The Global Health Program offers a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and minor.
- All courses must be taken for a letter grade of C- or better.
- Majors are encouraged to complete the Global Health lower and upper division core courses before Senior year as these courses will provide a foundation to enhance subsequent course work.
- Overlaps: Lower division courses may overlap with major, minor and college requirements (unless otherwise indicated). Up to two upper division courses may overlap between your major and minors. Courses will overlap automatically on your degree audit. If those are not the courses you would like overlapped or there is an error, please send us a message in the VAC and we can change or delete the overlaps. You're not required to overlap any courses. Please check your degree audit for accuracy.
GH25 - Bachelor of Arts in Global Health Requirements (B.A.)
BA Major Requirements (17 courses/68 units)
Lower Division Core Courses (3 courses/12 units)
- ONE of the following Introduction courses:
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health
- HILD 30. History of Public Health
- Accepted by petition: *FMPH 40. Intro to Public Health - please send VAC message to have this course applied
- ONE of the following courses:
- SOCI 30. Science, Technology & Society
- SOCI 40. Sociology of Healthcare Issues
- SOCI 70. Sociology for Pre-Meds
- PHIL 26. Science, Society & Values
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health (if not used for introduction course)
- ONE Statistics course:
- PSYC 60. Introduction to Statistics
- POLI 30/30D. Political Inquiry
- MATH 11/11L.Calculus-Based Introductory Probability and Statistics (MATH 10B pre-req)
- COGS 14B. Intro to Statistical Analysis
- *AP stats course (must have score of 3 or higher - submit petition)
Upper Division Core Courses (4 courses/16 units)
All students will take the following:
- GLBH 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity (cross-listed with ANSC 148)
- GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health
- MGT 173. Project Management: Health Services
- ONE Policy Analysis course
- GLBH 160. Global Health Policy
- HISC 180. Science and Public Policy
- ECON 130. Public Policy (*pre-requisites are ECON 2 or ECON 100A)
- ENVR 110. Environmental Law
- POLI 160AA. Introduction to Policy Analysis
- USP 133/SOCI 152. Social Inequality and Public Policy
- USP 147. Case Studies in Health-Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations
- USP 171. Sustainable Development
*Students must complete their 100 hour Field Experience requirement by the end of the quarter they plan to graduate.
Electives (10 courses/40 units)
All electives, with the exception of two biological science courses, must be upper division.
From the following categories:
- THREE Biological Science Electives (one must be upper division)
- e.g. physiology of nutrition, infectious disease, environmental factors
- THREE Medical Social Science Electives
- e.g. social and cultural context, economic and political factors
- ONE Medical Humanities Elective
- e.g. medical history, bioethics, literature
- ONE Global Processes Elective
- e.g. immigration, climate change, globalization, development
- ONE Upper Division Significant Writing Course
- see course options below
- ONE additional Upper Division Elective from one of the following categories:
- biological science, medical social science or medical humanities
*Plan out your courses using the BA Undergraduate Degree Check or the College and Major Planner
**Previous requirements: prior to Fall 2016 requirements.
GH26 - Bachelor of Science in Global Health Requirements (B.S.)
BS Major Requirements (24 courses/96 units)
Lower Division Core Courses (12 courses/48 units)
- TWO of the following courses:
- GLBH 20. Introduction to Global Health OR
- HILD 30. History of Public Health OR
- SOCI 30. Science, Technology & Society OR
- SOCI 40. Sociology of Healthcare Issues OR
- SOCI 70. Sociology for Pre-Meds (*recommended for pre-med students taking the MCAT) OR
- PHIL 26. Science, Society & Values OR
- PSYC 1. Psychology
- Accepted by petition - please message in VAC: *FMPH 40. Intro to Public Health
- ONE year of Biology (3 courses): BILD 1, BILD 2, and BILD 3
- ONE year of Chemistry (4 courses): CHEM 6A, CHEM 6B, CHEM 6C and CHEM 7L
- ONE year of Mathematics (3 courses):
- MATH 10A and B or MATH 20A and B and
- Stats Course: PSYC 60. Introduction to Statistics or MATH 11/11L.Calculus-Based Introductory Probability and Statistics (MATH 10B pre-req)
Upper Division Core Courses (4 courses/16 units)
All students will take the following:
- GLBH 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity (cross-listed with ANSC 148)
- GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health
- MGT 173. Project Management: Health Services
- ONE Policy Analysis course
- GLBH 160. Global Health Policy
- HISC 180. Science and Public Policy
- ECON 130. Public Policy (*pre-requisites are ECON 2 or ECON 100A)
- ENVR 110. Environmental Law
- POLI 160AA. Introduction to Policy Analysis
- USP 133/SOCI 152. Social Inequality and Public Policy
- USP 147. Case Studies in Health-Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations
- USP 171. Sustainable Development
*Students must complete their 100 hour Field Experience requirement by the end of the quarter they plan to graduate.
