Public Health
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Program Type
Overview
The Berkeley Public Health (a graduate school) offers an undergraduate major through the College of Letters & Science.
The goal of the major is to provide students with an understanding of epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health behavior, and health policy. These areas of emphasis range across the spectrum of natural science to social science.
Public health is the interdisciplinary science of preventing disease and injury to improve the health of communities and populations. Public health professionals work to identify solutions to address complex issues as wide ranging as air pollution, chronic disease, gun violence, infectious diseases, tobacco control and mental health.
The Berkeley Public Health offers a major and summer minor. The curriculum prepares students to become changemakers in public health for a more equitable and just world.
Applying to and Declaring the Major
Students should apply to or declare the public health major after completion of the lower division prerequisites in math, biology, and the social sciences. Students will either apply through a Comprehensive Review or complete their declaration as an Applied High Demand Public Health student.
Non-transfer students must apply to the major by the end of their fifth semester in attendance at UC Berkeley. Transfer students must apply by the end of their first semester in attendance at UC Berkeley.
Depending on their admit year and admit status, students can find the appropriate application instructions in Undergraduate Admissions Requirements and Instructions.
For any questions, email the academic advisors at sphug@berkeley.edu.
Applied High Demand Public Health
Public Health is a high demand major and follows the L&S High-Demand Majors for First-Year Students process. Students who select the Public Health major on their UC Berkeley admissions application and are admitted into the College of L&S as an Applied High Demand Public Health major will be guaranteed a spot in the major, subject to completing the prerequisites, maintaining good academic standing in L&S, and filing a declaration form.
A Comprehensive Review application is not required for these students. They will receive a Declaration Form upon completion of the Applied High Demand Public Health major declaration requirements.
Comprehensive Review Applicants
Public Health is a high demand major. A Comprehensive Review application is required for first-year students not a part of the Applied High Demand Public Health major cohort (read more about L&S High-Demand Majors for First-Year Students) and for incoming transfer students.
This application will require items such as essays, transcripts, and a resume. Students may submit a Comprehensive Review application upon completion of the Public Health Undergraduate Admissions Requirements.
Preparation for an Alternate Major
Students interested in the public health major should take the necessary steps to prepare for an alternate major in case they are not admitted into the Public Health major. While the department will do its best to bring in all qualified students, there is no guarantee that any one particular student will be admitted into the major. Public health demands everyone's attention — there are myriad undergraduate majors at UC Berkeley that will help students prepare to work in this field. All students interested in the major, or the field of public health in general, are encouraged to consult with an academic adviser.