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Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH)

(Major Code: PB25 - Effective Fall 2020)  

*Students who entered UCSD in FA24 and later should see B.S. in Public Health (BSPH) (Admitted FA24 and Later)

Public health seeks to improve human health through the development and application of scientific knowledge that helps prevent disease, protects the public from exposure to potential harm, and promotes health throughout communities at the local, national, and global levels. The Bachelor of Science in Public Health prepares students to develop and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines for the promotion and protection of the health of the human population in a context of human rights and cultural understanding. 

For a sample academic plan for the B.S. in Public Health Major, please choose from the following:

Entry to the Major

Lower-Division Requirements (32 or 33 units)

Public Health Sciences (2 courses, 8 units)

  • FMPH 40: Introduction to Public Health
  • FMPH 50: Primary Care and Public Health

Biology (3 courses, 12 units)

  • Option 1: BILD 1, BILD 2, BILD 3
  • Option 2: BILD 3 PLUS two from BILD 10, BILD 12*/COGS 17*, BILD 20*, BILD 22*, BILD 26*, BILD 30*

Option 1 is recommended for students going into traditional health professions (medical school, physician assistant school, nursing), epidemiology, or other fields that value a hard science background.

*Please note: 1) Credit can not be earned for BILD 12 after completing COGS 17 at UCSD; 2) Credit can not be earned for BILD 20 after completing BICD 100 at UCSD; 3) Credit can not be earned for BILD 22 after completing BIBC 120 at UCSD; 4) Credit can not be earned for BILD 26 after completing BIPN 100 at UCSD; 5) Credit can not be earned for BILD 30 after completing BIMM 120 at UCSD.

Students may request through the VAC to use BILD 1 or BILD 2 towards Option 2 of their Biology area in place of BILD 10.  Students may request through the VAC to use BILD 18, BILD 28^, BILD 32^, BILD 36^, BILD 38, BILD 44, BILD 60, and/or BILD 61 towards Option 2 of their Biology area.

^Please note: 1) Credit can not be earned for BILD 28 after completing BICD 140 at UCSD; 2) Credit can not be earned for BILD 32 after completing BIMM 134 at UCSD; 3) Credit can not be earned for BILD 36 after completing BICD 136 at UCSD.

Quantitative Methods (1 course, 4 or 5 units)

  • Option 1: MATH 11
  • Option 2: PSYC 60
  • Option 3: COGS 14B

Option 1 is recommended for students going into epidemiology, biostatistics, or other fields that value statistics and data analysis.

Students may request through the VAC to use HDS 60 towards their Quantitative Methods area in place of MATH 11 or PSYC 60 or COGS 14B.

Social and Behavioral Science Electives (2 courses, 8 units)

  • ANTH 1, ANTH 2, ANTH 23, CGS 2B, COGS 14A/PSYC 70/SOCI 60, COMM 10, ECON 1, ECON 2, ENVR 30, ESYS 10, HDS 1, HILD 30, LTCS 50, POLI 10/10D, POLI 11/11D, POLI 30/30D, PSYC 1, PSYC 2, PSYC 3, PSYC 4, PSYC 6, PSYC 7, SOCI 1, SOCI 2, SOCI 10, SOCI 30, SOCI 40, SOCI 70, USP 2

Students may request through the VAC to use ECON 3 and/or GLBH 20 towards their SBE area.

Upper-Division Requirements (52 units)

Public Health Core Disciplines (6 courses, 24 units)

  • FMPH 101: Epidemiology
  • FMPH 102: Biostatistics
  • FMPH 110: Health Behavior and Chronic Diseases
  • FMPH 120: Health Policies for Healthy Lifestyles
  • FMPH 130: Environmental and Occupational Health
  • USP 143: The US Health Care System

Public Health Electives (5 courses, 20 units)

A minimum of one course from the following:

  • FMPH 140-179, FMPH 180A, FMPH 191, FMPH 195, FMPH 196A, FMPH 198, FMPH 199

Students may petition to use AIP 197, UCCS, or a Study Abroad Experience (must be an upper-division 4-unit course and have been pre-approved by the department).

FMPH 180A and FMPH 196A have been discontinued and will no longer be offered.

Four additional courses from either those listed above or those listed below:

