Bachelor of Science in Natural Science/Master of Public Health

General Education Program

All degree programs require completion of the General Education Curriculum. A complete description of the gen ed and its requirements are available in the General Education Curriculum section of the Daemen catalog. Courses that satisfy a portion or complete a core requirement will have such designation indicated after the course title.

This program allows students to obtain both a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science and a Master in Public Health at Daemen in five years. By successfully completing all the requirements detailed below, a student can receive a BS in four years at Daemen and an MPH after the fifth year.

BS Natural Science/MPH Curriculum: Health Sciences Specialization (BS Portion)

Natural Science: Health Sciences

1. Major: 70 CREDITS

Complete the following with a C or better:

  • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
  • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
  • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
  • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
  • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
  • BCH317 Bio-organic Chemistry Lecture (3)
  • BIO330/L General Anatomy (4/0)
  • BIO340/L General Physiology (4/0)
  • 37-45 credits of Science and/or Health Science Electives and/ or specialization:
    • Science Electives: select from allowed science electives or from any 200-level or higher BCH, BIO, CHE, ENS*, NSC, PHY courses designated for science majors;
      • ENS* courses-cross listed as PSC (Political Science) are not allowed; specialization.
  • CMP101 Composition I (3)

3. General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS

  • First Year Seminar (3)
  • Learning Communities (6)
  • Depth- Discoveries (9)
  • Breadth- Exploration:
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
      • MTH134 Pre-Calculus OR MTH144 Calculus & Analytic Geometry I (3)
      • Choose one course from any exploration (Math/Science, Social Sciences, Humanities) (3)
    • Social Sciences:
      • Choose two courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Psychology, Linguistics, Political Science, and Sociology. (6)
    • Humanities:
      • Choose two courses from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (6)

4. Free Electives: 15 CREDITS

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: 121 CREDITS

BS Natural Science/MPH Curriculum: Individualized Studies Specialization (BS Portion)

Natural Science: Individualized Studies

1. Major: CREDITS

Complete the following with a C or better:

  • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
  • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
  • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
  • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
  • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
  • BCH317/ L Bio-organic Chemistry (3/1) OR CHE301/L Organic Chemistry I (3/1)
  • 300- level Chemistry course OR CHE302/L Organic Chemistry II (3/1)
  • 300-level Biology course (8)
  • NSC331 Natural Science Literature Survey (2)
  • NSC443 Natural Science Research Seminar (2)
  • 32-40 credits of Science and/or Health Science Electives and/ or specialization:
    • select from allowed science electives or from any 200-level or higher BCH, BIO, CHE, ENS*, NSC, PHY courses designated for science majors
      • ENS* courses cross listed as PSC (Political Science) are not allowed; specialization.
  • CMP101 Composition I (3)

3. General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS

  • First Year Seminar (3)
  • Learning Communities (6)
  • Depth- Discoveries (9)
  • Breadth- Explor
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
      • MTH144 Calculus & Analytic Geometry I (3)
      • Choose one course from: Math and Computer Science (3)
    • Social Sciences:
      • Choose two courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Psychology, Linguistics, Political Science, and Sociology. (6)
    • Humanities:
      • Choose two courses from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (6)

4. Free Electives: 12 CREDITS

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: 122 CREDITS

Requirements for the MPH Portion of the BS Natural Science/MPH Curriculum

NOTE: Some courses listed in the direct entry MPH may be taken concurrently with BS studies.  Students can take between 12-15 credits in the graduate MPH program during their senior year. These courses will count toward their science and/or Health Science Electives and/or specialization and then be waived for the MPH degree.

