Community Health, Community Health Education Concentration, B.A.

The B.A. program in Community Health equips students with multiple frameworks for practicing a justice-oriented approach to community health. The Community Health program examines how social and physical environments intersect with personal behavior and how these factors impact access to and utilization of health promoting programs. While gaining the knowledge and skills to aid individuals in improving their health, students in this program will examine the systemic changes needed to support the health and wellbeing of marginalized populations on individual and population levels.

Students in the Community Health program can select the Health Advocacy/ Patient Navigation or Community Health Education concentration. The concentration in Health Advocacy/Patient Navigation enables students to increase the capacities of healthcare systems through case management, assistance to patients in navigating the financial realities of healthcare, and translation and interpretation within the healthcare setting. The concentration in Community Health Education enables students to study in depth the dynamics of working with people to support health at community and population levels.

With Option to Pursue Certification:

Certified Patient Advocate

Certified Professional Patient Navigator

Oncology Patient Navigator Certified Generalist (OPN-CG)

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)

Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree requires a total of 120 units. Students must fulfill General Education & All-University Requirements , residency, unit, and GPA requirements as outlined in the Bachelor’s Degree Requirements .

Major Academic Plan, Community Health, Community Health Education Concentration B.A.

Program MAPs represent recommended or possible pathways toward degree completion in four years (or two years for transfer students). Please see an advisor and use the DARS planner to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs.

Community Health, Community Health Education Concentration, B.A. MAP

Community Health, Community Health Education Concentration, B.A. Transfer MAP

Requirements for the Major (65 Units)

Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in all required courses.

Lower Division (16 Units)

HED 100 - Introduction to Health and Well-Being Units: 3
HED 210 - Health Care Systems and Health Policy Units: 3
HED 211 - Health Advocacy and Justice in Medicine Units: 3
HED 231 - Basic Human Nutrition Units: 3
KINS 244 - Medical Terminology Units: 1
PSYC 104 - Introduction to Psychology Units: 3

Upper Division (40 Units)

ECON 335 - Healthcare Economics Units: 3
ENST 471 - Environmental Health Justice Units: 3
ES 309 - Health Issues in African American Communities Units: 3
ES 311 - Issues in Latinx American Health Units: 3
HED 343 - Food, Health, and Society Units: 3
HED 345 - Health Messaging and Mass Media Units: 3
HED 388 - Community Based Health Promotion Units: 3
HED 390 - Design and Implement HP Program Units: 3
HED 412 - Epidemiology Units: 3
HED 482 - Community Health Practicum/Internship Units: 1-6 (4 units required for the major)
HED 490W - Community Health Capstone Units: 3
NAS 305 - Native American Health Units: 3
NAS 400 - Decolonizing Public Health Units: 3

Community Health Education Concentration (9 Units)

Students select nine units of in-depth study of community health in consultation with their major advisor. Suggested courses:

ANTH 235 - Act to End Sexualized Violence Units: 1
ANTH 305 - Human Evolutionary Health Units: 3
ANTH 308 - Sustainable Food Systems Units: 3
COMM 315 - Communication and Social Advocacy Units: 4
CRGS 321 - Trans* Lives and Theory Units: 3
ENGL 307 - Arts-Based Programs in Health Units: 3
KINS 339 - Group Exercise Instruction Units: 2
NAS 312W - Grant Writing for Social and Environmental Justice Units: 4
PSYC 473 - Substance Use and Addiction Units: 3
REC 302 - Inclusive Recreation Units: 3
RS 305W - Yoga: Spiritual Practice and Applied Health Units: 3
STAT 109 - Introductory Biostatistics Units: 4
WS 436 - Human Sexuality Units: 3

Program Learning Outcomes

Understand the methods for identifying factors influencing population health, and potential targets for intervention.
Describe the role that social, environmental, and personal health behaviors play in shaping community health.
Effectively communicate community health information in both oral and written forms through a variety of media and to diverse audiences.
Demonstrate ability to locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize community health information.
Guide access to, and navigation of, systems and institutions of healthcare as well as community-based services and resources; optimize patient and family empowerment, self-efficacy, and wellness.
Assess barriers to health care access and engage community members in creating potential solutions to these barriers.
Recognize cultural difference and the relationship between culture and health; critique normative, biased and ableist definitions of health; address disparities and forms of discrimination in healthcare; advance health equity through stewardship and advocacy.
Plan community health programs with awareness of structural and social determinants of health.
Identify strategies to employ for self-care and resiliency to avoid burn-out.