Program Description

The Associate in Science in Public Health for Transfer degree prepares students for transfer to California State Universities (CSUs). Students who complete the degree will be ensured preferential transfer status to CSUs for Public Health majors and majors in related disciplines. The Associate in Science in Public Health for Transfer degree requirements will fulfill the lower division major requirements at many CSUs. Students are advised, however, to meet with a counselor to determine the lower division course requirements for specific CSUs. This degree may also provide excellent preparation for other majors. The major in Public Health prepares students for careers in the health professions, local state and federal agencies, health departments, educational institutions, healthcare organizations and health insurance companies, research organizations, crisis agencies, and many other fields. This degree is designed to prepare graduates for public health and related programs at the bachelor's degree level.

Learn more about the program on the Public and Community Health website.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify, assess, utilize and articulate credible information resources on personal and public health current issues, such as the internet, social media, media outlets, and libraries.
• Students will be able to effectively communicate strategies or tactics to improve health inequalities, such as advocacy, community organizing, and policy change.
• Students will obtain a critical understanding of and be able to apply knowledge of personal and public health in real life settings from the sub-disciplines of biology, chemistry, and statistics.

Units Required

• Major: 32-35

Associate Degree Requirements

Associate in Science in Public Health for Transfer requires completion of a minimum of 90 units, including:

• Core and support courses for the major (32-35 units)¹
• Summer Session 2025 only–CSU General Education Breadth (CSU GE Breadth) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)² (49-58 units) (full certification is required)
• Beginning Fall Quarter 2025–California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)³ (45 units) (full certification is required)
• Transferable electives necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement

¹

Some units from the core and support courses may be used to satisfy the GE requirement. Please see a counselor for more information.

²

Summer Session 2025 is the final term during which CSU GE Breadth and IGETC may be used. Please see a counselor for more information. Important Note: Although it is possible to fulfill the requirements for the Associate Degree for Transfer by completing the IGETC for UC pattern, admission to CSU requires completion of an Oral Communication course (IGETC Area 1C; CSU GE Area A-1); therefore, students who plan to transfer to CSU should complete this course as part of their GE or elective units.

³

Cal-GETC begins in Fall Quarter 2025. Please see a counselor for more information.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be completed with a grade of "C" (or "P") or better. In addition, the student must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Core and Support Courses 

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Core Courses
BIOL 1A	PRINCIPLES OF CELL BIOLOGY	5-6
or BIOL 10	GENERAL BIOLOGY: BASIC PRINCIPLES
or BIOL 14	HUMAN BIOLOGY
HLTH 20	INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH	5
HLTH 21	CONTEMPORARY HEALTH CONCERNS	4
MATH 10	ELEMENTARY STATISTICS	5
or MATH 17	INTEGRATED STATISTICS II
or PSYC 7	STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7	STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Support Courses
List A
Complete one course from List A:		5-6
BIOL 41	MICROBIOLOGY
CHEM 25	FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY
CHEM 30A	SURVEY OF INORGANIC & ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
List B
And complete one course from List B:		4
HLTH 22	HEALTH & SOCIAL JUSTICE
List C
And complete one course from List C:		4-5
ANTH 1	INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
or ANTH 1H	HONORS INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 2A	CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
or ANTH 2AH	HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
BIOL 45	INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN NUTRITION
ECON 1B	PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
HLTH 23	DRUGS, HEALTH & SOCIETY
POLI 1	POLITICAL SCIENCE: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
POLI 2	COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
or POLI 2H	HONORS COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
PSYC 1	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
or PSYC 1H	HONORS GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 40	HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
PSYC 49	HUMAN SEXUALITY
SOC 1	INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
or SOC 1H	HONORS INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Total Units		32-35