College of Public Health and Health Professions

Established

1958 as the first college of health professions in the United States; renamed Public Health and Health Professions in 2003

Location

Health Professions/Nursing/Pharmacy Complex (HPNP)
1225 Center Drive
Gainesville, FL 32610
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Rankings

Highly ranked programs throughout the college.

Accredited

The college is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. In addition, all clinical programs are accredited by the appropriate national organization.

Degrees

The college offers a Bachelor of Health Science and a Bachelor of Public Health degree. Public Health offers specialty electives across most disciplines within the university to promote interdisciplinary coursework. Health science specializations include general health science, preprofessional, pre-occupational therapy, and pre-physical therapy.

Academic Advising

Make an appointment with an academic advisor at 352.273.6400, option 1.
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Libraries

In addition to the university’s other libraries, students access the Health Science Center Libraries, one of the largest biomedical library systems in the country.
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Internships and Career Guidance

College academic advisors and the UF Career Resource Center are available to help with career planning. Shadowing healthcare providers is also encouraged.
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Helpful Links

College Website
Combined Degrees
Computer Requirement
Dean's List
Student Organizations
- PHHP College Council (HPCC)
- Health Science Student Organization (HSSO)
- L.E.A.P. Mentorship Program
- Most disciplines also have student associations affiliated with their national organizations, including:

Admission

Admission requirements vary for the different preprofessional career options; therefore, applicants should contact an academic advisor in the college to ensure appropriate academic planning.

In addition to specific GPA and coursework requirements, all health science majors require evidence of commitment to the field. Students are encouraged to volunteer in a human services field to demonstrate this commitment. An interview may be required for admission to the college.

Contact the Bachelor of Health Science office directly for additional admission information. The BHS office is located in the HPNP Building, room # 3189. Phone: 352.273.6379

Application Deadlines

The Bachelor of Health Science application deadline is February 1 for General Health Science, Pre-Occupational Therapy and Pre-Public Health admissions. Communication Sciences deadline is January 15. After the deadline has passed, student applications are considered on a space-available basis.

Student Selection

Admission to the college at the junior level is limited and selective. Satisfaction of minimum GPA and course requirements does not guarantee admission to the junior level. A student’s total record, including educational objectives, courses completed, quality of academic record and application essay are considered when evaluating an applicant for admission.

Native UF Student Admission

Freshmen and Sophomores

Students can declare a major in one of the college’s undergraduate programs upon admission to the university. Progression standards include courses completed, cumulative and tracking GPAs, and academic conduct. Students apply for junior level limited access admission in their sophomore year.

Juniors Level Admission

A formal application process is required for admission consideration. STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT an online program application for the major/specialization of interest and should carefully follow the instructions for the particular specialization.

Students eligible for admission consideration at the junior level must

Earn at least 60 semester credits of acceptable college credit with a minimum overall 3.0 GPA for health science, pre-occupational therapy and public health, and a minimum 2.7 GPA for communication sciences and disorders on all college/university-level work attempted.
Complete all critical-tracking coursework with the required GPA. (Critical-tracking courses are listed in the semester plans under Majors in this catalog.)
Fulfill the general education requirements described in the Academic Advising section of this catalog. Specific course sequences for each program of study indicate how to fulfill these requirements while planning careers in public health and/or discipline-specific health professions.
Complete all writing requirements.
Submit a completed program application to the College of Public Health and Health Professions.
Complete all requirements by the end of spring for Summer B admission consideration or by the end of Summer A for fall admission consideration.

Transfer Student Admission

Meeting minimum standards as freshmen and sophomores does not guarantee admission to the junior year within the college because space is limited.

Application Materials

Non-UF students must apply to the University of Florida and to the College of Public Health and Health Professions for admission consideration at the junior year. These are separate applications. Students with questions should contact the dean’s office and speak with an advisor.

Florida public college students must have:

Received the A.A. degree.
Completed all critical-tracking coursework with the required GPA (3.0 health science, pre-occupational therapy and public health; 2.7 for communication sciences and disorders).
Completed 60 semester credits of transferable college-level credit with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 for health science, pre-OT and public health, and a minimum 2.7 GPA for communication sciences and disorders.
Submitted a transfer application to UF.
Submitted a program application to the College of Public Health and Health Professions.

PHHP Academic Policies

Double Majors/Dual Degrees

PHHP does not offer a double major; however, students in this college can pursue an additional degree outside of the college. Students from other colleges can also consider a dual degree within PHHP. Permission of both colleges is required. Students are eligible to apply for a dual degree after they have completed 45 credits and before completion of 96 credits. Students must meet all requirements for both degrees.