Electives (8 courses/32 units)
All electives must be upper division.
From the following categories:
- THREE Biological Science Electives
- e.g. physiology of nutrition, infectious disease, environmental factors
- FOUR Medical Social Science Electives
- e.g. social and cultural context, economic and political factors
- ONE Medical Humanities Elective
- e.g. medical history, bioethics, literature
*Plan out your courses using the Undergraduate BS Degree Check or the College and Major Planner.
Elective Options
Visit the course offerings page for additional course descriptions. Not all courses are offered every year. Courses are subject to change without notice.
Biological Science Courses
Lower Division (Up to 2 courses accepted for B.A. electives only)
*Lower division courses may overlap with major, minor and GE coursework.
Anthropology
- ANTH 2. Human Origins
- ANTH 43. Introduction to Biology and Culture of Race (DEI overlap)
Biology
Pre-requisites for biology courses are listed in parentheses. Additional biology pre-reqs can be found here.
- BILD 3. Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
- BILD 18. Human Impact on the Environment
- BILD 20. Human Genetics in Modern Society (Open to nonbiology majors only)
- BILD 22. Human Nutrition (Open to nonbiology majors only)
- BILD 26. Human Physiology (Open to nonbiology majors only)
- BILD 30. Biology of Plagues: Past & Present (Open to nonbiology majors only)
- BILD 36. AIDS, Science, and Society (Open to nonbiology majors only)
- BILD 38. Dementia, Science, and Society
- BILD 60. Biology and Diversity (BILD 1; BILD 2 or BILD 3) (DEI overlap)
Biology courses not accepted for electives: BILD 1, 2, 4, 7, 10
Cognitive Sciences
- COGS 11. Mind and Brain
- COGS 17. Neurobiology of Cognition
Environmental Studies
- ENVR 30. Environmental Issues
Upper Division
Anthropology
- ANBI 116. Human Sexuality in an Evolutionary Perspective
- ANBI 130. Biology of Inequality
- ANBI 131. Biology and Culture of Race (DEI Overlap)
- ANBI 134. Human Evolutionary Genetics
- ANBI 139. Evolution of Human Disease
- ANBI 141. The Evolution of Human Diet
- ANBI 144. Human Anatomy
Biology
Pre-requisites for biology courses are listed in parentheses. Additional biology pre-reqs can be found here.
- BIBC 102. Metabolic Biochemistry (CHEM 40A & CHEM 40B)
- BIBC 103. Biochemical Techniques (BILD 1)
- BIBC 120. Nutrition (BIBC 102)
- BICD 100. Genetics (BILD 1)
- BICD 110. Cell Biology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102)
- BICD 136. AIDS, Science and Society (BILD 1 & BILD 2 recommended)
- BICD 140. Immunology (BICD 100 & BIMM 100) (BIBC 100 recommended)
- BIEB 150. Evolution (BILD 3; BILD 1 or BIEB 143)
- BIEB 176: Conservation and the Human Predicament (BILD 3)
- BIMM 100. Molecular Biology (BILD 1; CHEM 40A-B; BILD 4 or BIBC 103 or BIMM 101)
- BIMM 110. Molecular Basis of Human Disease (BICD 100; BIMM 100; BIBC 102 or BIBC 100)
- BIMM 114. Virology (BIMM 100)
- BIMM 120. Microbiology (BILD 3; BIMM 100; BIBC 100 or 102)
- BIMM 124. Medical Microbiology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102)
- BIPN 100. Human Physiology (BILD 1 & BILD 2)
- BIPN 102. Human Physiology II (BIPN 100) (BIBC 102 co-req recommended)
- BIPN 134. Human Reproduction (BIPN 100)
- *BIMM 101. Recombinant DNA Techniques Lab (BILD 1)
Cognitive Sciences
- COGS 174. Drugs, Brain, Mind & Culture (upper-division standing)
Family Medicine and Public Health
- FMPH 101. Epidemiology (FMPH 40 & PSYC 60 or Math 11 or COGS 14B)
- FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (FMPH 40 & PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
Global Health
- GLBH 102. Global Health Epidemiology (GLBH 20 or FMPH 40, Stats, GLBH 181)
Human Development
- HDS 110. Brain and Behavioral Development (HDS 1 or PSYC 101)
Sociology
- SOCI 107. Epidemiological Methods: Statistical Study of Disease (SOCI 60)
Medical Social Science Courses
Anthropology
- ANSC 106. Global Health: Indigenous Medicines in Latin America
- ANSC 121. Psychological Anthropology
- ANSC 144. Immigrant and Refugee Health
- ANSC 149. Conflict, Health & Inequality
- ANSC 155. Humanitarian Aid: What is it good for?
