At UC Santa Cruz, the Global and Community Health Program embodies the university’s mission of discovery and service without boundaries—advancing health, equity, and wellbeing for communities both locally and around the world. Our world-class scholars, researchers, and students work hand in hand with communities to address the most urgent health challenges of our time, finding big, bold, and practical solutions that improve lives while shaping a more just and sustainable future.
Interdisciplinary and collaborative by design, the UCSC Global and Community Health Research Collaborative unites expertise across the natural and social sciences to tackle issues that exist at the intersection of biology, environment, and society. With strengths in genomics, the biology of neglected diseases and cancers, environmental and agricultural health, and the political and economic determinants of wellbeing, our researchers are advancing knowledge where it matters most. Their work bridges five divisions of the university, connecting scientists and social scientists in a shared commitment to social justice, diversity, and the health of people and the planet.
Our researchers don’t just study communities—they work within them. Whether it’s partnering with Central Coast farmworker communities to address the health impacts of climate change, collaborating with unhoused populations, or supporting those affected by addiction, UCSC scholars combine rigorous science with deep community engagement.
The Global and Community Health B.S. major builds on this ethos of integration and impact. Designed for students aspiring to careers in medicine, public health, and patient care, the program explores the biological foundations of health and disease alongside the social, political, and environmental factors that shape them. With concentrations in biomedical science and public and community health, students learn to connect scientific discovery with the lived realities of people and communities worldwide.
The Global and Community Health B.A. provides an interdisciplinary education on collective human health and wellbeing. Students understand the biological, environmental, social, cultural, institutional, and public policy-based dimensions of public health. This includes applying these competencies through informed-analysis and real-world practice, with endless opportunities for experiential learning. The degree provides a strong foundation for future careers in health care, public health, and environmental health.
Through its research, teaching, and community partnerships, Global and Community Health at UC Santa Cruz is shaping the next generation of scientists, practitioners, and changemakers—advancing a vision of health that is inclusive, evidence-based, and rooted in care for both people and the planet.