berkeley public health phd funding

Public Health

About the Program

The School of Public Health offers two professional degrees, the Master of Public Health (MPH) and the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH). The School of Public Health also offers academic degrees in Biostatistics (MA, PhD), Environmental Health Sciences (MS, PhD), Epidemiology (MS, PhD), Health and Medical Sciences (MS), Health Policy (PhD), and Infectious Diseases & Immunity (PhD).

Master of Public Health (MPH)

The program of study leading to the professional MPH degree is based on a series of foundation courses. In addition, MPH students concentrate in one of the following areas: Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology (11-month), Epidemiology/Biostatistics, Health and Social Behavior, Health Policy and Management, Global Health and Environment, Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, Interdisciplinary, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, and Public Health Nutrition.

The MPH degree is available in a residential program on campus or through an On-Campus/Online MPH program. The hybrid program requires two accelerated on-campus sessions, while all remaining coursework is completed online.

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) curriculum is based on a comprehensive body of knowledge in the field of public health and its related disciplines, and the investigation of significant problems in public health practice.

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Admission to the University

Applying for graduate admission.

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website .

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page . It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here .

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page .

Doctoral Degree Requirements (DrPH)

Students with a master’s or a higher degree outside the field of public health will be required to enroll in this course.

Master's Degree Requirements (MPH)

Available mph concentrations.

Environmental Health Sciences Concentration

Epidemiology/Biostatistics Concentration

Global Health & Environment Concentration

Health & Social Behavior Concentration

Health policy & management concentration (2 year program), health policy & management concentration (11 month program), infectious diseases & vaccinology concentration.

Interdisciplinary Concentration

Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Concentration (2 year program)

Maternal, child, and adolescent health concentration (11 month program).

Public Health Nutrition Concentration (2 year program)

Required Core Courses for all MPH Concentrations

Not required for HPM students.

Not a requirement for Environmental Health Science and Global Health and Environment MPH students.

All of our MPH are expected to fulfill this requirement through  PB HLTH 291A  ( PB HLTH W289 , PB HLTH 224A ,  or PB HLTH 223C ) or an equivalent.  Note: DrPH students fulfill their leadership requirements through  PB HLTH 290 : Foundations of Public Health Leadership and Practice.

Environmental Health Sciences Concentration (2 year program)

Global Health & Environment Concentration

Effective Fall 2022: Name Change to Capstone Seminar in Infectious Diseases

Substitution by another School of Public Health seminar related to Infectious Diseases may be acceptable as IDV Division Seminar.

If the particular PB HLTH courses listed above have used to fulfill one requirement, the same course cannot be used to fulfill other IDV program and Advanced course requirement

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONCENTRATION

Public Health Nutrition Concentration (2 YEAR PROGRAM)

Master's Degree Requirements (Online MPH)

The  On-Campus/Online MPH  program offers remote instruction with two required courses that include week-long on-campus sessions over two summer term.

Public Health Core Curriculum

Health Policy and Management Concentration

Public Health Nutrition Concentration  

Concurrent Degree Requirements (MPH-MBA, MPH-MCP, MPH-MJ, MPH-MPP, MPH-MSW)

Concurrent degree programs, health & social behavior (mph-mcp).

• Public Health & Journalism (MPH-MJ)

Health Policy & Management (MPH-MBA)

• Health Policy & Management (MPH-MPP)

Health & Social Behavior (MPH-MSW)

• Maternal, Child, & Adolescent Health (MPH-MSW)

Required Course for All MPH Degrees

Not required for MPP/MPH & MBA/MPH CDPs.

Not required for any HPM MPH including MPP/MPH & MBA/MPH.

Concurrent Degree Requirements

This concurrent degree program is designed to examine research, practice, and policy at the intersection of urban planning, policy and design with population health. Special attention is given to understanding the forces that are shaping urbanization in the US and globally, what methods are necessary to analyze the relationships between urban policy and planning and human health, and to design and analyze interventions, frequently in partnership with community members and organizations, that can enhance urban health equity. The program prepares students for interdisciplinary careers in such fields as urban development, community health, housing, transportation, policymaking, and others. Graduates secure jobs working in government, international organizations, non-profits, academia/research and the private sector.

Candidates for this program are recruited and admitted through both the School of Public Health and the Department of City and Regional Planning. Students complete the core curriculum of each area, as well as the Health & Social Behavior track within MPH and an area of concentration in MCP. Visit the Public Health website for more information.

Public Health and Journalism (MPH-MJ)

The three-year MPH/MJ allows students to combine their interests in public health, journalism, communications and media. The program is designed to produce public health professionals who are effective media practitioners and communicators as well as journalists with the training and knowledge necessary to cover public health and medical issues for online, print, broadcast and other media platforms.

Students select one of four public health concentrations (environmental health, infectious diseases, epidemiology/biostatistics, health and social behavior) and simultaneously develop their reporting and multimedia skills. The program explores how public health and journalism intersect and impact each other and prepares graduates for work in a variety of public health, media and journalism. Visit the Berkeley Journalism website  for more information . 

The MBA/MPH program provides a deep competency in business administration, integrated with up-to-the-minute knowledge of health policy and management and other health care concepts. Students in this program pursue a wide range of interests including global health, entrepreneurship/start-ups, biotech/medtech, provider and payer initiatives, and social impact. This track allows students to have an extended period at Berkeley to take more electives, develop business and leadership skills in a range of applied health care settings, and have two distinct full-time summer internships.

This is a 2.5-year concurrent degree program, offered in a long-standing partnership between Berkeley Public Health and the Haas School of Business. It has been in existence for more than 35 years, so it has a large community of alumni and provides students access to the top-notch career services and faculty mentors from both Schools.  Visit the Haas School of Business webpage for the MBA requirements.

Health Policy & Management (MPH-MPp)

From the ACA to the FDA, to issues of equity and access, the health policy realm is highly visible and complex. It is for students who want to master the analytical skills that support policy analysis and decision-making, as well as gain a deeper understanding of key healthcare issues.  Visit the Goldman School of Public Policy webpage for the MPP requirements.

MPH-MSW Options

Berkeley Public Health and the School of Social Welfare offer two options that offer interdisciplinary preparation in the fields of social welfare and public health leading to the Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health degrees, generally in less time than it would take to obtain these degrees independently.

Maternal, Child, & adolescent Health (MPH-MSW)

PB HLTH 200 Foundations of Public Health Practice 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2000, Fall 1999 Today, graduates of public health programs must be prepared for evidence-based practice and the generation of practice-based evidence. They must have the ability to work in an increasingly interdisciplinary, interprofessional and cross-sectoral environment and settings. Foundations of Public Health Practice introduces 12 areas of critical public health content to bridge the chasm between public health practice and theory. This course serves as an orientation to the various subjects, fields, and concepts that students will encounter in their education. While no single professional is expected to be an expert in all of these practice areas, everyone must be aware of their importance. Foundations of Public Health Practice: Read More [+]

Rules & Requirements

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for PB HLTH 200 after completing PB HLTH 200 . A deficient grade in PB HLTH 200 may be removed by taking PB HLTH 200 .

Hours & Format

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 1 hour of seminar per week

Additional Format: One hour of seminar per week for 8 weeks.

Additional Details

Subject/Course Level: Public Health/Graduate

Grading: Letter grade.

Instructors: Maus, Barnett

Formerly known as: Public Health W200

Foundations of Public Health Practice: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 200A Current issues in Public Health Ethics: Research and Practice 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2018, Spring 2017, Spring 2016 This course seeks to examine the ethical challenges inherent in public health practice, research, and policy. It covers a range of topics in ethics through cases representative of different public health dilemmas. The cases considered include treating homeless people with TB, rationing medical care in the United States, conducting HIV studies of maternal-fetal transmission in Africa, managed care policies and setting priorities, the deaf community and cochlear implants, and the societal implications of genetic information. The goal is to enable students to develop an analytical methodology that has practical application for their future work. Current issues in Public Health Ethics: Research and Practice: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate standing

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Instructor: Halpern

Current issues in Public Health Ethics: Research and Practice: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 200J Health Policy and Management Breadth Course 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Health policy and management applies concepts from economics, organizational behavior, and political science to the structure, financing, and regulation of the public health and health care delivery systems. This breadth course is designed to give MPH students a basic set of competencies in the domains central to the field. Health Policy and Management Breadth Course: Read More [+]

Objectives & Outcomes

Course Objectives: ● Compare the organization, structure, and functions of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across US and selected international settings; ● Critically evaluate the role that structural racism plays in the US healthcare system; and ● Identify the core functions of public health and the essential services that together comprise public health; ● Identify the principal functions of health insurance, the structure of public and private health insurance plans, and trends in enrollment and expenditures; ● Understand and be able to discuss dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence; ● Understand and explain basic principles and tools of finance, budgeting, and resource management; ● Understand the drivers of innovation in preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic technologies; ● Understand various barriers to healthcare access, and discuss potential strategies to mitigate these challenges

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: One hour of lecture and one hour of discussion per week.

Instructor: Bertozzi

Formerly known as: Public Health 200C1

Health Policy and Management Breadth Course: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 200K Environmental Health Sciences Breadth Course 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course will give an introduction to the major human and natural activities that lead to release of hazardous materials into the environment as well as the causal links between chemical, physical, and biological hazards in the environment and their impact on human health, including those related to climate change. The basic principles of toxicology, exposure assessment, risk assessment, risk perception, and environmental health policy will be presented. The overall role of environmental risks in the pattern of human disease, both nationally and internationally, will be covered. Environmental Health Sciences Breadth Course: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week.

Instructor: Kyle

Formerly known as: Public Health 200C2

Environmental Health Sciences Breadth Course: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 200L Health and Social Behavior Breadth 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Health and social behavior uses theory and research from the behavioral sciences to explain the causes and health effects of salutary and risky behavior. Health and Social Behavior Breadth: Read More [+]

Instructor: Catalano

Formerly known as: Public Health 200C3

Health and Social Behavior Breadth: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W200E Health Policy and Management Breadth Course 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 First 6 Week Session, Summer 2023 First 6 Week Session, Summer 2022 First 6 Week Session Health policy and management applies concepts from economics, organizational behavior, and political science to the structure, financing, and regulation of the public health and health care delivery systems. This breadth course is designed to give MPH students a basic set of competencies in the domains central to the field. Health Policy and Management Breadth Course: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 7 weeks - 6 hours of web-based lecture per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 6 hours of web-based lecture per week

Additional Format: Four hours of web-based lecture per week for five weeks, eight hours of lecture per week for one week. Four hours of web-based lecture per week for five weeks and eight hours of lecture per week for one week.

Online: This is an online course.

Instructor: Fulton

PB HLTH W200F Environmental Health Sciences Breadth Course 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 This survey course covers the breadth of hazards from chemical, biological, and physical agents of concern to environmental health professionals. Lectures are presented by experts on particular topics that emphasize the activities involved in professional practice. Environmental Health Sciences Breadth Course: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: Communicate environmental health issues to lay public and professionals, using appropriate terminology and data. Define and describe major ways in which the environment and human health are linked in different parts of the world and for different populations. Develop a case study on an environmental health and justice issue and propose solutions that integrate the main components of environmental health (exposure assessment, toxicology, epidemiology, and risk assessment). Define and describe the key components of environmental health, including exposure assessment, toxicology, epidemiology, and risk assessment. Describe ways by which the health impact from major environmental health risks, such as climate change, can be effectively controlled. Learn effective ways to communicate important information in Environmental Health Learn the concepts of environmental justice, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health risks associated with disasters, food systems, and public health. Understand the associated health effects from developmental, adult and occupational chemical exposures.

