Public Health BS, Pre-Nursing Specialization

Public Health Core

Program Director
Rebecca Pearson, PhD, MPH

Program Information
The public health profession focuses on preventing disease, addressing inequities and developing policies and programs that help communities achieve optimal health and well being. Our program aims to educate and empower the emerging generation of public health leaders. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health prepares students for graduate work or careers in the field and exposes them to evidence-based research and practice experiences. Public health majors will complete the core coursework and select a specialization in wither Population Health or Pre-Nursing. All majors are also required to complete a 400-hour internship experience.

Public Health Major
Admission to the Public Health major requires a minimum cumulative CWU/combined GPA of 2.5; students who do not meet the GPA requirement or other pre-admission requirements may apply for admission on a provisional basis. Students wishing to enroll in the major must first meet with the program director.

Additional Graduation Requirements
Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Public Health must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Special requirements other than departmental:
ENG 101 and ENG 102 must be completed prior to enrollment in PUBH 240. Majors must earn a C or higher in PUBH 230 and PUBH 240 in order to enroll in most other required core courses. PUBH 375 may be taken concurrently with PUBH 230.

Pre-Nursing Specialization

The pre-nursing specialization allows future professionals to enter nursing school with a solid background in public health theory and practice. CWU does not offer a degree program in nursing, but offers prerequisite courses suited for admission to professional nursing programs available across Washington.

IMPORTANT: Students MUST take responsibility for understanding current requirements of their chosen nursing program before applying to it. It is recommended and expected that students considering nursing careers will contact advisors at nursing programs of interest, and ensure their own readiness for admission. Please note that CHEM 111 and CHEM 111LAB are pre-requisites for CHEM 112; students must seek information from specific departments regarding scheduling of these and other science courses. Note too that PSY 101 is a prerequisite for PSY 313; students pursuing the pre-nursing specialization are responsible for understanding requirements for enrollment in specific courses. Students choosing the pre-nursing specialization should take CHEM 111 and CHEM 111LAB at their earliest opportunity; additionally, students choosing the pre-nursing specialization are advised to choose PSY 101 as a general education fulfillment, given that it is a prerequisite for PSY 313.

Specialization Required Courses

• BIOL 220 - Introductory Cell Biology Credits: (5)
• BIOL 322 - Introductory Microbiology Credits: (5)
• BIOL 355 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Credits: (5)
• BIOL 356 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Credits: (5)
• CHEM 112 - Introduction to Organic Chemistry Credits: (4)
• CHEM 112LAB - Introduction to Organic Chemistry Laboratory Credits: (1)
• CHEM 113 - Introduction to Biochemistry Credits: (4)
• CHEM 113LAB - Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory Credits: (1)
• PSY 313 - Developmental Psychology Credits: (4)
• PSY 362 - Introductory Statistics Credits: (5)

• NOTE: CHEM 111 and CHEM 111LAB are prerequisites for CHEM 112; PSY 101 is a prerequisite for PSY 313; thus, 10 additional credits beyond those in the major itself are required for students pursuing this specialization.

Total Credits: 115

College and Department Information

Physical Education, School Health, and Movement Studies Department  
College of Education and Professional Studies