Public Health, BSPH

The Tulane Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) degree is an academic degree that addresses the health of populations and communities through instruction, service, and community-based research. The degree is firmly grounded in a background of humanities, social science and the liberal arts. The degree fulfills Tulane University's campus-wide undergraduate core proficiency through this background while stressing an additional commitment to quantitative and scientific skills.

Newcomb-Tulane Core Proficiencies

Newcomb-Tulane College General Education Curriculum

The Newcomb-Tulane College Core Curriculum invites students to explore a broad spectrum of disciplines. By offering flexibility within its requirements, the core embodies the mission and values of the College, encouraging students to engage with diverse academic perspectives.

Comprising a minimum of 30 credits, the core curriculum is divided into three areas: proficiency requirements, distribution of knowledge requirements, and additional requirements. To maintain the breadth of the collegiate experience, a single course approved for both a proficiency and a distribution requirement may satisfy only one of those areas. Furthermore, AP, IB, and Cambridge A-Level credits are restricted to satisfying proficiency requirements in Foreign Language and Formal Reasoning.

Courses are designated as satisfying distribution requirements based on their specific content and methodology rather than their departmental affiliation. Upon recommendation from the Newcomb-Tulane Curriculum Committee, the NTC Faculty evaluates courses proposed to satisfy these core requirements.

Proficiency Requirements

Writing Skills (2 courses and 6 credits)

Tier 1: Freshman writing (ENGL 1010 Writing or ENGL 1011 Writing for Academic Purposes) unless the student is exempt because of their score on the A.P/I.B./Cambridge-A level exams.
Students receiving exemption from ENGL 1010 Writing/ENGL 1011 Writing for Academic Purposes are required to take an approved writing class during their freshman year. Approved courses will have at least 1/3rd of the grade based upon writing (excluding in class exams), but no revision is required.
Tier 2: One additional writing course at the 2000 level or above taken from an approved list. Approved courses will have at least 1/3rd of the grade based upon writing (excluding in class exams), to include revision and re-evaluation by the instructor.
Students are encouraged to take the Tier-1 writing course prior to taking the Tier-2 writing course; however, students are not prohibited from taking the Tier-1 and Tier-2 courses simultaneously.

Note: creative writing courses cannot be used to satisfy the writing proficiency requirement.

See Tier-1 Writing Course List and Tier-2 Writing Course List for course options.

Formal Reasoning (1 course and 3 credits)

One course in mathematics or symbolic logic from an approved list.

See Formal Reasoning Course List for course options.

Foreign Language (0-3 courses)

The foreign language proficiency requirement is achieved in any of the following ways:

A passing grade in a course at the 2030 level (3rd semester of Tulane 4-credit hour Foreign Language or ASLS coursework) or higher in accordance with assigned placement level.
A passing grade on a Tulane-administered proficiency exam for students with assigned placements above the 2030 level. Students who do not successfully pass the proficiency exam will be automatically placed and must successfully complete a course at the 2030 level.
A passing grade in a course at the level of placement above 2030.
Advanced Placement score of 4 or 5 in a foreign language test as noted in the AP/IB chart
Higher-Level IB score of 5 or higher in a foreign language test as noted in the AP/IB chart
Cambridge A-Level score decided by the appropriate language department.
SAT II achievement test of 640 or higher in a foreign language.

Note: This requirement is waived for students in B.S.E. programs.

See Foreign Language Course List for course options.

Distribution Requirements

(A course can satisfy only one of the distribution areas.)

Mathematics and the Natural Sciences (2 courses including 1 lab science course and 7 credits)

(Those completing the B.F.A. degree need only complete 1 course with lab)

See Mathematics and the Natural Sciences Course List for course options.

Social and Behavioral Sciences (2 courses and 6 credits)

See Social and Behavioral Sciences Course List for course options.

Textual and Historical Perspectives (2 courses and 6 credits)

See Textual and Historical Perspectives Course List for course options.

Aesthetics and the Creative Arts (3 credits), which can be fulfilled in 1-3 courses.

See Aesthetics and the Creative Arts Course List for course options.

Additional Core Requirements

The First-Year Seminar (1 course, 1-3 credits)

This requirement can be satisfied by a Tulane Interdisciplinary Seminar (TIDES), COLQ 1010, COLQ 1020, or a First-Year Core Colloquium.

Public Service (2 courses)

Students develop their commitment to civic engagement through the completion of service learning courses experiences. All students will complete their public service through service-learning courses, an approved public service internship, or an approved public service research experience. These courses can also be used to satisfy other areas of general education.

