How to Apply to Public Health at UC Davis: There Is No Public Health Bachelor’s Major, Only a 20-Unit Public Health Sciences Minor to Pair With Another Major, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The short answer: UC Davis has no public health bachelor’s major. In the 2026-27 General Catalog the Department of Public Health Sciences lists these education programs: a PhD in Public Health Sciences, a Master of Public Health, and a “Public Health Sciences, Minor” (plus a link to the Health Informatics graduate group); there is no bachelor’s degree. The admissions page’s major list is loaded by script and could not be read, so this guide cannot say that no major anywhere at the university carries “public health” in its name; it can only say the department’s catalog pages list no undergraduate major. The minor page sets rules for overlap between “the major and the minor,” so the undergraduate route is to apply to another major and add the Public Health Sciences minor. The guide follows the pages for fall 2027 entry, split into U.S. applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. The broader life-sciences picture is covered in our separate overview article.

1. Degrees and options: the Public Health Sciences minor

• Purpose: the catalog says the minor gives undergraduates a foundation of knowledge for those who plan to enter public health immediately after graduation and for those planning an advanced degree in public health or a related field, including medicine, nursing and dentistry.
• Units: 20 units, split between required core courses and electives (the page totals 19-20). Only one lower-division course can be applied, and only one course can overlap between the major and the minor.
• Required core courses (11 units): SPH 101 Introduction to Public Health (3); SPH 190 Topics in Public Health (1; can be taken up to two times for credit); one epidemiology course: SPH 102 Introduction to Human Epidemiology (4) or SPH 107V Foundations of Epidemiology (4; marked “not currently offered”); and one of SPH 104 Globalization & Health, SPH 113 Health Disparities in the U.S., SPH 114 Air Pollution & Chemicals in the Environment or SPH 120 Introduction to Health Informatics (3). SPH 105 is shown as discontinued.
• Electives (at least 8-9 units): chosen from a long list that includes the department’s own courses (for example SPH 103 Introduction to Health Economics, Services, Policy, Administration & Management; SPH 106 Intermediate Human Epidemiology; SPH 108 Program Planning & Evaluation; SPH 111 Evaluation & Research Methods in Public Health; SPH 121 and 122 health informatics; SPH 192 Internship in Community Health Practice; SPH 198 and 199) and courses from other departments (anthropology, economics, communication, environmental toxicology, environmental science and policy, nutrition, sociology, statistics STA 013 or STA 100, and more). Limits: STA 013 and STA 100 cannot both be used; only one approved study abroad course can be a minor elective; some listed courses are marked “pending approval” or “discontinued,” so check with the advisors.
• Internship and research: in the catalog, SPH 092 (community health internship, 1-12 units), SPH 192 (community health practice internship, 1-12 units, instructor consent) and SPH 099/199 (research) are Pass/No Pass. The minor’s footnotes cap the units some of these can contribute as electives (the page footnotes mark a 4-unit maximum for each of SPH 092, SPH 192, SPH 198 and SPH 199, and 1 unit for SPH 190 as an elective), so follow the page footnotes. The minor itself has no required internship hours on the pages read.
• STEM designation: the pages read do not say; not published there.
• Combined bachelor’s/master’s (4+1): not on the pages read. The department also lists a Master of Public Health and a PhD; pre-health advising recommendations were not read.
• Other possible “nearest” majors: the pages read do not name any undergraduate major as the department’s public-health-oriented major. The transfer selective-major list includes majors such as biological sciences, human biology, neurobiology, physiology and behavior, psychology and statistics, but those pages do not describe them as public health majors, so none is recommended here. To use the minor, choose a major you apply to, then contact the Public Health Science advisors.

2. How you get into the minor

• When applying: you apply to UC Davis for a major, not a minor; the minor is added after you enroll. The catalog page says to contact the Public Health Science advising team and offers a mailing list for the minor.
• Declaration process, minimum GPA, prerequisites, enrollment limits: not on the catalog page read; not published there, so ask the advisors.
• Registration restrictions: the catalog entries for SPH 101, 102, 103 and 104 say that early registration (Pass One, or Pass One and Pass Two in some entries) is open to seniors only, so lower-division students may enroll only in later passes. Follow the term’s registration rules.
• Major side: UC Davis admits by college and major, and some majors are selective with major-preparation courses to finish before transfer (see section 7); your major’s entry bar comes from that major, not from the minor.

