Undergraduate Programs

Incoming Freshmen

The College of Public Health welcomes you to the University of South Florida! As a new student to the University and to the College, it is important that you review each of the following web sites. These sites will help you understand University and College requirements as well as aid you with the College's pre-registration process and how your courses are chosen.

Please remember this information does not take the place of orientation; you must attend the entire orientation program. Again, we welcome you to the University and look forward to meeting you at orientation this summer!

DISCLAIMER: The announcements, information, policies, rules, regulation and procedures on this web site are for information only and are subject to continual review and change without notice. This page is offered by the College and does not replace Academic Advising or the University's Catalog. You are responsible for meeting all graduation requirements listed in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Your First Semester

Most students will have a similar first semester schedule:

• English
• Math or Science
• Two General Education or 1 General Education and 1 major course
• University Experience

Generally, students take 13 to 15 hours their first semester and then gradually increase to a heavier load. Twelve hours is the minimum required to be full time; you can always increase your load the next semester. Keep in mind that if you have Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or dual enrollment credits, your schedule will vary somewhat from the above. Students admitted into the University Honors College will also have different schedules.
If you have dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits, contact your College's Orientation/Registration Coordinator to ensure you are not registered for courses that you have already completed. If you are a Honors College student you should contact the program advisor directly.

How your first semester courses should be chosen

Placement in most of your classes is based on departmental SAT/ACT guidelines, with some consideration given to your high school experience. The State of Florida also has laws governing remedial classes.
The state cutoff scores are:

General Education Courses
All students, regardless of major, are required to take the same number of general education courses (12). Usually you will complete these courses by the end of your sophomore year. For your first semester, your College's Orientation/Registration Coordinator has chosen two 1000- or 2000-level courses from the following categories:

English - Two courses
Mathematics - Two courses (One from Quantitative Reasoning and one from Mathematics)
Natural Sciences - Two courses (One from Life Sciences and one from Physical Sciences)
Social and Behavioral Sciences - Two courses
Humanities - Two courses
Fine Arts - One course
Human and Cultural Diversity in a Global Context - One course

Upper level Requirements

Writing Intensive - One Course
Capstone Course – One Course

Dimension

Human Historical Context and Processes – ENC 1101 and one other course
Review the on-line Schedule of Classes for a complete listing of the courses that satisfy each of these requirements to select courses from the approved General Education list that interest you. We have chosen courses in these areas but, we encourage you to choose classes from the categories that are interesting to you.
Please note if you took both the ACT and the SAT, you should use the highest score from each section to determine your placement. For example, if you earned a 15 on the math portion of the ACT, but a 490 on the math portion of the SAT, you should choose MGF 1106 or MGF 1107 for your math course. Please see the tables above, or see an advisor if you have questions.
English and Reading Placement - All students are required to complete two semesters of English Composition (ENC 1101 and ENC 1102). Students with lower test scores may also be required to take a Reading course. ENC 1101 and 1102 are 3 hours each; Prep Writing and Lab (ENC 0020) and Prep Reading and Lab (REA 0002) are both 5 hours.

Math and Science Placement - All Public Health students are required to take at least two approved Math and two approved Science courses. Non-science majors usually take either a math or a science course in their first semester. If a math course was not selected this semester, you have been registered in a science course instead.

If students elect not to register for a math course, then they should select an appropriate lower level science course as according to the list of General Education requirements above.
University Experience - Many students find that they are interested in taking a course that introduces them to the many benefits and services USF offers. At USF, this course is University Experience (SLS 1101). More information about the course is online at http://www.ugs.usf.edu/ue/ue.htm.

If you need to make changes to your schedule:

• Instructions on how to use OASIS to view or change your registration and how to search for classes online.
• View the available courses through the OASIS Schedule Search or for list of courses offered specifically through the College of Public Health, click here.
• Use OASIS to view your classes.