School of Public Health
Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2013–2015 Undergraduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 6, 2013 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved. Please see www.uic.edu/ucat for the most up-to-date requirements.
Introduction
BA in Public Health Program
School of Public Health Policies
- Academic Load
- Academic Probation and Dismissal Rules
- Change of Course Schedule—Dropping Courses
- Class Attendance
- Course Prerequisites
- Credit/No Credit Option
- Double Major, Double Degrees, and Second Bachelor’s Degree
- Graduate-Level Courses for Undergraduate Students
- Independent Study
- Petition Procedure
- Registration Approval
- Repeat Policy for Standard Graded Courses
- Transferring
Dean, Paul Brandt-Rauf
1603 West Taylor Street
Chicago, Illinois 60612
(312) 355-2536
Website: www.publichealth.uic.edu
Director of Undergraduate Public Health: Karin J. Opacich, PhD, MHPE, OTR/L, FAOTA, Clinical Associate Professor, Health Policy & Administration
Phone: (312) 996-6081
Email: kopacich@uic.edu
Introduction
The UIC School of Public Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and well-being of people around the world, from the Metropolitan Chicago Area to Africa, Latin America, and Asia. We achieve this mission by: educating scientists, professionals, and the public; conducting research to develop solutions to public health problems; providing public health service; and formulating public health policy. Ours is a community of scholars, students, and staff dedicated to creating a healthy society. Along with academic excellence, UIC SPH fosters cutting-edge research and engaged community-based practice that focuses on eliminating health disparities and bringing public health solutions to communities in need.
Whether a student is a freshman at UIC, a baccalaureate looking for graduate education in public health, a seasoned professional seeking specialized public health training, or simply wants to sample the field—the School of Public Health has something to offer. The UIC School of Public Health offers applicants a choice of degrees to pursue including the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health (BA), Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), Master of Science (MS), Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Science (MSCTS), Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health (PhD). Our faculty and alumni continue to make solid contributions in Chicago and across the globe. Their vision, resolve, and ingenuity have built the foundation for a rich UIC public health legacy. Our students learn, innovate, practice, research, and challenge public health concepts in Chicago and in communities around the world.
Bachelor of Arts in Public Health Program
The mission of the baccalaureate program in public health is to engage and enlighten students about matters related to the health of societies locally, nationally, and globally. By systematically examining biological, environmental, cultural, behavioral, historical, economic, and political factors that mitigate health, students in the program will become informed citizens who can consider the public’s health in whatever life roles they assume. For those who go on to careers in medicine, nursing, dentistry, and other health-related professions, the baccalaureate program in public health builds upon a broad foundation in the biological and behavioral sciences imbued with social ecology and population–based perspectives. Graduates of the program will acquire an array of skills that can be applied to many forms of inquiry, analysis, scientific and moral reasoning, and practice. At the baccalaureate level, graduates may seek employment in public health as communicable disease investigators, public health educators, program coordinators, environmental specialists, information specialists, and other roles commensurate with their skills. Those wishing to pursue professional careers in the public health arena will be well positioned to continue their studies through matriculation into master’s degree programs in public health. Emerging from the program with an informed understanding of public health, graduates will embrace the vision of health equity and social justice.
Admission Requirements
Students apply for admission through the School of Public Health. Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health program is selective and competitive and dependent on the availability of space. Students must indicate in their application whether they are selecting the professional track (designed for those students who intend to enter the professional workforce upon completion of the BA) or the academic track (designed for those students who intend to pursue further academic degrees upon completion of the BA).
- Junior standing only - completion of 60 semester hours of specified General Education course work in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or from any accredited community college or four-year college or university.
- Specified General Education course work includes completion of 9 semester hours of introductory public health course work with a grade of B or better in each course (PUBH 100—Health and the Public, PUBH 110—Public Health and Global Societies, and PUBH 120—Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemics). Special consideration will be given to students who have taken comparable prerequisites at community colleges or other four-year colleges or universities.
- Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75/4.00.
- Personal statement of educational goals including reasons for selecting a public health degree.
- One letter of recommendation from a professional or academic reference.
To earn the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health degree from UIC, students need to complete the University and school degree requirements. University and school degree requirements for all School of Public Health students are outlined below. Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for more information on completing the General Education requirements.
