The combined Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and Sociology integrates social science theory and perspectives with public health concepts to approach complex health inequities. Students gain foundational sociological knowledge and skills and apply theory to public health approaches for addressing poor health outcomes. Students explore the ways that societal constructs, such as race, class, and gender, intersect with health. This combined major will appeal to students who want to pursue graduate study and research in sociology, public health, public policy and administration, and education.
- 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
Public Health Core Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
PHTH 1260 | The American Healthcare System | 4 |
or PHTH 1261 | Comparative Healthcare Systems | |
PHTH 2300 | Communication Skills for the Health Professions | 4 |
or PHTH 2301 | Communication Skills for the Health Professions—Global | |
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 4540 | Health Education and Program Planning | 4 |
Science Core Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
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 Selectives
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Introductory Course | ||
Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
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 | ||
Globalization and International Affairs | ||
Introduction to Philosophy | ||
International Relations | ||
Upper-Level Course | ||
Complete one course (total) from any of the following groups: | 3–4 | |
Society and Behavior | ||
Health Communication | ||
Health Communication Campaigns | ||
Psychology of Crime | ||
Urban Economic Issues | ||
The (in)Visibility of (dis)Ability in Society | ||
Health Advocacy | ||
Social Psychology | ||
Developmental Psychology | ||
Learning and Motivation | ||
Globalization and Global Health | ||
Epidemiology of Pandemic Diseases and Health Disparities in the African Diaspora | ||
International Food Policy | ||
Cities in a Global Context | ||
or INTL 3201 | Cities in a Global Context (Abroad) | |
International Conflict and Negotiation | ||
Politics of Developing Nations | ||
Environmental Health and Climate Change | ||
Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media | ||
Environmental Economics | ||
Climate and Development | ||
or PPUA 5100 | Climate and Development | |
Climate Change and Global Urbanization | ||
Law, Policy, and Human Rights | ||
Law and Economics | ||
Global Justice | ||
Ethics and Public Policy | ||
Public Policy and Administration | ||
Healthcare Administration and Management | ||
Health Economics and Healthcare Policy | ||
Healthcare Management, Innovation, and Design | ||
Organizational Behavior | ||
Healthcare Management | ||
Evaluating Healthcare Quality | ||
Economic Perspectives on Health Policy |
Sociology Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Required Sociology Courses | ||
ANTH 2305 | Global Markets and Local Culture | 4 |
SOCL 1101 | Introduction to Sociology | 4 |
SOCL 3300 | Social Theory | 4 |
Electives | ||
Complete two electives from the following with courses beyond those taken in the requirements above: | 8 | |
SOCL 1102 to SOCL 2999 | ||
Complete four additional SOCL courses from the following range: | 16 | |
SOCL 3000 to SOCL 5999 |
Supporting Course Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Introduction to College | ||
Complete one of the following: | 1 | |
College: An Introduction | ||
Sociology at Northeastern | ||
Writing Courses | ||
First-Year Writing | ||
ENGW 1111 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | ||
Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
Advanced Writing in the Health Professions | ||
Advanced Writing in the Social Sciences | ||
Statistics and Research Methods | ||
Complete one statistics course and one research methods course. Both must be from the same college: | 8 | |
Bouvé Courses | ||
Foundations of Biostatistics | ||
Principles of Epidemiology in Medicine and Public Health | ||
CSSH Courses | ||
Statistical Analysis in Sociology | ||
or INSH 3102 | Introduction to Statistics in the Social Sciences | |
Research Methods in Sociology | ||
or INSH 3101 | Research Methods in the Social Sciences | |
Capstone | ||
Complete capstone through a SOCL seminar, a capstone course, a capstone project, or through an Honors Project: | 3-4 | |
Sociology Senior Seminar Option | ||
Senior Seminar | ||
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 | ||
Health Science Capstone Project Options | ||
Health Science Capstone—Service (must complete 0-credit HSCI 4700 as pre-requisite) | ||
Health Science Capstone—Research (must complete 0-credit HSCI 4700 as pre-requisite) | ||
Honors Project | ||
Must meet GPA requirement and complete both courses: 1 | ||
Junior/Senior Honors Project 1 and Junior/Senior Honors Project 2 |
- 1
Junior/Senior Honors Project 1 (HSCI 4970) will count as 4 semester hours toward general electives.