To meet this requirement for graduation, all students must complete two semesters of service. One of these semesters must be at the 2000 level or above. The first experience should be completed by the 2^nd semester of the sophomore year.
Service Learning courses require a minimum of 20 hours of service per semester. Those service-learning courses designated as requiring a minimum of 40 hours of service carry one additional credit hour. No course may carry more than 4 credits.

See Public Service Course List for more information.

Race and Inclusion (1 course, 3 credits)

One course and 3 credits. Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus on the intersections of race with power, privilege, equity, justice, and/or inclusion and will focus at least 60% their content on these issues in the United States. These courses may also be used to satisfy proficiency or distribution core curriculum requirements.

See Race and Inclusion Course List for course options.

Global Perspectives (1 course, 3 credits)

One course and 3 credits. Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus at least 60% content with stated objectives to develop historical, cultural, and societal knowledge of an area beyond the United States. These courses may also be used to satisfy proficiency or distribution core curriculum requirements.

See Global Perspectives Course List for course options.

For more information please visit the Core Curriculum website.

Students pursuing this bachelor’s degree must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in the Newcomb-Tulane College core curriculum, 120 credit hours in their degree and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000. More information on degree and core curriculum requirements can be found here.

See Recommended Plan of Study below.

Program Competencies

Describe the history, philosophy, core values, concepts, functions, and population-based approaches of public health.
Explain the behavioral, environmental, biological, and socio-economic determinants that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
Apply data collection and analysis to develop evidence-based population approaches to public health problems.
Discuss and apply cultural competencies and concepts of public health planning, implementation, assessment, and evaluation.
Describe the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system as well as the systems in other countries.
Describe the legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory aspects of public health practice and health policy.
Demonstrate public health communication skills using oral, written, mass media, and electronic technology formats.

The BSPH degree is comprised of three parts: the Public Health Core Curriculum, Public Health Electives, and Capstone. Students pursuing the BSPH degree may not use Public Health Basic Core Courses to fulfill Newcomb-Tulane College Core Distribution Requirements.

In alignment with the Newcomb-Tulane College core curriculum structure, AP/IB/A-Level coursework may not satisfy the Distribution Requirements.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Course ID	Title	Credits
Public Health Basic Core
SPHU 1010	Intro To Public Health ^{Cannot be used to fulfill Social & Behavioral Sciences requirement}	3
SPHU 1020	Cell, Individual & Community	3
SPHU 2150	Foundations of Environmental Health	3
SPHU 2160	Biostatistics in Public Health	3
SPHU 3010	Foundations of Health Care Systems	3
SPHU 3110	Social and Behavioral Perspectives in Public Health	3
SPHU 3170	Foundations of Epidemiology	3
SPHU 4010	Formulation of Public Health Policy	3
Capstone (Select 1) ¹
SPHU 4540	Capstone Senior Seminar	3
or SPHU 4550	Capstone Independent Study
or SPHU 4560	Capstone Internship
or SPHU 4580	Capstone International Program
or SPHU 4990	Honors Thesis
or SPHU 5000	Honors Thesis
BSPH Electives
Select a minimum of six courses		18
Total Credit Hours		45

¹: Students are eligible to complete their capstone after five semesters as an undergraduate, and with a majority of their other program requirements completed. See capstone options at https://sph.tulane.edu/bsph/capstone.

BSPH Electives

BSPH Electives provide the opportunity to focus on specialized public health knowledge or to gain a breadth of knowledge across public health fields. Because of the multi-disciplinary nature of public health, students are encouraged to consult with their program advisors to explore electives that will further their career goals or expand their public health interests and integrate other relevant disciplines into their study of public health.

A minimum of 3 courses for a minimum of 9 credit hours must be completed in courses offered by Public Health faculty (SPHU classes).

