Public Health

The public health major prepares students for graduate education in public health and for entry-level positions in a broad spectrum of private and public health organizations. Students receive a conceptual understanding of interrelated health, environmental, economic, educational, and social welfare issues. To pursue the major, students must apply to and be admitted to the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Completion of the public health major leads to a bachelor of science degree. Students seeking the minor may declare it with their schools and are not required to apply for admission to the Bloustein School.

Prerequisites for the Major in Public Health (20-21 credits)

  01:119:101-102  General Biology (4,4) or equivalent

  01:160:161-162  General Chemistry (4,4) or equivalent

  01:160:171  Introduction to Experimentation (1)

  10:762:205  Basic Statistical Methods for Policy, Planning, and Health (4) or a 200-level or higher basic statistics course (3-4)

Major Requirements (34 credits)

Core Courses (16 credits)

  10:762:395  Research Methods (4)***

  10:762:499  Internship with Seminar (6)***

  10:832:101  Introduction to Policy, Planning, and Health (3)

At least one of the following:

  01:355:302  Scientific and Technical Writing (3) or 01:355:303  Writing for Business and the Professions (3) or 01:355:315  Writing Grant Proposals (3) or 10:832:339  Public Health Literature (3) or a preapproved professional writing course (3)

Elective Courses (18 credits)

Students must complete 18 credits of electives, of which 12 credits must be at the 300 level or higher. Students completing a minor or second major may count only one course from that minor or major as an elective for the public health major or minor.

Any 832 course counts as an elective as do the following preapproved courses:

Minor Requirements (24-26 credits)

  10:832:101  Introduction to Policy, Planning, and Health (3)

  a 200-level or higher basic statistics course (3-4)

  a basic human biology course (3-4)

Five additional 832 courses of at least 3 credits each (15 credits) excluding 10:832:395, 400, 490,491, and 499, which are restricted to majors only.

Preparing for Careers in Public Health

Students seeking a career in health education should plan on taking a psychology or sociology minor and seek advising about becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Students seeking a career in health administration should complete Calculus I, microeconomics, and health economics, and plan on graduate study.

Students seeking careers in health and safety, environmental and occupational health, or sanitary inspection should take 10:832:438  Environmental and Public Health Practice (6 credits, offered summer only) and seek advising about becoming a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS).

Students seeking a career in long-term care should plan to complete the Nursing Home Administration Certificate (see below).

Certificate Program

Nursing Home Administration Certificate (24 credits)****

To become a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) in the state of New Jersey, an individual must be a college graduate, complete 1,700 hours of postgraduate fieldwork, and pass the state LNHA examination. The Nursing Home Administration (NHA) Certificate reduces the number of postgraduate hours required and covers much of the material necessary for students to prepare for the state licensing examination.

Students seeking the NHA Certificate must be public health majors. Some of the required courses for the NHA certificate are offered during Summer Session only.

Core Courses (21-22 credits)

  10:832:332  Public Health Economics (4) or 01:220:316  Health Economics (3)**

  10:832:333  Financial Aspects of Public Health (3)

  10:832:334  Principles of Health Administration (3) or 11:375:406  Public Health Practice and Administration (3)

  10:832:356  Public Health Law and Ethics (3) or  01:730:249  Medical Ethics (3)

  10:832:499  Internship with Seminar (NHA placement only) (6)

  01:920:303  Social Gerontology (3)**

Elective Courses (3 credits)

Independent study for elective credits may be applied if the student contracts with a faculty member knowledgeable about aging or administration or both.

Bloustein Research Fellows (Honors Program)

The Bloustein Research Fellows program offers an opportunity for a select group of students to align with the applied research done by the faculty, centers, and institutes at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Students may explore applications of planning and public policy related to community development; energy, health, or transportation policy; urban planning; or workforce development. Students may apply for the Research Fellows Program if they have completed the prerequisite courses to Bloustein School admission for the planning and public policy (762) major and hold at least a 3.4 cumulative grade-point average. Applications are available in the liberal arts school academic affairs or student services office, at the Bloustein School dean's office, and online at http://policy.rutgers.edu. Completion of the Bloustein Research Fellows program leads to a bachelor of arts degree.

Major Requirements (34 credits)

Core Courses (16 credits)

  10:762:101  Introduction to Policy, Planning, and Health (3)

  10:762:395  Research Methods (4)*****

  10:762:463,464  Bloustein Research (3,3)*****

The Protection of Human Subjects course offered by Rutgers University Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (no credit).

At least one of the following:

  01:355:302  Scientific and Technical Writing (3) or 01:355:303  Writing for Business and the Professions (3) or 01:355:315  Writing Grant Proposals (3) or a preapproved professional writing course (3)

Elective Courses (18 credits)

Students must complete 18 credits of 762 or 832 electives, of which 12 credits must be at the 300 level or higher. Students completing a minor or second major may count only one course from that minor or major as an elective for the public health major or minor.