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

^{(Effective Fall 2026 - for all students who entered UCSD in FA26 and later)}

IMPORTANT: This major is not accepting new students at this time

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 (44 or 45 units)

Public Health Sciences (1 course, 4 units)

PH 40 or PH 40R

Biology (3 courses, 12 units)

BILD 1, BILD 2, BILD 3

Chemistry (3 courses, 12 units)

CHEM 6A, CHEM 6B, CHEM 6C

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

Select one from 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 74 or PH 74R

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 8 units required)

PH 158R
Select from the following: PH 140-157, PH 159-191, PH 195P, PH 198-199

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

ESYS 101
Select from the following: ANSC 147, ANTH 128A, ANTH 128B, BIEB 152, CCS 123, ECON 131, ENVR 110, 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

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 criteria.
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 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.