1. Liberal Education & Public Health
APHA
Susan Albertine, Ph.D.
The College of New Jersey
November 5, 2007

2. What’s in it for the Arts & Sciences?

3. LIBERAL EDUCATION
A philosophy of education that empowers individuals, liberates the mind from ignorance, and cultivates social responsibility. Characterized by challenging encounters with important issues, and more a way of studying than a specific course or field of study, liberal education can be achieved at all types of colleges and universities. “General Education” and an expectation of in-depth study in at least one field normally comprise liberal education.
--AAC&U

4. GENERAL EDUCATION
The part of a liberal education curriculum shared by all students. General Education provides broad exposure to multiple disciplines and forms the basis for developing important intellectual and civic capacities.

6. Undergraduate Public Health Education & LEAP
Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural Worlds
Recognize and integrate the contribution of arts and sciences’ disciplines into public health: Public Health 101.
Intellectual and Practical Skills
Teach epidemiology as a way of thinking based on the scientific method and develop critical thinking and quantitative literacy skills: Epidemiology 101.
Personal and Social Responsibility
Incorporate experiential learning, e.g., service-learning, community-based research, capstone projects, or global experiential learning.
Integrative Learning and Complex Problem Solving
Provide global perspective on learning and develop internationalist or world views; understand concept of interdependence; apply learning to global health challenges: Global Health 101.

7. An Academic “Minor” in Public Health
Interdisciplinary General Education Core
Public Health 101
Epidemiology 101
Global Health 101
Discipline-specific Courses - Selected by the institution and the student; departmental public health-related courses based on the interests and strengths of each institution
Experiential Learning - Potential Health Related Activities
Service-learning or internship
Capstone or synthesis project
Structured research and/or study abroad
N.B.: Some institutions may choose to include biostatistics in the required core. Experiential health-related learning should be community based and may occur in public health agencies, NGOs, or non-profits in the U.S. or abroad.

8. Examples of Electives
Health Behavior – Psychology, Biostatistics – Mathematics or Statistics, Ecocriticism or Environmental Literary/Cultural Studies – Interdisciplinary Humanities, Women’s History and Women’s Health – Interdisciplinary Women’s and Gender Studies, Spanish for Health Professions – Modern Languages, Health Policy- Political Science, Sociology, Criminology, or Psychology, Biology for Public Health – Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or Immunology, Toxicology or Pharmacology – Biological Sciences, Addiction Studies – Biopsychology or Neuroscience, Forensic Chemistry – Chemistry, Forensic Studies – Criminology, Environmental Health – Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, or Biology, Environmental Policy and Environmental Justice – Political Science and other Social Sciences, Health Communication – Communication Studies, Science and Health Journalism – Journalism and Professional Writing, Health Economics – Economics, Health and Development – Economics and Geography, Health and International Human Rights – Philosophy, Health or Medical Sociology; Physical Anthropology – Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Sexuality Studies – Psychology, Social Psychology; Interdisciplinary Gender Studies.

9. The Future What’s in it for public health professionals?
Value of long-term investment in education of future citizens
Opportunities together with higher education:
Team teaching
Internship supervision
Adjunct teaching
Participation in community-based research
Partnership