Program Overview

Public Health Education at UC San Diego

The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego offers various programs in public health education, including undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Overview of Programs

• Bachelor of Science in Public Health
• Master’s Programs
  • Master of Public Health
  • Master of Science in Biostatistics
• Doctoral Programs
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Biostatistics
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health
  • Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health

Bachelor of Science in Public Health

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in public health principles and practices. The program includes coursework in areas such as:

• Public health principles
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Health behavior
• Environmental health

Public Health Honors Practicum

The Public Health Honors Practicum is a two-quarter course sequence that provides students with an intensive applied public health experience. The practicum is limited to a maximum of 20 students and includes:

• A yearlong intensive applied public health experience
• Development of skills to successfully apply for jobs and graduate training
• Opportunity to work in teams and conduct public health evaluations
• Development of a comprehensive evaluation plan
• Collection and analysis of data
• Preparation of effective written and oral presentations

Eligibility

To participate in the Public Health Honors Practicum, students must:

• Have successfully completed all required PH courses
• Have a cumulative UC GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Submit an application with an attached resume
• Complete an interview
• Commit to the 12-unit course series in the winter and spring quarters

Assignments

Students will be assigned to groups of 4-5 and will work on projects that change from year to year based on community interest and availability. Projects will include:

• Identification of stakeholders
• Development of a program description
• Focusing the evaluation design
• Gathering credible data
• Performing appropriate analyses
• Interpreting the data
• Ensuring use of findings and appropriate dissemination

Graduating with Public Health Honors

To graduate with Public Health Honors, students must:

• Complete the Public Health Honors Practicum with a grade of B or higher
• Have a minimum Major GPA of 3.250 for Distinction in the Major
• Have a minimum Major GPA of 3.500 for High Distinction in the Major
• Have a minimum Major GPA of 3.750 for Highest Distinction in the Major

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Public Health Honors Practicum, students should be able to:

• Develop skills to successfully apply for jobs and graduate training
• Conduct the main steps of a public health evaluation
• Develop a comprehensive evaluation plan
• Collect and enter data
• Use software to perform appropriate data analyses
• Prepare effective written and oral presentations
• Work effectively in teams
• Develop ability to act professionally in the work environment

Master’s Programs

The Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Biostatistics programs are designed to provide students with advanced education in public health principles and practices.

Doctoral Programs

The Doctor of Philosophy in Biostatistics, Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health, and Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health are designed to provide students with advanced education and training in public health research and practice.