
