Fall and/or spring: 7 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture per week. Four hours of lecture per week for seven weeks.

Instructors: Graham, Pokhrel

PB HLTH W200G Health and Social Behavior Breadth 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Course focuses on social, cultural, bio-behavioral determinants of health & health behavior, issues related to social & behavioral interventions, policies aimed at improving community & population health. Students will have experience in/be able to apply range of Health & Social Behavior perspectives, approaches to critically analyze public health issues, conceptualize research & interventions at different levels of ecological model. Topics designed to convey key concepts, highlight approaches in Health & Social Behavior via lectures, readings, videos & online resources. Group assignments focus on community context & health. Will require students to synthesize/apply concepts from course. Assignments will culminate in a final group project. Health and Social Behavior Breadth: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: Describe a range of major themes, theories and conceptual frameworks, research and practice approaches commonly encountered in Health and Social Behavior. Describe and apply ecological public health frameworks and concepts emphasizing multilevel interactions between biology, behavior, environments and the distribution of life opportunities. Describe the rationale for community involvement in public health actions and the key principles of community-based approaches to public health. Understand how socially constructed concepts of race, ethnicity, immigration, gender and social class influence health and structure population health inequities. Understand relationships between human behavior and public health to critically assess models of human behavior and to explore strengths-based, multi-level intervention design.

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for PB HLTH W200G after completing PB HLTH 200L . A deficient grade in PB HLTH W200G may be removed by taking PB HLTH 200L .

Fall and/or spring: 7 weeks - 6.5 hours of web-based lecture per week 15 weeks - 3 hours of web-based lecture per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of web-based lecture per week

Additional Format: Five hours of web-based lecture per week for seven weeks.

Instructor: vanDommelen-Gonzalez

PB HLTH 201E Public Health Interventions: Theory, Practice, and Research 2 or 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Spring 2019 This course focuses on the primary factors that affect health and the interventions that can promote health. Students examine the determinants of health and the theory, history, types, ethics, and approaches of public health interventions. Community level interventions and multidisciplinary approaches receive special emphasis. The course stresses a rigorous critique of the outcomes of interventions and practical ways to improve them. Students take an active role in the design and conduct of the course. Public Health Interventions: Theory, Practice, and Research: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Previous experience with health interventions and doctoral student status or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.

Instructors: Neuhauser, Syme

Public Health Interventions: Theory, Practice, and Research: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 202B Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Focus on ethnic and cultural diversity in health behavior as a basis for public health programs. Consideration of U.S. ethnic minority groups and cultural groups in non-Western societies. Health status and behavior examined in context of relevant social and anthropological theory (social class, acculturation, political economy). Influence of socio-cultural background on concepts of health, illness, and health-seeking behavior. Implications for planning public health programs and policies. Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week.

Instructor: Morello-Frosh

Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 202G Advanced Alcohol Research Seminar 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 This course is an advanced alcohol research seminar in which presentations are made by alcohol research scientists nationally and internationally, as well as pre-and post-doctoral fellows, and focus on special topical areas related to psychosocial research in the field each semester. Areas covered include the epidemiology of drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems, issues related to treatment of alcohol-related problems, and health services research. Guest presentations are also provided (related to topics outside psychosocial research) to provide a breadth of understanding in the field. The seminar also includes sessions focused on methodological issues in alcohol-related research and grant writing, and has a research ethics component covering a number of sessions. Advanced Alcohol Research Seminar: Read More [+]

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.

Instructors: Cherpitel, Kaskutas

Advanced Alcohol Research Seminar: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 202L Critical Theory and Social Science Methods 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024 Social science research on identity and vulnerable populations is at a critical moment. This course will examine the tension between theoretical and empirical research and its adverse impact on social science research. It will explore ways to develop methodological approaches to race and other markers of human difference that blend traditional empirical methods with critical theoretical traditions, e.g. critical race theory, feminist theory, disability theory, queer theory, and others. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the implications of this tension between theory and methods for research in the health sciences. Critical Theory and Social Science Methods: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: 1. Understand the limitations of contemporary social science research on race and other identity traits such as gender, sex, sexuality, and disability. 2. Understand the significance of the “firewall” between theory and method in social science research and how it can lead to less than robust understandings of the social world and health outcomes. 3. Understand the contributions that critical theoretical traditions can make to empirical research – especially in the health sciences. 4. Be able to design a social science research project that reflects traditional empirical methods and critical theoretical insights.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Three hours of seminar per week.

Critical Theory and Social Science Methods: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH C202B Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2016, Spring 2015, Spring 2013 Focus on ethnic and cultural diversity in health behavior as a basis for public health programs. Consideration of U.S. ethnic minority groups and cultural groups in non-Western societies. Health status and behavior examined in context of relevant social and anthropological theory (social class, acculturation, political economy). Influence of socio-cultural background on concepts of health, illness, and health-seeking behavior. Implications for planning public health programs and policies. Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status: Read More [+]

Instructor: Morello-Frosch

Also listed as: ESPM C254

PB HLTH W202 Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2015, Fall 2014 This course will examine ethnic and cultural differences in health status and behavior among historically marginalized communities in the United States, including African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, as well as sexual minorities and groups from non-Western societies. Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Health Status: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Six hours of web-based lecture per week for seven weeks.

PB HLTH 203A Theories of Health and Social Behavior 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course provides a survey of theoretical perspectives and their application in analyzing the behavioral, social, and cultural dimensions of community health problems. An emphasis is placed on critically examining the strengths and weaknesses of particular theories for understanding and addressing complex community health problems. Theories of Health and Social Behavior: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Background in social and behavioral sciences. Consent of instructor

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Instructor: Holmes

Theories of Health and Social Behavior: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 204A Mass Communications in Public Health 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Examines the role of mass communication in advancing public health goals. Reviews mass media theories in general, and theories of the news media in particular. Provides an in-depth understanding of media advocacy as a strategy for using news media and paid advertising to support policy initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels. Examples are drawn from a wide range of public health issues. Mass Communications in Public Health: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture/discussion per week.

Mass Communications in Public Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 204F Culture, Public Health Practice, and Eliminating Health Disparities: From Ideas to Action in the 21st Century 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2016, Spring 2015, Spring 2013 Public health literature and practice make frequent reference to the terms culture, cultural competence, race, racism, ethnicity, and health disparities. Understanding these terms, their complex meanings and current application in public health practice is the subject matter of this course. By the end of the course students will be able to describe the concepts of culture, race, racism, ethnicity, cultural competence, cultural humility, health disparities and their use in public health theory and practice; identify and describe the application of these concepts in local public health practice; and demonstrate an understanding of these concepts and their application in public health practice through the completion of a group project. Culture, Public Health Practice, and Eliminating Health Disparities: From Ideas to Action in the 21st Century: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate students in Public Health or by consent of instructor

Instructor: Nazeeri-Simmons

Culture, Public Health Practice, and Eliminating Health Disparities: From Ideas to Action in the 21st Century: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 204G Research Advances in Health Disparities: Multidisciplinary Perspectives 1 - 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Understanding and addressing persistent racial inequities in health status is a core public health problem. Ethnic minorities are much more likely to experience much higher rates of poor birth outcomes, infant mortality, infectious and chronic diseases, hospitalization rates, and early death rates from all causes. This course examines racial and ethnic health inequities as a function of social inequality. Topics are drawn from a social determinants of health framework emphasizing the importance of the economic, social, and political features that adversely affect the health status of many underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. from a multidisciplinary approach: Public Health, sociology, anthropology, and social welfare Research Advances in Health Disparities: Multidisciplinary Perspectives: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2-4 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two to four hours of seminar per week.

Instructor: Herd

Research Advances in Health Disparities: Multidisciplinary Perspectives: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W204 Public Health Communications 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2023 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2021 Second 6 Week Session This introductory graduate course teaches human-centered design methodology and asks students to apply it to the creation of a public health communications tool. Students will select a public health challenge to focus on, then will learn how to conduct design research with the target community, seek communications design inspiration, and to build and test a prototype of a communications tool. Public Health Communications: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 6 weeks - 6-6 hours of lecture per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 6-6 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Six hours of web-based lecture per week for five weeks and 30 hours of lecture for one week. Six hours of web-based lecture per week for five weeks and 30 hours of lecture per week for one week.

Instructor: Watterson

Public Health Communications: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 205 Program Planning and Needs Assessment 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course provides the necessary skills to plan effective public health programs. Examines principles and methods underlying program planning, emphasizing multi-disciplinary, collaborative and "real world" planning processes. Provides students with conceptual and experiential understanding of how to plan, conduct and present community health needs assessments by covering both theory and practical skills. Students will become familiar with the theory and methods related to ecologically valid assets-based and needs-based community health assessments and translate them into practice. Students will work with a community organization to apply the program planning principles and needs assessment taught throughout the course. Program Planning and Needs Assessment: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: Students will work in a community organization to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in this class. Real world application of program planning principles and needs assessment will be taught throughout the course. Students will complete this course with the development of a complete program plan for a community organization or collect, analyze and present community health assessment data and develop feasible programmatic recommendations.

Prerequisites: Public health students

Instructors: Ndola, Prata

Program Planning and Needs Assessment: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W205 Program Planning and Development 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2023 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2022 Second 6 Week Session The purpose of this course is to provide students with the necessary skills to plan health programs. We will examine the principles and methods underlying program planning. Multi-disciplinary, collaborative planning will be emphasized. Program planning applications will be emphasized throughout the course by using case studies, specific illustrations, and online planning e xercises. Program Planning and Development: Read More [+]

Summer: 7 weeks - 6 hours of web-based lecture per week

Additional Format: Six hours of web-based lecture per week for seven weeks. Six hours of web-based lecture per week for seven weeks.

Instructor: O'Hara

Program Planning and Development: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 206 PH Nutrition Core Course: Critical Issues in Public Health Nutrition 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course will introduce first-year public health nutrition and other MPH students to critical issues in public health nutrition, and provide them with critical thinking skills to analyze these issues using scientific literature. Students will build group facilitation skills, library research skills, and professional advocacy skills. Second-year public health nutrition students and a panel of PHN graduates will speak to the students about valuable skills and competencies needed for work in public health nutrition. PH Nutrition Core Course: Critical Issues in Public Health Nutrition: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Master of Public Health students

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture/discussion per week.

Instructor: Fernald

PH Nutrition Core Course: Critical Issues in Public Health Nutrition: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 206B Food and Nutrition Policies and Programs 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course examines the historical origins of food and nutrition improvement programs in the United States, including the political and administrative conditions that led to the development of these programs. It also examines the goals, design, operations, and effectiveness of some of these programs: Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, Head Start, the Child Care Food Program, and the Elderly Nutrition Program. Food and Nutrition Policies and Programs: Read More [+]

Summer: 3 weeks - 15 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture/discussion per week. Fifteen hours of lecture/discussion per week for three weeks. Fifteen hours of lecture/discussion per week for three weeks. Three hours of lecture/discussion per week.

Food and Nutrition Policies and Programs: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 206C Nutritional Epidemiology 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course develops the ability to read published nutritional epidemiology research critically. Basic research methods in nutritional epidemiology will be reviewed, and issues in design, analysis, and interpretation unique to nutritional epidemiology will be addressed. This will be accomplished by readings and study questions, lecture/discussions, and problem sets. Nutritional Epidemiology: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week

Summer: 8 weeks - 15 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Fifteen hours of lecture/discussion per week for three weeks. Fifteen hours of lecture/discussion per week for three weeks.