- ANSC 156. Mad Films
- ANSC 164. Introduction to Medical Anthropology
- ANSC 182. Gun Violence as Social Pathology
- *ANBI 118. Technology on the Go: Mobile Tools for Human Biology
- *ANSC 100. Special Topics (when Global Health Content)
Communications
- COMM 114J. CSI Food Justice
- COMM 114W. Global Health Communication
Accepted by petition:
- *COMM108G: Gender and Biomedicine
- *COMM 113T. Intermediate Topics in Communication - "Community-Based Practices in Health Communication" (FA21)
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 123. Gender and Reproductive Politics (CGS 2A, 2B, an intermediate course, or instructor permission)
Economics
- ECON 140. Economics of Healthcare Producers (Econ 2 or 100B)
- ECON 141. Economics of Healthcare Consumers (Econ 100C)
Ethnic Studies
- ETHN 142. Medicine, Race and the Global Politics of Inequality
- ETHN 144M. Antiracist Medicine & New Perspectives in Healthcare
Public Health
- FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B)
- FMPH 110. Health Behavior and Chronic Disease (FMPH 40)
Global Health
- GLBH 100. Special Topics in Global Health (may be taken up to 4 times if different topics)
- GLBH 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development (cross-listed with ANSC 101)
- GLBH 103. Global Health Disparities and the Quest for Global Health Equity
- GLBH 105. Global Health and Inequality (cross-listed with ANSC 105)
- GLBH 106. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Global Health
- GLBH 108. Hispanic and Latinx Issues in Global Health
- GLBH 109. Decolonizing Global Health
- GLBH 110. Demography and Social Networks in Global Health
- GLBH 111. Clinic on the Border: Health Frontiers in Tijuana (GLBH 20 or FMPH 40)
- (This course is for students accepted to the HFIT program only - students may enroll a max of three quarters, only two course can apply towards global health requirements - each quarter fulfills 50 field experience hours)
- GLBH 112. Medicine, Global Health, and Bioethics
- GLBH 113. Women's Health in Global Perspective
- GLBH 114. Latin American Health and Healing
- GLBH 114W. Global Health Communication
- GLBH 115. Social Justice and Health Equity: The Intellectual Legacy of Paul Farmer
- GLBH 116. Global Health and Infectious Disease
- GLBH 117. Global Health and Non-Communicable Diseases
- GLBH 121. Learning to Care for Underserved Populations
- GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with ANSC 129) (if not used for Medical Humanities)
- GLBH 130. Global Health and Climate Change
- GLBH 139. Native American Health & Healing (cross-listed with ANSC 139)
- GLBH 141. Clinical Perspectives in Global Health
- GLBH 142. "When the field is a ward:" Ethnographies of the Clinic
- GLBH 143. Mental Health as a Global Health Priority (cross-listed with ANSC 143)
- GLBH 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV/AIDS (cross-listed with ANSC 146)
- GLBH 147. Global Health and the Environment (cross-listed with ANSC 147)
- GLBH 150. Culture and Mental Health (cross-listed with ANSC 150)
- GLBH 160. Global Health Policy (if not taken for Policy Analysis requirement)
- GLBH 162. Research Translation for Global Health
- GLBH 163. Global Health Technology
- GLBH 170R. Global Burden of Disease
- GLBH 171R. Global Mental Health (online)
- GLBH 173. Substance Use and Global Mental Health: Case Studies for Research and Praxis
- GLBH 190. Global Health Careers
- Special Studies Courses: GLBH 197/198/199. Internship/Directed Study/Independent Research (max of 2 accepted total - not each)
Political Science
- POLI 111D. Social Norms and Global Development
Psychology
- PSYC 100. Clinical Psychology
- PSYC 101. Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 116. Laboratory in Clinical Psychotherapy Research
- PSYC 124. Clinical Assessment and Treatment
- PSYC 125. Clinical Neuropsychology
- PSYC 134. Eating Disorders
- PSYC 143. Control and Analysis of Human Behavior
- PSYC 155. Social Psychology and Medicine
- PSYC 168. Psychological Disorders of Childhood
- PSYC 172. Human Sexuality
- PSYC 179. Drugs, Addiction, and Mental Disorders
- PSYC 181. Drugs and Behavior
- PSYC 188. Impulse and Control Disorders
Not accepted: PSYC 104, PSYC 180, PSYC 182
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- SIO 116. Climate Change and Global Health
- SIO 189. Pollution, the Environment and Health
Sociology
- SOCI 113. Sociology of the AIDS Epidemic
- SOCI 134. The Making of Modern Medicine
- SOCI 135. Medical Sociology
- SOCI 136E. Sociology of Mental Illness: A Historical Approach
- SOCI 136F. Sociology of Mental Illness in Contemporary Society
- SOCI 138. Genetics and Society (DEI overlap)
- SOCI 143. Suicide
- SOCI 173. Sociology of Health, Illness, and Medicine (DEI overlap)
Urban Studies and Planning
- USP 143. The US Health Care System
- USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
- USP 145. Aging: The Social and Health Policy Issues