3. Prerequisites and curriculum

• High school preparation: the minor page sets none; the university’s minimum coursework is in section 4.
• SPH 101: Introduction to Public Health, 3 units, prerequisite undergraduate standing; the description covers basic concepts and controversies in public health, basic science, social and behavioral factors, environmental and occupational health, and the relationship of public health to the medical care system and health care reform. General education: Science & Engineering or Social Sciences.
• SPH 102: Introduction to Human Epidemiology, 4 units; the catalog calls its content fundamental to the Public Health minor and a required core course.
• Statistics: the minor has no required statistics course; STA 013 or STA 100 is only an elective option.
• AP/IB credit: the first-year page says AP scores of 3, 4 or 5 on specific tests qualify for credit in certain classes; IB diplomas with a score of 30 or higher earn 4 semester (6 quarter) units, individual Higher Level exams with 5, 6 or 7 earn 8 quarter units, and Standard Level exams earn none. Which public health courses they replace is not published on the pages read.

4. Rounds, deadlines and materials (first-year, fall 2027)

• UC application: begins August 1; the filing period is October 1 to November 30 (the page says “for admission the following year” and prints no specific year, so confirm it applies to fall 2027 entry). The FAFSA or California Dream Act Application can be filed October 1 to March 2.
• Decision and confirmation dates: the first-year page read gives only the dates above; decision and enrollment-confirmation dates are not published there (it links to a “more dates and deadlines” page that was not read).
• Application fee: the University of California page says $80 per campus ($95 for international and non-immigrant applicants), non-refundable, with waivers for up to four campuses for qualified U.S. citizens, permanent residents and AB540-eligible applicants.
• Essays: Personal Insight Questions, with a UC Davis tips page; the number of questions and word limits were not read on UC Davis’s pages, so they are not published there.
• Recommendation letters: not on the pages read.
• Testing: UC Davis no longer considers SAT or ACT scores for admission decisions or scholarships; students may self-report scores after submitting the application and must provide official score reports if they receive an offer; scores can be used as an alternate way to meet minimum requirements or for course placement.

Minimum high school coursework (A–G, to be completed by high school graduation): history or social science 2 years; English or language of instruction 4; mathematics 3 (4 recommended); laboratory science 2 (3 recommended); language other than English 2 (3 recommended); visual and performing arts 1; college-preparatory elective 1. Minimum GPA: 3.00 for California residents and 3.40 for non-residents. California residents have two paths, a statewide guarantee and a local guarantee. UC Davis says it receives applications from more qualified students than it accepts, and most AP and IB courses count as honors courses in first-year GPA calculations.

5. The three readers

U.S. applicants

• Apply through the UC application with the materials above; minimum A–G GPA is 3.00 for California residents and 3.40 for non-residents.
• Costs (the Cost page: estimates for students first enrolling in 2026-27, for three quarters of study): systemwide tuition and fees $15,588; campus-based fees $2,490; books and supplies $1,205; personal expenses $2,656 (residence hall); transportation $672 (residence hall) or $1,545; health insurance $3,996; document fee $150; room and board by housing type. Estimated totals for California residents (before aid): residence hall $49,009; apartment $47,590; studio apartment $57,549; off campus $44,661; living at home $37,893.
• Tuition Stability Plan: systemwide tuition and fees stay flat for up to six years after a student’s first term; campus-based fees, housing and health insurance are not included.
• In-state preference: the pages show differences in the GPA bar and in costs for California residents versus non-residents, and no other in-state preference.

International applicants

• The pages say UC Davis has more than 4,500 international undergraduates and that international students meet the same admission requirements and enter the same selection process as U.S. students. First-year applicants need strong grades in academic subjects and a certificate that admits them to university-level study in their country. Applicants with both international and U.S. high schools are evaluated on both.
• Reporting records: report all international coursework as it appears on your academic records, and do not convert grades to U.S. grades or use a credential evaluation service or another institution’s evaluation. Admitted students must verify academic information with official records from ninth grade on, issued and sent by the original institution; unsealed records, records sent by students, and records sealed or attested by notaries are generally not official. Students in 13-year systems must complete the 13th year.
• English proficiency: required if you studied in the United States fewer than three years and were taught in another language before arriving. It can be shown with specific AP and IB exams, transferable college coursework, TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, any of which also satisfies the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement. The UC Davis page gives no score numbers; the University of California page gives systemwide minimums of TOEFL iBT 4.5 (1-6 scale, effective January 2026; 80 before), IELTS 6.5 and Duolingo 115, notes a campus may require more, and, in its transfer section, says Davis, UCLA and Santa Barbara may strongly recommend or require additional English testing for admitted applicants. Transfer applicants can show proficiency with two English composition courses (a C or better for Davis); English composition from international universities where English is not the language of instruction is not accepted.
• Visa and funds: all international students need a valid passport and an F-1 or J-1 visa. Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) helps with visa, immigration, financial, personal and academic issues and hosts an orientation covering work options with F-1 or J-1 status. The University of California page says a consul requires proof of enough money for all expenses and the source of funds. The UC Davis pages read give no funds amount; not published there, so see the SISS handbook.
• International scholarships: not on the pages read.
• Internship or work limits for the minor: not published on the pages read; ask SISS whether SPH 092 or SPH 192 internships need extra authorization.
• Costs: estimated totals for nonresidents are $88,279 (residence hall), $86,860 (apartment), $96,819 (studio apartment), $83,931 (off campus) and $77,163 (at home); they include systemwide nonresident supplemental tuition of $39,270.

