The B.S in Public Health Sciences and the B.A. in Public Health Policy degree programs train students in multidisciplinary approaches to public health practice and research. The degree plans to explore both quantitative and qualitative aspects of public health at all levels of analysis. Graduates will advance, through selective employment or further education, to become the new generation of public health professionals prepared to face the emerging challenges to human health from a population perspective.
Students who are interested in pursuing a premedical program should note that additional courses will be needed beyond the requirements of the public health degrees to fulfill requirements for medical school.
Students admitted to the public health program are expected to formally declare either the B.S. or B.A. degree as early as possible, but no later than the end of the sophomore year of study. Changing from one degree program to the other is possible, but will require completion of the required lower- and upper-division courses specified for each program. It is also possible for a student to enroll in both the B.S. and B.A. degree programs (double major), provided the student completes all the requirements outlined under each degree.
For graduates with the bachelor’s degrees who wish to enter the job market directly, there is a plethora of opportunities in private and public organizations for entry-level personnel in public health. These include statewide and regional health care agencies (e.g., the Orange County Health Care Agency), community clinics focusing on preventive health, water and air quality management districts, biomedical companies, health-education institutions, and activist, non-governmental organizations. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHF) has produced a compendium of public health career paths, many of which have become even more compelling for graduates at the proposed level.
In addition to supplying practitioners for the entry-level workforce in public health, the undergraduate degrees will also prepare students to enter graduate programs in public health.
There are no specific requirements for admission at the freshman level, however completion of a college preparatory high school curriculum including two years of high school biology, a combination of natural science courses including one year each of mathematics and chemistry, and courses in health science and social sciences will be helpful. Grades of B or better are recommended in all these preparatory courses.
All applicants to the B.S. in Public Health Sciences must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, complete one year of general biology and one year of general chemistry with laboratory with a grade of "B" or better in both semesters.
All applicants to the B.A. in Public Health Policy must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in required courses. As of Fall 2008, GPA requirements for Public Health Policy are as follows: Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and minimum GPA of 3.0 in required courses.
See General Catalogue pages 56-62.
Public Health 1 and 2
Chemistry 1 A-B-C and 1 LB-LC; 51 A-B-C and 51 LA-LB
Biological Sciences 93, 94, 97, 98, 99
Mathematics 2 A-B plus Mathematics 7 or Statistics 8;
Three Social and Behavioral Science courses, with at least two in the same area selected from:
Psychology: Psychology and Social Behavior 9, 11A, 11B, 11C, or Psychology 7A, 9A, 9B, 9C (these courses are cross-listed)
Sociology 1, 2, 3
Economics 1, 13, 20A, 20B
Anthropology 2A, 2B, 2C
Political Science 6C, 31A, 51A
Environmental Analysis and Design E8
Public Health 101:
Two courses from Biological Sciences D103, D104, E109, N110
Five additional upper-division courses chosen from two topic areas with at least one course in either topic area:
Epidemiology and Genetics:
Biological Sciences D137, D148*D153*, D187*, E106, M123*, M137
Public Health 102-119.
Environmental and Global Health Sciences:
Anthropology 125B, Biological Sciences E189, 191A-B*, 191C*
Chemistry 125
Environmental Analysis and Design:
E127, E160, E160L, E164, E164L, E168, E186, E191B*, Earth Systems Science 112*, Public Health 160-179.
Infectious Diseases:
Public Health 180-189,
Biological Sciences 100L*, 124, D143, E136*, E176, M114, M114L*, M116*, M116L*, M121*, M121L*, M122, M122L*, M124A-B*, M125, M137.
* Note additional prerequisites.
Public Health 100 may also be taken to fulfill upper-division coursework.
Public Health 195W (8 units), taken for upper-division writing credit.
http://socialecology.uci.edu/students/undergrad/pubhlth/practicum
Note: Students may not double major in Public Health Sciences and any of the School of Biological Sciences majors or minors.
See General Catalogue pages 56-62.
Public Health 1 and 2
Three courses from Biological Sciences 9A, 9D, 9J, 10, 12B, 12D, 25, 30, 45, 50, 93, 94
Mathematics 2A-B plus Mathematics 7 or Statistics 8
Three Social and Behavioral Science courses, with at least two in the same area selected from:
Psychology; Psychology and Social Behavior 9, 11A, 11B, 11C or Psychology 7A, 9A, 9B, 9C (these courses are cross-listed)
Sociology 1, 2, 3
Economics 1, 13, 20A, 20B
Anthropology 2A, 2B, 2C
Political Science 6C, 31A, 51A
Environmental Analysis and Design E8
Public Health 101, 122, and 144
Seven additional upper-division courses with at least two courses in each topic area:
Health Policy and Administration:
Criminology, Law and Society C121, C126, C148
Economics 123A-B-C*, 124A*
Management 101*, 107**, 160*
Planning, Policy, and Design 102, 111, 133*, 137, 167, 168, 169*
Political Science 171A*, Public Health 120-139.
Social and Behavioral Health Sciences:
Anthropology 133A, 134A, 134D, 134E
Planning, Policy and Design 112, 151
Psychology and Social Behavior 101D, 102C, 103H, 110D, 111D, 112D, 113D, 114D, 116D,
117D, 136H, 137H, 138H, 151C, 152C, 153C*, 154C*, 155C*, 1785*, Public Health 140-159.
* Note additional prerequisites.
** Open only to students enrolled in the Management minor or with consent of instructor.
Public Health 195W (8 units), taken for upper-division writing credit.
http://socialecology.uci.edu/students/undergrad/pubhlth/practicum
NOTE: Progress toward the completion of requirements and electives will be charted on guide forms to be reviewed regularly during meeting with counselors in the undergraduate program office. For the current time, the School of Social Ecology, Undergraduate Program Office will be coordinating the undergraduate affairs activities for the Program of Public Health (949-824-6861)
http://www.seweb.uci.edu/students/undergrad/
The minor in Public Health provides students with the fundamental knowledge of principles, applications, and skills needed to develop a firm appreciation of health and disease prevention at the population level, and to use this special knowledge to transform the experience of their major education into innovative approaches for solving problems in health care and assessment.
Public Health education demands interdisciplinary engagement. The minor curriculum is intended to engage students from majors across the campus by introducing them to the main concepts and branches of public health, while also giving them the skills and values needed to translate their major education into meaningful projects in population health assessment and disease prevention. In concert with the major degrees in public health, the minor emphasizes learning through the ecological model of public health where the linkages and relationships among multiple determinants affecting health are examined to identify critical nodes of opportunities to improve the health of populations at various scales of analysis.
Public Health education is most firmly embedded in knowledge systems through research and practice. The minor curriculum requires a period of directed or special studies where students have the opportunity to translate their didactic knowledge into tangible projects within the rubric of public health practice.
Public Health education also demands community engagement. All students of Public Health are encouraged to incorporate public health impacts and benefit assessments into societal functions that ground their understanding of public problems. Experience in public health service may be acquired through participation in learning opportunities and by reflecting critically on those experiences under the auspices of vigorous campus organizations such as the Public Health Association (http://phauci.tumblr.com/).
Nine courses are required (36 units), no more than two of which may be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis, distributed as follows:
The courses selected to fulfill this requirement must have Public Health number designations. Petitions to use alternative courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
No more than two courses may overlap between the student's major degree and the minor in Public Health.
A minimum of six courses required for the minor must be completed at UCI. Approved courses taken in the Education Abroad Program are considered to be in-residence courses.
For additional information from the School of Social Ecology (e.g. Public Health Practicum, etc.), Click Here.
