Public Health

Get excited about one of the most important topics in lives and our world! Blending public health and psychology principles, will learn how to identify trustworthy health information, understand the psychological and social factors that shape access to healthcare, design impactful public health messages and explore career paths in psychology and public health. This program invites students to explore topics that are especially relevant to young and emerging adults, including stress, mental health, physical activity, relationships, financial wellness and technology use. Whether a student is interested in pursuing a health-related major, or wants to feel more empowered about their health, this course will equip them with essential skills in/out of the classroom.

Learn more about a major/minor and career path in Psychology and Public Health.

 

Learning Outcomes in this course

  • Build awareness of physical, mental and social health issues that impact young adults.

  • Understand psychological, behavioral and social factors of health decision making.

  • Evaluate health information, assess for credibility, and integrate information into decision-making processes.

  • Cultivate self-advocacy strategies.

  • Develop effective communication skills to promote positive, informed health decisions.

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When

Session Two
July 19 - July 31, 2026

Tuition

On-Campus Residential
$5,398 USD

Commuter
$2,998 USD

 

Proposed Activities

  • Students will visit French Hospital and Montana de Oro State Park to hear from a range of health care professionals.

 

Instructor

Kara Samaniego, MBA, Instructor at Cal Poly SLO

Professor Kara Samaniego holds a Master’s in Business Administration. She has over 13 years of experience in public health related fields, spanning from college health and violence prevention, to end-of-life care. Her research with the Kinesiology & Public Health Department explores sexual and reproductive health among college-aged populations

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Summer Springboard @ Cal Poly is a partnership between The Cal Poly Extended, Professional & Continuing Education and Summer Springboard (SSB), a leader in pre-college summer programs for teens. The purpose of the program is to expose students to Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy and to allow high school students to experience living on the campus of Cal Poly.