Applicants from China (separate section)

• Whether the Gaokao is considered: the pages read do not say; not published there. Ask the international admission specialists.
• Transcripts and exit-exam materials: the page on admission information for specific countries and educational systems covers 13-year systems, British and Singapore, India and Pakistan, international schools, IB, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, with no China entry. Chinese applicants follow the general rules: report all coursework, provide official records from ninth grade, and show a secondary completion certificate that qualifies you for university in your country. Whether exit-exam (huikao) results are required separately is not published there.
• English scores: TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo as above; whether other tests are accepted is not published.
• Other school notes for Chinese applicants: none on the pages read; the page says each UC campus’s international admission specialist evaluates international records and determines transfer credit, so contact them.

6. Costs and scholarships, a note

Costs are in section 5. The cost page says UC Davis offers most students some form of aid and links to grants and loans. International-specific scholarships and any aid for the public health minor are not on the pages read, so check the website.

7. Transfer

• Overall: the page welcomes transfer applicants from all schools but gives priority to transfers from California community colleges. Required coursework, including selective-major preparation, must be complete by the end of spring before fall enrollment.
• Basic requirements: at least 60 semester (90 quarter) UC-transferable units; the 7-course pattern (two English composition, one mathematical or quantitative reasoning, four from at least two of arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, physical and biological sciences) with C or better; up to 14 semester units of Pass/No Pass.
• GPA: UC requires a 2.40 in UC-transferable courses (2.80 for California non-residents); UC Davis requires a minimum 2.80 for admission; selective majors require higher overall, series and group GPAs; the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) has different GPA requirements by college.
• Class standing: very few lower-division transfers are admitted; the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences occasionally considers students with less than junior standing, and all other divisions consider only junior-level transfers.
• Selective-major requirements for transfers: the list is grouped by college (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Letters and Science, Graduate School of Management) and contains no public health major; the pages also say nothing about any major’s link to the public health minor. The page warns that Biological Science (BIS) 002A/B/C/D will be discontinued; fall 2027 applicants use the ASSIST 2025-26 agreements, and later applicants should watch for new BIO course agreements.
• Dates: the application opens August 1; TAG applications run September 1-30 through the UC Transfer Admission Planner; the application filing period is October 1 to November 30.
• International transfers: international students can apply as transfers; you report all college coursework on the UC application, even if not transferable; final transfer-credit decisions are made only after you enroll; and each UC campus’s international admission specialist evaluates international records and determines transfer credit.
• Linking transfers to the public health minor: not published; contact the advisors.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• UC application due November 30, $80 fee; you apply to another major because there is no public health bachelor’s major
• After enrolling, add the 20-unit minor: SPH 101, SPH 190, one epidemiology course, one of SPH 104/113/114/120, and 8-9 units of electives
• A–G: math 3 years, lab science 2 years; GPA 3.00 for California residents, 3.40 for non-residents

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL iBT 4.5, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115 (University of California page); the application fee is $95
• No China entry on the country-specific page; the Gaokao, international scholarships and the funds amount are not published

Transfer students:

• 60 semester units; 7-course pattern; UC Davis minimum GPA 2.80; selective majors are higher; priority goes to California community college transfers

Sources: UC Davis 2026-27 General Catalog: Public Health Sciences; Catalog: Public Health Sciences, Minor; Undergraduate Admissions; First-year admission; First-year requirements; International student admission; Exam and visa requirements for international applicants; Reporting first-year international records; Transfer admission; Transfer requirements; Selective major requirements (transfer); Cost and aid; University of California pages: Application fees and waivers; English language proficiency; Financial requirements for visas. Information is for fall 2027 entry (the cost page is the estimate for students first enrolling in 2026-27). Some pages print dates without a year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry; check UC Davis’s website for the latest.