Semester Hour Requirement
The School of Public Health semester hour requirement is 120 semester hours. UIC students complete the first two years of the program in Pre-Public Health (PH) through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. If admitted to the School of Public Health, students complete the
final two years in the Public Health curriculum.
| Degree Program | Degree Conferred | Total Hours |
| Public Health | BA in Public Health | 120 |
| BA in Public Health Degree Requirements | Hours |
| Pre-Public Health (includes 9 semester hours of PUBH prerequisites above) | 60 |
| Course Requirements in Public Health | 33 |
| Public Health Fieldworka | 3 |
| Selectives | 12 or 15 |
| Electives: Preapproved by advisor as relevant to plan of study | 6 |
| Free Electives | 6 |
| Total Hours—BA in Public Health | 120 |
a Students in the professional track are required to take Public Health Fieldwork. Students in the academic track
may choose to take the fieldwork course or replace it with another 3-hour selective.
Pre-Public Health
| Courses | Hours |
| ENGL 160—Academic Writing I: Writing for Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ENGL 161—Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Foreign language (16 hours in a single language or equivalent)a | 16 |
| Quantitative Reasoning courseb | 3–5 |
| PUBH 100—Health and the Publiccd | 3 |
| PUBH 110—Public Health and Global Societiesde | 3 |
| PUBH 120—Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemicsf | 3 |
| Analyzing the Natural World: 2 courses required, including PUBH 120 (see above) and a life science course. For life science course, choose from the following courses approved for Analyzing the Natural World—ANTH 105, BIOS 100, BIOS 101, or BIOS 104. | 4–5 |
| Exploring World Cultures coursegi | 3g |
| Understanding U.S. Society coursehi | 3h |
| Understanding the Individual and Society courseghi | 3gh |
| Understanding the Past coursei | 3 |
| Understanding the Creative Arts coursei | 3 |
| Additional General Education course(s) from any category, as necessary to total 24 hours of General Education crediti | 1–3 |
| Free electives to total 60 hours | 1–12 |
| Total Hours—Pre-Public Health | 60 |
a If a student has a background in a foreign language, proficiency in that language will be determined by testing.
Should a student be deemed proficient, other course work is chosen for this credit hour requirement. See the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement for further explanation.
b See Quantitative Reasoning section contained later in this document.
c This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society. Courses approved for more than one General Education category may only be applied to one General Education category.
d This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category. Courses approved for more than one General Education category may only be applied to one General Education category.
e This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures. Courses approved for more than one General Education category may only be applied to one General Education category.
f This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category (nonlaboratory course).
g Students must take a course approved for this General Education category if not fulfilled by PUBH 110.
h Students must take a course approved for this General Education category if not fulfilled by PUBH 100.
i Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category. All students must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of General Education course work with at least one course from each of the six General Education categories.
Course Requirements: School of Public Health
| Required Courses | Hours |
| PUBH 300—Critical Thinking in Public Health | 4 |
| PUBH 310—Public Health and Global Citizenship | 3 |
| PUBH 320—Ecologies of Health and Modern Life | 3 |
| PUBH 330—Health Equity, Health Disparities | 3 |
| PUBH 340—Health Literacy | 3 |
| PUBH 350—Health Systems, Health Policy | 3 |
| PUBH 360—Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives | 4 |
| PUBH 370—Using the Public Health Toolbox | 3 |
| PUBH 410—Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges I | 2 |
| PUBH 411—Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges II | 2 |
| PUBH 397—Baccalaureate Project in Public Health | 3 |
| Total Hours—Course Requirements in the School of Public Health | 33 |
| PUBH 393—Public Health Fieldwork (required for those in the professional track, optional for students in the academic track)a | 3 |
a Students in the professional track are required to take Public Health Fieldwork. Students in the academic track may choose to take the fieldwork course or replace it with another 3-hour selective.
Selectives and Electives
| Courses | Hours |
| Selectives from list of courses representing an array of disciplines (African American Studies, Anthropology, Communication, Education, Gender and Women’s Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Urban Planning & Public Administration and 400-level public health courses, with the exception of MPH core, with permission of instructor). Fieldwork is a requirement for students in the professional track but may be taken as a selective for those in the academic track. |
12 or 15 |
| Electives: Preapproved by advisor as relevant to the student's plan of study | 6 |
| Free Electives | 6 |
| Total Hours—Selectives and Electives | 24 or 27 |
General Education Core
General Education at UIC is designed to serve as a foundation for lifelong learning. Students are required to complete a minimum of 24 semester hours in the General Education Core with at least one course from each of the following categories:
- Analyzing the Natural World
- Understanding the Individual and Society
- Understanding the Past
- Understanding the Creative Arts
- Exploring World Cultures
- Understanding U.S. Society
For a description and a list of courses for each General Education Core category, students should consult the General Education section of the catalog. Information on meeting the General Education requirements for this program is listed in the previous section on Pre-Public Health.
