B.A./B.S. in Health Studies

The undergraduate program in health studies at Portland State University contains common core courses with four separate concentration areas: community health education, health sciences, physical activity/exercise, and school health.

The community health education concentration area prepares students for entry-level careers in health education.

The health sciences concentration area is intended for students seeking admission into professional programs in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, or occupational therapy. It provides students with the opportunity to learn health education content and methods while completing specified science prerequisites.

The physical activity/exercise concentration area is designed for students with interests in the physiological and programmatic aspects of exercise, nutrition fitness, and physical activity.

The school health concentration area is intended for students interested in teaching health education within a public or private school setting.

In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements, students earning a B.A./B.S. degree in health studies must successfully complete:

  • The common degree requirements; and
  • One of the four concentration areas, from which a plan of study is developed with an academic adviser.

Common Degree (Core) Requirements (48) Credits
Stat 243 – Introduction to Probability and Statistics 4
PHE 250 – Our Community: Our Health 4
PHE 295 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention 4
PHE 350 – Health and Health Systems 4
PHE 443 – Environmental Health 4
PHE 450 – Epidemiology 4
PHE 404 – Internship 8
Total 32



Concentrations Credits
Community Health Education 44
Health Sciences 16
Physical Activity/Exercise 56
School Health 48


Community Health Education

This area of study is for those students who want to pursue careers in community health promotion and disease prevention. It blends public health and related research with a range of strategies such as community organizing, behavior change, public education, and policy development to help create healthy environments. Health educators seek both to aid in the voluntary selection of healthy behavior patterns by individuals, and to encourage the development of environmental conditions that support good health. Students pursuing a concentration in community health education must complete 44 credits from among the following:


Credits
PHE 275 – Stress Management 4
PHE 326 – Drug Education 4
PHE 335 – Human Sexuality 4
PHE 355 – Consumer Health Issues 4
PHE 363 – Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems 4
PHE 365 – Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth 4
PHE 410/510 – Special Topics 4
PHE 414/514 – Physical Activity Today 4
PHE 425 – Nutrition for Health 4
PHE 444 – Global Health 4
PHE 446 – Community Health Principles and Practices 4
*PHE 448 – Health Education Techniques and Strategies 4
PHE 452 – Gender, Race, Class and Health 4
PHE 453 – Women's Reproductive Health 4
PHE 455 – Film and Health 4
PHE 456 – Health Aspects of Aging 4
PHE 466 – Mind-Body Health: Disease Prevention 4
PHE 467 – Mind-Body Health: Human Potential 4
*PHE 471 – Program Planning/Evaluation in Health Education 4

* Students must complete both PHE 448 and PHE 471


Health Sciences

In developing a plan of study, students pursuing a baccalaureate degree in health studies with a health sciences concentration should verify specific prerequisites required by any professional school(s) to which an application will be submitted.

Advising sheets summarizing prerequisites for professional schools in Oregon and selected schools in the Pacific Northwest are available in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Advising Center (NH 491E) or can be downloaded from the CLAS Advising Center Web site.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing the health sciences track must complete 16 credits from the following list, as well as an internship of 4-8 credits.

Advising:
Students majoring in health studies with a health sciences concentration should meet with School of Community Health advisers for advising on the health studies major requirements and with College of Liberal Arts and Sciences pre-health advisers for advising regarding preparation for professional health programs (e.g. medical, dental, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, dental hygiene, and more). To schedule an appointment with a health studies major adviser, please visit URBN 450C or call (503) 725-5104. To schedule an appointment with a pre-health adviser, please visit NH 491E or call (503) 725-3822.


