August 2021- REV

College of Health and Human Services

Department of Public Health Sciences

CHHS Building, Suite 431

704-687-7191

www.publichealth.uncc.edu

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Congratulations & Welcome! 3

The Purpose of this Student Handbook 3

The Field of Public Health 4

Department Faculty 8

Department BSPH Program Representatives 9

BSPH Program Overview 10

BSPH Vision Statement 11

BSPH Mission Statement 11

BSPH Program Goals 11

BSPH Program Conceptual Model 12

Figure 1: BSPH Program Conceptual Model 12

Core Disciplines 13

Interdisciplinary Cross-cutting Competencies 14

BSPH Program Policies & Procedures 20

Code of Student Academic Integrity 20

Professional Organizations 21

Evaluation Standards for BSPH Student Progress 22

Program Dismissal Policy 22

Recourse for Violations 23

Check E-mail Daily 23

Non-discrimination Policy 23

Transfer Credit 23

Credit for Life or Work Experience 23

Appendix A: Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Educators 26

Appendix B: Code of Ethics for the Health Education Profession 27

Appendix C: Plagiarism 30

Appendix D: Instructor End of Semester BSPH Student Evaluation 31

Table of Contents

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the fourteenth cohort to complete the program and graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH)!

health.

knowledge and analytical skills in practice settings and public health research.

and interactions within courses and in the community.

Health Administration.

encouraged to do so (for more information about CHES certification, visit http://www.nchec.org/index.htm)

The purpose of the Public Health Major Student Handbook is to provide Public Health Majors with information and

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injury, and prolonging life through organized efforts of society. Public health activities focus on entire populations

rather than on individual patients, and public health professionals monitor and diagnose the health concerns of

entire communities and promote healthy practices and behaviors to assure our populations stay healthy.

study of the distribution and determinants of disease or disability in population groups.

the public or private sectors of health service delivery can specialize in health planning, organization, policy

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Dr. Lorenzo Hopper, MPH Program Director

CHHS 427B, lhopper6@uncc.edu

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the UNC Charlotte General Education requirements; includes declaring a minor; and serves as preparatory

coursework for the Public Health Major. PRPH courses are outlined in Table 1. You should have completed most

of these courses already. Any remaining ones (including those related to a minor) must be completed prior to

graduating with a BSPH.

the criteria established by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) for accreditation of public health

degree programs. BSPH courses are outlined in Table 1.

advisors are responsible for providing academic and career advice for assigned students. At this time, Dr. Pilar

Zuber, pdelcast@uncc.edu, is the official BSPH advisor for Cohort 14 students.

Students are responsible for communicating with their advisor at the beginning of each semester to ensure that

they remain on track for completing all graduation requirements. The advisor will counsel, but the final

responsibility for the proper completion of their academic program, for familiarity with the University Catalog, for

maintaining the grade average required and for meeting all other degree requirements remains that of the

student.

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* HLTH 4104- Epidemiology may be taken any semester

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UNC Charlotte undergraduate catalog.

theoretical approaches to health behavior adherence and compliance, including increasing health enhancing

behaviors and sustaining healthy behaviors over time. (Fall)

Examination of the use of research methods and statistics in public health, including issues related to research

design, measurement, sampling, and the application and interpretation of statistical methods. (Spring)

or experience encompassing the five areas of public health: health behavior, environmental health, biostatistics,

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The internship experience focuses on student opportunities to gain basic knowledge and skills related to working

in community health settings.

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BSPH Program Policies & Procedures

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with similar interests and goals. You are encouraged to consider student membership in relevant university

the enhancement of the academic and professional concerns, goals, and careers of the BSPH majors and other

students interested in the professions of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A

representative from the PHA attends Undergraduate Public Health Programs Committee meetings to ensure

student input is included. http://www.sco.uncc.edu/pha/

by students for students. Campus-wide issues are debated in the Legislature on campus. The executive power

of SGA is vested in the Student Body President and Student Body Vice President, their staffs, the Student

University Advocates, the Student Defense Chief, the Elections and Publicity Chair, and a number of

events, new information, job opportunities, and much more. Aspiring Public Health professionals and Health

Educators should be members of professional associations that are relevant to furthering the professions of Public

Health, Health Education, and Health Promotion. Several professional associations are listed below with their web

links. You are encouraged to consider student membership in relevant professional organizations.

