Course Petitions

• Biology
  • petition through Biology for equivalency
• Chemistry
  • petition through Chemistry for equivalency
• Natural Science
  • petition through Biology, Chemistry, or Physics for equivalency
  • petition through Public Health for substitution
• Computer Programming
  • petition through Computer Science and Engineering, or Electrical and Computer Engineering for equivalency
• Formal Skills
  • petition through Mathematics for equivalency
• Quantitative Methods
  • petition through Mathematics, Psychology, Cognitive Science, or Human Developmental Sciences for equivalency
• Public Health Research Methods
  • petition through Public Health for equivalency
• Public Health Elective
  • petition through Public Health for substitution

• Public Health Core Disciplines
  • petition through Public Health for equivalency
• Public Health Elective (UDE)
  • petition through Department that offers the course for equivalency
  • petition through Public Health for substitution
• Concentration Elective (Concentration UDE)
  • petition through Department that offers the course for equivalency
  • petition through Public Health for substitution

• PH 40
• PH 45 (effective FA25 and beyond)
• Public Health Trending Topics

• PH UDE (PH 140-191, PH 195, PH 198, PH 199)
• Capstone Experience (PH 193, PH 194 or PH 196AH, PH 196BH)

Course Equivalency

Course equivalency is the process of determining whether a course taken at another institution is comparable to a specific UCSD course. To be approved, the petitioned course must cover at least 90% of the content of the UCSD equivalent.

Petitions for a lower-division (LD) course taken at another institution should be submitted to the department/program hosting the equivalent course. For example, if petitioning for equivalency for PSYC 60, the petition should be submitted to the Department of Psychology. Typically, course equivalency petitions are submitted by students transferring from another 4-year institution or a community college. If equivalency is granted, the course will be listed on a student’s UCSD academic history alongside the course number from UCSD.

Sample academic history for MATH 11 equivalency:

Course equivalency petitions are the preferred option for transfer students, as it enables students to enroll in future UCSD courses that require the petitioned course as a prerequisite without additional authorization.

Major Course Substitution

Course substitution is the process of determining whether a course taken at another institution covers content relevant to a specific major area, but is not equivalent to any course offered at UCSD.

Petitions for a lower-division (LD) course to meet requirements for Public Health should be submitted to the Public Health Student Affairs Office. Typically, major course substitution petitions are submitted by students transferring from another 4-year institution or a community college when a course equivalency (see above) cannot be determined. Occasionally, continuing students submit major course substitution petitions; however petitions for UCSD courses are rarely approved. If a major course substitution is granted for transfer coursework, the course will be listed on a student’s UCSD academic history using only the course number from the original institution. 

Sample academic history for LD Public Health Elective substitute:

Enrollment in future UCSD courses that require the substitute course as a prerequisite (such as PH 101 which requires completion of an approved statistics course) will require pre-authorization from the program hosting the course.

Petitions for an upper-division (UD) course to meet elective requirements for Public Health should be submitted to the Public Health Student Affairs Office. Typically, major elective petitions are submitted by continuing students that have identified a course related to Public Health. This is also the most common type of petition submitted after a student has studied abroad. Any course with simular content to a course UCSD offers must first be petitioned for equivalency before petitioning for substitution.  

Course Equivalency Petition

Follow the submission process for the department hosting the equivalent course.

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Cognitive Science
• Communication
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Critical Gender Studies
• Economics
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Environmental Studies
• Environmental Systems
• History
• Human Developmental Sciences
• Literature
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Urban Studies and Planning

Courses listed on ASSIST.org will be articulated by the Admissions office. No petition is required for course equivalencies listed on ASSIST.org.

LD Major Public Health Course Equivalency Petition

Step One

• Student submits petition form using the Public Health Petition Submission Form, linked on our general Petitions page.

1. General Petition ("Departmental Exception" marked)
2. Personal Statement (2-3 paragraphs explaining the minimum 90% overlap between the two courses and/or how the equivalent course is relevant/foundational to the field of Public Health and satisfies the proposed major area.)
3. Course Syllabus

Step Two

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will review the petition.

Step Three

• The BSPH Director will review the petition, taking into consideration the comments and suggestions made by the Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors. If deemed necessary, the BSPH Committee will also review the petition. The BSPH Director will sign the petition once a decision has been reached.
  

Step Four

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will notify the student via the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) of the outcome. The advisor will also update the student’s degree audit (DARS).

LD Major Course Substitution Petition

Step One

• Student submits petition form using the Public Health Petition Submission Form, linked on our general Petitions page.

1. General Petition ("Departmental Exception" marked)
2. Personal Statement (2-3 paragraphs explaining the similarities between the two courses and/or how the substituted course is relevant/foundational to the field of Public Health and satisfies the proposed major area.)
3. Course Syllabus

Step Two

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will review the petition.