Instructor: Block

Nutritional Epidemiology: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 206D Programs and Policies in Global Nutrition 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course will use a case-based approach to examine the ways in which governments in developing countries design and implement policies and programs that affect food production and access to safe, affordable, and nutritionally adequate diets. In the course we will analyze, assess and evaluate ways to take action to ameliorate the major nutritional problems facing vulnerable populations in developing countries. Programs and Policies in Global Nutrition: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: ● Critical analysis of issues in public health nutrition relating to the context of a developing country; ● Demonstration of effective organizational skills and the ability to communicate with and enlist the support of potential participants and stakeholders; and ● Participation in making policy related to health and nutrition within services, programs, and projects. ● Understanding of the biological and social roles of nutrition in health, particularly as they relate to issues of poor nutrition in a global context;

Student Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe and interpret the prevalence and trends of public health nutrition issues faced by mothers and children living in low- and middle-income countries, ranging from malnutrition to micronutrient deficiencies to overweight and obesity. 2. Discuss the political, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors underlying a wide range of nutrition issues in low- and middle-income countries and predict how interventions affect these factors. 3. Identify the ways in which historical, social, cultural, economic, commercial, and institutional factors promote or act as barriers to the design and implementation of agriculture, food, and nutrition policies and programs, and the ways in which these policies and programs affect health and other outcomes. 4. Integrate knowledge of nutritional issues and policies to analyze methods through which stakeholder groups affect the design and implementation of food and nutrition programs and policies.

Programs and Policies in Global Nutrition: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W206A Nutrition Assessment 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Nutrition assessment tools are used to evaluate an individual’s or population’s nutrition status and/or risk of specific nutrient excess or deficiency. This 3-unit course will discuss various dietary, anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical nutrition assessment tools and provide you with skills to determine which assessment tools are needed based on program/research project goals, how to interpret nutrition assessment survey results and apply them to populations, and critically evaluate the metrics used to define different types of malnutrition. Nutrition Assessment: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: 1. Recommend the appropriate nutrition assessment tool needed based on the target population, nutrient/ nutrition issue of interest, and goal of the assessment. 2. Critically evaluate nutrition assessment tools based on their required resources, applications, limitations, and biases. 3. Interpret nutrition assessment results and apply them at the population level.

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Six hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Instructor: Zyba

Nutrition Assessment: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W206B Food and Nutrition Policy 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Course examines ways in which the US govt designs & implements policies/programs that affect access to nutritionally adequate, safe, affordable diets. We analyze how multiple stakeholders in the food system interact to affect policy design & implementation; historical, social, economic, environmental & political factors that determine stakeholder positions on policy issues; & ways these factors promote or act as barriers to achieving a system that promotes optimal food access, nutrition & health. We cover contemporary food & nutrition policy issues, as well as the history of these issues & ideas. Students will understand the broad spectrum of policies that affect human diets & will become familiar with the policy processes. Food and Nutrition Policy: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: a. Describe the principal areas of domestic food and nutrition policy (e.g., food assistance, dietary guidance and education, agricultural support, food industry regulation, food safety regulation, food and nutrition research) and the most important current issues related to these policy areas. b. Identify the governmental agencies primarily responsible for each area of food and nutrition policy and explain their roles. c. Identify the ways in which historical, social, cultural, economic, commercial, and institutional factors promote or act as barriers to the design and implementation of agriculture, food, and nutrition policies and programs, and the ways in which these policies and programs affect health. d. Describe the major federal food programs—their history, purpose, reach, and effectiveness, as well as current policy and political questions being raised about them. e. Identify and apply the methods through which stakeholder groups affect the design and implementation of agriculture, food, and nutrition policies. f. Recognize your potential to engage in and influence food and nutrition policy throughout your career.

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for PB HLTH W206B after completing PB HLTH 206B . A deficient grade in PB HLTH W206B may be removed by taking PB HLTH 206B .

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with advisor consent.

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 7 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Seven hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Instructor: Thompson

Food and Nutrition Policy: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 207 Transforming the Food System: From Agroecology to Population Health 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course will take a solutions-oriented approach to addressing the pressing problems in current food systems. We will explore strategies used by the disciplines of agroecology, policy, law, public health, and business in working to improve food systems and apply their varied approaches to real-world case studies. Through weekly readings, discussions, and problem-solving sessions with Berkeley’s leading food systems experts, students will gain a broad understanding of food systems and the leverage points that can be targeted to improve the health of people and the planet. Transforming the Food System: From Agroecology to Population Health: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: 1. Define and explain food systems, explain interdependence within those systems, and understand their impacts on the health of people and the planet 2. Identify leverage points for transforming food systems based on evidence 3. Understand various strategies—legal, political, agro-ecological, economic, behavioral, etc.—that different disciplines use to target leverage points 4. Articulate different perspectives on food systems issues and explain the pros and cons of strategies for food systems change 5. Adapt communication styles to various audiences and media

Prerequisites: Graduate student standing

Instructor: Madsen

Transforming the Food System: From Agroecology to Population Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 207A Public Health Aspects of Maternal and Child Nutrition 2 or 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Nutrition plays a vital role in human reproduction and child growth and development. This course provides an overview of the major nutritional issues faced by women of childbearing age, infants, children, and adolescents in the United States and around the world, with selected topics explored in greater depth. Nutritional problems are multi-factorial and occur at multiple levels and we will study them from a variety of viewpoints (biological, pyschological , socio-cultural, economic, political, and behavioral) as well as from individual and population perspectives. Participants in the course will become acquainted with nutritional research, policies, and interventions designed to enhance reproduction, growth, and development. This course will also explore health disparities in maternal and child nutrition in both a domestic and international context. Public Health Aspects of Maternal and Child Nutrition: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Course in epidemiology required; previous coursework in biology and nutritional science highly recommended

Instructor: Abrams

Public Health Aspects of Maternal and Child Nutrition: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W207A Maternal and Child Health Nutrition 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023 Nutrition plays a vital role in human reproduction and child growth and development. This course covers core principles of nutrition and health and provides an overview of the major nutritional needs and issues faced by women of reproductive age, infants, children, and adolescents in the United States and globally, with selected topics explored in greater depth. This course will also explore disparities in various health outcomes related to MCH nutrition and provide students the opportunity to apply the course concepts at a personal and programmatic level. Maternal and Child Health Nutrition: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for PB HLTH W206 after completing PB HLTH 206 . A deficient grade in PB HLTH W206 may be removed by taking PB HLTH 206 .

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit under special circumstances: if student receives D or F grade

Summer: 8 weeks - 6 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Six hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks. Six hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Formerly known as: Public Health W206

Maternal and Child Health Nutrition: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 209A Introduction to Plant-Centric Food Systems 1 Unit

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This is an energizing and exciting symposium that explores the robust opportunities and accompanying challenges of plant-forward solutions. The gathering is convened to underscore the urgency of shifting to plant-based diets for healthier, more equitable, and resilient food systems and to explore how students will play a pivotal role in the transformation of the food system. Plant Futures is the first program at UC Berkeley to feature in depth multidisciplinary conversation aimed at exploring the role and importance of plant-based foods as a critical lever for change, and provides a unique opportunity for students to directly connect to prominent leaders, creators and influencers and forge pathways for future professional engagement. Introduction to Plant-Centric Food Systems: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: 1. Deepen students’ knowledge of the impacts of our diets and current food production systems on personal health and planetary boundaries that directly drive climate change by understanding the urgent challenges and most critical levers for transformation in food systems. 2. Build critical systems thinking competencies at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, climate science, behavioral science, economics, entrepreneurship and ethics with plant-centric food systems. 3. Provide a multisectoral opportunity for students to build community and connect with leaders in different disciplines working in the plant-based sector through networking opportunities that converge the scientific, business, and academic communities. 4. Create an opportunity for students to engage and directly collaborate with food industry business leaders, experts, and researchers working on the forefront of innovation and sustainability, specifically in the plant-based sector. 5. Provide students with frameworks, examples and skill sets to design and implement innovative plant-centered food systems that are sustainable and driven by public health principles. 6. Equip students with the foundation and tools to become advocates and change makers for plant-centered food systems in their personal lives, on campus, and beyond. Ultimately, prepare students at a personal and professional level to accelerate the transition to a healthy, sustainable and just food system.

Fall and/or spring: 1 weeks - 20 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Twenty hours of seminar per week for one weeks.

Instructor: Rosenzweig

Introduction to Plant-Centric Food Systems: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 209B Plant Futures Challenge Lab 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 A collaborative, multidisciplinary applied learning journey in systems entrepreneurship, ethical leadership and innovation models intended to accelerate the transition to a healthy, sustainable and just food system. Plant Futures Challenge Lab: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: 1. Develop systems-thinking and analysis capabilities while developing ‘food-systems intelligence’ and ‘triple-bottom line’ business design capabilities. Understand the complex interdependencies and trade-offs involved in solving food systems challenges. 2. Develop an understanding of mission-driven organizational strategies and practices, based on clear ethical principles. 3. Combine and apply entrepreneurial skill sets, mind sets and tool sets needed for leadership, team building, and initiating and managing innovative change. Learn to transform an idea into a tangible, viable plan of action. 4. Learn to recognize and “size” unmet needs, issues, and opportunities in the food system and apply creativity, research, and discipline to create the type of solutions that make meaningful, lasting impacts. 5. Expand your personal capacities for collaboration while reaching out of your comfort zone by contacting and enrolling experts who can assist your project. 6. Lead and collaborate with other students from different disciplines across the University to apply the team building strategies and leadership necessary to develop a plant-forward solution to solve complex food systems challenges. 7. Grow and cultivate your professional network and experience by building deep relationships with mentors and professional allies. 8. Develop, through practice, the foundation and tools needed to become advocates for plant-forward solutions in your personal lives, at Berkeley, and beyond!

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture per week.

Instructors: Rosenzweig, Gheihman

Plant Futures Challenge Lab: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W209 Comparative Health Systems 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2021 In the past decade, health systems and their role in global health have received increasing focus. While disease-focused, 'vertical programs', such as malaria and HIV/AIDs still command the lion's share of donor resources, it has become clear that the sustainability of disease programs depends on embedding them into a country's health system. This course provides a real world, practical understanding of health systems, based on a solid academic foundation. It introduces current debates about health systems, health financing, and universal health coverage in the international community. Students will use five key structural questions to analyze health care systems and their performance on quality, cost and access metrics. Comparative Health Systems: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 6 hours of web-based lecture per week

Additional Format: Six hours of web-based lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Instructor: Feachem

Comparative Health Systems: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210 Foundations of Maternal and Child Health Policy, Practice and Science 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course will explore issues related to maternal, child, and adolescent health throughout the life course with a focus on the social determinants of health, health disparities, and social justice. Discussion will focus on current issues central to maternal and child health policy and practice; the history and organization of MCH health services in the US; and analyze the ways in which the political context in the US and internationally affects the health and well-being of families, including critical examination of the ways in which knowledge about an issue, an understanding of the social strategies to address that issue, and political will are all leveraged to influence the creation of MCH policy. Foundations of Maternal and Child Health Policy, Practice and Science: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor

Instructor: Pies

Foundations of Maternal and Child Health Policy, Practice and Science: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210B Adolescent Health 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Fall 2021 This course is designed to provide an understanding of the epidemiology and etiology of critical health issues among adolescents, including complex contextual influences and individual processes related to this dynamic period of life. Each adolescent health outcome will be considered in light of developmental issues related to the pubertal transition and multilevel influences that contribute to adolescent health and well-being, including 1) biological, 2) cognitive, 3) behavioral, and 4) social-culture factors. The course will emphasize: empirical evidence for the etiology of adolescent health problems, documented risk and protective factors, and content and timing of preventive intervention efforts to ameliorate risk. Adolescent Health: Read More [+]

Instructor: Deardorff

Adolescent Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210D Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2017, Spring 2016 Research methods and issues in perinatal and reproductive epidemiology with emphasis on methods of study. Specific adverse reproductive outcomes, risk factors, and prevalence will be discussed. Will include critiques of published studies and techniques of proposal writing. Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate standing in epidemiology or consent of instructor

Instructor: Eskenazi

Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210E Practicum in MCH Data Analysis I 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course is designed to support MCH students complete their masters capstone project. Part I is offered in the Fall and Part II is in Spring. Practicum in MCH Data Analysis I: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Formerly known as: PH 293-7 MCH Seminar.

