COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a concentration in Population Data Science at San José State University is a 120-unit program designed to prepare students to use data-driven approaches to understand and improve population health outcomes. The degree combines general education, foundational science courses, and specialized public health training with a strong emphasis on statistics, epidemiology, and data analysis. Students begin with major preparation courses such as Understanding Your Health, Human Life Span, Introduction to Public Health, and Introductory Health Statistics, along with foundational science options in biology, anatomy, physiology, or chemistry to build a strong scientific background. The major core includes essential public health subjects such as epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, healthcare systems, environmental health, health communication, and multicultural health issues, along with a structured leadership and fieldwork sequence that provides applied experience in real-world public health settings. Students also select a population health elective in areas such as global health or community mental health to broaden their understanding of health systems and social determinants of health. The concentration component focuses specifically on data science skills applied to public health, including advanced epidemiology, data management and presentation, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and a culminating capstone in population data science that integrates all learned competencies. Throughout the program, students must maintain a grade of “C” or better in all major core courses, while electives require at least a “C-,” ensuring strong academic performance in key subject areas. University electives provide additional flexibility for academic exploration or specialization. Overall, the program prepares graduates for careers in public health analytics, epidemiology support, health research, data management, and policy evaluation, as well as for graduate study in public health, data science, or related quantitative fields, equipping them with the analytical and technical skills needed to interpret health data and support evidence-based decision-making in improving population health.