Departmental Honors in Public Health

The Public Health program in the Department of Public Health and Exercise Science offers an honors program to students who:

  • Exhibit academic excellence
  • Commit to community engagement
  • Conduct public health research

Honors distinction requires completing nine or more disciplinary hours of honors work at the 3000 or 4000 level, including the honors section of Seminar in Rural Public Health (PH4650) and three semester hour honors thesis directed by a public health faculty member.

Students can earn Honors credit for a non-honors course by contracting with the Professor for an enriched academic experience. This may include completing service-learning activities outside the classroom. Students wishing to take a course under a contract should contact the Departmental Honors Director in consultation with the class instructor to request the contract and arrange the course requirements.

Enrollment in the public health honors program requires an application and permission of the Departmental Honors Director.


To graduate with departmental honors in public health a student must:

  • Be a public health major
  • Maintain an overall grade point average of 3.45
  • Have no grade lower than a B in any departmental honors courses
  • Complete and defend a departmental honors thesis

To pursue departmental honors, contact:

Departmental Honors Director
Dr. Jennifer Zwetsloot
zwetslootjj@appstate.edu