Departments and Degrees Overview

The UCLA School of Public Health is comprised of five departments: Biostatistics, Community Health Sciences, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Health Services. In addition, there are two interdepartmental programs housed at the school: Environmental Science and Engineering and Molecular Toxicology.

Two different types of degrees are offered to prepare students for their chosen roles:

Professional Degrees which are the MPH (Master of Public Health) and DrPH (Doctor of Public Health). Programs leading to these degrees emphasize solving public health problems by applying professional disciplinary approaches and methods in a professional environment such as local, state or national public health agencies and health care organizations. These degrees are administered on a school-wide basis with specialization in a particular department.

Academic Degrees which are the MS (Master of Science) and PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). These degrees are intended to prepare students for research roles and settings, with programs that emphasize understanding of theoretical issues and the application of disciplinary methods to the study of public health problems in other than professional settings such as academic institutions and research institutes. Academic Degrees are offered and administered by each individual department.

Students must choose a department to specialize in regardless of the degree selected.