Integrative Requirement
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
SOCL 3441 | Sociology of Health and Illness | 4 |
General Electives
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete 12 semester hours of general electives. | 12 |
Co-op
A co-op is not required; however, students may choose to complete one or two six-month co-op experiences during their course of study. Students must consult with their advisor regarding the prerequisite course for co-op.
Public Health Major Requirement
A grade of C or higher is required for all courses and selectives required for the major.
Public Health and Sociology Major Credit Requirement
Minimum of 87 semester hours required
Program Requirement
129 total semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study: Four Years/Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1— Bouvé Students
Year 1 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
ENGW 1111 | 4 | PSYC 1101 | 4 | PHTH core course | 4 | Vacation | |
HSCI 1000 | 1 | SOCL 1101 | 4 | SOCL elective (1000–2999) | 4 | ||
PHTH 1260 | 4 | BIOL course—see options | 4 | ||||
BIOL course—see options | 4 | Elementary language course | 4 | ||||
Elementary language course | 4 | ||||||
17 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
Year 2 | |||||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
HSCI 20001 | 1 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Social science course | 4 |
PHTH 2210 | 4 | General elective | 4 | PHTH core course | 4 | ||
PHTH core course | 4 | ||||||
SOCL 3300 | 4 | ||||||
Intermediate language course | 4 | ||||||
17 | 0 | 4 | 8 | ||||
Year 3 | |||||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
ANTH 2305 | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | PHTH core courses | 8 |
ENGW 3306 | 4 | General elective | 4 | ||||
SOCL 3441 | 4 | ||||||
SOCL elective (1000–2999) | 4 | ||||||
16 | 0 | 4 | 8 | ||||
Year 4 | |||||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
Capstone | 4 | Social science course | 4 | ||||
PHTH core course | 4 | SOCL electives (3000–5999) | 8 | ||||
SOCL electives (3000–5999) | 8 | General elective | 4 | ||||
16 | 16 | ||||||
Total Hours: 130 |
Sample Plan of Study: Four Years/Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall—CSSH Students
Year 1 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
PHTH 1260 | 4 | ENGW 1111 | 4 | General elective | 4 | Vacation | |
PSYC 1101 | 4 | SOCL 1101 | 4 | PHTH core course | 4 | ||
SOCL 1000 | 1 | BIOL course—see options | 4 | ||||
BIOL course—see options | 4 | Elementary language course | 4 | ||||
Elementary language course | 4 | ||||||
17 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
Year 2 | |||||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
SOCL 3300 | 4 | ANTH 2305 | 4 | General elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
PHTH core course | 4 | EESH 20001 | 1 | SOCL elective (3000–5999) | 4 | ||
SOCL elective (1000–2999) | 4 | SOCL 2320 | 4 | ||||
Intermediate language course | 4 | PHTH core course | 4 | ||||
Social science course | 4 | ||||||
16 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
Year 3 | |||||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
Co-op | 0 | ENGW 3308 | 4 | PHTH core courses | 8 | Co-op | 0 |
General elective | 4 | SOCL 3441 | 4 | ||||
Social science course | 4 | ||||||
SOCL elective (3000–5999) | 4 | ||||||
4 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
Year 4 | |||||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
Co-op | 0 | SOCL 2321 | 4 | ||||
General elective | 4 | SOCL 4600 | 4 | ||||
SOCL electives (3000–5999) | 8 | ||||||
4 | 16 | ||||||
Total Hours: 130 |