About the SPH

The School of Public Health (SPH) at San Diego State University (SDSU) is one of four nationally accredited schools of public health in California, and located in one of the most vibrant and culturally diverse areas in the country, the SPH provides many opportunities for education, research, and community involvement to advance the state of knowledge in different health disciplines and to improve the population’s health.

The GSPH is housed in SDSU's iconic Hardy Tower — The SPH main office is in SDSU’s iconic Hardy Tower

The SPH provides both undergraduate and graduate education in population-based health disciplines to prepare students for professional health and public health careers, and to enhance the knowledge and abilities of current health professionals. Opportunities for education extend beyond the formal classroom through interactions with faculty on research projects and opportunities to become actively engaged in local and regional community service activities.

The SPH enjoys special collaborative arrangements with the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, and other local, regional, and national health organizations.

The School of Public Health has had decades of accomplishment from faculty, staff, alumni and students. Since the School of Public Health’s founding in 1981, the School has grown and expanded exceptional programming, with offerings in Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Management and Policy, and Health Promotion and Behavioral Science to undergraduate, masters, and doctoral level students. The depth and quality of work produced by, and education provided through, SDSU SPH are well recognized. Despite its relatively small size, the school was awarded a record $24 million in external grants and contracts during the 2020-21 fiscal year from sources that include the National Institutes of Health.

Our School is ranked in the top 10% of Public Health Schools and Programs nationwide, and 4th in the Top 25 MPH Public Health Degrees
#19 ranked SPH of 190 schools assessed by US News & World Report (2022) and #3 In California
(behind UC Berkeley and UCLA)
We are the #10 public SPH in the country
Our school serves over 1,000 students across degree programs and modalities
We were proud to be finalists for the 2021 ASPPH Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service