The combined major in public health and journalism addresses the vital interest in society for the ability to communicate scientific understanding to the broad public. This combined major provides a valuable and unique set of competencies, ranging from the statistical analysis and epidemiological best practices gained from the courses in the public health program to the cutting-edge communication skills taught within the university’s School of Journalism. The combined major highlights the important role both journalism and public health will surely play in a complex and rapidly changing future.
- Concentrations and course offerings may vary by campus and/or by program modality. Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for the course availability each term at your campus or within your program modality.
- Certain options within the program may be required at certain campuses or for certain program modalities. Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for requirements at your campus or for your program modality.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
BA Language Requirements
All BA students are required to complete the BA degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Public Health Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health Core | ||
| PHTH 1260 | The American Healthcare System | 4 |
| or PHTH 1261 | Comparative Healthcare Systems | |
| PHTH 2210 | Foundations of Biostatistics | 4 |
| PHTH 2350 | Community and Public Health | 4 |
| or PHTH 2351 | Community and Public Health - Global | |
| PHTH 2515 | Healthcare Policy and Administration | 4 |
| PHTH 4120 | Global Perspectives on Discrimination and Health | 4 |
| PHTH 4202 | Principles of Epidemiology in Medicine and Public Health | 4 |
| PHTH 4540 | Health Education and Program Planning | 4 |
| Science Requirements | ||
| PSYC 1101 | Foundations of Psychology | 4 |
| Biology | ||
| Complete one of the following options: | 8-10 | |
| Option 1 | ||
| Microbes and Society | ||
or BIOL 1143 | Biology and Society | |
| The Human Organism | ||
| Option 2 | ||
| General Biology 1 and Lab for BIOL 1111 | ||
| General Biology 2 and Lab for BIOL 1113 | ||
| Social Science Requirements | ||
| Introductory | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Peoples and Cultures | ||
| Communication Theory | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics and Recitation for ECON 1115 | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics and Recitation for ECON 1116 | ||
| Introduction to Health and Humanities | ||
| Social Change and Human Services | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| International Relations | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Upper Level | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Epidemiology of Pandemic Diseases and Health Disparities in the African Diaspora | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media | ||
| Health Communication Campaigns | ||
| Psychology of Crime | ||
| International Food Policy | ||
| Health Economics and Healthcare Policy | ||
| Urban Economic Issues | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Law and Economics | ||
| The (in)Visibility of (dis)Ability in Society | ||
| Cities in a Global Context | ||
or INTL 3201 | Cities in a Global Context (Abroad) | |
| International Conflict and Negotiation | ||
| Organizational Behavior | ||
| Global Justice | ||
| Ethics and Public Policy | ||
| Healthcare Management | ||
| Health Advocacy | ||
| Evaluating Healthcare Quality | ||
| Economic Perspectives on Health Policy | ||
| Public Policy and Administration | ||
| Politics of Developing Nations | ||
| Climate and Development | ||
or INTL 5100 | Climate and Development | |
| Climate Change and Global Urbanization | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Learning and Motivation | ||
| Violence and Society | ||
| Sociology of Health and Illness | ||
| Race, Class, and Gender | ||
Journalism Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism Foundation | ||
| JRNL 1101 and JRNL 1102 | Journalism 1: Fundamentals of Reporting and Writing and Journalist’s Toolbox | 5 |
| JRNL 1150 | Understanding Today’s News | 4 |
| JRNL 2201 | Journalism 2: Intermediate Reporting | 4 |
| Visual Storytelling | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Visual Storytelling in Journalism | ||
| News Documentary Production | ||
| Photojournalism | ||
| Video News Reporting and Producing | ||
| The Newsroom | ||
| Law and Ethics | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| The First Amendment and the Media | ||
| Ethics and Diversity in the News Media | ||
| Journalism Electives | ||
| Complete any four JRNL electives (two must be at the 3000 level or above). | 16 | |
Other Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Intro to College | ||
| HSCI 1000 | College: An Introduction | 1 |
| or JRNL 1000 | Journalism at Northeastern | |
| Intro to Co-op | ||
| HSCI 2000 | Professional Development for Bouvé Co-op | 1 |
| or EEAM 2000 | Professional Development for Co-op | |
| Integrative Course | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Science Writing | ||
| Data Storytelling | ||
| Capstone | 3-4 | |
| Complete capstone through a capstone course, a capstone project or through an Honors Project. | ||
| Capstone Course Options: | ||
| Evaluating Health Technologies | ||
| Critical Issues in Health and Public Health Policy | ||
| Addressing Rural Health Inequities | ||
| Environmental Health | ||
| Global Health | ||
| Food, Nutrition, and Health | ||
| Qualitative Methods | ||
| Capstone Project Options: | ||
| Health Science Capstone—Service (must complete pre-requisite HSCI 4700) | ||
| Health Science Capstone Seminar (must complete pre-requisite HSCI 4700) | ||
| Honors Project Option (must meet GPA requirement and complete both courses*) | ||
| Junior/Senior Honors Project 1 and Junior/Senior Honors Project 2 | ||
*HSCI 4970 will count as 4 semester hours toward general electives | ||
| Writing Requirement | ||
| ENGW 1111 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| ENGW 3306 | Advanced Writing in the Health Professions | 4 |
| or ENGW 3314 | Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design | |
| or ENGW 3303 | Advanced Writing in the Environmental Professions | |
Public Health Grade Requirement
A grade of C or higher is required for all BIOL, HSCI, and PHTH courses.
Academic Policies and Procedures
Please visit Bouvé College of Health Sciences Undergraduate page for academic policies and procedures, including Academic Appeals.
Program Requirements
Minimum of 129 semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study: Four Years, Two Co-ops
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | JRNL 1101 and JRNL 1102 | 5 | Introductory language course or elective | 4 | Elective courses* | 8 |
| JRNL 1000 or HSCI 1000 | 1 | PSYC 1101 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| JRNL 1150 | 4 | PHTH core course | 4 | ||||
| PHTH 1260 | 4 | Science course | 4 | ||||
| Science course | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| JRNL 2201 | 4 | HSCI 2000 or EEAM 2000 | 1 | ENGW 3306, 3314, or 3303 | 4 | Co-op | |
| JRNL elective | 4 | PHTH 2210 | 4 | Social science course | 4 | ||
| PHTH core course | 4 | JRNL elective | 4 | ||||
| Elementary-level language course | 4 | Intermediate-level language course | 4 | ||||
| Visual storytelling course | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | JRNL elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Co-op | ||
| PHTH Core Course | 4 | PHTH Core Course | 4 | ||||
| Integrative course | 4 | ||||||
| Law and ethics course | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Co-op | Capstone course | 4 | |||||
| PHTH Core Course | 4 | ||||||
| JRNL elective | 4 | ||||||
| Social science course | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 131 | |||||||
* These two elective courses may also be taken one at a time while on co-op.