Associate in Science Degree in Public Health
San Bruno, USA
Associate of Science
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
About: The Associate in Science (AS-T) in Public Health at Skyline College prepares students to transfer to the California State University (CSU) system for study in public and community health. You’ll study social determinants of health, health equity, environmental and social drivers of disease and strategies to reduce health disparities. Skyline offers in-person and Global Online Learning (GOL) options.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can work as community health educators, outreach workers, research assistants, health coaches and planners. Work settings include community health centers, hospitals, health agencies and schools. Career opportunities include community health worker, health educator, outreach coordinator and programme planner.
An Associate in Science in Public Health for Transfer (AS-T) from Skyline College is intended for students who are interested in transferring to a California State University (CSU) campus with a major in Public Health, or similar major. The program is designed to prepare students for advanced study in Public Health and Community Health Education. Students will examine individual and community health through a public health lens specifically analyzing the ways in which social determinants of health and health equity have an impact on society. Students will also explore the environmental, social, behavioral and political drivers of chronic and infectious diseases, health disparities, premature death, disease epidemics and strategies for addressing these issues.
Students completing an AS-T degree are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. Students transferring to a CSU campus that accepts the AS-T will be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn a bachelor's degree. This degree may not be the best option for students intending to transfer to a particular CSU campus or a university or college that is not part of the CSU system. Students should consult with a Skyline College counselor for further information about university admissions and transfer requirements. A grade of "C" or better, or "Pass" if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis, is required for each course applied to the major. Some major course requirements may also be applied to meet general education requirements.
In addition to in-person studies, most programs are available through the Global Online Learning (GOL) Program, which allows students to take classes fully online from their home countries.
Required Core: (13 - 14 units)
- Foundations of Community Health and Wellness
- Introduction to Public Health
- Introduction to Statistics
or
- Quantitative Reasoning in Psychology
or
- Statistics
- Principles of Biology
LIST A: Select one course (4-5 units) from the following:
- Human Anatomy
or
- Human Physiology
or
- General Microbiology
- Introductory Chemistry
or
- General Chemistry I
LIST B: Select one course (3 units)
- Health and Social Justice
LIST C: Select one of the following: (3-5 units)
- General Chemistry II
- Chemistry for Health Sciences
- General Physics I
- American Politics
- Developmental Psychology
Total Required Major Units: 30 - 33
General Education - Certified completion of the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
Starting Fall 2025, the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) became the singular general education pathway for California Community College students to fulfill lower-division general education requirements for transfer to both the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC).
Up to (13) major course units may be double counted to apply to meet general education requirements. This degree does not require the Skyline College Associate Degree requirements.
Elective courses: If applicable, additional courses to meet the minimum requirement of 60 CSU transferable units.
Please refer to Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) Requirements for more information.
Students completing this program will be able to:
- Identify and analyze the social determinants of health, including but not limited to public policy, socioeconomics, environmental factors, racial demographics and health disparities, that contribute to health and disease in society.
- Draw connections between the psychosocial, behavioral, biomedical and environmental aspects of human health.
- Apply basic statistical methods to measure and understand population health.
- Identify and analyze strategies to improve community health and promote health equity.
The San Mateo Colleges of Silicon Valley (SMCSV) offer more than 50 institutional scholarships each year, and all enrolled students are eligible to apply. Award amounts range from $300 to $7,000, helping make college more affordable. Students can also apply for external scholarships, such as the $1,000 Study in California Scholarship, to further support their educational journey.
A variety of career options exist for Public Health degree holders both at the associate and bachelor's levels. At the associate level, graduates may work as community health educators, community health outreach workers, health counselors or health research assistants. At the bachelor's level, graduates may work as any of the aforementioned as well as: health education coordinators, trainers, health program planners, health coaches, school-based health educators and more. Community health workers can work in a variety of settings including community health centers, schools, private medical offices and hospitals, county public health agencies, public health research projects and more.