About
The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Health Sciences degree program trains students in multidisciplinary approaches to public health practice and research. The degree explores both quantitative and qualitative aspects of public health at all levels of analysis. The BS program draws on disciplines related to the biological aspects of public health, including epidemiology, genetics, environmental/global health sciences, infectious diseases, and chronic diseases.
After completing our program, our graduates have a strong foundation in public health sciences and their applications, including multidisciplinary approaches to assess population health and reduce the burden of disease through preventive strategies that fulfill society’s need for understanding, avoiding, and addressing risks. Graduates have the opportunity, 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 using cutting-edge approaches for preventing diseases.
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.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply core concepts of Public Health, grounded in an ecological perspective, to articulate the natural and social determinants of health status in communities and the dynamic interplay among these factors, all of which affect the health of populations.
- Analyze case studies in public health practice to reveal crosscutting themes, principles and strategies for addressing persistent and emerging contemporary challenges in public health.
- Apply epidemiologic and quantitative methods to analyze the geographical, temporal, and demographic patterns of the distribution of disease and injury in communities with the goal of identifying valid indices on which theory-informed, evidence-based interventions can be developed.
- Assess the health conditions of populations through an ecological approach to public health that emphasizes natural determinants of health status- as evidenced by proficiency in sub-disciplines including biological aspects of public health; epidemiology, genetics, and health informatics; environmental and global health sciences; and infectious and chronic diseases.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply cumulative knowledge of the interactions between natural health risk factors and vulnerable populations to support disease prevention programs at public health agencies or other field-based settings.
- Apply abstract reasoning and critical thinking skills to communicate public health research and practice to public and professional audiences.
Time to Degree
Students who enter UCI directly from high school are expected to complete all degree requirements within five years (15 full-time quarters, not including summers); and students who enter UCI as junior transfer students from other institutions are expected to complete all degree requirements within three years (9 full-time quarters, not including summers).This includes completion of any minors or additional (double) majors.
Career Opportunities
Areas of opportunity open to those with a BS in Public Health Sciences degree include public health agencies, clinical laboratories, biotechnology and health care companies, not-for-profit organizations specializing in health care, health management organizations, advanced public health training programs in county, state, and federal agencies, and graduate and professional education in public health and related health-care disciplines. The bachelor’s degree is necessary to pursue studies leading to the M.S. and PhD degrees. The BS degree, plus short training periods, may prepare students for employment in education, medical technology (usually one year), allied health positions, and various other areas.