General Education Proficiencies—Foreign Language, Quantitative Reasoning, and University Writing Requirement
School of Public Health students must meet the following General Education Proficiencies: Foreign Language, Quantitative Reasoning, and University Writing Requirement. As noted in the previous section on Pre-Public Health, students meet the General Education Proficiencies as follows:
Foreign Language
Students must earn sixteen hours in a single language or the equivalent. Students with a background in a foreign language may take proficiency tests, and if passed students would be able to substitute other course work for this 16-semester-hour requirement. Please see the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement for further explanation.
Quantitative Reasoning
Students in the School of Public Health must demonstrate competency in quantitative reasoning to earn a degree. Such competence can be demonstrated in any one of the following ways:
- Achievement of a score on the mathematics placement examination high enough to qualify for enrollment in Mathematics 180.
- Grade of B or better in any one of the following courses: Mathematics 121, 123, 145, 160, 165, 180, Statistics 101.
- Grade of B or better in a mathematically oriented or quantitative course in a department in LAS other than Mathematics. Such courses must require Mathematics 090 or 118 as a prerequisite. At present, such courses include Communication 201; Criminology, Law, and Justice 262; Political Science 201; Psychology 343; and Sociology 201.
- Grade of B or better in a logic course in the Department of Philosophy: Philosophy 102 or 210.
- Transfer students may present equivalent courses taken elsewhere, for which they have received a grade of B or better, to satisfy this requirement.
University Writing Requirement
Students must earn a passing grade in English 160 and 161. Grades of B or better are preferred.
Other Requirements
Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement
A student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.75/4.00 in all work taken at UIC. In addition, the combined average of a student’s transfer work and work taken at UIC must be at least 2.75. The minimum cumulative grade point average for course work once admitted to the Public Health major is 3.00.
Graduation Declaration/Filing to Graduate
Students declare their intent to graduate online using my.UIC.edu. The deadline for submission to the Pending Degree List is the end of the third week (fall and spring) or second week (Summer Session 2) of the term in which graduation is sought. Failure to submit the request at this time may delay the awarding of the degree. A final review will be made following the close of the term. If a student has satisfactorily completed all the degree requirements, the student’s name will be placed on the official degree list.
Enrollment Residence Requirement
See the University Degree Requirements, Graduation, and Commencement section of the catalog for a complete description of this requirement.
Transfer Credit
Course work completed at other colleges and universities may apply toward partial fulfillment of graduation requirements and may be used as prerequisites for courses at UIC. The University of Illinois at Chicago is a participant in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide agreement that allows for the transfer of the IAI-approved General Education Core Curriculum between participating institutions. Please consult the Illinois Articulation Initiative in the Admissions section of the undergraduate catalog. The final decision, however, regarding the acceptance of credit and courses that apply toward degree requirements is made by the School of Public Health.
Transfer Credit for Continuing Students
Continuing students who want to take course work for credit at another institution, either concurrent with UIC enrollment or during the summer term, must obtain prior written approval from the School of Public Health. Students will have to provide justification for the request.
If prior approval is not obtained from the school, credit may not be allowed. Students are obligated to report all work from other institutions once enrolled at UIC.
Please note that when transferring credit from a community college after attaining junior status, a student must earn at least 60 of the required semester hours either at the University of Illinois at Chicago or another accredited four-year college or university. The enrollment residence requirements must also be met. Thus, students ordinarily should not register at a community college after completing their sophomore year.
Transfer guides are available for most colleges in the Chicago area and can be found at: www.uic.edu/depts/oar/undergrad/transfer_guides.html.
School of Public Health Policies
In the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health program, while full-time student status is preferred, students may enroll in a part-time program of study. During the fall and spring semesters, a minimum full-time program is 12 hours of credit per semester. A program of 19 semester hours or more must be approved by a school dean or the Director of Undergraduate Public Health. For Summer Session 1 (four-week) and Summer Session 2 (eight-week), UIC considers a total aggregate of 6 semester hours as the minimum number necessary to constitute full-time enrollment. A program of 11 semester hours or more during the summer session must be approved by a school dean or the Director of Undergraduate Public Health.