- USP 147. Case Studies in Health Care Programs/Poor and Underserved Populations (If not taken for Policy Analysis requirement)
Medical Humanities Courses
Anthropology
- ANSC 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with GLBH 129) (if not taken for Medical Social Science elective)
- ANSC 188. Cultures of Healing
- ANSC 190. Yoga Practices: From Banaras to Beverly Hills
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 111. Gender and the Body
Global Health
- GLBH 104. Humanities, Ethics, and Professionalism: Engaging Moral Imaginaries for Exploring Health and the Human Condition
- GLBH 107. Health of Refugees and Displaced Populations in Local and Global Contexts
- *GLBH 112. Medicine, Global Health, and Bioethics
- GLBH 118. Placing People First: Introduction to the Global Health Humanities
- GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing (cross-listed with ANSC 129) (if not used for Medical Social Science Elective - submit VAC request to have course count for medical humanities)
History
- HISC 108. Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century
- HISC 109. Invention of Tropical Medicine
- HISC 115. History of Modern Medicine
- HISC 116. History of Bioethics
- HISC 117. History of Neuroscience
- HISC 119. Biology and Society
- HISC 176. History of Medicine in East and Southeast Asia
Literature
- LTCS 155. Health, Illness, and Global Culture
- LTCS 165. Special Topics: The Politics of Food
- LTWL 177. Literature and Aging
Philosophy
- PHIL 150. Philosophy of Cognitive Science
- PHIL 163. Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 164. Technology and Human Values
- PHIL 173. Topics in Bioethics
Global Processes Courses (required for B.A. only)
Anthropology
- ANAR 146. Feeding the World
- ANBI 132. Conservation and the Human Predicament
- ANSC 124. Cultural Anthropology
- ANSC 125. Gender, Sexuality, and Society
- ANSC 140/HMNR 101. Human Rights II: Contemporary Issues
- ANSC 142. Anthropology of Latin America
- ANSC 145A. International Politics and Drugs
- ANSC 154. Gender and Religion
- ANSC 156. Mad Films (if not used for Medical Social Science elective)
- ANSC 160. Nature, Culture, and the Environment
- ANSC 168. The Human Condition
Communications
- COMM 112G. IM: Language and Globalization
- COMM 114J. CSI: Food Justice
- COMM 179. Media and Technology: Global Nature and Global Culture
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 114. Gender, Race, Ethnicity and Class (cross-listed with ETHN 183)
- CGS 123. Gender and Reproductive Politics (CGS 2A, 2B, an intermediate course, or instructor permission) (if not used for Medical Social Science Elective)
Accepted by petition:
- *CGS 101: Gender & Globalization
Ethnic Studies
- ETHN 142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
- ETHN 183. Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class (cross-listed with CGS 114)
Latin American Studies
- LATI 122B. Field Research Methods for Migration Studies: Practicum
Political Science
- POLI 108. Politics of Multiculturism (DEI overlap)
- POLI 113A. East Asian Thought in Comparative Perspective
- POLI 122. Politics of Human Rights
- POLI 125. Gender, Politics, and Globalization
- POLI 125B. The Politics of Food in a Global Economy
- POLI 127. Politics of Development
- POLI 136. Religion and Politics
- POLI 136A. Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
- POLI 140D. International Human Rights Law: Migrant Populations
- *POLI 144. International Political Economy
- POLI 145A. International Politics and Drugs
- POLI 150A. Politics of Immigration (DEI overlap)
- POLI 151. International Organizations
Rady School of Management
- *MGT 167. Social Entrepreneurship
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- *SIO 116. Climate Change and Global Health (if not used for Medical Social Science Elective)
Sociology
- SOCI 111. Local Lives, Global Problems (DEI overlap)
- SOCI 125. Sociology of Immigration
- SOCI 127. Immigration, Race, and Ethnicity (DEI overlap)
- SOCI 169. Citizenship, Community, and Culture
- SOCI 185. Globalization and Social Development
- SOCI 188E. Community and Social Change in Africa
- SOCI 188J. Change in Modern South Africa
One Upper Division Significant Writing Course (required for B.A. only)
Anthropology
- ANAR 146. Feeding the World
- ANBI 132. Conservation and the Human Predicament
- ANSC 106. Global Health: Indigenous Medicines in Latin America
- ANSC 121. Psychological Anthropology
- ANSC 124. Cultural Anthropology
- ANSC 125. Gender, Sexuality, and Society
- ANSC/GLBH 129. Meaning and Healing
- ANSC 140/HMNR 101. Human Rights II: Contemporary Issues
- ANSC 142. Anthropology of Latin America
- ANSC 144. Immigrant and Refugee Health
- ANSC 145A. International Politics and Drugs
- ANSC 149. Conflict, Health & Inequality
- ANSC 154. Gender and Religion
- ANSC 155. Humanitarian Aid: What is it good for?