Additional Format: Weekly lectures, discussion, and student practice presentations.

Instructor: Harley

Practicum in MCH Data Analysis I: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210F Practicum In MCH Data Analysis II 1 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 The course is designed to support MCH students working on their Master's Capstone project. The course goal is to support students in a variety of methodological issues and practical issues. The course is a combination of formal class meetings and one-on-one meetings. Practicum In MCH Data Analysis II: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Formerly known as: 293-6 Practical Issues in MCH Data Analysis.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-2 hours of seminar and 1-2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: One to two hours of lecture and one to two hours of seminar per week.

Practicum In MCH Data Analysis II: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210J Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Journal Club 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 The purpose of this seminar is to learn how to critically review peer-reviewed articles in the field of maternal, child, adolescent and family health (MCAH). This is a required course for all Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health MPH students and some MCAH Specialty areas. Others may enroll with permission of the instructor. Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Journal Club: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Two hours of seminar per week.

Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.

Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Journal Club: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 210K Foundations of Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Leadership 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course introduces students to theories and concepts of leadership and explores ways of applying these to maternal, child, and adolescent health issues. This course provides opportunities for students to develop skills and resources for further developing their own leadership. The skills taught in this course will prepare students to become dynamic, thoughtful leaders in the field of MCAH with a particular focus on continued self-reflection and development to lead programs that address the diverse issues facing MCAH populations. Foundations of Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Leadership: Read More [+]

Instructor: Strouse

Foundations of Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Leadership: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 211 Health and Human Rights 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 The course examines the origins of health and human rights concerns and outlines a conceptual basis for human rights among health professionals. It provides an overview of the epidemiology of human rights violations worldwide and an analysis of the psychology of abuse. The course considers the role of health professionals in (1) documenting the health and social consequences of human rights violations and war; (2) treating survivors of abuse; (3) addressing specific human rights concerns of women and children; (4) identifying the impact of health policy on human rights; and (5) participating in human rights education and advocacy. The course will also examine issues of universality of human rights and cultural relativism and the role of accountability for the past abuses in prevention. Health and Human Rights: Read More [+]

Instructors: Iacopino, Weinstein

Health and Human Rights: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 212A International Maternal and Child Health 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Assessment of health status of mothers, infants, and children on worldwide basis; special emphasis on problems, policies, and programs affecting MCH and family planning in developing countries. International Maternal and Child Health: Read More [+]

Instructor: Miller

International Maternal and Child Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W212 Foundations of Global Health 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course introduces students to the basic principles of global public health that are used to improve population health at all levels. The course will start with an introduction to essential concepts from public health disciplines that are the foundations of global health practice. Students will then apply these concepts to current global health challenges through course activities, assignments, and readings that will provide a real world context. Global health experts will share their experiences and lessons learned from implementing global health research and programs. Throughout the course, students will gain critical and creative-thinking experience in applying tools and frameworks towards addressing diverse global health needs. Foundations of Global Health: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Six hours of web-based lecture per week for eight weeks.

Instructors: Reingold, Fong

Foundations of Global Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 213A Family Planning, Population Change, and Health 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Course examines the determinants of family size and the role played by contraception, voluntary sterilization, and induced abortion in the transition to small families. It looks at the factors controlling access to fertility regulation in developed and developing countries and discusses the factors that have made for successful family programs as well as those that have generated controversy. The course looks at the relationship between family planning and the health of women and children and at the role of family size in economic development and environmental problems. It looks at advances in family planning, organization, and promotion of services and discusses ethical issues facing providers. Family Planning, Population Change, and Health: Read More [+]

Instructors: Campbell, Potts, Prata

Family Planning, Population Change, and Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W213 Global Health Ethics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This course provides an overview to ethical issues within a global health context. The course starts with an introduction to ethical frameworks, theories, and historical references that elevate the ethics conversation to the global stage. The course will then link theory to practice as we delve deeper into ethical issues in research, experiential learning, and delivery. We will consider ethical questions about the discipline of global public health and the roles of governments, academic institutions, organizations, health professions, and members of the public as stewards of health. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the divers international perspectives on the concepts of ethics and health. Global Health Ethics: Read More [+]

Summer: 8 weeks - 6 hours of web-based lecture per week

Additional Format: Six hours of web-based lecture per week for 8 weeks. Six hours of web-based lecture per week for 8 weeks.

Instructors: Haar, Dandu, DeBoer

Global Health Ethics: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 214 Eat.Think.Design 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2018, Spring 2017, Spring 2016 This course is a team-oriented, project-based course designed around the case-based and learning-by-doing models. The critical elements of the human-centered design process – discovering, ideating, and prototyping – are learned through didactic sessions and an 8-week project students work on in teams. Working with community partners on a public health issue related to food, the student teams apply human-centered design skills to the problem , and design and pilot (when possible) a solution with and for their community partner. Eat.Think.Design: Read More [+]

Instructors: Sandhu, Madsen

Eat.Think.Design: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 215 Anti-Racist and Racial Justice Praxis Spring Student Elective 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 The Anti-Racist and Racial Justice Praxis Spring Student Elective is a semester-long student elective course for continuing students. This class will cultivate up to 40 student champions to develop an anti-racist analysis of public health, present a set of anti-racist public health tools, and build skills necessary for advancing an anti-racist agenda within the field. Anti-Racist and Racial Justice Praxis Spring Student Elective: Read More [+]

Course Objectives: Analyze how systems of racism operate in a modern context and impact health Apply new skills when working to implement an anti-racist agenda at the institutional and governmental levels. Recognize common challenges and problems in racial dialogue and learn skills to overcome these issues.

Prerequisites: A Health and Social Behavior breadth course; PBHLTH 200L, PBHLTH W200G or PBHLTH 203A

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2.5 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two and one-half hours of lecture per week.

Instructors: Malawa, Gaarde

Anti-Racist and Racial Justice Praxis Spring Student Elective: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 216A Biological Embedding of Social Factors 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2019, Fall 2017, Spring 2016 This is an interdisciplinary course which will adopt a broad-based ecological perspective of health and behavior. This class will emphasize the interconnected and multidirectional relationships between biology, behavior, and the social environment. This course will be conducted as a seminar series (with a focus on biological processes). We will investigate the assertion that biological, psychological, and social processes interact over a lifetime to influence health and vulnerability to disease (a developmental epigenetic perspective). Rather than focusing on "if" social factors can influence health and disease we will focus on "how" social factors may regulate/change biological measures. Three very general themes will be addressed: development, "social" neuroscience and gene-environment interactions as they relate to behavior. Topics such as constraints/plasticity and behavior, genetic determinism, vulnerability versus resilience, gene-environment interactions, fetal/developmental programming, and stress will all be touched upon. Biological Embedding of Social Factors: Read More [+]

Instructor: Francis

Biological Embedding of Social Factors: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 217C Aging and Public Health 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2016, Spring 2015 The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of research, practice, and policy in the area of aging and public health. Topics will include the epidemiology of aging; race, class, gender, and aging; nutrition and the elderly; and current health policy surrounding aging. Themes running throughout the course and linking a number of the topics covered will include the diversity of the elderly; the importance of co-morbidity and functional health status in this population group; the family and broader environmental contexts in which aging takes place; and the influence of public and private sector policies on health and health-related behavior in the elderly. Weekly lectures by the faculty will be complemented by presentations by prominent Bay Area researchers in the areas of geriatrics and gerontology. This is the core course for the School of Public Health specialty in aging and public health. Aging and Public Health: Read More [+]

Instructor: Satariano

Aging and Public Health: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH C217D Biological and Public Health Aspects of Alzheimer's Disease 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2015, Spring 2014, Spring 2013 This course will survey the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) from a biological and public health perspective by reading original research papers in the fields of medicine, neuroscience, and epidemiology. The course will begin with a historical survey of the concept of AD, followed by a description of clinical and neuropathological features. Subsequent classes will cover the genetics and molecular biology of the disease, as well as biomarkers, epidemiology, risk factors, treatment, development of new diagnostic approaches, and ethical issues. The course will also serve as a model for the analysis of complex diseases with multiple genetic and environmental causes, and late onset neurodegenerative diseases. The course will also serve as a model for the analysis of complex diseases with multiple genetic and environmental causes and late-onset neurodegenerative disease. Biological and Public Health Aspects of Alzheimer's Disease: Read More [+]

Instructor: Jagust

Also listed as: NEUROSC C217D

Biological and Public Health Aspects of Alzheimer's Disease: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH 218B Evaluation of Health and Social Programs 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 The study of concepts, methods, rationale, and uses of evaluation research as they apply to health and social programs. Evaluation of Health and Social Programs: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3-3 hours of lecture per week

Evaluation of Health and Social Programs: Read Less [-]

PB HLTH W218 Evaluation of Health and Social Programs 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course provides an overview of the concepts and methods of program evaluation. The course will be useful to those concerned with evaluation of health and social service programs. Participants will develop the critical skills necessary to assess the quality of evaluation research projects, to apply technical skills in professional practice, and to develop evaluation plans for a variety of heath and social programs. Evaluation of Health and Social Programs: Read More [+]

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*** The Document Management Fee is a one-time fee charged in the first term of enrollment.

For additional information on the cost of attendance, please visit: Financial Aid and Scholarships Office Cost of Attendance .

California residents, for purposes of registration, are those who have been legal residents of California for at least one year immediately before the opening day of the semester for which they register. Legal residence is a combination of physical presence and the intention of making the state one’s permanent home, coupled with the relinquishment of legal residence in any other state.

Eligible Ph.D. students are expected to establish California residency for tuition purposes by their second year of the program.

International students with F-1 visas cannot be classified as California residents for tuition purposes.

More Information:

• Residency (for Tuition Purposes)
• How to Apply for Residency (for Tuition Purposes)
• Residency Requirements: Graduate Students
• Immigration
• Exceptions & Exemptions

Financial Aid

Graduate students may apply for need-based loans and work-study through the Financial Aid Office. The programs are based on demonstrated financial need and require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Only U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (those holding permanent resident cards) may apply for funds administered by the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid can include work-study, loans, the Native American Opportunity Plan , and other sources of financial aid.

• More information

If you are employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization, you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Learn more  here .

Additional Fellowships

In addition to the first-year fellowship and academic student employment, Ph.D. students may supplement their funding by applying for additional internal and external fellowships. Some university restrictions on combining funding opportunities apply; students are encouraged to consult our admissions staff with questions about specific conjunctions of funding.

Fellowships for I School Students

All admitted Ph.D. applicants will automatically be considered for the Hal Varian endowment .

The I School awards a variety of fellowships to I School students.

List of I School fellowship opportunities

External Fellowships

Students are encouraged to apply for external fellowship opportunities as relevant. Below are several examples of external fellowships that our I School Ph.D. students have successfully obtained:

• Facebook Fellowship
• Fulbright Study/Research Award
• Hertz Fellowship
• Marcus Foster Fellowship
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Peter Lyman Fellowship for New Media
• Soros Fellowships for New Americans
• UC Berkeley Mentored Research Award

Our Ph.D. students have also received grants from the following organizations and centers:

Student Funding

There are a variety of ways to receive funding as an mcah student:, mcah fellowship awards.