Minors

The college offers four minors:

health science
disability science
public health
communication sciences and disorders

These minors are open to students in other colleges who meet the prerequisite and GPA requirements. The minor form and course information are available from the college website.

Specific minors are available to PHHP juniors and seniors based on the student's specialization, as noted below.

Communication Sciences and Disorders Students: health science, disability science and public health minors.

Health Science and Pre-OT Students: communication sciences and disorders and public health minors.

Public Health Students: communication sciences and disorders minors.

S-U Option

The S-U option is not permitted for prerequisite or major courses; however, it can be used for electives.

BHS Program Probation / Off-Track Students

Students who do not make sufficient progress toward program completion or students who demonstrate inappropriate professional conduct are considered to be off track. Off-track status means the student has not met all tracking criteria for the designated term. Students who are off track can be placed on college probation. The purpose of probation is to develop a plan to help the student return to good academic and/or professional conduct standing. Off-track students can be dismissed from the college based on the college's policy below.

Freshmen and Sophomores

Freshmen and sophomores can be off track for one of two reasons: low GPA or missing or low grades in prerequisite or major courses.

All students who are off track at the end of any semester are required to meet with an academic advisor in the college to determine the steps needed to get back on track.
The academic performance of all off track students after two semesters will be reviewed by a college academic advisor. If, in the opinion of the advisor, the student could return to on-track status within one additional semester, the student will be considered for continuation in the college. Otherwise, the student will need to select a different major.
If a student fails to meet requirements to return to on-track status and/or is off track after three semesters, the student must withdraw from the major. Students who must withdraw from the college will be offered assistance in choosing a different major at the university.
Students dismissed from the college for academic reasons who believe they have remediated all college pre-application requirements by the deadline for the major have the right to apply for admission. However, dismissal from the college can be considered when making admissions decisions.
Regardless of the number of semesters the student is off track, if a student meets university guidelines for dismissal, that student can be dismissed consistent with university policy. Dismissal can be based on academic progression and/or honor code issues.

Juniors and Seniors

Students must receive minimum grades of C in all courses required for the major. Unsatisfactory grades, defined as grades lower than a C or grades of unsatisfactory in classes graded S-U, are grounds for probation and/or dismissal from the college. In addition, dismissal from the college can result from honor code violations.

If a student in the college receives one grade of C- or lower in a college course, the student is placed on academic probation. Faculty will provide an opportunity for the student to make up material (e.g., through independent study, repeating the course, etc.). If the student receives at least a C in the course for which probation was implemented, the student will return to good academic standing. If the student receives a C- or lower while on probation, the student must withdraw from the program unless the college determines mitigating circumstances warrant a probationary extension. If a student receives the first and second C- or lower in the same term, the college has the right to dismiss the student without first offering probation.

If a student receives a C- or lower in a second college course, regardless of whether this occurs in the same term or a different term as the first C- or lower, the student can be required to withdraw from the program. The student has the right to petition this decision.

In order to petition the faculty committee, the student must provide the program director with a letter stating the reasons that the student should be allowed to remediate his or her academic performance. Upon successful petition and on a space-available basis, the student will be placed on academic probation and allowed to make up material in an appropriate manner determined by the instructor and program director (e.g., via independent study, course repetition, etc.)

Following completion of this course with a minimum grade of C, the student can continue in the program. However, if the student again receives a C- or lower, the student must withdraw from the program. The college will help the student choose another major at UF, if desired, if he or she withdraws from a college major.

In the first two cases above, the individual instructor is responsible for assigning student grades. The program director, in consultation with the instructor and program faculty as needed, is responsible for determining if a student who appeals a dismissal will be placed on academic probation or dismissed from the program. The student will be notified in writing of the director’s decision concerning academic probation or dismissal.

If the student is placed on probation, the letter will include the activities that the student must successfully complete to remedy the academic deficiencies and the timeframe in which these activities must be completed. Failure to adhere to or to meet the terms of the letter constitutes grounds for dismissal from the program. The student will be offered assistance, if desired, to select a different major.

If the student disagrees with the director’s decision regarding dismissal or the terms of the probation letter, the student may appeal in writing within one week to the associate dean overseeing academic affairs. The associate dean will review both the director’s decision and the student’s concerns and make a determination about academic probation/dismissal. Both the student and director have the right to further appeal to the dean, who will review the case in its entirety and make the final decision.

Changing Majors

Freshmen and sophomores wishing to change majors must contact a college advisor in the new major. Juniors and seniors wishing to change majors in the college must contact the program director. If a student withdraws from the major, specific permission from the program and the college must be given at the time of withdrawal for the student to be eligible to re-enter the college.