Credits
PHE 355 – Consumer Health Issues 4
PHE 361 – Care and Prevention of Injuries 4
PHE 363 – Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems 4
PHE 365 – Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth 4
PHE 370 – Applied Kinesiology 4
PHE 410/510 – Special Topics 4
PHE 414/514 – Physical Activity Today 4
PHE 425 – Nutrition for Health 4
PHE 444 – Global Health 4
PHE 451/551 – Women and Holistic Health 4
PHE 452 – Gender, Race, Class and Health 4
PHE 453 – Women's Reproductive Health 4
PHE 455 – Film and Health 4
PHE 456 – Health Aspects of Aging 4
PHE 466 – Mind-Body Health: Disease Prevention 4
PHE 467 – Mind-Body Health: Human Potential 4
PHE 473 – Physiology of Exercise 4
PHE 474 – Exercise Prescription and Training 4
PHE 475 – Exercise Testing Techniques

Specific Prerequisites

Minimum Credits Pre-Medicine Pre-Dentistry Pre-Physical Therapy Pre-Occupational Therapy
Biology 15 27 27 27
Chemistry 31 31 15 10
Physics 15 15 15 5
Math/Stat 8 8 12 8
Psychology

15 16
Sociology


4
Computer Science


3
Subtotal Credits 69 81 84 73
SCH 48 48 48 48
Total Track Credits 117 129 132 12

*The above listed courses are the minimum requirements for entrance into the professional programs. Because admission is limited and highly competitive, students are encouraged to take additional recommended course work. Please consult regularly with your pre-health adviser.


Physical Activity/Exercise

Students pursuing a concentration in physical activity/exercise must complete the following:


Credits
Bi 301 – Human Anatomy and Physiology 4
Bi 302 – Human Anatomy and Physiology 4
Bi 303 – Human Anatomy and Physiology 4
PHE 370 – Applied Kinesiology 4
PHE 425 – Nutrition for Health 4
*PHE 448 – Health Education Techniques and Strategies 4
PHE 456 – Health Aspects of Aging 4
*PHE 471 – Program Planning/Evaluation in Health Education 4
PHE 473 – Physiology of Exercise 4
PHE 474 – Exercise Prescription and Training 4
PHE 475 – Exercise Testing Techniques 4
Upper-division credits in the School of Community Health 16

*Students must complete either PHE 448 or PHE 471


School Health

This concentration area is intended for students interested in teaching health education within a public or private school setting. Upon completion of their bachelor's degree, they are eligible to apply to the fifth-year Graduate Teacher Education Program (GTEP) in the Graduate School of Education at PSU. After completing the GTEP, they will be certified to teach in the state of Oregon. Students must complete:


Credits
PHE 448 – Health Education Techniques and Strategies 4
PHE 471 – Program Planning/Evaluation In Health Education
4


In addition, students pursuing a concentration in school health education must complete the following:


Credits
PHE 275 – Stress Management 4
PSY 311 – Human Development 4
PHE 326U – Drug Education 4
PHE 335U – Human Sexuality 4
PHE 355U – Consumer Health Issues 4
PHE 363 – Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems 4
PHE 365 – Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth 4
Ed 420 – Introduction to Education 4
PHE 425U – Nutrition for Health 4
PHE 466 – Mind-Body Health: Disease Prevention 4
PHE 467 – Mind-Body Health: Human Potential 4


It is required that students who intend to apply to the GTEP program complete an anatomy/physiology sequence.



Community Health Minor

To earn a minor in community health, students must complete at least 28 credits. At least 16 credits must be taken in residence at PSU, and 16 credits must be upper-division. The requirements for the minor include:


Credits
PHE 250 – Our Community: Our Health 4
PHE 295 – Health Promotion/Disease Prevention 4
PHE 350 – Health and Health Systems 4
PHE 443 – Environmental Health 4
PHE 450 – Epidemiology 4
Upper-division credits in the School of Community Health 8



Contacts

The School of Community Health is located in Room 450 in the Urban Center Building at 506 SW Mill Street (on the corner of 5th and Mill).

Please address mail to:

School of Community Health
Portland State University
P.O. Box 751
Portland, OR 97207-0751
Attention: Elizabeth Bull
(503) 725-4592

Undergraduate advisers:

Belinda Zeidler
URBN 450C
(503) 725-5104
zeidlerb@pdx.edu

Jane Mercer
URBN 450C
(503) 725-5104
mercerj@pdx.edu


About the Internship

The internship is a work-related experience designed to connect theory with specific activities in a real-world environment, under supervision. Students are matched to worksites that complement their areas of academic study. Internship experiences can lead to employment. For additional details on the undergraduate internship experience, please read the undergraduate internship guidelines, which are available as a Word document. The application and learning contract required to complete the internship may also be found online.