- ANSC 156. Mad Films
- ANSC 160. Nature, Culture, and the Environment
- ANSC 164. Introduction to Medical Anthropology
- ANSC 168. The Human Condition
- ANSC 182. Gun Violence as Social Pathology
- ANSC 188. Cultures of Healing
- ANSC 190. Yoga Practices: From Banaras to Beverly Hills
Critical Gender Studies
- CGS 111. Gender and the Body
Global Health
- GLBH/ANSC 101. Aging: Culture and Health in Late Life Human Development
- GLBH/ANSC 105. Global Health and Inequality
- GLBH 110. Demography and Social Networks in Global Health
- GLBH 111. Clinic on the Border: Health Frontiers in Tijuana (GLBH 20 or FMPH 40)
- (This course is for students accepted to the HFIT program only - students may enroll a max of three quarters, *only one course can apply towards global health requirements - each quarter fulfills 50 field experience hours)
- Can either use for Medical Social Science OR Upper Division Writing, not both
- GLBH/ANSC 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV/AIDS
- GLBH/ANSC 147. Global Health and the Environment
- GLBH/ANSC 150. Culture and Mental Health
History
- HISC 108. Life Sciences in the Twentieth Century
- HISC 109. Invention of Tropical Medicine
- HISC 115. History of Modern Medicine
- HISC 116. History of Bioethics
- HISC 117. History of Neuroscience
- HISC 119. Biology and Society
Philosophy
- PHIL 150. Philosophy of Cognitive Science
- PHIL 163. Biomedical Ethics
- PHIL 164. Technology and Human Values
- PHIL 173. Topics in Bioethics
Political Science
- POLI 150A. Politics of Immigration (DEI overlap)
- POLI 151. International Organizations
Psychology
- PSYC 116. Laboratory in Clinical Psychotherapy Research
Urban Studies and Planning
- USP 143. The US Health Care System
- USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
Global Health Honors Thesis Program (Optional)
Honors Thesis Seminar applications open during Spring the year prior to enrolling (junior year).
During Spring quarter of a student's junior year, Global Health majors may apply to be a part of the two-quarter Horizons Honors Thesis Seminar, open only to Global Health majors in the BA and BS. This seminar will provide an opportunity to expand, deepen, and share the insights of your Global Health Field Experience or a topic of interest in the field of global health, with members of your cohort.
- Winter Quarter: GLBH 150A. Global Health Capstone Seminar I will consist of intensive reading and discussion in fields related to each student’s primary interest and building on your field experience.
- Spring Quarter: GLBH 150B. Global Health Capstone Seminar II will be a workshop with critical input from all participants focused on preparing a senior thesis that will provide an important credential for students in the next stage of their careers and as they prepare applications for graduate academic or professional training.
Eligibility for Horizons Honors Thesis Seminar:
- Students must be a global health major (BA or BS) completing their junior year and graduating the next academic year.
- Students must have a 3.5 overall GPA.
- Students must have completed GLBH 148 and GLBH 181 with a "B" or better by Spring quarter of their junior year.
- Students must complete their Global Health Field Experience requirement prior to enrollment in the senior capstone and should be in progress at the time that they submit their application.
- Accepted students will enroll in the following courses:
- GLBH 150A. Global Health Honors Capstone Seminar I - Additional Upper Division Elective (B.A. only) or Medical Social Science Elective
- GLBH 150B. Global Health Honors Capstone Seminar II - Upper Division Significant Writing Course (B.A. only) OR Medical Humanities Elective
Benefits of the Horizons Honors Thesis Seminar:
- Opportunity to develop undergraduate thesis project & research poster
- Close-knit cohort experience
- Meets Global Health degree requirements
- Honors Distinction in the Global Health Program
- Participate in Horizons Research Symposium Event
- Build resume for post-grad opportunities (medical school, graduate school, job opportunities, etc.)
Global Health Field Experience Requirement
All majors will complete the Global Health Field Experience Requirement at a research, volunteer, or clinical site in th United States or abroad.
- A minimum of 100 hours over a minimum of five weeks (or 3 weeks for international), distributed over no more than three programs.
- Placement must be pre-approved and students must submit verification upon completion.
- BA Majors and BS majors must complete their 100 hour field experience requirement by the end of the quarter they plan to graduate.
- Please note: Honors Thesis Seminar students must complete their 100 hour field experience requirement by the end of fall quarter during their graduating senior year, prior to enrolling in GLBH 150A (Honors Thesis Seminar).
- For more information on this requirement visit the Field Experience page.
Additional Graduation Requirements:
- Complete 180 units with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
- 60 units (15 four-unit courses) of which must be at the upper-division level. Lower-division courses are numbered 1 - 99, upper-division courses are numbered 100 - 199.
- At least 35 of your last 45 units must be taken at UC San Diego to meet the Senior Residency requirement.
- Complete all college, major, DEI and AHI course requirements.
