Undergraduate programs

The undergraduate health studies curriculum is designed around a common core of courses and five separate tracks: aging services, community health education, health sciences, physical activity and exercise, and school health.

Degree Maps and Learning Outcomes

Admission requirements

Health Studies B.A./B.S.

Community Health Minor

Aging Services Minor

Health Studies Secondary Education Program

Health Studies B.A./B.S.

A grade of C- or better is mandatory in all coursework required for degrees in the School of Community Health. With the exception of internship credits, courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling the majors or minors offered within the school. Students must fulfill all general University requirements in addition to specific school requirements. Majors and minors may not take required courses under the pass/no pass option.

Requirements

Core requirements

In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements all majors in health studies must take the following core coursework plus choose a concentration area:

Core coursework

Stat 243Introduction to Probability and Statistics I

4

PHE 250Our Community: Our Health

4

PHE 295Health Promotion/Disease Prevention

4

PHE 350Health and Health Systems

4

PHE 443Environmental Health

4

PHE 450Epidemiology

4

PHE 404Cooperative Education/Internship

1-15

Community Health Education Concentration

The community health education concentration prepares students for a wide variety of careers related to health education. It also provides a foundation for the pursuit of graduate study.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in community health education must complete PHE 448, PHE 471, and 36 credits from the list of courses that follows:

Core coursework (32 credits)

PHE 448Health Education Techniques and Strategies

4

PHE 471Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Theory and Skill Development

4

Thirty-six credits from the following courses: (36 credits)

PHE 275Stress Management

4

PHE 325Nutrition for Health

4

PHE 326Drug Education

4

PHE 335Human Sexuality

4

PHE 351Film and Health

4

PHE 355Consumer Health Issues

4

PHE 361Care and Prevention of Injuries

4

PHE 363Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems

4

PHE 365Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth

4

PHE 414Physical Activity Today

4

PHE 444Global Health

4

PHE 445Men?s Health

4

PHE 446Community Health Principles and Practices

4

PHE 451Women and Holistic Health

4

PHE 452Gender, Race, Class and Health

4

PHE 453Women's Reproductive Health

4

PHE 454Social Gerontology

4

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 466Mind/Body Health: Disease Prevention

4

PHE 467Mind/Body Health: Human Potential

4

PHE 480Controversial Issues in Community Health

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

School Health Concentration

The school health concentration is designed for students interested in teaching health education within a public or private school setting. Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree, students are eligible to apply to the fifth-year Graduate Teacher Education Program (GTEP) in the Graduate School of Education at PSU. After completion of GTEP, students will be certified to teach in the state of Oregon.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in school health education must complete the following:

Core coursework (32 credits)

PHE 275Stress Management

4

Psy 311Human Development

4

PHE 325Nutrition for Health

4

PHE 326Drug Education

4

PHE 335Human Sexuality

4

PHE 355Consumer Health Issues

4

PHE 363Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems

4

PHE 365Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth

4

PHE 410Selected Topics

1-8

Ed 420Introduction to Education and Society

4

PHE 448Health Education Techniques and Strategies

4

 

PHE 466Mind/Body Health: Disease Prevention

4

Or

PHE 467Mind/Body Health: Human Potential

4

  

PHE 471Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Theory and Skill Development

4

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

Physical Activity/Exercise Concentration

The physical activity/exercise concentration is designed for students with interests in physiological and programmatic aspects of exercise, nutrition, fitness, and physical activity. Coursework in practical and applied techniques follows a basic framework in the biological sciences and prepares students for internship experiences related to health promotion.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in physical activity/exercise must complete the following:

Core coursework (32 credits)

Bi 301Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 302Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

Bi 303Human Anatomy and Physiology

4

PHE 325Nutrition for Health

4

PHE 370Applied Kinesiology

4

 

PHE 448Health Education Techniques and Strategies

4

Or

PHE 471Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Theory and Skill Development

4

  