  • ANBI 130, ANSC 101, ANSC 105, ANSC 105GS, ANSC 106, ANSC 106GS, ANSC 143, ANSC 144, ANSC 146, ANSC 147, ANSC 148, ANSC 150, ANSC 164, ANSC 190GS, BIBC 100, BIBC 102, BIBC 103, BIBC 120, BICD 100, BICD 110, BICD 136, BICD 140, BIEB 152, BIMM 100, BIMM 110, BIMM 120, BIMM 124, BIMM 134, BIPN 100, BIPN 108, BIPN 134, COGS 174, COGS 174GS, COMM 102C, COMM 114J, ECON 125, ECON 130, ECON 131, ECON 140, ECON 141, ENVR 110, ESYS 101, ESYS 103, ETHN 103, ETHN 142, ETHN 157, ETHN 190, GLBH 100, GLBH 101, GLBH 105, GLBH 110, GLBH 111, GLBH 113, GLBH 142, GLBH 146, GLBH 147, GLBH 148, GLBH 181, HISC 115, HISC 116, HISC 180, LTCS 165, MATH 111A, MATH 111B, MATH 181A, MATH 181B, MATH 181C, MATH 181E, MATH 183, MATH 185, MATH 186, MATH 189, MGT 173, PHIL 163, POLI 125B, POLI 160AA, POLI 168, PSYC 101, PSYC 104, PSYC 134, PSYC 155, PSYC 168, PSYC 173, PSYC 179, PSYC 181, PSYC 181GS, PSYC 188, REV 160GS, REV 165GS, SIO 116, SIO 116GS, SIO 118GS, SIO 187, SIO 189, SOCI 102, SOCI 104Q, SOCI 107, SOCI 108, SOCI 113, SOCI 134, SOCI 135, SOCI 136F, SOCI 137, SOCI 152, USP 101, USP 133, USP 136, USP 141A, USP 141B, USP 144, USP 145, USP 146, USP 147, USP 149, USP 171

Students may request through the VAC to use ANTH 128A, ANTH 128B, BIPN 105 (FA21 or later), CCS 123, CGS 123, ECON 138, GLBH 141, GLBH 143, GLBH 150, GLBH 160, MATH 102, MATH 109, MATH 140A, MATH 180A, MATH 180B, MATH 180C, MGT 108R, MGT 119 (WI22) "Topics in Business: Managing Healthcare & Life Sciences", POLI 117, POLI 117R, SIO 109, SIO 109R, SOCI 138, SOCI 173, USP 128A, USP 128B, USP 142A and/or USP 142B towards their UDE area.

Capstone Experience (2 courses, 8 units)

  • FMPH 193: Public Health Capstone I or FMPH 196B: Public Health Honors Practicum II
  • FMPH 194: Public Health Capstone II or FMPH 196C: Public Health Honors Practicum III

Additional Requirements

Additional Requirements

  • Students who want to declare a major in public health must first complete FMPH 40 with a grade of B- or higher before declaring the major.
  • FMPH 40 and FMPH 50 must be completed at UC San Diego.
  • All LD and UD major courses must be taken for a letter grade, with the exception of AIP 197, FMPH 195, FMPH 198, and FMPH 199, which may only be taken P/NP.
  • A minimum grade of C- is required in any course to be counted towards fulfillment of LD and UD major requirements.
  • No more than 4 units of FMPH 195 may be used to meet UD major requirements.
  • No more than 8 units between AIP 197, FMPH 195, and FMPH 198 may be used to meet UD major requirements.
  • No more than 8 units of FMPH 199 may be used to meet UD major requirements.
  • No more than 4 units of GLBH 111 may be used to meet UD major requirements.
  • No more than 6 units of COMM 102C may be used to meet UD major requirements.

Stay on Track: Time-To-Degree

Many FMPH courses and some UDEs for the Public Health Major have prerequisites that need to be completed prior to enrollment (Core Public Health Prerequisites). It is recommended that students meet regularly with the Public Health Advisors to ensure that they are on track with completing their Public Health Major requirements. Please see the Advising Calendar for walk-in and appointment availability.

To assist students in planning their courses, we have also provided guidelines below on when specific major courses must completed by to stay on track to graduate in their desired year. Please talk to a Public Health Advisor for any time-to-degree questions you may have.

  • FMPH 40 – Course MUST be completed by fall quarter of junior (3rd) year. Students need at least four quarters in the major (not including summer) to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the two-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year.
  • PSYC 60 or HDS 60 or COGS 14B or MATH 11 – Course MUST be completed by fall quarter of junior (3rd) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the two-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year.
  • FMPH 50 – Course MUST be completed by spring quarter of the junior (3rd) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the two-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year.
  • FMPH 101 and FMPH 102 – One course MUST be completed by spring quarter of the junior (3rd) year and both courses MUST be completed by fall quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the two-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year. Please note: It is strongly recommended that students do not complete FMPH 101 and FMPH 102 in the same quarter, and either course be taken before the other. 
  • FMPH 110 – Course MUST be completed by fall quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the two-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter quarter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year.
  • FMPH 120 – Course MUST be completed by fall quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the two-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter quarter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year.
  • FMPH 193 – Course MUST be completed by winter quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements on time.
  • USP 143 – Course MUST be completed by winter quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements in time for the 2-quarter Capstone sequence offered in the winter quarter (FMPH 193) and spring quarters (FMPH 194) of their senior (4th) year. Please note: USP 143 is only offered in winter quarters.
  • FMPH 130 – Course MUST be completed by spring quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements on time.
  • FMPH 194 – Course MUST be completed by spring quarter of the senior (4th) year in order to complete the Public Health Major requirements on time.