Degree Check
Degree Check:
- BA Undergraduate Degree Check - Current Requirements - Effective Fall 2020 (fillable pdf)
- BS Undergraduate Degree Check (fillable pdf)
Also see: College and Major Four Year Planner
Differences between the GH B.A. and B.S. degrees
Academically, a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree are equally valued.
While both degrees will remain interdisciplinary in nature, the key differences between the B.A. and B.S. degree will be as follows:
|
Degree |
Courses required |
Differences |
|
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
17 courses/68 units |
● Emphasizes heavier focus on the medical social sciences and humanities. |
|
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) |
24 courses/96 units |
● Emphasizes heavier focus on natural science with the addition of courses that are part of the pre-health requirements for medical, pharmacy and nursing schools. |
Both majors can lead you to similar career outcomes, however the BS incorporates some of the pre-reqs students may need to complete for pre-med or pre-health programs. Both are still good options for pre-health and pre-med students. Students with a B.A. degree can still apply for medical school as well. See details under the pre-med tab below for additional coursework required to apply for medical school.
For additional FAQ's, visit the Global Health FAQ page.
Reading your degree audit
Your degree audit, and major requirements are complete when all sections show a green box to the left. Any sections with a blue box mean that the requirement is in progress. Any sections with red mean that there is a deficiency.
If a course is not showing on your degree audit, review the next section on submitting petitions. To fulfill the Field Experience requirement, you must submit a letter of verification.
For more on reading your degree audit, visit the Global Health Blog Page.
Petitioning Courses and Courses Accepted by Petition (*)
Prior to taking the course, obtain course pre-approval (recommended):
- Submit a pre-approval petition to obtain permission to take a course not listed on the approved course list.
You will be notified via the Virtual Advising Center once your request has been reviewed (please allow 2 weeks before contacting advisor).
If you have already completed the course:
(Wait until the course has posted to your academic history.)
- Submit an Online Petition Request (preferred)
For courses accepted by petition (*) or courses that have already been pre-approved:
Courses that are accepted “by petition”, indicated with an asterisk (*) will not automatically show up on your degree audit.
- Send a message through the VAC requesting the following:
- "Please accept _____________, a Global Health Pre-Approved Course, towards _______________ requirements for my Global Health ___________ (Major/Minor)."
Transfer Coursework
AP + Transfer Coursework
The following AP courses will be accepted for the Global Health major:
|
Course |
Score |
Units |
Major Requirement |
|
AP Biology |
4 or 5
|
8 units |
BILD 1, 2, and 3 fulfill BS requirements BILD 3 accepted for biological science elective for BA |
|
AP Calculus AB |
3 4 or 5 |
4 units |
MATH 10A fulfills BS requirement MATH 20A fulfills BS requirement |
|
AP Calculus BC |
3
4 or 5 |
8 units |
MATH 20A or MATH 10A, 10B fulfill BS requirements MATH 20A, 20B or 10A, 10B fulfill BS requirements |
|
AP Chemistry |
5 |
8 units |
CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C fulfill BS requirements |
|
AP Statistics |
3, 4, or 5 |
4 units |
Statistics requirement (BA & BS) |
Transfer Coursework: The Global Health Program will accept UC transferable transfer coursework toward major requirements. Please note, that all courses taken at community college are articulated as lower division courses.
Please see assist.org to see which courses are transferrable.
UC Online Courses: Students wishing to take UC online courses, please see details here.
Sample Four Year Plan
The sample four year plans do not include college GE courses, they only account for global health major requirements.
Also see: College and Major Four Year Planner to create your own plan.
BA Degree (17 courses/68 units)
|
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
Year 1 |
|
Lower Division Core (4) |
STATS (4) |
|
Year 2 |
Lower Division Core (4) |
|
|
|
Year 3 |
UD Core Requirement (4) UD Core Requirement (4) GH Elective (4) |
UD Core Requirement (4) GH Elective (4) |
UD Core Requirement (4) GH Elective (4) |
|
Year 4 |
GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) Field experience must be complete by the end of Fall quarter. |
GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
BS Degree (24 courses/96 units)
|
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
Year 1 |
BILD 1 (4) MATH 10A (4) |
BILD 2 (4) MATH 10B (4)
|
BILD 3 (4) STATS (MATH 11 or PSYC 60) (4) |
|
Year 2 |
CHEM 6A (4) Lower Division Core (4) |
CHEM 6B (4) Lower Division Core (4) |
CHEM 6C (4) CHEM 7L (4)
|
|
Year 3 |
UD Core Requirement (4) Policy Analysis Course (4) |
UD Core Requirement (4) GH Elective (4) |
UD Core Requirement (4) GH Elective (4)
|
|
Year 4 |
GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4)
|
Sample Two Year Plan
This plan includes global health courses only. This is only a suggested plan. Students should try to complete core courses early on. Student must enroll in 12 units to remain full time.
