Social determinants of health are conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age, that have profound effects on health and health outcomes. Through online instruction, applied learning activities and assigned readings, you’ll explore major concepts within social and behavioral aspects of health that are used in public health practice and research. We will examine how an interconnected web of factors—from social identities such as race and ethnicity to social networks and neighborhoods to institutions and policies—can affect the health of individuals and communities. 

This course is ideal for anyone interested in working in the public health field, and it can be taken as part of the Public Health Certificate Program or as a standalone course.  

Learning Outcomes 

• Understand the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities  
• Gain familiarity with fundamental canonical theories, concepts and models from social and behavioral disciplines that are used in public health research and practice 
• Discover how structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and systemic levels 

Skills You'll Gain 

• Ability to use social and behavioral models in public health practice, research or policy  
• Familiarity with relevant public health literature and scientific publications  

Course Format and Pacing
This is an online course delivered through Canvas, UC Davis CPE’s learning management system. Course materials—including video lectures, readings, assignments, and discussion forums—are released on a structured, week-by-week schedule. Students move through the course together, with regular due dates to support consistent progress and engagement. Most learners can expect to spend approximately 9–11 hours per week engaging with course content and completing assignments.