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About the Major Degree

The major degree in Public Health provides students with advanced training and expertise in core areas of the field. It enables students to develop expert knowledge and experience with population-level challenges to health and well-being, and prepares them to enter professions in Public Health research and service.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, students who major in Public Health will be able to:

  • Define Public Health and describe the roles and responsibilities of government, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens in maintaining Public Health.
  • Use the theories and principles of Public Health to explain a Public Health problem.
  • Apply Public Health research methods to conduct rigorous research on Public Health issues
  • Describe causes and risk factors in the major areas of focus in Public Health including but not limited to determinants of mortality and morbidity; leading causes of health disparities among regional, national, and global populations; and transmission for infectious and chronic diseases.
  • Identify and analyze scientific data and other information to assess complex Public Health challenges, with special consideration of strategies for health promotion at the individual, community, and policy levels, as appropriate.
  • Communicate effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing, particularly to convey complex concepts and information in a clear and concise manner.

Public Health Major: BA

In addition to adhering to General Education and School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Requirements, the Public Health BA major requires at least 56 units. Courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade, and specifically may not be taken on a pass/no pass basis unless the course is only offered on a pass/no pass basis .

Public Health Major: BS

In addition to adhering to General Education and School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Requirements, the Public Health BS major requires at least 56 units and the B.S. with pre-med emphasis requires at least 24 units. Courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade, and specifically may not be taken on a pass/no pass basis unless the course is only offered on a pass/no pass basis. Applicants to the Public Health B.S. will at the time of admission have completed at minimum each of the following courses (or their equivalent) with a “C” or better: MATH 18, or PSY 10, or PH 10. The following courses are strongly recommended, but not required for admission: PH 1, PH 5, BIO 1, BIO 3, PSY 1, and ANTH 1. Additionally, at admission applicants to the Public Health B.S. with pre-med emphasis must have completed each of the following courses (or their equivalent) with a “C” or better: BIO 1, MATH 11, and MATH 12.

Course Requirements by Degree

 

Requirements

Units

BA

BA + Pre-Med*

BS

BS + Pre-Med

Lower Division

 

 

 

 

 

PH 1: Introduction to Public Health

4

PH 5: Global and International Public Health

4

PH 10: Introduction to Biostatistics

4

BIO 3: To Know Ourselves: Molecular Basis of Health and Disease

4

 

 

 

BIO 11/11L: Introduction to Molecular Biology (with lab)

5

 

BIO 12/12L: Contemporary Biology (with lab)

5

 

CHEM 2: General Chemistry I (with lab)

4

 

CHEM 8/L: Principles of Organic Chemistry

4

 

 

CHEM 10: General Chemistry II (with lab)

4

 

PHYS 8: Principles of Physics I

OR

PHYS 18: Principles of Physics I for Biological Sciences

4

 

 

PHYS 9: Principles of Physics I

OR

PHYS 19: Principles of Physics I for Biological Sciences

4

 

 

MATH 11: Calculus I for Biological Sciences

4

 

MATH 12: Calculus II for Biological Sciences

4

 

 

Upper Division

 

 

 

 

 

PH 100: Introduction to Epidemiology

4

 

 

PH 102: Health Promotion

4

 

 

PH 103: Health Communication

4

 

 

PH 105: Introduction to US Health Care System

4

 

 

PH 110: Environmental Health

4

 

 

PH 112: Research Methods: Health Services Research and Public Health

4

 

 

PH 118: Public Health Nutrition

4

 

 

 

PH 181: Public Health Research

4

 

 

PH 185: Health and Biomedical Ethics

4

 

 

 

Elective*

4-5

 

 

Elective*

4-5

 

 

Elective*

4-5

 

 

 

CHEM 100: Organic Synthesis and Mechanism

4

 

 

CHEM 100L: Organic Chemistry Lab

4

 

 

CHEM 111: Biochemistry I

OR

BIO 101: Biochemistry

4

 

 

BIO 161: Human Physiology

4

 

 

 * Some current students with a BA major in Public Health may also be taking the PreMed track that existed prior to the start of the BS in Public Health.


Electives may be chosen from the following:

Please consult a SSHA Advisor, the SSHA Advising website (ssha-advising.ucmerced.edu) or MyAudit for the most updated list.

 

Transfer Students

Transfer students who wish to major in Public Health should complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) at their community college. Transfer students may not be admitted to the Public Health major without specific major preparation. Please contact the Office of Admissions for current information.

 

Updated May 2024