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 473Physiology of Exercise

4

PHE 474Exercise Prescription and Training

4

PHE 475Exercise Testing Techniques

4

Upper-division credits in the School of Community Health

16

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

Health Sciences Concentration

The health sciences concentration provides students seeking admittance into professional programs such as medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and occupational therapy the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree in health studies while completing preprofessional prerequisites.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in health sciences must select one of the following options: pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy, prechiropractic medicine, pre-osteopathy, pre-podiatry, pre-nursing, pre-naturopathic medicine, pre-optometry, pre-pharmacy, and pre-physician assistant and pre-physician assistant or adviser approved option. In choosing courses to complete, students should verify the specific prerequisites required by the professional school(s) to which an application for admission is being submitted. Advising sheets summarizing prerequisites for professional schools in Oregon and selected schools in the Pacific Northwest can be found online at http://www.pdx.edu/clas/prepro.html . Students must complete all prerequisites required by the professional school to which an application is being submitted to receive a Health Science degree. Please consult regularly with your pre-health adviser.

In addition to the previously listed community core requirements, students must complete 16 credits from the following upper-division courses:

16 credits from the following upper-division courses:

PHE 325Nutrition for Health

4

PHE 351Film and Health

4

PHE 354Social Gerontology

4

PHE 355Consumer Health Issues

4

PHE 361Care and Prevention of Injuries

4

PHE 363Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems

4

PHE 365Health Promotion Programs for Children and Youth

4

PHE 370Applied Kinesiology

4

PHE 410Selected Topics

1-8

PHE 414Physical Activity Today

4

PHE 444Global Health

4

PHE 445Men?s Health

4

PHE 446Community Health Principles and Practices

4

PHE 451Women and Holistic Health

4

PHE 452Gender, Race, Class and Health

4

PHE 453Women's Reproductive Health

4

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 466Mind/Body Health: Disease Prevention

4

PHE 467Mind/Body Health: Human Potential

4

PHE 473Physiology of Exercise

4

PHE 474Exercise Prescription and Training

4

PHE 475Exercise Testing Techniques

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.

Aging Services Concentration

The aging services concentration is designed for individuals who wish to develop or enhance a career related to aging services, including such services as senior health promotion and case management, and community- or institutinally-based long-term care.

Students who complete the course work required for the concentration will possess a basic understanding of gerontology with particular skills in administration and finance, chronic disease, and health promotion. This program also will enhance the skills of students planning to enroll in industry-provided training to become administrators of assisted living facilities and residential care facilities or nursing homes.

In addition to the previously listed common core requirements, students pursuing a concentration in aging services must complete the following:

Core coursework (32 credits)

PHE 325Nutrition for Health

4

PHE 354Social Gerontology

4

PHE 363Communicable Diseases and Chronic Health Problems

4

PHE 410Selected Topics

1-8

PHE 456Health Aspects of Aging

4

PHE 471Program Planning and Evaluation in Health Education: Theory and Skill Development

4

 

Soc 469Sociology of Aging

4

Or

Psy 462Psychology of Adult Development and Aging

4

  

PHE 416Families and Aging

4

and one of the following:

BA 306Working with Money for Business Minors

4

BA 316Working with Customers for Business Minors

4

BA 326Working with People for Business Minors

4

16 credits from the following courses

BA 101Introduction to Business and World Affairs

4

BA 306Working with Money for Business Minors

4

BA 316Working with Customers for Business Minors

4

BA 326Working with People for Business Minors

4

BA 336Working with Information for Business Minors

4

BA 346Working as an Entrepreneur for Business Minors

4

PHE 416Families and Aging

4

PHE 445Men?s Health

4

PHE 451Women and Holistic Health

4

Phl 313Life and Death Issues

4

Psy 311Human Development

4

Soc 469Sociology of Aging

4

Psy 462Psychology of Adult Development and Aging

4

PHE 410Global Aging & Health: Focus on Nicaragua

4

PHE 446Community Health Principles and Practices

4

Ec 316Introduction to Health Care Economics

4

Comm 318Family Communication

4

Soc 459Sociology of Health and Medicine

4

Other electives may be taken with advisor approval.