Health Policy

The college requires evidence of ability to meet the physical and academic requirements of the program. Personnel in the Department of Student Health will test each student for sensitivity to tuberculosis. The Department of Student Health will verify immunization against diphtheria, rubella (German measles) and tetanus.

All students must be immunized against Hepatitis B and varicella (chicken pox) or provide the Student Health Center with medical documentation that they have had chicken pox. All students must participate in annual bloodborne pathogen training, repeat their TB test annually if observing in a clinical setting, and be HIPAA compliant.

Students registered in clinical courses must have hospitalization insurance. Full-time students are eligible for the health insurance plans sponsored by Student Government. Twelve-month coverage may be purchased at the time of registration.

Expenses

Required immunizations and other expenses are the student’s responsibility.

Students must satisfy all college and university degree requirements for their major and specialization.

College requirements include:

Completion of 120 semester credits with a 2.0 GPA
Completion of all core courses with minimum grades of C
Satisfactory completion of all approved college and general electives
Completion of a PHHP degree candidate exit survey

To graduate in the desired term, students must submit by the deadline a completed degree application to the Office of University Registrar.

Dean’s List

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The dean’s list recognizes outstanding academic achievement at the completion of each semester. Students receiving a final grade of U or a failing grade may not be considered for the dean’s list, regardless of overall grade point average. Students may request a letter confirming dean’s list status from the college's dean’s office.

Graduating with Honors

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Postbaccalaureate students are not eligible to receive honors recognition. Guidelines for completion of honors program requirements to graduate magna cum laude or summa cum laude.

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MAJORS
MINORS
CERTIFICATES
UF ONLINE MAJORS
DOCTOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM

MAJORS

MINORS

CERTIFICATES

Speech and Hearing Sciences Certificate

UF ONLINE MAJORS

Communication Sciences and Disorders UF Online

DOCTOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM

The Department of Occupational Therapy in the College of Public Health and Health Professions has been offering occupational therapy degree programs since the college was established in 1958. With a reputation for strong occupational therapy education, research, and service, the department became the first one approved by the State University System of Florida to offer the Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Located in the heart of the UF Health Science Center, the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program offers training opportunities at UF Health and community sites, along with opportunities for interprofessional education with other Health Science Center programs.

Overview

Occupations are activities, such as work, leisure activities, household routines, and health behaviors, which have meaning and value for the daily lives of individuals, families, groups, communities and populations. Participation in meaningful occupations is a significant determinant of health and well-being. Occupational therapists focus on improving performance in all areas of occupation to promote growth, change, and/or adaptation for health, well-being, and participation in life. The UF Department of Occupational Therapy offers an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree program to prepare occupational therapy practitioners who are leaders in rapidly changing and dynamic contemporary health and human services delivery systems. The program facilitates students’ clinical knowledge and skills, professional development, leadership and advocacy skills, and advanced knowledge base to inform high-quality, evidence-informed practice in occupational therapy. Students engage in projects and leadership activities that will improve practice quality and advance evidence-based clinical practice.

The OTD Degree Program is designed for students who do not have an entry-level professional OT degree. See the Department of Occupational Therapy website for more information on the program, including admissions, prerequisite requirements, and curriculum: https://ot.phhp.ufl.edu/academics/otd/.

Contact

HPNP Complex
1225 Center Drive
Room 2101

352.273.6817

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 100164
Gainesville, FL 32610-0164

Undergraduate Preparation

Students intending to apply for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) must complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree as well as the prerequisites needed to be eligible for the professional program. Our college offers an undergraduate pre-occupational therapy track in our health science program to assist students in registering for the correct prerequisites required for the OTD. However, undergraduate students interested in the OTD can major in any academic program offered by an accredited college or university. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure he or she completes all OTD prerequisites.

An applicant to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program must demonstrate high academic achievement during undergraduate and prerequisite work and complete the GRE General Test. It is recommended that students participate in service and/or research activities prior to applying. Observation hours with a licensed occupational therapist are also required. For more information on admissions requirements, including prerequisite coursework, recommendations, and personal statement, please see the Department of Occupational Therapy website: https://ot.phhp.ufl.edu/academics/otd/

Student Organizations

Students are encouraged to participate in organizations that will help them gain leadership and teamwork experience.

Examples of student organizations, include, but are not limited to:

Student Occupational Therapy Association
Health Science Student Organization
Generational Relief in Prosthetics (GRiP)
Best Buddies
Camp Kesem
Dream Team
Gator Pals
Gators for Haven Hospice
IMPACT Autism
Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students
TOPSoccer
PHHP College Council