2024-25 CATALOG YEAR

Introduction

As students build expertise in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, the interdisciplinary minor in Health and Society will allow them to explore how social, cultural, biological, and environmental factors contribute to the complexities of individual and population health. Students will learn to recognize the complicating factors that affect the application of biomedicine to human health and will gain an understanding of the intersection of human health and social inequalities in both local and global contexts. 

The Health and Society minor is designed to augment pre-professional course work for any career in health care, including nursing, medicine, health care administration, public health, physical or occupational therapy, and genetic counseling. In addition to gaining facility with multiple disciplinary frameworks related to wellness, disability, and illness, students will be asked to explore and assess their own values, experiences, and skills relative to possible career paths within health care or public health. The courses in this minor will prepare students for meaningful lives of service with a broad liberal arts approach, which includes an understanding of the intersection of society, environment, and human health.


Required for the minor in health and society

The minor in health and society requires 6 1/3 courses or 5 1/3 courses + 100 hours of engaged learning.  Courses from three different departments are required to complete the minor (prerequisites for elective courses are indicated in parentheses):

  1. One course that places medical practice in a global or community setting:
     
    1. UNIC 202: Foundations of Global Health (sophomore standing)
    2. ANTH 342: Medical Anthropology (ANTH 110, 140, or 141)
    3. ETST 303: Race, Ethnicity, and Health (sophomore standing)
    4. PHIL 120: Biomedical Ethics
       
  2. Two of the following courses covering cultural and psychosocial aspects of health and illness or disability:
     
    1. ANTH 377: Culture and Aging (ANTH 110 or sophomore standing)
    2. ANTH 542: Anthropology and Public Health (junior standing and ANTH 342 or 340 or PHIL 120)
    3. ANTH 551: Anthropology of Biomedicine (junior standing and ANTH 342 or 200 or PHIL 120)
    4. ANTH 552: Disability and Culture (junior standing and ANTH 110 or 342 or PHIL 120)
    5. ENST 127: Environmental Justice and Citizenship
    6. PHIL 370: Advanced Studies in Bioethics (PHIL 120)
    7. PSYC 245: Health Psychology (sophomore standing; not to be taken by students taking PSYC 270)
    8. PSYC 250: Psychopathology (PSYC 100 or sophomore standing)
    9. PSYC 260: Developmental Psychology (PSYC 100 or sophomore standing)
    10. PSYC 335: Clinical Psychology (PSYC 281 and 250 or 290)
    11. PSYC 350: Psychopharmacology & Behavior (sophomore standing; 1 biology course recommended)
    12. Additional core course(s) from above: UNIC 202 or ANTH 342 or ETST 303
       
  3. Two courses in the biological, biochemical, or environmental basis of human health:
     
    1. ANTH 340: Human Biology, Evolution, and Health (ANTH 140, ANTH 141, ANTH 142, BIOL 135, BIOL 150, or consent of instructor)
    2. ANTH 344: Nutritional Anthropology (ANTH 140 or 141 or 142 or consent of instructor)
    3. BIOL 100: The Biology of Human Reproduction OR BIOL 103: Biotechnology & Society
    4. BIOL 222: Parasitology (BIOL 130 and 150)
    5. BIOL 226: Microbiology (BIOL 130 and 150)
    6. BIOL 260: Genetics (BIOL 130 or ANTH 140 or 141)
    7. BIOL 370: Human Physiology (BIOL 130 and 150)
    8. BIOL 430/431: Immunology (430: BIOL 130 and 150 and junior standing; 431: junior standing only)
    9. GEOS 125: Natural Hazards
    10. GEOS 213: Geology & Health – (GEOS 110, ENST 150, or CHEM 116)
    11. HESO 343: Understanding Diabetes: Causes, Consequences, Strategies (sophomore standing & one course in biology)
    12. UNIC 189: Introduction of Public Health and Epidemiology (First Year Studies)
       
  4. HESO 380: Health Career Exploration and Self-Reflection
     
  5. One additional elective from the lists above OR UNIC 301 OR Engaged Learning: a minimum of 100 hours of internship, paid employment, or volunteer work in the area of health care delivery, policy, or other work with vulnerable populations. This work need not be credit-bearing, but must be registered through The Career Center.

Students may wish to emphasize certain aspects of health and society.  For example, students with interests in gender and health would be well served to include one or more of the following courses: ANTH 342, PSYC 245, BIOL 260, and GEST 100. Those interested in Global Health issues should consider UNIC 189, UNIC 202, ETST 303, BIOL 222, GEOS 125 and GEOS 213.


Loading...