Become a UC Berkeley Public Health changemaker.
Public health seeks to improve human health through the development and application of knowledge that prevents disease, protects the public from harm, and promotes health throughout the state, the nation, and the world.
UC Berkeley Public Health offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health through the College of Letters and Science, as well as a summer minor in Global Public Health. Undergraduates in the Public Health major develop and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines for the promotion and protection of the health of the human population, giving due consideration to principles of human rights and cultural perspectives that abound in our multicultural country and world.
Highlights
- Get involved with the Cal Undergraduate Public Health Coalition.
- Explore health equity issues in the LEAP Training Program.
- Pursue an accelerated Master in Public Health through the 4+1 MPH.
- Conduct a research project as part of an honors thesis.
Applying to the Major
Public Health is a high-demand major with limited capacity. There are three pathways to the major for students accepted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 and onward:
- First-year students who selected Public Health on their undergraduate admissions application are reserved a seat in the major but must meet major prerequisites and apply to the major by the end of their fifth semester.
- First-year students who did not select Public Health on their undergraduate admissions application must meet major prerequisites and apply by the end of their fifth semester.
- Transfer students must meet major prerequisites and apply by the end of their first semester at UC Berkeley.
For complete information on applying to the major, visit publichealth.berkeley.edu/admissions/undergraduate.
Summer Minor
In addition to the major, UC Berkeley Public Health offers a summer minor in Global Public Health that allows students to explore health-related issues affecting populations in the United States and worldwide. By completing summer courses covering a range of disciplines relevant to promoting and protecting human health, students will learn strategies for addressing emerging population health issues both locally and globally. The minor is open to both Public Health majors and non-majors.
Declaring the Major
The Public Health major curriculum consists of the following lower and upper division coursework:
- One lower division course (DATA C8)
- Five foundational core courses (PBHLTH 142, 150A, 150B, 150D, and C150E)
- One capstone course (to be completed within final two terms at Berkeley)
- Ten elective course units
In addition to the above, students have the option to study abroad, complete an honors thesis, and earn credit for public health research or internships.
Learn more at publichealth.berkeley.edu/academics/undergraduate/curriculum
Students who work after obtaining their Public Health degree are employed by government, private, and nonprofit organizations in roles in administration, health education, policy, and research. Additionally, alumni pursue graduate and professional programs in public health, medicine, data science, and public policy.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Public Health. The College of Letters & Science offers advising for undergraduates pursuing medical or health professions programs, law school, or masters and PhD programs. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Community Worker
- Data Scientist
- Disaster Preparedness Manager
- Emergency Planning Aide
- Family Advocate
- Health Educator
- Healthcare Consultant
- HIV Counselor
- Language Teacher
- Member Advocate
- Policy Analyst
- Program Coordinator
- Public Health Advisor
- Research Analyst
- Strategy Consultant
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology
- Community Health Sciences
- Education
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Health Policy and Management
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology
- Law
- Maternal Child and Adolescent Health
- Medicine
- Nutrition
- Nursing
- Public Health
Katherine, class of 2019
As a volunteer at the Westminster Free Clinic, Katherine Sham learned the importance of addressing patients’ social needs. Inspired to pursue public health, Katherine completed a BA at UC Berkeley and an MPH at Harvard, and is now a Medicare product manager at Kaiser Permanente and board member of the UC Berkeley Public Health Alumni Association.
“Transitioning from the environment and expectations associated with student life to those of a working professional was new and challenging….Slowly, I learned….it felt much better to channel my focus into exploring and discovering what potentially excited me the most in healthcare and the impact that I wanted to have working in the industry.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Start exploring with L&S 1 and the L&S New Freshman Student Guide.
- Visit L&S Advising for help with major exploration and degree requirements.
- Familiarize yourself with the Public Health major and sample program plans; complete the required lower division course DATA C8 and consider joining the Data Scholars Program.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar,Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Get involved with a Public Health or other student organization.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Explore the exciting research taking place in UC Berkeley Public Health.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see guidelines from the program and options for Public Health abroad.
- Start planning if pursuing the MCAH LEAP Training Program, Honors Thesis, or 4+1 MPH.
- Verify you have completed all major prerequisites and understand the major declaration process.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend Public Health events (previous programming includes Career Pathways Panel, Navigating Public Health, and Health Systems and Policy).
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities on the OURS website; apply to URAP to work on a faculty research project.
- Join the Biology Scholars Program for additional support in a biological sciences major.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- If pre-health, learn about medical and health professional schools.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; look into the HMAP Health Service Internship or Field Study Internship.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Begin taking core courses and major electives.