Academic Probation and Dismissal Rules
A student will be placed on academic probation in any term in which either a cumulative or semester grade point average of less than 2.75/4.00 is earned for all academic work or when the cumulative grade point average for required public health courses falls below 3.00. A student on probation is expected to earn greater than a 3.00 in the next term and have an overall UIC cumulative grade point average of 2.75 by the end of the second term on probation.
Dismissal Rules
Students failing to earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 by the end of two terms on probation will be
dismissed from the University. In any term, a student may be dismissed for one or more of the following reasons:
- First-term students will be dismissed after their first term of enrollment if they earn zero credit or obtain a deficit of -15 points or more. Deficit points are calculated as follows: multiply the number of credit hours for each course taken by the points for the grade received, A=+2, B=+1, C=0, D=-1, F=-2. Add the points of each course taken during the semester. The total equals the deficit points used to determine probation status. Each deficit point equals one hour of B.
- Continuing students will be dismissed at the end of any term in which their cumulative deficit points (see above) are -15 or more.
- Failure to earn any credit.
- Failure to earn at least a 1.00/4.00 (D) average for a term.
- Failure to earn at least a 3.00/4.00 while on probation.
- Failure to meet conditions of probation.
- Failure to meet conditions specified at the time of admission.
- Failure to make progress toward completion of the Public Health degree.
- Two or more consecutive terms of University withdrawals.
The dean may waive the dismissal rules in extraordinary circumstances.
Appeal of a Dismissal Decision
Students who have been dismissed by the school may apply for readmission after two terms (excluding the summer session). Students who can document that poor academic performance was the result of significant extenuating circumstances, such as a long-term or debilitating illness or personal crisis, may petition for immediate reinstatement. The student must make arrangements for an interview, with supporting documentation, with the Director of Undergraduate Public Health or a school dean prior to the first day of instruction of the new term.
Change of Course Schedule—Dropping Courses
Undergraduate students may drop courses using my.UIC.edu through the end of the second week of classes for fall and spring semesters, the first Wednesday of Summer Session 1, or the first Friday of Summer Session 2. During weeks 3 through 10 of the fall and spring semesters (first Thursday through the second Wednesday of Summer Session 1 or weeks 2 through 5 of Summer Session 2) students may drop courses with the permission of their major college. If the drop occurs between 0 and 2 weeks in fall and spring, there will be no notation on the transcript. If the drop occurs during weeks 3 through 10 in fall and spring (first Thursday through the second Wednesday of Summer Session 1 or weeks 2 through 5 of Summer Session 2), a W is noted on the transcript. Undergraduate students may drop a maximum of 4 UIC individual courses that result in a W notation on their transcript during their entire undergraduate degree program.
Each instructor may establish his/her own attendance policy, including penalties for nonattendance. Failure to attend classes does not result in automatic withdrawal from a course. The school expects that students will attend all classes.
A student must satisfy the prerequisites before enrolling in a course. A student enrolling in a course without having met the prerequisites may be withdrawn from the course. Course prerequisites are listed in both the course descriptions in this catalog and the Schedule of Classes. Only the instructor may waive the prerequisite, if given evidence that the student is adequately prepared to pursue the subject.
The credit/no credit option allows the student to complete a course with a grade of credit (CR) or no credit (NC) instead of a letter grade. Courses completed with a grade of CR carry credit and apply toward degree requirements. In general, grades of CR and NC are final and cannot be changed to letter grades. The Public Health program’s policy coincides with campus policy with the following conditions:
- Only students in good standing may elect to take a course under the credit/no credit option. Students on probation and those whose status is undetermined at the time at which they elect the option are not eligible.
- A student may request only one course per term as credit/no credit.
- No more than two courses in a single discipline may be taken as credit/no credit.
- Only elective courses may be taken on a credit/no credit basis; courses being used to meet any graduation course requirements must be taken for letter grades.
- The following describes the restrictions that apply
to all students regardless of major or curriculum:
- Students may not take English 160 or 161 as credit/no credit.
- Students may not take any course used to satisfy the foreign language requirement as credit/no credit.
- Students may not take any course used to satisfy the General Education Core requirements as credit/no credit. Until students have completed the minimum requirement in each General Education Core category, courses from these areas may not be taken as credit/no credit.
- Students may not take any course used to satisfy the quantitative reasoning requirement as credit/no credit.
- Students may not take any course being used to satisfy the requirements of the Public Health major or required prerequisite and collateral courses of the major as credit/no credit.
