Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) with Concentration in Community Health Sciences

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

IMPORTANT: This major is not accepting continuing students beginning fall 2026

The aim of Community Health is to understand the foundational components of a shared geographical area and role of community structures in promoting healthy lifestyles. Students completing the Concentration in Community Health Sciences will build upon their knowledge in public health to focus on how best to reach vulnerable community members and better allocate resources to underserved populations. This concentration allows students the opportunity to gain foundational learning in determinants of health within a community, as well as practices and strategies to identify and address areas where conditions in a community setting can be changed or improved. In addition, this concentration is well suited for students interested in pursuing a career or graduate work that involves working directly with populations to improve health behaviors.

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 (32 or 33 units)

Public Health Sciences (1 course, 4 units)

PH 40: Introduction to Public Health

Biology (3 courses, 12 units)

BILD 3 PLUS two of the following:
- BILD 1 or BILD 10, BILD 2, BILD 12, BILD 18, BILD 20*, BILD 22*, BILD 26*, BILD 28*, BILD 30*, BILD 32*, BILD 36*, BILD 38, BILD 44, BILD 60, BILD 61

BILD 1, BILD 2, and BILD 3 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 20 after completing BICD 100 at UCSD; 2) Credit can not be earned for BILD 22 after completing BIBC 120 at UCSD; 3) Credit can not be earned for BILD 26 after completing BIPN 100 at UCSD; 4) Credit can not be earned for BILD 28 after completing BICD 140 at UCSD; 5) Credit can not be earned for BILD 30 after completing BIMM 120 at UCSD; 6) Credit can not be earned for BILD 32 after completing BIMM 134 at UCSD; 7) Credit can not be earned for BILD 36 after completing BICD 136 at UCSD.

Students may request through the VAC to use COGS 17 in place of BILD 12 towards their Biology area.

Quantitative Methods (1 course, 4 or 5 units)

Option 1: MATH 11
Option 2: PSYC 60
Option 3: COGS 14B
Option 4: HDS 60

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

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

Community Health Sciences Electives (total of 12 units required)

ANSC 101, ANSC 105, ANSC 105GS, ANSC 143, ANSC 144, ANSC 146, ANSC 147, ANSC 148, ANSC 150, ANSC 190GS, ANTH 128A, ANTH 128B, BICD 136, COMM 102C, ETHN 103, ETHN 142, ETHN 157, ETHN 190, GLBH 101, GLBH 105, GLBH 110, GLBH 111, GLBH 113, GLBH 146, GLBH 147, GLBH 148, GLBH 150, GLBH 181, LTCS 165, PH 151, PH 155, PH 161, SOCI 104Q, SOCI 108, SOCI 113, SOCI 135, SOCI 136F, SOCI 137, SOCI 173, USP 128A, USP 128B, USP 129, USP 136, USP 141A, USP 141B, USP 142A, USP 142B, USP 144, USP 147, USP 149

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 GLBH 143 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.