Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) with Concentration in Climate and Environmental Sciences

^{(Effective Fall 2024 - for all students who entered UCSD in FA24-SP26)}

IMPORTANT: This major is not accepting continuing students beginning winter 2027

Climate and Environmental Sciences involves the examination of different factors in our environment and their relation to the health and well-being of individuals and populations. The Concentration in Climate and Environmental Sciences allows students the opportunity to gain further understanding into the presence of environmental and climate risk factors, as well as strategies for assessing, treating, and preventing health conditions related to these factors. In addition, this concentration offers coursework required for graduate training in climate and environmental sciences, and provides students with an interdisciplinary framework of this field, with courses offered from Biology, Chemistry, Global Health, Mathematics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Urban Studies and Planning.

Please see plans.ucsd.edu for a sample academic plan.

Entry to the Major

Every Public Health Major has their own Major Entry Criteria. Please see Public Health Major Entry Requirement on our website for more details.

Lower-Division Requirements (53 units)

Public Health Sciences (1 course, 4 units)

PH 40: Introduction to Public Health

Biology (3 courses, 12 units)

BILD 1, BILD 2, BILD 3

Chemistry (3 courses, 12 units)

CHEM 6A, CHEM 6B, CHEM 6C

Formal Skills and Quantitative Methods (3 courses, 13 units)

MATH 10A/20A, MATH 10B/20B, MATH 11

Public Health Research Methods (1 course, 4 units)

PH 45

Public Health Trending Topics (1 course, 4 units)

PH 70-85

Lower Division Public Health Elective (total of 4 units required)

PH 50-95, PH 98, PH 99

Upper-Division Requirements (52 or 56 units)

Public Health Core Disciplines (6 courses, 24 units)

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

Upper Division Public Health Electives (total of 8 units required)

PH 140-191, PH 195, PH 198, PH 199

Climate and Enviromental Sciences Electives (total of 12 units required)

ANSC 147, ANTH 128A, ANTH 128B, BIEB 152, CCS 123, ECON 131, ENVR 110, ESYS 101, ESYS 103, GLBH 113, GLBH 147, PH 151, PH 171, SIO 109, SIO 109R, SIO 116, SIO 116GS, SIO 118GS, SIO 187, SIO 189, SOCI 108, USP 128A, USP 128B, USP 146

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).

Students may request through the VAC to use USP 165C towards their UDE area.

Capstone Experience (2 courses, 8 or 12 units)

Option 1: PH 193/193R, PH 194/194R
Option 2: PH 196AH, PH 196BH

Additional Requirements

Students who want to declare a major in public health must first meet all Public Health Entry criteria.
PH 40 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, PH 95, PH 98, PH 99, PH 195, PH 198, and PH 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 8 units of PH 91 may be used to meet lower-division major requirements. Topics must be different for each class.
No more than 8 units of PH 191 may be used to meet upper-division major requirements. Topics must be different for each class.
No more than 4 units of PH 195 may be used to meet UD major requirements.
No more than 4 units of AIP 197 may be used to meet UD major requirements.
No more than 8 units of PH 198 and PH 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.