The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #73845

Richard Riegelman, MD, PhD, Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, 2300 Eye Street NW #119, Washington, DC 20037, 202-994-4772, sphrkr@gwumc.edu

The George Washington University (GWU) School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) began offering a B.S. degree in public health in Fall 2003. The public health major builds on existing SPHHS undergraduate offerings and is a response to GWU pre-med students’ desire for a new non-traditional major that would nonetheless prepare them for medical school. The major aims to increase awareness and understanding of public health principles among students who intend to pursue careers in law or medicine (or another of the health professions); to provide a foundation in public health as the basis for graduate study in public health; and to prepare students who intend to pursue entry-level jobs in specific sectors of public health, health services, or public policy for which bachelor's level education is appropriate. Because it is intended to convey technical detail and analytic skills, but with a liberal arts philosophical base, it also has the educational objectives of nurturing critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis of information, and recognizing the historical and societal associations of current trends in public health and health care delivery. Thirty credits of required course work cover traditional areas of public health as well as a course in the history and philosophy of public health and a capstone synthesis course. Six additional public health elective credits may be undergraduate or graduate courses. The degree program is administered centrally by SPHHS. Proposals under consideration for the future include a 5-year B.S./M.P.H. degree program and area-specific concentrations leading to certification.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Understand the forces at work encouraging the growth of undergraduate degree programs in Schools of Public Health
• 2. Understand the spectrum of philosophies and goals underlying undergraduate programs offered through Schools of Public Health
• 3. Understand the differences in administrative structured for offering undergraduate degree programs and the implications of these administrative differences.

Keywords: Education, Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.