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To assure the progression of competent students through the BSPH Major and eventually into the public health

profession, the following will be evaluated each semester for each student (the evaluation forms are located in

Appendix E):

required and mandatory for all scheduled internship assignments. Students are responsible for keeping up with

their scheduled courses and events. If a student cannot make a scheduled class or event, it is his or her

responsibility to communicate directly with their instructor or supervisor prior to their absence.

a health educator (see APPENDIX B).

The faculty members of the UNC Charlotte BSPH Program have an academic, professional, and ethical

responsibility to protect members of the public and of the health care community from unsafe or unprofessional

may pursue a course repeat on one occasion only). A student who repeats a course must submit a Grade

Replacement Form (which will be explained at that time). If the student does not achieve a grade of C or better

in a repeated course, s/he will be dismissed from the major.

for any other course-related requirements (e.g., internship assignments, required presentations). Repeated

unexcused absences and/or tardies in courses may result in the lowering of a course grade or in the failure of

the course.

responsible, and be courteous) essential to Public Health practice. This may include, but is not limited to:

displaying problems for which the student does not respond to appropriate treatment or counseling within a

reasonable period of time; engaging in public health practice for which the student has not been authorized;

emotional, mental, or environmental health or safety of others or the student himself or herself.

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member involved and shared with and signed by the student. Should the student subsequently fail to meet any of

the standards or changes stated, dismissal from the BSPH Program may be invoked.

should be invoked, she or he will provide the student with a written statement of the facts upon which the

proposal to dismiss is based. The student will have the opportunity to appear before the Public Health Programs

Committee (PHPC) to refute the facts, offer other information, or make any other statement concerning the

proposed dismissal. The BSPH Program Director and PHPC will consider that information together with the

information upon which the proposal to dismiss was based and determine whether adequate cause for dismissal

The Department of Public Health Sciences is committed to equality of opportunity and does not discriminate in

recruiting or admitting students, or in the hiring or promoting of faculty and staff, based on race, color, national

origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or ability/disability.

The University Admissions Office initially determines which courses can be transferred from other colleges and

universities. A minimum course grade of a "C" at the previous institution is a basic requirement for every transfer

course. The BSPH Program determines whether transferred courses may exempt students from taking courses

required in the BSPH major. BSPH Major courses can be waived only when the BSPH Program Director determines

that a transferred course is equivalent to a required course. Internship and Capstone courses must be taken at

UNC Charlotte.

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In accordance with University policy, students must earn the last 25% (30 credits) of baccalaureate degree

requirements at UNC Charlotte, including a minimum of the last 12 semester hours in the major.

In accordance with University policy, a grade of "I" (Incomplete) is assigned at the discretion of the instructor

when a student who is otherwise passing has not, due to circumstances beyond his or her control, completed all

the work in the course. The missing work must be completed by the deadline specified by the instructor or during

the next semester (fall or spring) in residence, but no later than 12 months after the term in which the "I" was

Expected Graduation Term Application for Degree

December degree September

To resolve course disputes, students are directed to first discuss the issue with the course instructor. If the issue is

not resolved at that level it should be brought to the Program Director (program or student-conduct related

matters) or the Undergraduate PH Program Committee (course content, workload) via the undergraduate student

representative. If the issue cannot be resolved, then the Department Chair (faculty conduct related matters)

should be consulted. If the instructor of the course in question is the BSPH Program Director or the dispute is with

the Program Director, the issue should be brought directly to the Department Chair. If not resolved informally,

students are directed to the formal college policy summarized below. Students may wish to consult with their

Handbook.

invoke the "Academic Grievance Policy of the College of Health and Human Services" (in the College of Health and

Human Services Handbook 2020-2021). The written grievance must be submitted within seven (7) working days of

receipt of the written dismissal and be sent to of the Chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences, following

steps 1 and 2 of the "Academic Grievance Policy."

described at http://legal.uncc.edu/policies/up-410.

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Students should follow the UNC Charlotte severe weather guidelines for class attendance. Please note, that per

University Policy, schedule interruptions as a result of severe weather or other reasons does not mean that

instructors and students are not responsible for the coursework scheduled to be completed during that class

period. Faculty may opt to hold class online, post coursework to Canvas, or reschedule the class period. In the

case of severe weather that results in the cancellation of in-person University classes, students are not required to

report to their internship assignments. Students are responsible for obtaining information about school closings

and delays. Call 704-687-2877 or visit the home page at http://www.uncc.edu/ for information about University