Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH)

^{(Effective Fall 2026 - for all students who entered UCSD in FA26 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.

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 or PH 40R

Biology (3 courses, 12 units)

Select three of the following: BILD 1 or BILD 10, BILD 2, BILD 3, BILD 12, BILD 20, BILD 22, BILD 26, BILD 28, BILD 30, BILD 32, BILD 36, BILD 38, BILD 60 or BILD 61
- Students who have completed a LD Anatomy w/ Lab and/or Microbiology w/ Lab at a Community College or another University may petition to use the course(s) towards their biology area (must be UC transferable and be listed for units on academic history).

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.

Quantitative Methods (STATS) (1 course, 4 or 5 units)

Select one of the following: MATH 11, PSYC 60, COGS 14B, or HDS 60
MATH 11 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 or PH 45R

Public Health Trending Topics (PH TT) (1 course, 4 units)

PH 71 or PH 71R

Public Health Elements (PH LDE) (total of 4 units required)

Select from the following: PH 50-95, PH 98-99

Upper-Division Requirements (48 or 52 units)

Public Health Core Disciplines (5 courses, 20 units)

PH 101 or PH 101R, PH 102 or PH 102R, PH 110 or PH 110R, PH 120 or PH 120R, PH 130

Public Health Perspectives (total of 12 units required)

PH 157
PH 180
Select from the following: PH 140-156, PH 158-179, PH 181-191, PH 195P, PH 198-199

Public Health Electives (total of 8 units required)

Select either additional Public Health Perspectives listed above or from the following 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, ANTH 128A, ANTH 128B, BIBC 100, BIBC 102, BIBC 120, BICD 100, BICD 136, BICD 140, BIEB 152, BIMM 100, BIMM 110, BIMM 120, BIMM 124, BIMM 134, BIPN 100, BIPN 108, BIPN 134, CCS 123, CGS 123, COGS 174, COGS 174GS, COMM 102C, ECON 125, ECON 130, ECON 131, ECON 138, 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 150, GLBH 181, HISC 115, HISC 116, HISC 180, LTCS 165, MATH 180A, MATH 181A, MATH 181B, MGT 108R, MGT 173, PHIL 163, POLI 117, POLI 117R, POLI 125B, POLI 160AA, POLI 168, PSYC 101, PSYC 104, PSYC 134, PSYC 155, PSYC 168, PSYC 179, PSYC 181, PSYC 181GS, PSYC 188, REV 160GS, REV 165GS, SIO 109, SIO 109R, 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 138, SOCI 152, SOCI 173, USP 101, USP 128A, USP 128B, USP 129, USP 133, USP 136, USP 141A, USP 141B, USP 142A, USP 142B, USP 143, USP 144, USP 145, USP 146, USP 147, USP 149, USP 171

Capstone Experience (2 courses, 8 or 12 units)

Option 1: PH 193 or PH 193R, PH 194 or PH 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 Requirements.
PH 40 or PH 40R 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 88, PH 90, PH 95, PH 98, PH 99, PH 195P, 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 4 units of AIP 197 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.