Lower division courses are course number 1-99, upper division courses are 100-199 and require students to have 90.0 units to enroll, otherwise you must request pre-authorization at easy.ucsd.edu.
Also see: College and Major Four Year Planner
B.A. Sample Plan (17 courses/68 units)
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
|
Year 1 |
GH LD CORE (4) GH UD CORE (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) |
GH LD CORE (4) GH UD CORE (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) |
GH LD CORE (4) GH UD CORE (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) |
|
Year 2 |
GH UD CORE (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) |
ELECTIVE OR GLBH 150A (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) |
ELECTIVE OR GLBH 150B (4) GH ELECTIVE (4) General Elective (4) |
B.S. Sample Plan (24 courses/96 units)
This plan includes global health courses only and does not include college or GE courses needed.
|
|
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|
Year 1 |
BILD 1 (4) MATH 10A (4) Lower Division Core (4) UD Core Requirement (4) |
BILD 2 (4) MATH 10B (4) Lower Division Core (4) UD Core Requirement (4) |
BILD 3 (4) STATS (MATH 11 or PSYC 60) (4) UD Core Requirement (4) UD Core Requirement (4) |
|
Year 2 |
CHEM 6A (4) GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
CHEM 6B (4) GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
CHEM 6C (4) CHEM 7L (4) GH Elective (4) GH Elective (4) |
Max Unit Information
- For information on Maximum Unit Limitations and Quarter Limits, please contact your college for advising. More info can be found on the Undergraduate Degree Requirements of the UC San Diego Website.
Transfer students will be granted up to 70 semester / 105 quarter units of credit for lower-division coursework completed at any institution (or combination of institutions).
Double Major
To apply for a double major, please read the information here. Students should meet with an advisor from each major to plan out coursework. Meet with your current major first to map out your remaning courses.
Notes on Double Majors:- You can count lower-division courses toward both majors.
- Each major must have 10 unique upper-division courses. You may overlap any upper-division coursework after 10 unique courses.
- The Global Health BA major has 12-14 possible upper-division courses depending on how many upper-division biological science electives you take so you can typically overlap anywhere from 2-4 upper-division courses.
- The Global Health BS has 12 possible upper division courses so you can typically overlap up to 2 upper division courses.
- Most majors have two upper-division overlaps.
- Email your petition and quarter-by-quarter plan to the academic advisor for each major and obtain their signatures.
- Submit the petition, quarter-by-quarter plan, and statement of purpose to your college academic advising office.
- For more information visit: How to Declare a Double Major
Sample Global Health BA Double Major Plan (Global Health side filled out):
*only list out the title of a course for the elective categories if you have already completed the course, otherwise, keep it generic and for example, write "biological science"
Major and Minor Overlaps
Effective FA16, students may overlap up to two upper division courses between their major and minor requirements.
Double Minors:
- You may overlap up to two upper division electives between your major and each minor.
- You may not overlap upper division courses between double minors.
Your degree audit automatically overlaps two upper division courses on your degree audit that are compatible between your major and minor. If you would like to change or reject those courses then you will need to email your minor department in the VAC to request the changes.
Some college requirements allow you to overlap with you major and minor requirements (such as the DEI), please check your college requirements to see which courses are eligible.
Pre-Med & Pre-Health Planning
The Global Health Program's unique research, writing, and field experience opportunities make the BA, BS, and Minor excellent preparation for advanced training in health professions including; medicine, psychiatry, dentistry, nursing, public health, and pharmacy, as well as graduate training toward the Ph.D. and research or teaching careers in health sciences, medical social sciences, health policy and health law, environmental studies, or medical humanities.
Global Health students pursuing a career in the medical field should include appropriate pre-med coursework into their schedule. Students should meet with Career Services early on to ensure they are on track.
What does it mean to be pre-med? “Pre-med” is a term for students who are completing prerequisite requirements to gain admission to medical school with the goal of becoming a doctor.
What if I am interested in applying to a health professional school or program other than medical school? This would be considered "pre-health" and you will want to review the courses required as pre-requisites for the programs you're interested in (see common pre-reqs for other health professions).
Resources:
- Register as Pre-Med or Pre-Health to stay in the loop with all pre-health opportunities on campus
- Visit healthbeat.ucsd.edu for more information on Pre-Health at UC San Diego.
- Get Pre-Med Advising @ UC San Diego
- Pre-Med Preparation Resources
- Explore Health Professions
- Medical School Admissions Requirements Search Tool
- Pre-Med - Do you have "What it takes?"
- QUICK Question? Email Pre-Health Advising at: healthbeat@ucsd.edu.
Visit the Global Health Careers page for additional information on careers in global health.