Public Health Electives

Course List
Course ID	Title	Credits
SPHU 2016	Infectious Disease Outbreaks	3
SPHU 2050	Public Health Entomology: Field Methods & Innovation	3
SPHU 2300	Introduction to Nutrition	3
SPHU 2333	Introduction to Global Maternal and Child Health	3
SPHU 2400	Global Health in Action	3
SPHU 2410	Health & Women's Rights	3
SPHU 2420	Health Challenges and Climate Change	3
SPHU 2430	Pandemics and Public Health	3
SPHU 2500	Principles of Professionalism in Healthcare	3
SPHU 3011	Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety	3
SPHU 3015	Public Health Program Implementation and Management	3
SPHU 3100	Environmental Pollution & Biomarkers of Health	3
SPHU 3120	Issues & Strategies in Public Health	3
SPHU 3200	Nutrition & Chronic Disease	3
SPHU 3330	Disasters & Environmental Health	3
SPHU 3350	Lifecycle Nutrition	3
SPHU 3360	Public Health Nutrition: Principles to Practice	3
SPHU 3500	Public Health Approach to Sexual Violence	3
SPHU 3560	Biological Basis of Disease	3
SPHU 3570	Introductory Microbiology	3
SPHU 3600	Women's Reproduction & Obstetric Health	3
SPHU 4160	Introduction to Statistical Packages	3
SPHU 4180	Introduction to Qualitative Methods	3
SPHU 4200	Evidence Based Public Health	3
SPHU 4210	Health & Environmental Risk	3
SPHU 4220	Latino Health in the US	3
SPHU 4240	Epidemiology of Sexually Transmitted Infections	3
SPHU 4260	Organizational Leadership and Management in Public Health	3
SPHU 4300	Public Health Communication	3
SPHU 4310	Nutrition Education and Communication	3
SPHU 4330	Resilience in International Disasters	3
SPHU 4340	Public Health Genomics	3
SPHU 4350	Zoonotic Infections	3
SPHU 4410	Data and Information Management in Public Health	3
SPHU 4570	Internship (non-capstone)	3
SPHU 4910	Independent Study	1-3
SPHU 4920	Independent Study	1-3
COLQ 3601	Adverse Childhood Experiences: Intersections of violence, neuroscience, law, and public health	3
Accelerated program: BSPH + MPH/MSPH/MPHTM- Foundational Courses - SPHL 6050, SPHL 6060, SPHL 6070, SPHL 6080
Accelerated program: BSPH + MHA degree - HPAM 6050, HPAM 6200, HPAM 6300, HPAM 6710

Additional Electives

Certain courses above the 2000-level from other schools and departments with public health content or relevance may be approved by the program director as electives for public health majors.

Course List
Course ID	Title	Credits
AFRS 4800	Black Women's Health	3
ANTH 2370	Anthropology and Global Health	3
ANTH 3725	Menstruation: Biology and Culture	3
EBIO 2240	Oceans and Human Health	3
ECON 4500	Health Econ & Policy	3
EENS 3150	Intro to GIS	4
HMLS 2750	Homeland Security Challenge ^{In-person only; online sections are not accepted for credit in the BSPH program.}	3
HMLS 3250	Emergency Management ^{In-person only; online sections are not accepted for credit in the BSPH program.}	3
MATH Any 2000 or higher-level class		3-4
SOCI 3030	Intro To Research Design	3
SOCI 3040	Social Statistics	3
Additional classes above the 2000-level as approved by the student's major advisor.
Study Abroad Electives ^{SPHU 5380 or SPHU 5390}
Transfer Coursework ^{SPHU 2940, SPHU 3940, SPHU 4940}

Recommended Plan of Study

This example plan of study for the BSPH in Public Health represents a fall semester start and encompasses all program requirements. Students are responsible for reviewing university, school, and program requirements, along with prerequisites and the sequencing of courses in coordination with their academic and major advisors.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
SPHU 1010	Intro To Public Health	3
NTC Core and General Electives		13
	Credit Hours	16
Spring
SPHU 1020	Cell, Individual & Community	3
NTC Core and General Electives		12
	Credit Hours	15
Year 2
Fall
SPHU 2150	Foundations of Environmental Health	3
SPHU 3010	Foundations of Health Care Systems	3
NTC Core and General Electives		9
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
SPHU 2160	Biostatistics in Public Health	3
Select one BSPH elective (see lists above)		3
NTC Core and General Electives		10
	Credit Hours	16
Year 3
Fall
SPHU 3110	Social and Behavioral Perspectives in Public Health	3
Select one BSPH elective (see lists above)		3
NTC Core and General Electives		10
	Credit Hours	16
Spring
SPHU 3170	Foundations of Epidemiology	3
Select one BSPH elective (see lists above)		3
NTC Core and General Electives		10
	Credit Hours	16
Year 4
Fall
SPHU 4010	Formulation of Public Health Policy	3
Select one BSPH elective (see lists above)		3
Select one Capstone course		3
NTC Core and General Electives		3
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
Select two BSPH electives (see lists above)		6
NTC Core and General Electives		8
	Credit Hours	14
	Total Credit Hours	120

^{Program of Study and Field of Study: PHBPH_UG, SPHU}

University Catalog 2026-2027