Current Requirements

Major requirements will shift starting in AUT 2024. Check Future Degree Requirements for anticipated changes. Check back regularly as additional changes to degree requirements are likely to take place. 

Below are current degree requirements for students entering the Major that are effective now through SUM 2024.

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 Sequence 20 credits
B. Public Health Foundation 8 credits
C. Diversity Seminar 1 credit
D. Social & Behavioral Sciences Breadth 25 credits
E. Natural Science 10 credits
F1. BA Selectives 20 credits
F2. BS Selectives 40 credits
G. Public Health Electives 20 credits
H. Public Health Capstone 5 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:

Number Name Quarters
Offered
Credits
SPH 380 History & Practice of Public Health (W)
Prerequisite: Admission into Major
A, W, Sp    5
SPH 381 Science & 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 480 Research Methods in Public Health
Prerequisite: Minimum 1.7 in SPH 381; EPI 320, BIOST 310
A, W, Sp    5
SPH 481 Ethics, Social Justice & Policy in Public Health
Prerequisite: Minimum 1.7 in SPH 480
A, W, Sp    5

 

B.  Public Health Foundation — 8 credits

Please note that both requirements for the Public Health Foundation must be completed or in-progress in order to register for SPH 480 in the Integrated Core Sequence.

Number Name Quarters
Offered
Credits
BIOST  310 Biostatistics for Health Sciences A, W, Sp    4
EPI 320 Introduction to Epidemiology A, 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

Number Name Credits
CS&SS/SOC/ STAT 221 Statistical Concepts and Methods for the Social Sciences 5
Q SCI  381 Introduction to Probability and Statistics 5
QMETH  201 Introduction to Statistical Methods 4
STAT  220 Basic Statistics 5
STAT  311 Elements of Statistical Methods 5

 

C.  Diversity Seminar — 1 credit

Complete SPH 489: Structural Racism & Public Health (1-credit seminar) A, W, Sp

Please plan to attend class one Saturday and the following two Wednesday’s when registered for this course. Students can find the dates of this course in the course notes in MyPlan each quarter it is offered.

 

D.  Social & Behavioral Sciences Breadth — 25 credits

One 5-credit course from EACH department, at least 4 of the 5 must be 200-level and above. These courses cannot be used to fulfill another major-specific requirement:

  • Anthropology (ANTH only)
  • Geography
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology (except SOC 221)

See Social Sciences page

 

E.  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 or CHEM 145

 

F1.  Bachelor of Arts (BA) Selectives — 20 credits

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

F2.  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 E. Natural Science if the biology and/or chemistry series are chosen.    

G.  Public Health Electives — 20 credits

See electives page

 

H.  Public Health Capstone — 5 credits

See capstone page
 

Number Name Quarters
Offered
SPH 491 Public Health Capstone I (2 credits)
Prerequisite: completed SPH 381 and SPH 480; SPH 480 may be taken concurrently
W
SPH 492 Public Health Capstone II (3 credits)
Prerequisite: completed SPH 491
Sp
SPH 496 Public Health Capstone (5 credits)
Prerequisite: completed SPH 480 and SPH 481; SPH 481 may be taken concurrently
A, W
  Grand Challenges Impact Lab: India
Prerequisite: completed SPH 480; SPH 480 may be taken concurrently
W
SPH 490 Public Health Nepal (12-15 credits)
Prerequisite: completed SPH 381
A
G H 490 Grand Challenges Impact Lab: Seattle
Prerequisite: completed SPH 480 and SPH 481; SPH 481 may be taken concurrently
Sp

 

Any of the above courses will meet the Capstone requirement.

 

Updated June 28, 2023