• Conference funding  is available for current students

Graduate Fellowships

The Graduate Fellowships Office provides multi-year University Graduate Fellowships, Diversity Fellowships, and Departmental Block Grant Fellowships. In addition, this office coordinates many extramural fellowships. It also serves as a resource center for students seeking information on fellowships funded by the University and outside sources. There are a limited number of fellowships available. The School of Public Health maintains additional information about fellowships and financial aid for public health students on its website .

Financial Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarship information for prospective Berkeley students can be found at  financialaid.berkeley.edu .   Student loan and work-study packages are offered to admitted students by the campus Financial Aid Office only after they have submitted their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to attend Berkeley.

Student Employment

• UC Berkeley's Graduate Division - About Academic Empoyment webpage 
• RISE: Berkeley Public Health Career & Leadership Office webpage.

Departmental Funding Opportunities and Awards

Social welfare graduate student funding.

Most Social Welfare departmental graduate student funding is typically offered and awarded at the time of admission. To be considered, all applicants must submit a Graduate Application for Admission by the published deadline each year. A separate funding application is not required.

Continuing students automatically receive notifications about any additional or new opportunities for financial support, and any eligibility or application requirements, as they become known.

Departmental student funding support is generally intended to subsidize the cost of graduate school and do not typically cover the entire cost of attendance.

Jean Allgeyer Family Fund in Child and Family Services

The Jean Allgeyer Family Fund in Children and Family Services was established in 2010 with a gift from Berkeley Social Welfare alumna Mrs. Jean M. Allgeyer (MSW '51), a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Los Angeles. The Allgeyer Family Fund provides support to MSW students pursuing careers serving children and families in need.

Alvarez Endowed Fund

Walter Alvarez, professor emeritus of earth and planetary sciences, and his wife Milly Alvarez (MSW '79), have made gifts to Berkeley Social Welfare for over 30 years. The Alvarez Endowed Fund provides support for MSW students, particularly students specializing in mental health.

Mary Catherine and Robert J. Birgeneau Graduate Student Support Fund

The Birgeneau Graduate Student Support Fund was established in 2007 with a gift from former UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau and Mary Catherine Birgeneau, a longtime social worker. The fund provides support for Social Welfare doctoral students, with a preference for students specializing in child welfare issues.

Bradner-Cornet Fund

The Bradner-Cornet Fund was established in 2008 by Bari Cornet, a former longtime Berkeley Social Welfare Field Consultant and Lecturer. Bari's father, Hugh Bradner, was a physicist at UC Berkeley. The Bradner-Cornet Fund is awarded to graduate students in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree program.

Doris J. Britt Fund

The Doris Jackson Britt Fund​ was established in 1999, on behalf of Doris Britt, the former Admissions Director of the School of Social Wefare. The Britt Fellowship provides support to MSW students preparing for careers in service to low-income African-American communities.

Luis Carrillo Endowed Fund

The Luis Carrillo Endowed Fund was established in 2003 by Luis Carrillo, who received his MSW in 1956. Luis was a school social worker for the San Francisco Unified School District and also worked for City College. He received a Fulbright Award from 1965 to 1967, spent in Latin America. He self-published his life story under the name of Luis Carrillo Miranda, “A Child of No Importance: The Life of a Puerto Rican Dreamer,” which is available in the Social Research Library. The Carrillo Endowed Fund provides financial support to Social Welfare graduate students who are from Puerto Rico or of Puerto Rican ancestry, with a preference for those who are bilingual (Spanish-English) and who intend to work within the Puerto Rican and/or Hispanic communities.

Rintha M. Carter Fund

The Rintha Mary Carter Social Work Fund was established in 1995 through a bequest from the Rintha M. Carter Trust. Rintha M. Carter was a Navy veteran of World War II, and received her BA in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley in 1948. She was a federal civil service worker in California for many years. The Carter Fund provides support for Social Welfare graduate students.

Martha Chickering Fund

The Martha Chickering Fund was established in 1994 through a fundraising campaign conducted by the Chickering Fellowship Committee, which was comprised of Berkeley Social Welfare alumni from the Classes of the 1930s.

Martha Chickering is a distinguished alumna of UC Berkeley and the School of Social Welfare. She first graduated from Berkeley in 1910, the same year she served as President of the Associated Women Students of UC. She returned in 1928 to enroll in the newly accredited social services certificate program in the Department of Economics at Berkeley, the precursor to the School of Social Welfare MSW Program. In 1932 she became the program's director. In 1936, Martha received her Ph.D. in economics from Berkeley. She was appointed Assistant Professor in Berkeley's Curriculum in Social Service the same year. In 1939 she became the Director of the California State Department of Social Welfare and served in that capacity for six years. Professor Martha Chickering was inducted into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction in 2003.

The Martha Chickering Fund​ provides support to MSW students who plan on pursuing careers in public social services.

Chow and Lee Memorial Fund

The Chow Ngor Peui and Lee Kwai Fong Memorial Fellowship was established in 2013 with a gift from Chau Yip Po Ying, Chow Chun Shing, Chow Lai Wah, Chau Mun Wah Stella, and Chow Chun Chung to honor their parents.

Mr. Chow Ngor Peui (1922-2009) and Ms. Lee Kwai Fong (1922-2013) had been married over 70 years. They were born and grew up experiencing many hardships during World War II and the Civil War in China. Even though they did not receive a formal education during their lifetimes, they held continued learning in high regard. Living in poverty in their own upbringing and throughout most of their adult life, they strongly believed education can improve one’s mind and life. Also, they instilled in their children this adage: to be successful is not about how much money you earn – it is how you care about others that counts. Their entire life is a true testament to their enduring generosity, selflessness, and the power of love.

The Chow and Lee Memorial Fund provides support to Social Welfare graduate students who demonstrate high academic distinction.

Silda E. Covington Fund

The Silda E. Covington Fund was established in 2014 with a bequest from Ms. Covington's estate. The Covington Fund provides support to MSW students whose educational focus is on services to families and children.

Minna B. Crook Fund

The Minna B. Crook Fund was established in 1986 in memory of Minna B. Crook by her sons, Peter and Christopher Crook. Minna B. Crook, born in Berkeley in 1919, was a lifelong resident of the East Bay and a graduate of UC Berkeley. Her entire working life was spent in public service as a social worker. She firmly believed in the importance of maintaining social welfare as a profession. In the later years of her life, she became concerned that society was becoming less concerned and less willing to devote its resources, time and energy to helping those in need. The Minna B. Crook Fund provides support to MSW students devoting their time and energy to a career in public service.

Jeffrey Edleson and Sudha Shetty Fund

The Jeffrey Edleson and Sudha Shetty Fellowship​ Fund was established in 2014 with a gift from Jeffrey Edleson, Professor and former Dean of the School of Social Welfare, and Sudha Shetty, Assistant Dean for International Partnerships and Alliances in the Goldman School of Public Policy. The Edleson and Shetty Fund supports high-achieving students interested in the intersection of social welfare and public policy, particularly those students pursuing an MSW/MPP Concurrent Degree at Berkeley.

The Joan Ellis Scholarship Fund

The Joan Ellis Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 with a gift from the trust of Joan Ellis, an alumna of the MSW program. Joan Ellis received her MSW in 1951, specializing in medical social work. She served as a psychiatric social worker for many years in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fresno. The Ellis Scholarship provides financial support to Social Welfare MSW students.

Sue Ann Gershenson Endowed Graduate Fund

The Sue Ann Gershenson Endowed Graduate Fund was established in 2012 with a gift from the Sue Anne Gershenson Trust. Sue received a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley in 1968 and an MSW from the School of Social Welfare in 1970. After she received her MSW from Berkeley, Sue convinced the Hayward Police Department to create a social worker position to be first responder to domestic violence calls. Sue spent many years working with families affected by violence and abuse. She later received a J.D. from the University of San Francisco in 1992.

During her life Sue was always proud of her education and wanted to give back to the school from which she gained so much. This fund was established in fulfillment of her request to support financially the cause that she supported with her heart.

The Gershenson Fund provides support to Social Welfare graduate students who demonstrate a high level of academic distinction.

Jewelle Taylor Gibbs Multicultural Fund

The Jewelle Taylor Gibbs Multicultural Practice/Policy Fund was established in 2000 with a gift from Professor Emerita Jewelle Taylor Gibbs.  The Gibbs Multicultural Fund provides support to MSW students specializing in multicultural social work with children and families.

Mabel Winifred Goode Social Welfare Fund

The Mabel Winifred Goode Fellowship Fund was established by Mabel Goode, who majored in history at Berkeley and received her BA in 1926. She dedicated her life to public education and spent her career as a public school teacher in the Albany School District. The Mabel Winifred Goode Fund provides support to Social Welfare graduate students.

Catherine Hutto Gordon International Program Fund

Graduate opportunity program (gop) master's fund.

The Graduate Opportunity Program Master’s Fund provides a $10,000 stipend and payment of resident (in-state) fees for one academic year (the first year of the Social Welfare MSW Program). All newly admitted MSW students are automatically reviewed for GOP nomination based on demonstrated financial need and eligibility requirements. No separate application is required.

In order to be considered admitted students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ) or a California Dream Act Application ( CADAA ).

Greenwood Emeritus Prize in Writing

The Greenwood Emeritus Faculty Prize for Excellence in Writing was established by Professor Emeritus Ernest Greenwood (1910-2004), on the most distinguished faculty members at Berkeley Social Welfare.

The Greenwood Prize is awarded annually to a graduating MSW student who demonstrates excellence in writing. Selection is made by faculty and emeriti professors.

Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup Fund

The Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup Fund was established in 2013 by a bequest from the Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup Scholarship Foundation. Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup received her MSW from Berkeley in 1949. She also had a nursing degree from the Mayo Clinic, and enjoyed a long career as a nurse and medical social worker for the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The Holmstrup Fund provides tuition and fee assistance for Social Welfare graduate students demonstrating financial need.

The Art and Edna Hom Family Fellowship Fund

Hutto-patterson fund in school social work.

The Hutto-Patterson Fund was established in 2010 through a gift from the Hutto Patterson Charitable Foundation at the direction of Catherine Hutto Gordon, past president and trustee of the Hutto Patterson Charitable Foundation and a Berkeley alumna. The Hutto-Patterson provides support to MSW students specializing in school social work.

Sasha Ikenberg Fund

The Sasha Ikenberg Fund was established by Daniel Ikenberg in honor of his daughter Sasha. Sasha Ikenberg attended UC Berkeley, where she graduated with honors with a BS in psychology in 1994, and received her MSW degree in 2000. She was employed as a Clinical Social Worker by Seneca Center in San Leandro. The Ikenberg Fund provides support to MSW students pursuing social work careers with children, youth and families in need.

S. Allan and Marguerite Johnson Fund

The S. Allan and Marguerite Johnson Fund was established in 1995 with a gift from Al and Marguerite Johnson, longtime friends of the School of Social Welfare. Mrs. Johnson earned her BA from the School of Social Welfare in 1960, and Mr. Johnson holds an MBA from UC Berkeley. The Johnson Fund​ provides support to MSW students demonstrating high academic distinction.

