The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (Senate Bill 1440, codified in California Education Code sections 66746-66749) guarantees admission to a California State University (CSU) campus for any community college student who completes an “associate degree for transfer,” a newly established variation of the associate degrees traditionally offered at a California community college. The Associate in Science in Public Health Science for Transfer is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Students completing this degree are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. In order to earn one of these degrees, students must complete 60 required semester units of CSU-transferable coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Students should consult with a counselor when planning to complete the degree for more information on university admission and transfer requirements.

Public Health Science includes a wide variety of occupations that focus on community health, public health education, and health awareness and prevention. Those in the Public Health sector may promote individual and community health through education programs that address healthy lifestyle habits; information on available resources; and the development, implementation, and maintenance of programs in the community that promote both community and individual health. Public health workers may provide informal counseling; advocate for health services for individuals and communities; provide health services such as first aid and blood pressure screening; and collect data to determine existing inequalities and needs within a community. This associate degree for transfer will prepare students to work in a wide range of careers in the fields of health education; community health outreach; public health promotion and disease prevention; health advocacy; and collaborative health and human services.

Student Learning Outcomes

- Identify proactive factors for disease prevention and risk factors for disease and disability.

- Identify factors that influence personal and public health including those related to public policy, socioeconomics, and the environment that contribute to health disparities and leading causes of morbidity and mortality.

- Develop the preliminary skills to serve as an effective advocate for community/public health.