- A student may earn no more than 21 semester hours of credit at UIC under the credit/no credit option.
Students must apply to take a course credit/no credit at the School of Public Health Undergraduate Program office no later than the tenth day of the term (first Wednesday of Summer Session 1 or first Friday of Summer Session 2). After that date, students may not request courses on a credit/no credit basis nor may they change a credit/no credit request previously submitted. It is the responsibility of the student to determine eligibility under the regulations. Students will be informed if they are ineligible and will receive a grade for the course. Students with questions concerning their eligibility should make an appointment with the Director of the Public Health.
Double Major, Double Degrees, and Second Bachelor’s Degree
This option is not available in the School of Public Health at this time.
Double Degrees
Double degrees consist of two bachelor’s degrees completed concurrently. Double degrees with the School of Public Health BA program and a program in another college may be possible. Students should consult the college section of the catalog for the second degree program to determine if this option is available.
Students seeking two bachelor’s degrees concurrently must formally request acceptance into the second degree program. Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond those required for the first degree and all requirements for each of the degree programs as specified by the college and major department. All students interested in double degrees should discuss this option with an advisor.
Double degrees are not permitted when there is substantial course overlap between the first and second degrees.
Students who obtain double degrees receive a diploma for each degree. No more than two bachelor’s degrees may be awarded concurrently.
Second Bachelor’s Degree
Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree at UIC or another institution are required to follow the same application procedures as all other applicants in order to pursue a second bachelor’s degree. Students must complete all requirements for the second degree as specified by the college and the major department, including a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond those required for the first degree. The UIC enrollment residence requirement must also be met, i.e., the last 30 semester hours for the second degree must be taken at UIC. A second bachelor’s degree
is not permitted when there is substantial course overlap between the first and second degrees.
Graduate-Level Courses for Undergraduate Students
With approval from the Director of Undergraduate Public Health and permission from the professor, an undergraduate student may enroll in a course at the graduate level (400- or 500-level) for undergraduate credit. Prior to enrollment, students must obtain approval and must have met course prerequisites.
Students should understand that graduate-level courses taken by an undergraduate student are generally not applicable toward a graduate degree.
To be eligible to enroll in PUBH 396—Independent Study in Public Health, a student must have a minimum 2.75/4.00 grade point average in all course work taken at UIC and must obtain consent of the instructor and the Undergraduate Public Health program prior to registration. No student may enroll in an independent study course after the tenth day of the term without approval of the Undergraduate Public Health program.
Any rule, regulation, or action of the Undergraduate Public Health program may be appealed in writing. Petitions are submitted to the Undergraduate Program Office in the School of Public Health. It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation in support of the petition. Submission of a petition does not imply approval.
All new students are required to attend an orientation program prior to registration. Certain students or groups of students may be required to see an advisor prior to registration.
Repeat Policy for Standard Graded Courses
Students may repeat a course to increase their knowledge of the subject matter. There are circumstances under which repeating a course is advisable and to a student’s advantage. There are also circumstances where repeating a course may disadvantage a student and narrow a student’s options. The Public Health program requires students to discuss any plan to repeat a course with their academic advisor before they register to repeat the course.
Courses with A or B grades may not be repeated. Normally, courses with a C grade may not be repeated. Courses with D or F grades may be repeated once without written permission. In all cases, the original grade for the course and the grade for each repeat will appear on the transcript. The original grade will be calculated into the grade point average, unless the student initiates a request for Repeating a Course with Grade Point Average Recalculation as described below. Only one registration for the course counts toward the total number of credits required for graduation. A course cannot be repeated after receiving credit in a course for which the repeat course is a prerequisite.
To repeat a course more than once due to a grade of D or F requires written permission from the student’s college dean. Students who have been dismissed may not appeal on the grounds of intention to repeat courses. Certain courses may not be repeated; students should consult their college before repeating a course.
Repeating a Course with Grade Point Average Recalculation
Important Note: Grade point average recalculation for a repeated course is not automatic. The student must initiate a request in the college office as outlined below.
For the grade point average recalculation policy to apply, a student must declare to his or her college the intent to repeat a course for a change of grade. Students must submit this request to their college before the end of the official add/drop period, no later than the second Friday of the fall and spring semesters, the first Wednesday of Summer Session 1, or the first Friday of Summer Session 2. The course must be repeated within three semesters of the receipt of the original grade, and it must be taken at UIC. Only one registration for the course counts toward the total number of credits required for graduation.