- Enroll in the Social Impact Tuesdays Changemaker course to build leadership skills and innovative projects with real world impact.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as Global Poverty and Practice or Public Policy.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Help other students as a Public Health Peer Advisor or member of the UC Berkeley Public Health Student Government.
- Develop your skills in cross-disciplinary collaborative research with i4Y - Innovations for Youth or other centers.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Look into the UHS Health Worker Program, Cal Sports Medicine, and other health opportunities.
- Participate in the EOP STEM Mentorship Program.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association such as the American Public Health Association.
- Interested in public service careers? Consider applying to the US Digital Corps, John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
- Explore graduate programs in Public Health with ASPPH or attend a grad school fair in person or virtually.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives, including a senior capstone course.
- If writing an honors thesis, enroll in PBHLTH 155A Research Skills in Public Health and Medicine, a requirement for the Public Health Honors Thesis; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by teaching your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to the Berkeley Medical Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Start connecting with alumni groups such as the Public Health Alumni Association.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like PBHLTH 150B or 150D.
- Study abroad as a Public Health major through Berkeley Study Abroad or UCEAP.
- Look into a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Participate in health science research at UCSF with the SRTP, SSRP, or URI programs.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate—look into programs in Data Science and Global Public Health.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal and the L&S New Transfer Student Guide.
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Check out sample program plans; enroll in the required lower division course DATA C8, and major electives.
- Start planning if pursuing the MCAH LEAP Training Program, Honors Thesis, or 4+1 MPH.
- Verify you have completed all major prerequisites and apply to the major.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Get involved with a Public Health or other student organization.
- Check out the Biology Scholars Program and EOP STEM Mentorship Program; get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Look into the UHS Health Worker Program, Cal Sports Medicine, and other health opportunities.
- Explore the exciting research taking place in UC Berkeley Public Health.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Explore graduate programs in Public Health with ASPPH or attend a grad school fair in person or virtually.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Begin taking core courses, including PBHLTH 142 and 150A; continue major electives.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see guidelines from the program and options for Public Health Abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as Global Poverty and Practice or Public Policy.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend Public Health events (previous programming includes Career Pathways Panel, Navigating Public Health, and Health Systems and Policy).
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities on the OURS website; apply to URAP to work on a faculty research project.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- If pre-health, learn about medical and health professional schools.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; look into the HMAP Health Service Internship or Field Study Internship.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with core courses, including PBHLTH 150B and 150D; enroll in a senior capstone course.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- If writing an honors thesis, enroll in PBHLTH 155A Research Skills in Public Health and Medicine, a requirement for the Public Health Honors Thesis program.
- Take the Social Impact Tuesdays Changemaker course to build leadership skills and innovative projects with real world impact.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Help other students as a Public Health Peer Advisor, Transfer Peer Advocate, or member of the UC Berkeley Public Health Student Government.
- Develop your skills in the cross-disciplinary collaborative research with i4Y - Innovations for Youth or other centers.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association such as the American Public Health Association.
- Interested in public service careers? Consider applying to the US Digital Corps, John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Complete your core courses with PBHLTH C150E and remaining elective courses.
- Enroll in PBHLTH 195B if doing the Honors Thesis; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by teaching your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to the Berkeley Medical Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Start connecting with alumni groups such as the Public Health Alumni Association.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Get ready for Berkeley with RHETOR 100 Writing at the University.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like PBHLTH 150B or 150D.
- Study abroad as a Public Health major through Berkeley Study Abroad or UCEAP.
- Look into a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Participate in health science research at UCSF with the SRTP, SSRP, or URI programs.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate—look into programs in Data Science and Global Public Health.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Public Health?
UC Berkeley Public Health offers undergraduate advising on a drop-in and appointment basis for students interested in the Public Health major or Global Public Health minor. Academic Advisors help with major requirements and policies, major course planning, research opportunities, graduate school, and other Public Health-related matters. Peer Advisors are current students available to discuss major coursework, experiences in courses, schedule planning, student organizations, DeCal courses, and other topics. For Public Health advising, visit publichealth.berkeley.edu/academics/undergraduate/advising or email sphug@berkeley.edu
Have questions about college requirements or choosing a major?
The College of Letters & Science helps students with non-major-specific academic topics, including major exploration, general program planning, finding campus resources, and pre-professional graduate programs. L&S College Advisors are available for in-person and virtual meetings. Visit lsadvising.berkeley.edu or email asklns@berkeley.edu
Related Programs
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