Jeff Jue Award

The Jeff Jue Award was established in 2006 to honor the memory of Jeff Jue, a 1970 graduate of the Berkeley Social Welfare MSW program and a recognized social work leader in the state of California. Jeff Jue was the Director of Mental Health in Merced, Sonoma, San Francisco, and Stanislaus Counties. He also served as President of the California County Welfare Directors Association, the California Mental Health Directors Association, and the California chapter of National Association of Social Workers (NASW). He was also a friend to many at the School. Jeff Jue was honored into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction in 2009.

The Jeff Jue Award provides support to MSW students pursuing careers in public sector mental health services, particularly those working with older adults.

Ralph M. Kramer Award

The Ralph M. Kramer Award was established in 2005 in honor of Berkeley Social Welfare Professor Emeritus Ralph Kramer. The Kramer Award is given annually to an outstanding graduating MSW student specializgin in Strengthening Organizations and Communities. Selection is made by faculty.

Irene MacDonald Fund

The Irene MacDonald Fund was established in 2010 by the family of Irene MacDonald. Irene Macdonald was a native of San Francisco and an alumna of the MSW program at Berkeley. She was a longtime social worker, field instructor for the School of Social Welfare, and advocate for people with disabilities. The MacDonald Fund provides financial support to MSW students who plan on pursuing careers serving low-income, vulnerable individuals, particularly the physically or mentally disabled.

Milton and Florence Krenz Mack Graduate Fund

The Milton and Florence Krenz Mack Graduate Fund was established with a gift from the Estate of Florence Krenz Mack, a Berkeley alumna and longtime professional social worker in San Francisco. Florence Krenz Mack was born in San Francisco in 1911. She graduated from Berkeley with a BA in Economics in 1932 and then earned a graduate Credential in Social Welfare in 1933. Mrs. Mack became a professional social worker, serving in the San Francisco Emergency Relief Administration, the Children's Agency of the San Francisco Associated Charities, and the Public Welfare Department of San Francisco. She later married Milton Mack, founder of Milton Mack Associates, a real estate company. Mr. Mack died in 1974. Mrs. Mack died in 1998.

The Mack Graduate Fund provides support for Social Welfare graduate students, particularly students pursuing specialized study in management of nonprofit organizations.

Mary Ann Mason Graduate Fund

The Mary Ann Mason Graduate Fund was established in 2005 through a gift from Professor Emerita Mary Ann Mason. The fellowship provides support for doctoral students, with a preference for students studying issues relating to families and child welfare.

Maxine W. Meldrum Fund

The Maxine W. Meldrum Fund was established in 2002 in honor of longtime medical social worker Maxine W. Meldrum. Maxine received her BA is social welfare in 1947, and her MSW in 1949. She had a long and successful career in medical social work, which culminated in her appointment as Chief of Social Work Services for the VA hospital in San Francisco. The Meldrum Fund provides support to MSW students pursuing careers in the area of health and medical social work, particularly with older persons.

Lorraine Midanik and Stephen Blum Fund

The Lorraine Midanik and Stephen Blum Fund was established in 2008 with a gift from Dean and Professor Emerita Lorraine T. Midanik and Stephen Blum. During her 27-year tenure on the School of Social Welfare faculty, Professor Midanik was instrumental in establishing the joint master's degree (MSW+MPH) program with the School of Public Health. The Midanik-Blum Fund provides support to graduate students pursuing careers in health services, particularly students in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree program.

Lorraine T. Midanik Doctoral Fund in Social Welfare

The Lorraine T. Midanik Doctoral Fund in Social Welfare was established in 2011 on behalf of dean and professor emerita Lorraine T. Midanik, who served as a member of the faculty for 27 years.

James and Khadija Midgley Doctoral Award

Established in 2006 by Social Welfare professor and dean emeritus James Midgley and Khadija Midgley, the Midgley Doctoral Award is awarded to the best doctoral dissertation within the School of Social Welfare each year. The dissertation shall have policy relevance for the field of social welfare and shall have attained a high level of academic distinction and originality. Selection is made by doctoral faculty.

Ed and Harriette Nathan Fund

The Ed and Harriette Nathan Fund was established in 2011 in honor of Ed Nathan, a pioneer in social work philanthropic grantmaking. Ed Nathan graduated from UC Berkeley with his B.A. in 1941. He earned his MSW from Berkeley Social Welfare in 1952, and joined the faculty in 1966. He became Executive Director of the Zellerbach family Foundation in 1972. Ed was also instrumental in the creation of the California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) in 1990.

The Nathan Fund provides financial assistance to MSW students pursuing careers and related field placements in the philanthropic, nonprofit or public human services related to child welfare and mental health.

Mary O'Day Gerontology Fund

The Mary O'Day Gerontology Fund was established in 1992 to honor Mary O'Day, a longtime Berkeley Social Welfare field consultant and lecturer. A pioneer in gerontological social work, Mary O'Day served on the Social Welfare faculty for 20 years as Coordinator of the Gerontology Program. The fund provides support to MSW students pursuing careers in aging services.

Charles O'Shea Memorial Fund

The Charles O'Shea Memorial Fund was established in 1973 by Mrs. Phyllis J. O'Shea, in memory of her husband Charles O’Shea, who was a Berkeley Social Welfare Lecturer and Field Supervisor in the 1950s. The fund provides support to MSW students preparing for direct clinical practice of social work with children and adolescents.

Social Welfare 60th Anniversary Fund

The Berkeley Social Welfare 60th Anniversary Fund was established with gifts from alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of the School of Social Welfare in honor of the 60th anniversary of its founding in 1944. The fund provides support for Social Welfare graduate student fellowships.

Social Welfare Graduate Minority Fund

The Social Welfare Graduate Minority Student Fund was established by alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the School to support underrepresented minority students.

Solis Family Fund

The Solis Family Fund was established in 1993 in honor of the productive and inspirational life of Joseph H. Solis, Fieldwork Consultant Emeritus at the School of Social Welfare for more than 20 years, who passed away April 15, 2010. The Solis Family Fund supports Berkeley Social Welfare graduate students who are preparing for careers serving Raza (Latinx) people and communities.

Sonsini Social Welfare Fund

The Sonsini Social Welfare Endowed Fund was established in 2020 with a gift from Matt Sonsini and Lisa Sobrato Sonsini, staunch Cal alumni supporters. The Sonsini Fund provides support for Social Welfare doctoral students.

Harry Specht Memorial Graduate Fund

The Harry Specht Memorial Graduate Fund was established in 2013 with a gift from professional social workers Alan (MSW '90) and Kimberly Sherman, in honor of Berkeley Social Welfare professor and dean emeritus Harry Specht . The fund provides support for MSW students demonstrating a high level of academic distinction. Preference may be given to students who have demonstrated a commitment to the alleviation of poverty and/or its effects, through their participation in community organization and development, community-based direct practice, research, and/or advocacy activities.

Riva Specht Memorial Fund

The Riva Specht Memorial Fund was established in 1998 by a gift from Harry Specht, former dean of the School of Social Welfare, in honor of his wife Riva, a longtime social worker and specialist in human development. The fund supports MSW students pursuing careers in aging or health services; preference may be given to students interested in hospice services.

Tang Opportunity Fund in Mental Health

The Tang Opportunity Fund in Mental Health was established with a gift from the Tang Opportunity Fund at the direction of Nadine Tang, an alumna of the School of Social Welfare. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she has a private practice and has served the university in many capacities, including as an assistant clinical professor in psychology and as Chair of the UC Berkeley Foundation Board of Trustees. The Tang Opportunity Fund supports Berkeley Social Welfare graduate students specializing in mental health, and who demonstrate high academic distinction.

William E. Valentine and Jonathan Pannor Fund

The William E. Valentine and Jonathan Pannor Fund was established in 1995 by Jonathan Pannor in memory of William E. Valentine (MSW '81). William Valentine was recognized nationally for his innovative work in medical social work and for developing early HIV intervention programs. Valentine was the director of social work at Stanford Hospital, and was honored in 1993 as NASW Social Worker of the Year and UC Berkeley Alumnus of the Year. The Valentine-Pannor Fund provides support to MSW students assigned to a social work practicum placement at Stanford Hospital and Medical Center.

Wurzel Family Graduate Fund

The Wurzel Family Graduate Fund is one of the first to be established in the School, originally by UC Berkeley alumna and lifelong donor Lillian Wurzel. Ms. Wurzel, whose generosity to the School of Social Welfare spanned seven decades, passed away at the age of 100 in March 2013. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1934 with a credential in social welfare, years before the campus formally offered degree programs in the subject. Lillian Wurzel went on to earn her MSW at the University of Chicago. She served as a Red Cross field director during World War II and received a commendation from President Truman. She had a 65-year career as a medical social worker serving at the Contra Costa County Hospital and the Santa Clara County Social Services Department. 

Wurzel Fund provides financial support to graduate students with a preference for students interested in careers in public welfare, public health or medical care programs.

People & Community

Research & Impact

Career Services

Applying for the PhD

The Fall 2025 UC Berkeley Graduate Application will open on Thursday, September 12, 2024. Click here to access the online application .  

PhD Application Deadline for Fall 2025 Admission: December 3, 2024, at 8:59 PM PDT.

• The application process is completely online . All application materials (including official GRE and TOEFL/IELTS scores) are due by the application deadline of December 3, 2024, at 8:59 PM PDT.
• GRE: Required. To ensure you meet the December 3rd application deadline, please take the GRE no later than early November.
• TOEFL/IELTS: Required for eligible applicants . To ensure you meet the application deadline, please take the TOEFL or IELTS no later than early November. 
• Students are admitted to the GSPP PhD Program for the fall term only, and on a full-time basis. There are no rolling admissions, and there is no spring admission for the PhD Program.
• After submitting your application, you will receive an email from UC Berkeley's Graduate Admissions Office confirming your submission. You may log back into your application to monitor the status of materials received or processed, such as fee waivers, test scores, and letters of recommendation.
• The answers to many common questions about the PhD application process can be found in our FAQ section .
• For more information about the Goldman School, refer to our 2023-2024 GSPP Program Bulletin . 

PhD Application Checklist of Required Items

Before starting the online application:

• Review the application checklist for required items and instructions below. These instructions are specific to Goldman School PhD applicants for Fall 2025.   Please do not submit additional or supplemental materials.
• Review the Frequently Asked Questions here
• Additional Questions: Contact PhD admissions at [email protected]

After submitting your application, you will receive an email from UC Berkeley's Graduate Admissions Office confirming your submission. You may log back into your application to monitor the status of materials received or processed, such as fee waivers, test scores, and letters of recommendation. Admissions decisions are typically sent in early March via email. Please check your Spam/Junk/Events folders if you do not receive your decision by early March.

Financial Support

Fellowships.

GSPP typically admits only two or three applicants each year and offers support to admitted PhD students through a combination of department fellowships, university multi-year fellowships, and teaching and research assistantships. While funding packages vary by student, incoming PhD students are generally awarded five years of funding support consisting of fees and non-resident tuition, student health insurance, and a living stipend. For admitted PhD students who secure funding from external sources outside of UC Berkeley, external funding also goes towards the five years of funding support.

All funding packages are contingent on students meeting minimum academic and residency requirements for the Goldman School and the University throughout the tenure of support. United States citizens and Permanent Residents are required to achieve California residency by the end of their first year in California to receive continued fee support.

Graduate Student Instructors

In addition, there are many opportunities for PhD students to work as graduate student instructors at GSPP and other social science departments. These appointments provide a full fee remission (in most cases) and a monthly salary.

Research Opportunities

There are many opportunities on campus for GSPP PhD students to engage in research (in many cases, in a paid research position) both at the Goldman School and elsewhere on campus. For example, research opportunities typically exist in campus departments including Energy and Resources Group, Labor Center, Global Policy Lab, California Policy Lab, People Lab, and Opportunity Lab, to name a few. These appointments may also provide a fee remission (in most cases) and a monthly salary.

