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Academic Catalog 2022-2023

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  • Public Health and Journalism, BA

Public Health and Journalism, BA

2022-2023 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
    • Information for Entering Students
    • Financial Information
    • Academic Policies and Procedures
    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
      • Interdisciplinary
      • School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences
      • School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences
        • Public Health, BA
        • Health Science, BS
        • Data Science and Health Science, BS
        • Environmental Engineering and Health Science, BSEnvE
        • Health Science and Business Administration, BS
        • Health Science and Communication Studies, BS
        • Health Science and Psychology, BS
        • Health Science and Sociology, BS
        • Public Health and Journalism, BA
        • Exercise Science, Minor
        • Global Health, Minor
        • Health Psychology, Minor
        • Health, Humanities, and Society, Minor
        • Healthcare System Operations, Minor
        • Mindfulness Studies, Minor
        • Nutrition, Minor
        • Public Health, Minor
      • School of Nursing
      • School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • College of Science
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Faculty
    • Appendix
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

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.

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 language requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Public Health Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Public Health Core
PHTH 1260The American Healthcare System4
or PHTH 1261 Comparative Healthcare Systems
PHTH 2210
and PHTH 2211
Foundations of Biostatistics
and Recitation for PHTH 2210
4
PHTH 2350Community and Public Health4
or PHTH 2351 Community and Public Health - Global
PHTH 2515Healthcare Policy and Administration4
PHTH 4120Global Perspectives on Discrimination and Health4
PHTH 4540Health Education and Program Planning4
Science Requirements
PSYC 1101Foundations of Psychology4
Biology
Complete one of the following options:8-10
Option 1
BIOL 1141
Microbes and Society
BIOL 1147
The Human Organism
Option 2
BIOL 1111
and BIOL 1112
General Biology 1
and Lab for BIOL 1111
BIOL 1113
and BIOL 1114
General Biology 2
and Lab for BIOL 1113
Social Science Requirements7-8
Introductory
Complete one of the following:
ANTH 1101
Peoples and Cultures
COMM 1225
Communication Theory
ECON 1115
and ECON 1125
Principles of Macroeconomics
and Recitation for ECON 1115
ECON 1116
and ECON 1126
Principles of Microeconomics
and Recitation for ECON 1116
ENGL 1300
Introduction to Health and Humanities
HUSV 1101
Social Change and Human Services
PHIL 1101
Introduction to Philosophy
POLS 1160
and POLS 1161
International Relations
and Recitation for POLS 1160
SOCL 1101
Introduction to Sociology
Upper Level
Complete one of the following:
AFRS 3424
Epidemiology of Pandemic Diseases and Health Disparities in the African Diaspora
ANTH 3441
Medical Anthropology
COMM 3201
Health Communication
COMM 3500
Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media
COMM 4102
Health Communication Campaigns
CRIM 3040
Psychology of Crime
ECON 3404
International Food Policy
ECON 3413
Health Economics and Healthcare Policy
ECON 3420
Urban Economic Issues
ECON 3423
Environmental Economics
ECON 3424
Law and Economics
HLTH 5280
The (in)Visibility of (dis)Ability in Society
INTL 3200
Cities in a Global Context
or INTL 3201
Cities in a Global Context (Abroad)
INTL 3400
International Conflict and Negotiation
MGMT 3340
Healthcare Management, Innovation, and Design
ORGB 3201
Organizational Behavior
PHTH 4511
Healthcare Management
PHTH 4515
Critical Issues in Health and Public-Health Policy
PHTH 5214
Environmental Health
PHTH 5222
Health Advocacy
PHTH 5230
Global Health
PHTH 5232
Evaluating Healthcare Quality
PHTH 5234
Economic Perspectives on Health Policy
PHIL 5001
Global Justice
PHIL 5002
Ethics and Public Policy
POLS 3307
Public Policy and Administration
POLS 3487
Politics of Developing Nations
POLS 3900
Social Policy
PPUA 5100
Climate and Development
or INTL 5100
Climate and Development
PPUA 5238
Climate Change and Global Urbanization
PSYC 3402
Social Psychology
PSYC 3450
Learning and Motivation
SOCL 3241
Violence and Society
SOCL 3441
Sociology of Health and Illness
SOCL 4520
Race, Class, and Gender

Journalism Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Journalism Foundation
JRNL 1101
and JRNL 1102
Journalism 1: Fundamentals of Reporting
and Journalist’s Toolbox
5
JRNL 1150Understanding Today’s News4
JRNL 2201Journalism 2: Intermediate Reporting4
Visual Storytelling
Complete one of the following:4
JRNL 2301
Visual Storytelling in Journalism
JRNL 5309
News Documentary Production
JRNL 5310
Photojournalism
JRNL 5314
Video News Reporting and Producing
JRNL 5316
The Newsroom
Law and Ethics
Complete one of the following:4
JRNL 3550
The First Amendment and the Media
JRNL 4650
Ethics and Issues in Journalism
Journalism Electives
Complete any four JRNL electives (two must be at the 3000 level or above).16

Other Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Intro to College
HSCI 1000College: An Introduction1
or JRNL 1000 Journalism at Northeastern
Intro to Co-op
HSCI 2000Professional Development for Bouvé Co-op1
or EEAM 2000 Professional Development for Co-op
Integrative Course
Complete one of the following:4
JRNL 3650
Science Writing
JRNL 3700
Data Storytelling
Capstone
Complete one of the following:4
HSCI 4720
Health Science Capstone—Service
HSCI 4740
Health Science Capstone Seminar
Writing Requirement8
ENGW 1111
First-Year Writing
ENGW 3306
Advanced Writing in the Health Professions
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 128 semester hours required

Sample Plan of Study 

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENGW 11114JRNL 1101
and JRNL 1102
5Introductory language course or elective4Elective courses*8
JRNL 1000 or HSCI 10001PSYC 11014Elective4 
JRNL 11504PHTH core course4  
PHTH 12604Science course4  
Science course4   
 17 17 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
JRNL 22014HSCI 2000 or EEAM 20001ENGW 3306, 3314, or 33034Co-op
PHTH core course4PHTH 2210
and PHTH 2211
4Social science course4 
Elementary-level language course4Visual storytelling course4  
JRNL elective4Intermediate-level language course4  
 JRNL elective4  
 16 17 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-opPHTH 42024PHTH 41204Co-op
 Integrative course4Elective4 
 Law and ethics course4  
 JRNL elective4  
 0 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-opPHTH 45404  
 Capstone course4  
 JRNL elective4  
 Social science course4  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 131

* These two elective courses may also be taken one at a time while on co-op.

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  • 2022-2023 Undergraduate PDF

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  • 2022-2023 Course Descriptions PDF