Medical School Admissions Preparation
Medical school admission requirements vary from school to school. In general, most medical schools will expect applicants to have taken the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®), and to have completed the following types of courses (note: these are general guidelines and can vary from institution to institution so it is important to check with the schools you're interested in applying to):
| Requirement | UC San Diego Course Equivalent (course pre-reqs are listed in parentheses) |
| One year of general chemistry with lab |
|
| One year of organic chemistry with lab |
|
| One year of physics, including labs |
*Only two labs are required for physics (4.0 units) |
| One year of general biology with lab |
and |
| One year of college mathematics |
or
*Must have qualifying Math Placement Exam score or qualifying AP Calculus Exam score (see prereqs here) |
| One course in statistics |
MATH 11. Calculus-Based Introductory Probability and Statistics (MATH 10B/20B) or PSYC 60. Introduction to Statistics |
| One year of English composition or writing |
Typically fulfilled with college writing courses *Exception: Muir: only requires two writing courses, one additional writing course is needed |
|
One course in Biochemistry (most schools + important for the MCAT) |
BIBC 102. Metabolic Biochemistry (CHEM 40A +B) preferred |
|
Helpful for MCAT Prep (not required): One course in psychology and sociology |
e.g. PSYC 1. Psychology and SOCI 70. Sociology for Pre-Meds |
Additional coursework may include:
- Recommended (prereqs listed in parentheses):
- Microbiology (e.g BIMM 120. Microbiology (BILD 1 + BIBC 100 or BIBC 102))
- Genetics (e.g BICD 100. Genetics (BILD 1))
- Physiology (e.g BIPN 100. Human Physiology I (BILD 1 + BILD 2) or BIPN 102. Human Physiology II (BIPN 100))
- Immunology (e.g BICD 140. Immunology (BICD 100, BIMM 100, BIBC 100 recommended))
- Cell Biology (e.g BICD 110. Cell Biology (BIBC 100 or BIBC 102))
- Foreign Language
For non-medical school/pre-health applicants:
- Anatomy & Physiology: UC San Diego does not offer equivalent courses. Recommended: Complete anatomy + lab and human physiology + lab at a university extension (UCSD, SDSU, CSU San Marcos, etc.), community college, or a college near your home during a gap year or over the summer
Some medical schools DO NOT ACCEPT AP credit. Additional upper-division coursework may be needed to meet the prerequisites for certain schools. Please plan accordingly. If you have concerns, please meet with a Healthbeat advisor.
When to take the MCAT:
- The MCAT exam is offered multiple times from January and March through September and needs to be completed before you begin applying.
- If you're applying during your senior year = January of junior year (the ideal time to take the exam)
- The latest recommended date to take the exam is April of the year that you apply (so that you can get your scores back in time to choose schools in your range).
- A gap year may benefit some students to prepare for the MCAT and complete their application.
- We recommend taking the MCAT when you are ready – this usually means after all of the prerequisites (biology, chemistry, o-chem, physics, statistics) are taken as well as biochemistry, SOCI 70, and general psychology.
Sample Three & Four Year Global Health Pre-Med Plans
GLOBAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS (17 courses):
- LD CORE: HILD 30/GLBH 20, Sociology options (SOCI 30, 40, 70, GLBH 20 or PHIL 26) & STATS
- UD CORE: GLBH 181, MGT 173, GLBH 148, Policy Analysis, GLBH 150A+ B (senior year)
- EIGHT ELECTIVES (some can overlap with prereqs)
Sample Three & Four Year Global Health Pre-Med Plans
B.S. in GLOBAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS (24 courses):
- LD INTRO (Choose 2): GLBH 20, HILD 30, SOCI 30, 40, 70, PHIL 26, PSYC 1
- ONE YEAR OF BIOL: BILD 1, BILD 2, BIL3
- ONE YEAR OF CHEM: CHEM 6A, CHEM 6B, CHEM 6C, CHEM 7L
- ONE YEAR OF CALC & STATS: MATH 10A/20A, MATH 10/20B, (PSYC 60 or MATH 11
- UD CORE: GLBH 181, MGT 173, GLBH 148, Policy Analysis course
- EIGHT ELECTIVES (some can overlap with pre-reqs)
Preparation
| Year | What to Do |
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| Freshman |
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| Sophomore |
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| Junior |
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| Senior |
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| Tips |
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FAQ with Healthbeat:
Can I complete my pre-med prerequisites at community college?
Medical schools prefer that students complete their prerequisites at a 4-year university if they are already enrolled there, however, they accept transfer student's Community College (CC) credits more readily.
Some students have extenuating circumstances (e.g. financial) that may require them to take some of their courses at a CC. Under these circumstances, the schools can be lenient.
The takeaway is they prefer rigorous courses from four-year universities, when possible, but It won’t be a deal breaker if you are remarkable in other ways and/or have had significant difficulties to overcome.
Do Pre-Med Pre-Reqs need to be taken for a letter grade?
It is recommended all prereqs be taken for a letter grade.
For more questions, contact Healthbeat.
See: FAQ's for the Global Health Major
For questions regarding your GE and University requirements, please contact your college advisor.