Questions About the Online Application? Contact:

GSPP PhD Admissions [email protected]

Public Health

• Undergraduate Program

Introduction to the Major

Public health is the interdisciplinary science of preventing disease and injury to improve the health of communities and populations. Public health professionals work to identify solutions to address complex issues as wide ranging as air pollution, chronic disease, gun violence, infectious diseases, tobacco control and mental health. 

The School of Public Health offers a  major and  summer minor that includes epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, and health policy. The curriculum prepares students to become changemakers in public health, for a more equitable and just world.

Admission to the Major 

The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health is offered through the College of Letters & Science. Undergraduate students can apply to the major after completing the lower division requirements. It is highly recommended to apply by the end of sophomore year. Students should also take steps to declare an alternate major, as P ublic Health is a capped major with limited capacity Visit publichealth.berkeley.edu/admissions/undergraduate/ for more information about admission and sample plans.

Admissions rate (2011 - Spring 2022): 84.5%

Average GPA of accepted students (2021-2022)

Prerequisite  3.47

Overall 3.44

Amplify Your Major

• Find out what is “public health” by taking the seminar PB HLTH 116.
• Get involved with the Health and Medical Apprenticeship Program , Cal Undergraduate Public Health Coalition , or Peer Health Exchange .
• Serve as a University Health Services (UHS) Health Worker .
• Pursue study abroad or a minor in Global Public Health or Global Poverty and Practice .

I knew I was extremely passionate about health and healthcare, but I didn’t know exactly what role I wanted to pursue....The major allows you to explore and get a feel for what best fits you. Mia Salvini, class of 2020

• Four-Year Student Timeline

Explore Your Major

Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.

Review major and college requirements . Check out sample plans for intended public health majors.

Talk to Public Health peer advisors for coursework advice and to learn about the major.

Connect and Build Community

Get 1:1 mentoring with Berkeley Connect

Join the Public Health Facebook page

Find study groups, tutoring, and academic support at the Student Learning Center (SLC).

Join a Public Health student group such as the Cal Undergraduate Public Health Coalition .

Discover Your Passions

Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar or student-run DeCal course

Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships

Check out The Public Health Advocate for local, national, and international perspectives on public health.

Engage Locally and Globally

Find service opportunities through the Public Service Center

Explore study, internship, and research abroad options with Berkeley Study Abroad

Check out volunteer opportunities in health and medicine .

Reflect and Plan Your Future

Visit Berkeley Career Engagement and the Career Counseling Library

Develop a plan for getting career ready.

Sign up for Handshake and CareerMail

Explore careers  through the Career Connections Series or Cal Job Shadow Program .

Second Year

Complete lower division prerequisites and apply to the major at the end of your sophomore year.

Look for courses that can satisfy both college requirements and major prerequisites.

Explore the different electives in Public Health

Review major guidelines for study abroad.

Follow the Public Health newsletter and start attending department events

As a rising junior, consider the Fung Fellowships for Wellness and Technology Innovations

Get to know professors and graduate student instructors during their office hours.

Enroll in a Sophomore Seminar , Big Ideas Course or Discovery Course

Assist faculty in their research through URAP and UROC

Get inspired by research taking place in the School of Public Health.

Contribute to a community organization with an American Cultures Engaged Scholarship course

Consider becoming a UHS Health Worker or Berkeley Free Clinic volunteer

Plan your study abroad with academic resources and programs in Public & Global Health.

Learn about graduate and professional school . See Step-by-Step for planning help.

Think about doing an internship and attend an internship fair

Look into Health Career Connections for paid summer internships in Public Health.

Review your degree progress with your major and college advisors.

Start satisfying upper division requirements

Get familiar with the senior capstone requirement and plan for the capstone option that best suits your needs for senior year.

Give back by becoming a Public Health peer advisor or student representative. 

Welcome new students to UC Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader

Get involved in a campus organization in a concentration you enjoy or facilitate your own DeCal .

Explore ethical issues in health and medicine with the Health and Medical Apprenticeship Program

Find research and funding opportunities in the OURS database

Planning a senior thesis or project? Apply to the Haas Scholars Program , SURF , or do a Public Health honors thesis as your capstone.

Ask professors about opportunities in Public Health.

Experience life at another UC or college on a visitor and exchange program

Study and intern in Washington D.C. with UCDC or Cal in the Capital

Consider a Berkeley Global Internship in the United States or abroad.

Follow the SPH Undergraduate Program LinkedIn page

Conduct informational interviews

Build your professional networks and attend career/graduate school fairs

Discuss graduate school options with advisors and professors such as the "4+1" One-Year MPH.

Fourth Year

Do a degree check to ensure you are on track to graduate.

Complete any “bucket list” courses and remaining major, college, and campus requirements.

Complete your capstone requirement.

Join a professional association such as the American Public Health Association

Connect with alumni groups like Public Health Alumni Association and build your network as you prepare to graduate.

Continue utilizing clubs as a way to stay connected to peers interested in public health.

Teach your own DeCal course

Undertake an optional honors thesis or independent study and get published in the Public Health Advocate

Keep pursuing your interests through a fellowship or gap year after graduation.

Hone your leadership skills with the Peter E. Haas Public Service Leaders program

Explore service opportunities after graduation, such as Peace Corps , Teach for America , or U.S. Department of State .

Utilize job board tools in your job search.

Ask professors and graduate student instructors for recommendation letters.

Attend Employer Info Sessions and On-Campus Recruiting

Apply to jobs, graduate school, and other opportunities.

What Can I Do With My Major?

The Public Health major is primarily intended to prepare students for graduate study in a variety of fields. Students who work after obtaining their degree are employed by government, private and nonprofit organizations.

Jobs and Employers

• Asst. Clinical Research Coordinator, UCSF
• Asst. Language Teacher, JET
• Community Worker, Alameda Health
• Consultant, Kaiser Permanente
• Data Scientist, Euclid Analytics
• Disaster Preparedness Mgr., AmeriCorps
• Emergency Planning Aide, City of SF
• Family Advocate, YMCA
• Fellow, Congress. Hispanic Caucus
• Health Educator, Marin City
• HIV Counselor, AIDS Healthcare
• Member Advocate, Collective Health
• Policy Analyst, The City Project
• Program Coordinator, Ctr. for Care
• Public Health Advisor, CDC
• Research Asst., MD Anderson Cancer
• Research Analyst, UCSF
• Strategy Consultant, Accenture
• Volunteer, Peace Corps

Graduate Programs

• Biological Sciences, Masters
• Biostatistics, PhD
• Education, Masters
• Epidemiology, Masters
• Interdisciplinary Studies, Masters
• Medicine, MD
• Nursing, Masters
• Optometry, OD 
• Pharmacy, PharmD 
• Public Health, Masters, MPH

Examples gathered from the First Destination Survey of recent Berkeley graduates .

Connect With Us

Come to Berkeley’s annual Open House in April for information sessions, campus tours, special talks, and more.

Golden Bear Orientation

Join your peers in the campus-wide UC Berkeley orientation program for all new students.

Attend department events with students, staff, and faculty. View the Public Health Undergraduate Newsletter at facebook.com/sphundergraduate .

Advisor email: [email protected]

Advisor Appointments: sphug.setmore.com

Advisor Drop-In Hours:  tinyurl.com/sphugdrop-in

Peer Advisor email:  [email protected]

Peer Advisor Appointments:  sphug.setmore.com

Peer Advisor Drop-in Hours:  tinyurl.com/sphugpeers 

Appointments are viewable 10 days in advance.  Drop-in hours are updated weekly.

How to Use this Map

Use this map to help plan and guide your experience at UC Berkeley, including academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities. Everyone’s Berkeley experience is different and activities in this map are suggestions. Always consult with your advisors whenever possible for new opportunities and updates.

• What Can I Do with My Major?

Download the PDF Print Version

• Current Students

Rosemarie ​de la Rosa, PhD, MPH

Rosemarie de la Rosa is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Her primary research goal is to understand how the social environment and context during childhood “gets under the skin” and influences susceptibility to the toxic effects of environmental pollutants over the life course. Dr. de la Rosa is a laboratory scientist whose research lies at the intersection of environmental toxicology, epidemiology, and molecular biology. Health equity and environmental justice are at the center of her research program. Current research projects include collaborations with investigators at UCSF examining the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, resilience, and biomarkers of toxic stress using an allostatic load framework. She also has projects evaluating the joint effect of psychosocial stress and air pollution on health outcomes and stress-related biomarkers in children, adolescents, and caregivers from diverse communities.

Research Interests

• PhD – Environmental Health Sciences University of California, Berkeley
• MPH – Environmental Health Sciences University of California, Berkeley
• BS – Biology Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Publications

• Google Scholar

Articles Featuring Rosemarie de la Rosa:

Rosemarie de la rosa tracks how childhood exposure to environmental pollutants and social stress has lifelong affect, meet our new faculty: rosemarie de la rosa.

Research Expertise and Interest

crime , criminal justice , drug control , gender , health disparities , inequality , law , mass incarceration , mental health , mixed methods , policing , policy , poverty , prisons , punishment , race , risk , reentry , substance abuse , trauma , violence , race and gender , artificial intelligence , data science , social work and education , social work , public impact research/scholarship , social justice research

Research Description

Dr. Kerrison's work extends from a legal epidemiological framework, wherein law and legal institutions  condition  structural determinants of health.  Specifically, through varied agency partnerships, her mixed-method research agenda investigates the impact that compounded structural disadvantage, concentrated poverty, and state supervision has on service delivery, substance misuse, violence and other health outcomes for individuals and communities marked by criminal legal system intervention.

In the News

Among the reasons COVID-19 is worse for black communities: Police violence

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Celebrating UC Berkeley’s record-breaking fundraising year

"Every gift, regardless of size, supports Berkeley's mission and helps us forge an ever-stronger culture of philanthropy," says Chancellor Rich Lyons, UC Berkeley's new leader.

By Public Affairs

Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

August 15, 2024

Chancellor Rich Lyons sent the following message to the campus community on Aug. 15:

I am thrilled to share with you, our faculty and staff, the remarkable achievements we reached in fundraising for the 2023–24 fiscal year thanks to the generous support of Berkeley’s community of alumni, parents, and friends. Together, we raised an impressive $1.31 billion in philanthropic support, marking the highest annual fundraising total in Berkeley’s history.

Contributions from donors make a significant impact on our students, faculty, and programs. Thanks to this year’s success, students will benefit from scholarship and fellowship support, faculty positions will be strengthened and sustained, and Berkeley’s extraordinary research enterprise will be enhanced with new resources for work in many areas. Our donors recognize the positive impact their philanthropy has on our campus and beyond. Their shared values with Berkeley’s mission drives them to partner with us on realizing a united vision of a better world.

Notable achievements enabled by the generosity of the Berkeley community include the opening of Helen Diller Anchor House for transfer students, the forthcoming Bakar ClimatEnginuity Hub , and significant programmatic investments that will enhance the student experience and further our research excellence. Last year, the Graduate School of Journalism received a transformative $10 million pledge , enabling the school to substantially increase its support for students, including doubling the financial aid offered to incoming students in the fall of 2024. While undergraduates benefitted from scholarships and programmatic support, including an $11 million bequest providing flexible student support and new resources for the Department of Music and the Center for African Studies. Investments in health and environmental research, such as the Innovative Genomics Institute’s Audacious Project and the Molecular Therapeutics Initiative , reveal the impact of our donors on cutting-edge research.  

