Purple Curriculum

Students who enter the Major in AUT 2024 onwards are on the “Purple Curriculum”.  Below are degree requirements for the Purple Curriculum.

Students who entered the Major prior to AUT 2024 are on the “Gold Curriculum”.  Check Gold Curriculum for those degree requirements.

In addition to the major requirements below, students must also complete General Education Requirements for the School of Public Health.

Total credits for degree: 180
Total credits for general education requirements:  84
Minimum GPA for courses applying towards
the public health portion of degree:

 2.0

 

A. Integrated Core Sequence20 credits
B. Public Health Foundation8 credits
C. Structural Racism5 credits
D. Public Health Service Learning6 credits
E. Social & Behavioral Sciences Breadth15 credits
F. Natural Science10 credits
G1. BA Selectives20 credits
G2. BS Selectives40 credits
H. Public Health Electives20 credits
I. Public Health Portfolio3 credits

 

The University has deemed the following quarters as Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters: SPR 2020, SUM 2020, AUT 2020, WIN 2021, SPR 2021, SUM 2021, and WIN 2022.  “S” grades earned extraordinary circumstances quarters will count toward degree requirements.  Learn more about extraordinary circumstances quarters and S/NS grading here.


A.  Integrated Core Sequence — 20 credits

Complete ALL of the following in consecutive quarters:
NumberNameQuarters
Offered
Credits
SPH 380History & Practice of Public Health (W)
Prerequisite: Admission into Major
*must be completed in the quarter following admission to the major
A, W   5
SPH 381Science & Public Health
Prerequisite: Minimum 1.7 in SPH 380; Either BIOL 118, BIOL 180, CHEM 120, CHEM 142, CHEM 145, or MICROM 301 and 302
A, W, Sp   5
SPH 480Research Methods in Public Health
Prerequisite: Minimum 1.7 in SPH 381; minimum 1.7 in SPH 389; EPI 320
A, W, Sp   5
SPH 481Ethics, Social Justice & Policy in Public Health
Prerequisite: Minimum 1.7 in SPH 480
A, W, Sp   5

 

B.  Public Health Foundation — 8 credits

 
NumberNameQuarters
Offered
Credits
BIOST  310Biostatistics for Health SciencesA, W, Sp   4
EPI 320Introduction to EpidemiologyA, W, Sp   4

BIOST 310 is the preferred option for satisfying the statistics portion of the Public Health Foundation requirement. However, ONE of the following may also satisfy the requirement:

Statistics options
NumberNameCredits
CS&SS/SOC/ STAT 221Statistical Concepts and Methods for the Social Sciences5
Q SCI  381Introduction to Probability and Statistics5
QMETH  201Introduction to Statistical Methods4
STAT  220Basic Statistics5
STAT  290Advanced Placement Statistics5
STAT  311Elements of Statistical Methods5

 

C.  Structural Racism  — 5 credits

Complete SPH 389: Race, Racism, and Public Health – A, W, Sp 

Note: SPH 389 replaces the one-credit diversity seminar – SPH 489: Structural Racism & Public Health. SPH 389 must be completed in the first year in the major.

 

D.  Public Health Service Learning — 6 credits

Complete one of the following sets:

 
NumberNameQuarters
Offered
Credits
SPH 391Public Health Service Learning I 
Prerequisite: SPH 380 
 
W   3
SPH 392Public Health Service Learning II 
Prerequisite: SPH 391 
 
Sp   3
SPH 396Intensive Public Health Service Learning 
Prerequisite: SPH 380 
 
A, Sp   6

Note: SPH 391/2/6 is a new addition to the Public Health-Global Health Major’s curriculum, effective AUT 2024

 

E.  Social & Behavioral Sciences Breadth — 15 credits

Minimum of one course from at least three of the following departments. Courses fulfilling a Social & Behavioral Sciences credit cannot be used to fulfill another major-specific requirement:

  • Afro-American Studies
  • American Asian Studies
  • American Ethnic Studies
  • American Indian Studies
  • Anthropology (ANTH only)
  • Chicano Studies
  • Geography
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology (except SOC 221)

See Social Sciences page

Note: the Social & Behavioral Sciences Breadth decreased from 25 credits to 15 credits.

 

F.  Natural Science — 10 credits

One 5-credit introductory course in biology and chemistry:

  • Biology selected from:
    BIOL 118, BIOL 180 or MICROM 301/302
  • Chemistry selected from:
    CHEM 120, CHEM 142, CHEM 143 or CHEM 145

 

G1.  Bachelor of Arts (BA) Selectives — 20 credits

20 credits from courses identified to address competency areas in health economics, health promotion and social justice.

G2.  Bachelor of Science (BS) Selectives — 40 credits

Two year-long sequences of introductory science from the following list:

  • Biology (BIOL 180, 200, 220) - 15 credits
  • Chemistry (CHEM 142, 152, 162) - 15 credits
    • Can also accept Honors Chemistry (CHEM 145, 155, 165) or Accelerated Chemistry (CHEM 143, 153) as Chemistry sequence

Remaining 10 credits chosen from:

  • Biochemistry: BIOC 405, 406
  • Organic Chemistry: CHEM 237, 238, 239, 241, 242
  • Physics: PHYS 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 121, 122, 123
  • Mathematics: MATH 124, 125, 126

The science courses in this area may overlap with F. Natural Science if the biology and/or chemistry series are chosen.    

 

H.  Public Health Electives — 20 credits

See electives page

 

I.  Public Health Portfolio — 3 credits

Complete SPH 493: Public Health Portfolio – A, W, Sp 

Note: SPH 493 replaces Public Health Capstone. SPH 493 should be completed in the final year in the major.

NumberNameQuarters
Offered
SPH 493Public Health Portfolio
Prerequisite: either SPH 392 or SPH 396; and SPH 481, which may be taken concurrently
A, W, Sp

 

Updated October 21, 2024