Undergraduate students are allowed grade point average recalculation in up to four repeated courses. Under the course repeat policy, all courses taken and their grades appear on the transcript in the semester in which they were taken. Under the grade point average recalculation policy, the grade earned the first time the course is taken will be dropped from the calculation of the cumulative GPA and the grade(s) earned when the course is repeated will be used in the calculation. This rule holds, even if the second grade is lower than the first. If a course is repeated more than once, the first grade is not counted in the GPA, but all other grades for that course are calculated in the cumulative GPA.
Students currently enrolled at UIC who want to transfer into the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health program should complete an Intercollege Transfer Application available on the School of Public Health website. Students are welcome to discuss possible admission to the School of Public Health with the Director of Undergraduate Public Health or Undergraduate Program Coordinator. Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health program is offered for the fall semester only and Intercollege Transfer Applications are due by March 31 of spring semester prior to fall semester of desired enrollment. Admission to Public Health is limited to those students in good academic standing who have a UIC grade point average of at least 2.75/4.00 and whose combined UIC and transfer grade point average is at least 2.75. Those students who are accepted into Public Health are expected to enroll immediately in courses that fulfill the Public Health degree requirements.
Students applying to Public Health as transfers must have earned at least 60 semester hours of credit and must submit complete transcripts from all postsecondary institutions. Provided space is available, a minimum 2.75/4.00 grade point average is required for consideration. Please consult the Admissions section of the catalog for more information.
The Public Health student who wants to transfer into another UIC college must follow the procedures of that college. Students interested in other colleges should contact those colleges directly.
Academic Advising
Advising Policy
The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health program encourages the intellectual growth and development of the student as an individual. Newly admitted students are required to participate in a small group advising session prior to their initial registration. To arrange an advising appointment, students may call or come to the Undergraduate Program Office. Students should consult the Undergraduate Program Coordinator or other appointed academic advisor at least once during the first term in residence and at least once an academic year thereafter. Advisors assist students in individual program planning and course selection, as well as discuss with students the feasibility of various career paths based on interest and academic performance. Additionally, advisors can explain school and program rules and requirements and can help resolve special registration problems. In conjunction with this, advisors refer students to additional resources on campus.
Academic Honors
The School of Public Health recognizes and conforms with the campus-wide honors program. University Honors are awarded to graduating students whose cumulative grade point average falls within the following honors categories:
Summa cum laude: 3.90 and above
Magna cum laude: 3.75 to 3.89
Cum laude: 3.50 to 3.74
Transfer students must have earned a minimum of 42 hours at the University of Illinois at Chicago at the end of the term prior to the term of graduation and have a minimum of 60 hours completed at UIC upon graduation.
In addition, transfer students must have an institutional (UIC) grade point average of 3.50 in order to qualify for University Honors.
Exceptional academic achievement in the School of Public Health is recognized each term by inclusion on the Dean’s List. Eligibility is based on a 3.50/4.00 term GPA with a minimum program of 12 semester hours, exclusive of basic military science and basic activity courses in physical education. At least 9 semester hours must be earned for letter grades, in addition to a grade of Credit earned in any course taken on a credit/no credit basis.
Sample Course Schedule
Note that students in specific preprofessional tracks
(e.g., pre-medicine) will likely need additional credit hours in order to obtain all admission
requirements for professional programs.
| Junior Year | |
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| PUBH 300—Critical Thinking in Public Health | 4 |
| PUBH 320—Ecologies of Health and Modern Life | 3 |
| PUBH 330—Health Equity and Health Disparities | 3 |
| Elective/selective course | 3 |
| Total Hours | 13 |
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| PUBH 310—Public Health and Global Citizenship | 3 |
| PUBH 340—Health Literacy | 3 |
| PUBH 350—Health Systems, Health Policy | 3 |
| PUBH 360—Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives | 4 |
| Elective/selective course | 3 |
| Total Hours | 16 |
| Summer Session | Hours |
| PUBH 393—Public Health Fieldwork (may be taken anytime from this point forward) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 3 |
| Senior Year | |
| Fall Semester | Hours |
| PUBH 370—Using the Public Health Toolbox | 3 |
| PUBH 410—Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges I | 2 |
| Three elective/selective courses | 9 |
| Total Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | Hours |
| PUBH 397—Baccalaureate Project in Public Health | 3 |
| PUBH 411—Historical and Contemporary Public Health Challenges II | 2 |
| Three elective/selective courses | 9 |
| Total Hours | 14 |