We are also grateful for the contributions of other donors, including the Charter Hill Society (CHS) members and Big Give donors. CHS members provided more than $750 million in gifts last year to a range of departments and programs, while Big Give has raised more than $115 million in gifts over its 10 years, and brought 25,000 new donors to campus. These efforts underscore the importance of every gift, regardless of size, in supporting Berkeley’s mission and help us forge an ever-stronger culture of philanthropy.

While a small portion of gifts are directed to be used at the discretion of campus leaders, the vast majority of donations are designated for specific purposes per the donors’ intentions, such as endowed chairs or capital projects. This means that, despite this year’s record-breaking fundraising total, we still face budget challenges insofar as philanthropy—as critical as it is—cannot address our rising costs nor fully make up for reductions in other sources of support. All this being said, the generous partnership of our donors remains one of Berkeley’s most important resources.

Every donation to Berkeley tells a story of our strong and vibrant community, one that continues to respond to the challenges of a changing world. Thank you for your dedication and hard work in making these achievements possible. Let us continue to build on this momentum, ensuring Berkeley’s continued excellence for generations to come.

A cross-divisional department spanning

• Track in Exposure Sciences and Environmental Epidemiology

Offered By: Department of Environmental Health and Engineering

In-person | Full-Time | 5 years

• Baltimore Community Outreach and Engagement Projects
• Northeast Market Patron Survey
• Evaluating the Impacts of Energy Options on Baltimore’s Air Quality
• One Health and Asthma Prevention in Baltimore
• Safer Urban Agriculture in Baltimore
• Diversity and Equity Initiatives
• Environmental Health and Engineering Student Organization (EHESO)
• Message from the Chair
• Postdoctoral Opportunity in Neuroscientist/(Neuro)toxicologist
• Postdoctoral Opportunity in Public Health Policy
• Research Assistant
• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering
• Program Objectives and Outcomes
• Why Hopkins?
• Application Fee Waiver Requirements
• Areas of Focus
• Track in Environmental Sustainability, Resilience, and Health
• Track in Health Security
• Track in Toxicology, Physiology and Molecular Mechanisms
• PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering Faculty Advisers
• Graduate Student Resources
• Jensen Fellowship
• Master of Arts (MA) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Alumni Highlights
• Post-Baccalaureate Program in Environmental Health for Pre-Medicine Students
• Master of Science (MS) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Independent Professional Project and Final Essay 
• Internships
• ScM Faculty Advisers
• Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Geography and Environmental Engineering
• Postdoctoral Opportunity: Toxicology Policy, Law and Regulatory Analysis
• Quotes from our EHE Alumni
• Climate and Health Certificate Program
• Environmental and Occupational Health Certificate Program
• Food Systems, the Environment and Public Health Certificate Program
• Humane Sciences and Toxicology Policy Certificate Program
• Product Stewardship for Sustainability Certificate Program
• Public Health Preparedness Certificate Program
• EHE Research Retreat
• Aerosol Samplers
• Baltimore Healthy Schools: Impact of Indoor Air Quality on Health and Performance
• Exposure Assessment for Epidemiologic Studies
• Exposures from Oil Spills
• Kirsten Koehler's Research Team
• Occupational Hazard Mapping
• Particulate Exposures in Asthmatic Kids (PEAK)
• Personal Exposure Assessment
• Publications
• Spatiotemporal Exposure Assessment
• Within Baltimore Variability in Pollution
• Current Funding
• Honors and Awards
• Impact of Arsenic on Myocardial Ischemic Injury
• Meet Our Team...
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity
• Proteomic Methodologies to Assess Modifications
• Role for TRIM72 in Cardioprotection
• Sex-dependent S-nitrosothiol Signaling
• For Dog Handler Teams
• For Parents/Guardians
• Collaborators
• Dr. Meghan Davis Receives Canine Health Foundation Grant to Study the Health of Dogs
• GIRAPHE Activities
• GIRAPHE Core Faculty
• Summit on Animals, Public Health & Ethics Webcast
• News and Publications
• Eri Togami DVM, MPH
• Steven Sola, MSPH
• The COVET Study Research Goals
• The COVET Study Research Team
• The CoWelf Study
• The Minority Pet-Owner Health Project
• COVID-19 Human-Animal Interactions Survey (CHAIS)
• Climate Change, Pesticide Use, and Exposures
• Computed Tomography and Low-cost Sensor Networks to Reconstruct Spatial Pollutant Distributions
• Decision-making for Risk Management Using Small Data Sets, Mathematical Models, and Heuristics
• Infrastructure for Delivering and Characterizing Airborne Exposures in Exposure Chambers
• Mathematical Modeling of Chemical Exposures
• Meet Ram's Team...
• Modeling of Infectious Diseases
• Exposome Collaborative Investigators
• Exposome Projects
• Exposome Resources
• The Exposome Collaborative @ Johns Hopkins University
• The Exposome Collaborative Background
• The Exposome Collaborative Events and Activities
• Arsenic and other metals: association with cytokine dysregulation and risk of Hepatitis E infection in pregnant women
• Research Team
• Geyh-Bouwer Trainee Practice Award
• Mobile Air Pollution Measurement Laboratory
• Air Pollution and Cardiorespiratory Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Disease
• Biosecurity and Emerging Threats
• COVID-19 Research
• Carcinogens and Cancer
• Children's Environmental Health
• Chronic Disease Etiology and Prevention
• Community Sustainability, Resilience, and Preparedness
• Consumer Product Safety
• Energy Management and Alternative Technologies
• Environmental Chemistry, Microbiology and Ecology
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Epidemiology
• Environmental Inequities and Injustice
• Environmental Resource Quality
• Epigenetic Regulation in Environmental Diseases
• Food and Agricultural Systems
• Geomorphology, Geochemistry, and Hydrology
• About the Program
• Conceptual Framework
• Land Use and Energy Issues
• MPH Concentration in Global Environmental Sustainability & Health
• Projects and Research
• Recommended Reading
• Research on Land Use and Public Health
• What the Future Must Look Like
• Novel Exposure Assessment
• Risk Sciences and Public Policy
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Toxicology, Physiology, & Cell Biology
• Johns Hopkins University Water Institute
• Worker Health and Safety
• Teaching and Research Labs at WSE
• The INnovations to Generate Estimates of children's Soil/dust inTake (INGEST) Study
• Centers and Institutes
• Environmental Health and Engineering Doctoral Students
• Full-time Faculty Directory
• Postdoctoral Fellows
• News and Events
• Make a Gift

About This Track

The Exposure Sciences and Environmental Epidemiology (ESEE) track offers research and training opportunities in key topic areas relevant to environmental and occupational health. These include air, water, the food system, exposures across the life course, metals and synthetic chemicals, environmental microbiology, the built environment, global environmental health, molecular and integrated epidemiology, and the investigation of susceptibility factors and effective interventions. Graduates from the ESEE track work in academic research institutions, health agencies, health departments, public health advocacy organizations, and private industry organizations that are leaders in environmental and occupational health in the United States and around the world.

While the exact course sequence for each student is customized on an individual basis dependent on their background and research interests, coursework generally centers around one of several topic areas as illustrated below. This coursework is designed to achieve in depth and experiential training to complement the core instruction.

Exposure Sciences: Evaluating and preventing or minimizing exposure from airborne, waterborne or foodborne physical, chemical or biological pollutants, and promoting health and safety in occupational and non-occupational environments are major strategies to protect public health. Using principles of chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, epidemiology, risk assessment and mathematics, we develop innovative solutions to environmental contamination problems. We develop techniques to measure contaminants in various media, develop strategies and conduct studies to assess the levels of exposures in populations, evaluate the impact of a hazard, offer solutions on treatment or containment, promote regulations and policies to prevent human or environmental contamination, and perform quality control checks.

Environmental Epidemiology: Understanding the role of the environment in human health is critical to improve health and quality of life in human populations, especially among vulnerable and marginalized groups. Using an epidemiologic approach, we conduct population-based research that incorporates state-of-the art exposure and outcome assessment to evaluate the role of the environment in disease, disability, and other health outcomes and to develop strategies for health promotion and disease prevention and control. We engage with diverse populations nationally and internationally, employ classic and cutting-edge epidemiologic methods, and investigate a broad range of environmental exposures including the natural and built-environment.

Occupational Health: Protecting workers from disease and injury is vital nationally and internationally and is an important component of environmental health. We address work-related health problems and design solutions to control and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, psychosocial, and biological threats. Our goal is to promote and maintain the health of worker populations, particularly those who are most vulnerable, to ensure healthy and productive working lives. Our research includes occupational exposure assessment, industrial hygiene, occupational nursing, development and validation of sensors and biomarkers, epidemiology, population health management, health promotion, policy analysis, and intervention studies focused on disease prevention.

ESEE Track Faculty

Meghan Davis , PhD, DVM: Environmental microbiology, one health, asthma

Shima Hamidi , PhD: Geospatial data, built environment, housing and transportation & health

Christopher Heaney , PhD, MS: Environmental epidemiology, water and health, community-based research 

Kirsten Koehler , PhD, MA: Exposure assessment, aerosols, air quality

Keeve Nachman , PhD, MHS: Risk science, risk assessment, food systems

Louis Fazen , MD: Occupational health,  organizational justice, cardiovascular disease risk

Jaime Madrigano , ScD: Air pollution, climate change, and public health

Roni Neff , PhD, ScM: Food system, agriculture, sustainability, health disparities

Carsten Prasse , PhD: Emerging contaminants, engineering processes, analytical detection methods

Lesliam Quiros-Alcala , PhD: Impact of exposure to chemicals, EDCs, PPCPs on disease risks in vulnerable populations 

Gurumurthy Ramachandran , PhD, CIH: Exposure assessment, nanoparticles, risk assessment for nanomaterials

Ana Rule , PhD: Air pollution, bioaerosols, metal speciation

Kellogg Schwab , PhD, MSPH: Water, sanitation and hygiene, environmental microbiology, microbial fate and transport 

Brian Schwartz , MD, MS: Environmental epidemiology, sustainability, built environment, lead

Genee Smith , PhD, MSPH: Environmental epidemiology, health effects of climate change, infectious diseases

Browse an overview of this program's requirements in the JHU  Academic Catalogue  - See Track Requirements for Exposure Sciences and Environmental Epidemiology and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory .

Tuition and Funding

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the JHU PhD Union, the minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000 for all PhD students with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided, including health insurance premiums for PhD student’s children and spouses of international students, depending on visa type. The minimum stipend and tuition coverage is guaranteed for at least the first four years of a BSPH PhD program; specific amounts and the number of years supported, as well as work expectations related to that stipend will vary across departments and funding source. Please refer to the  CBA to review specific benefits, compensation, and other terms.

Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help. [email protected]

Program Director Kirsten Koehler, PhD

June 6, 2024

Funding your UC Berkeley experience

By Ken Mahru

Understanding the many forms of funding

We want to connect you with every financial resource possible so that you can think less about how you’ll fund your experience, and more about how you’ll do your important work.

There are many forms of funding and the Graduate Division can help you get started:

• Review the information on Financial Aid .
• Fellowships, grants and awards can cover educational and living expenses or costs related to specific projects or needs.
• Need-based loans can supply extra financial support.
• Academic student employment at Berkeley provides competitive compensation and benefit packages.
• Discuss your funding with your department’s Graduate Student Affairs Officer.
• Receive Funds Faster: Sign Up for EFT Now!
• Skim these FAQs

Contact us at [email protected] and we will do everything in our power to help you make that dream a reality.

Ken Mahru Director of Graduate Student Funding Berkeley Graduate Division