Public Health, B.S.

Program of Study

The field of Public Health protects and improves the health of people and their communities. The Public Health degree prepares bachelor-level public health professionals through curriculum that addresses health disparities and reinforces the practice of cultural competence. Students will gain community-engaged public health experience through research, service learning and internships. Our program will prepare students to be practitioners of public health in public and private agencies and organizations.

Students are able to develop their own tailored public health expertise by taking a variety of courses across campus to satisfy the major elective requirements.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health will be able to:

1. Address the basic concepts, methods, and tools of public health data collection, use, and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural, socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
3. Articulate the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation.
4. Apply the basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical and professional writing and the use of mass media and electronic technology.

Admission Requirements

Please refer to the CSUSM Admissions & Student Outreach web page.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program are well-trained public health professionals who are culturally intelligent and who can fill important public health positions, such as infectious disease case manager, contact tracer, health intervention/research coordinator, environmental compliance inspector, health communication specialist, public health outreach specialist, data analyst, and community health educator.

Graduates are prepared to take the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam and have the skills to succeed in graduate programs and in a broad range of careers in the public health field. Students are invited to speak with faculty about educational and career opportunities in public health.

Special Conditions

All courses counted toward the major, including Preparation for the Major courses, must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. A maximum of six (6) units of PH 493 and/or PH 499 may be counted toward the major.

General Education Requirements (43 Units)

General Education Requirements  

Preparation for the Major (16 Units)

Major Requirements (45 Units)

Minimum Total (120 Units)

Students must take a sufficient number of elective units to bring the total number of units to a minimum of 120.