Step Three

• The BSPH Director will review the petition, taking into consideration the comments and suggestions made by the Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors. If deemed necessary, the BSPH Committee will also review the petition. The BSPH Director will sign the petition once a decision has been reached.
  

Step Four

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will notify the student via the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) of the outcome. The advisor will also update the student’s degree audit (DARS).

UD Major Public Health Course Equivalency Petition

Step One

• Student submits petition form using the Public Health Petition Submission Form, linked on our general Petitions page.

1. General Petition ("Departmental Exception" marked)
2. Personal Statement (2-3 paragraphs explaining the minimum 90% overlap between the two courses and/or how the equivalent course is relevant/foundational to the field of Public Health and satisfies the proposed major area.)
3. Course Syllabus

Step Two

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will review the petition.

Step Three

• The BSPH Director will review the petition, taking into consideration the comments and suggestions made by the Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors. If deemed necessary, the BSPH Committee will also review the petition. The BSPH Director will sign the petition once a decision has been reached.
  

Step Four

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will notify the student via the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) of the outcome. The advisor will also update the student’s degree audit (DARS).

UD Major Elective Course or Concentration Elective Course Substitution Petition

Step One

• Student submits petition form using the Public Health Petition Submission Form, linked on our general Petitions page.

1. General Petition ("Departmental Exception" marked)
   
2. Personal Statement (2-3 paragraphs explaining how the course is relevant/foundational to the field of Public Health, merits elective credit, and satisfies the proposed major area. Your personal statement must also address each Core Competency you selected on the BSPH Core Competency Checklist.)
3. Course Syllabus 
4. BSPH Core Competency Checklist (select 3 - 5 competencies covered by the course)

Step Two

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will review the petition.

Step Three

• The BSPH Director will review the petition, taking into consideration the comments and suggestions made by the Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors. If deemed necessary, the BSPH Committee will also review the petition. The BSPH Director will sign the petition once a decision has been reached.

Step Four

• Undergraduate Student Affairs Advisors will notify the student via the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) of the outcome. The advisor will also update the student’s degree audit (DARS).

Previously Denied Courses Petitions

Listed below are all courses that have already been petitioned by students and were not accepted.

Quantitative Methods:

• POLI 30/30D, SOCI 60

Social and Behavioral Science Electives (SBE):

• DOC 1, DOC 2, ETHN 3

Public Health UD Electives (UDE):

• ANBI 120, ANBI 131, ANBI 132, ANSC 121, ANSC 125, ANSC 126, ANSC 129, ANSC 156, ANSC 168, BENG 134, BICD 145, BICD 150, BIEB 143, BIEB 176, BIMM 114, BIMM 116, BIMM 118, BIMM 164, BIPN 102, BIPN 150, BIPN 152, CGS 111, CGS 114, COGS 107A, COGS 109, COGS 119, COGS 154, COGS 163, COGS 164, COGS 172, COGS 178, COMM 102D, COMM 108D, COMM 108G, COMM 109D, COMM 110M, COMM 112T, COMM 114G, COMM 114N, COMM 171, ECE 109, ECON 120A, ECON 120B, ECON 120C, ECON 135, ECON 142, ECON 143, ECON 171, ECON 172A, ECON 172B, ECON 178, ETHN 102, ETHN 183, ETHN 185, GLBH 102 (FA22 and later), GLBH 129, HDP 110, HDP 115, HDP 120, HDP 122, HIUS 157, HIUS 185, LATI 122A, LATI 122B, LATI 122C, LING 176, MAE 108, PHIL 148, PHIL 162, PHIL 164, POLI 102L, POLI 104E, POLI 104M, POLI 112A, POLI 136, POLI 160AB, PSYC 122, PSYC 132, PSYC 133, PSYC 140, PSYC 143, PSYC 147, PSYC 151, PSYC 154, PSYC 164, PSYC 169, PSYC 172, PSYC 184, PSYC 190, PSYC 191, SIO 186, SOCI 103M, SOCI 104, SOCI 106, SOCI 109, SOCI 110, SOCI 112, SOCI 126, SOCI 136E, SOCI 144, SOCI 149, SOCI 150, SOCI 161, SOCI 171, SOCI 185, USP 102, USP 134, USP 173

Biostatistics Concentration UD Electives (UDE):

• n/a

Climate and Environmental Sciences Concentration UD Electives (UDE):

• GLBH 102 (FA22 and later)

Community Health Sciences Concentration UD Electives (UDE):

• n/a

Epidemiology Concentration UD Electives (UDE):

• GLBH 102 (FA22 and later)

Health Policy and Management Sciences Concentration UD Electives (UDE):

• n/a

Medicine Sciences Concentration UD Electives (UDE):

• GLBH 102 (FA22 and later)