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

What’s in it for the Arts & Sciences?

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

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.

http://www.aacu.org/advocacy/pdfs/LEAP_VisionFlyer.pdf

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.

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.

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.

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