B.A. and B.S. Programs
B.A. program requirements
Biosocial emphasis: Students in the B.A. track learn about the social, cultural, political, and economic determinants of health and health policy as they intersect with biological and environmental influences across scales from the molecular to the planetary. They are taught how to put local community experiences of healthcare and health vulnerability into national and global contexts, and they develop critical cultural, legal, and historical literacy about associated narratives and representations of disease, well-being, and health rights.
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Global and Community Health B.A. will be able to:
- describe the biological and environmental contexts of global and community health;
- describe the social and cultural contexts of global and community health;
- describe the institutional and policy contexts of global and community health;
- apply methods, skills and humanities-informed analysis of global & community health; and,
- demonstrate an interdisciplinary understanding of global and community health in practice.
B.S. program requirements
Biological emphasis: Students learn about the biological bases of health and disease and how social, political, economic, and environmental factors interact with the biology to create patterns of disease in communities and societies. Students also complete an internship in a healthcare setting. GCH B.S. students choose between two concentrations that are both compatible with professional training in direct patient care, such as medical, dentistry, and pharmacy school. The biomedical concentration prepares students whose primary focus is on the biology of disease. The public and community health concentration interweaves the biological and social determinants of health.
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Global and Community Health B.S. will be able to:
- describe the biological and environmental contexts of global and community health;
- describe the social and cultural contexts of global and community health;
- describe the institutional and policy contexts of global and community health;
- apply methods, skills and humanities-informed analysis of global & community health; and,
- demonstrate an interdisciplinary understanding of global and community health in practice.
Concentration coursework
Students in both concentrations take a course in the foundations in global and community health along with introductory courses in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and statistics. In the upper division, all students take courses in biochemistry, epidemiology and environmental health. Students in the biomedical concentration also take advanced courses in genetics, molecular and cell biology, human physiology, and five quarters of Spanish, culminating in a course in medical Spanish. Students in the public and community health concentration take an introductory physiology course, an advanced course in community health, and elective courses in the biological and social contexts of health. Students in both concentrations also take courses in global and community health communication and complete a capstone course in which they participate in interdisciplinary teams to analyze a contemporary problem in global and community health. Medical and professional school admissions requirements vary; students should verify that their coursework will satisfy the admissions requirements of the programs to which they plan to apply.
What can you do with a degree in global and community health?
The B.A. program serves students who aspire to a wide range of careers in healthcare, health policy, public health, or community-based work related to the social determinants of health. It is possible to go on to apply to medical school after completing B.A., so long as students also complete a sub-set of the GCH B.S. science prerequisite courses.
The B.S. program serves the needs of students who aspire to a wide range of careers in the science of medicine and direct patient care. Many students go on to pursue careers in Chiropractics, dentistry, medical technology, medicine, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physical Therapy, physician’s assistant, and veterinary medicine.
Gaining real-world experience
The capstone task force class asks students to work in interdisciplinary teams to investigate and propose solutions to real world problems in health. Alternatively, students can complete a senior thesis based on research they perform with a faculty member. All students take an ePortfolio course in which they develop a website that summarizes their motivations to study global and community health and experience.
Admissions requirements
First-year students
B.A. program: No specific courses at the high school level are required for admission to the GCH B.A. at UC Santa Cruz. Courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, whether taken at the high school or college level, are appropriate background and preparation. More information on B.A. frosh requirements >>
B.S. program: In addition to the courses required for UC admission, high school students who intend to major in biology should take high school courses in biology, chemistry, advanced mathematics (precalculus and/or calculus), and physics. More information on B.S. frosh requirements >>
Transfer students
B.A. program: The B.A. major is a non-screening major. Students planning to apply in this major are not required to complete specific major preparation courses before they come to UC Santa Cruz. Transfer students must take the required lower-division GCH course (GCH 1) in the fall of their first year at UC Santa Cruz or as soon thereafter as possible. More information on the B.A. transfer requirements >>
B.S. program: The B.S. major is a screening major. Junior transfer students who plan to major in the biological sciences must complete the qualification requirements prior to transfer. Junior-level transfer students are also strongly encouraged to complete a year of organic chemistry, calculus, and calculus-based physics courses prior to transfer. This will prepare transfers to begin their advanced degree requirements and allow time in their senior year for doing research. More information on the B.S. transfer requirements >>
Transferring courses
Courses from another institution may be considered only if they appear on the student’s Transfer Credit Summary. Students who wish to substitute transferable courses taken elsewhere for the major requirements should discuss the procedure with a GCH advisor. California community college students should follow the prescribed coursework in the UCSC transfer agreements available at ASSIST.