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Welcome New and Prospective Students

Thank you for your interest in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) at UC San Diego. As the first undergraduate program offered in Health Sciences we are uniquely positioned at the intersection of primary care medicine and public health. In this new and challenging major, BSPH undergraduates will develop and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines to improve health at the population level while being mindful of the diverse cultural perspectives of the communities with whom we partner. Students will gain a deep appreciation for important public health questions and concepts while improving their critical thinking skills in order to solve major public health problems and promote the health and well-being of local, national and international communities. UC San Diego provides a unique training environment by combining leading public health researchers and practitioners with a unique natural laboratory for studying public health. San Diego is a culturally diverse coastal community and neighbors the busiest international land border crossing in the world. BSPH students will have opportunities to get involved in unique training experiences that address some of the leading public health issues to be faced in the 21st century.

Public Health seeks to improve human health through the development and application of knowledge that helps prevent disease, protects the public from exposure to potential harm, and promotes health throughout the state, the nation and the world. Public Health is everywhere and is the foundation of building a healthier world. Public Health touches everything in the world around you; it is in the water, air, buildings and people you encounter in every moment of every day. In the words of C. Everett Koop, “Health care matters to all of us some of the time, Public Health matters to all of us all of the time.” The field of Public Health is central to addressing some of the most pressing health issues we face today, such as rising health care costs and the need for greater prevention of disease and disability across the life span.

For more information about Public Health, check out:  

The BSPH curriculum is built on the five core competencies in Public Health: Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental & Occupational Health, Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health, and Health Policy & Management. Through classroom curriculum, research experience, and hands-on learning through community-based field placements, the BSPH program provides a strong foundation for undergraduate students looking to work in public health, pursue medical careers, law school, business professions, or graduate programs in related fields. We have a large number of alumni (1/2) that are either in graduate school programs or currently applying (such as MHA or MPH programs) and about a 1/3 of our public health majors go into pre-med or pre-health careers. In addition to pre-med/pre-health or graduate school, we have students with research positions at university settings, private sector, SD County, and hospitals. For more information, please check out our website at Planning your Future in Public Health under Where are BSPH Alumni Working.

We offer seven degrees within Public Health. Please click the links below to find out more information including course requirements for each of the seven majors.

BSPH degrees offered include:

Helpful Links for Students Pursuing a BSPH Major:

Please feel free to email us at publichealth@health.ucsd.edu if you are unable to find the answer to your question(s) on our website.