Required Courses (32 credits)

  • PH500  Epidemiology (3)
  • PH510  Psychosocial and Behavioral Foundations of Public Health (3)
  • PH520  Research Methods in Health Promotion (3)
  • PH530  Web Environmental Health (3)
  • PH540/L  Public Health Biostatistics Lecture and Lab (3/2)
  • PH550  Public Health Policy, Administration, and Management (3)
  • PH563 Program Planning & Evaluation (3)
  • PH585 Trauma-Informed Approach to Health & Well-Being (3)
  • PH590 Foundations of Public Health Ethics and Advocacy (3)
  • PH595 Cultural Competency and Health Disparities in Public Health (3)

Required Focus Courses (9 credits)

Select two skill-based electives (6 credits):

  • PH512 Public Health Nutrition (3)
  • PH570 Advanced Quantitative Analysis (3)
  • PH583 Project Management and Leadership in Public Health (3)
  • PH586 Qualitative Methods (3)
  • PH589 Grant Writing and Scholarship Dissemination (3)

Select one top-based Elective (3 credits):

  • PH542 Public Health Law (3)
  • PH560 Community Health Education (3)
  • PH568 Advanced Epidemiology (3)
  • PH572 Chronic Disease (3)
  • PH574 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3)
  • PH580 Perinatal/Perinatal/Reproductive (3)
  • PH591 Global Health Policy (3)
    • Note: May choose another Public Health course application from a different department with Department Chair approval.

Practicum (3 credits)

Under the direction of a faculty advisor, students complete a practicum in order to apply and to further develop their academic skills. Each practicum requires a minimum of 240 hours of documented work and a minimum number of designated weeks at the practicum site.  In line with the service learning focus of Daemen University, the practicum, is a concerted effort to integrate classroom learning, community, and service, providing students an opportunity to work alongside members of and in service to the community, and to begin creating a network of colleagues outside of the University.

  • PH600 Practicum (3)

Capstone Seminar (1 credit) and Capstone Project (3 credits)

The capstone seminar (PH610) provides a supportive setting to help prepare students to identify and plan for their capstone project. The capstone project is a culminating experience that provides students the opportunity to synthesize, integrate, and apply their curricular knowledge to a significant public health problem, and like the practicum, is completed in collaboration with a community partner.

  • PH610 Capstone Seminar (1)
  • PH620 Capstone (3)

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR MPH PORTION= 36 CREDITS

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: BS (120); MPH (48) = 168 CREDITS

Program Structure

  1. This program leads to multiple degrees. Degrees are conferred separately: the BS, upon completion of all baccalaureate requirements; the MPH upon completion of the entire BS and MPH requirements.
  2. Prior to the start of the Professional phase (Year 4) of the program, all course work referenced in the first 3 years must be completed in full.

Admission to Upper Division Requirements/ Professional Phase begins at the end of 3rd year.

  1. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) minimum of 3.0.
  2. Students must successfully complete Biology and Chemistry, Service Learning, and CMP101 with a grade of C or higher before advancing.
  3. Students must achieve a grade of C or higher in all courses in the Natural Sciences portion of the curriculum, including departmental requirements in the Major and Specialization. Students may not have any courses in this area which need to be retaken in order to earn the minimum grade of C or better.
  4. GRE is waived.

Requirements During the 4th Year

  1. Students must receive a B- or higher in all PH courses and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA)  of 3.0 in order to progress to the 5th year and official entry into the MPH program.  Students who do not achieve these requirements during the fourth year will not be permitted to continue to the 5th year of study and official entry into the MPH program.  However, a grade of C or higher in PH courses will still apply to complete requirements for the BS Natural Science degree.   Upon completion of the BS Natural Science or other selected degree, a student may then re-apply to the MPH program as a direct entry student and would need to retake any necessary courses and meet all MPH course grade requirements.

Graduation Requirements

  1. A minimum grade of C or higher in all courses in BS Natural Sciences portion of the curriculum. This includes all courses in the Major and the Specialization.
  2. A minimum grade of B- or higher in all PH courses and cumulative GPA of 3.0 during the 4th year.
  3. In the 5th year, while officially in the MPH program, a minimum grade of B- in all courses and an overall minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00.  Refer to  Course Repeats, Probation, and Dismissal in the Master of Public Health section of the Graduate Catalog  for academic policies during year 5 of study.

Course Sequence

Access the suggested course sequences for BS, Natural Science/ MPH, (4+1) from the Natural Sciences Department web page or the Program Plans site on the Registrar’s web page.