This is an interdisciplinary minor for students preparing for professional or graduate training in a health care specialty. The minor is particularly suited for students majoring in a natural science (such as Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, or Psychology) who wish to take a suite of interdisciplinary courses that will provide them with perspectives from the social sciences and humanities on health care and related topics. In addition, students can take some courses for the minor that will provide them with useful skills or experiences for practicing medicine in a professional setting.
Faculty members of the Health Professions Advisory Committee oversee the minor program, advise students, and approve declaration and audit forms for individual students. The Health Professions Advisory Committee Chair acts as the program coordinator and approves all minor declarations and audits.
The Goals of the minor:
• Expose the participants to important issues of health care in America and other countries.
• Allow the participants to gain auxiliary skills vital to health professionals in the 21st century.
• Allow the participants to gain communication skills and to consider ethical foundations essential for health professionals.
The minor consists of a minimum of six of the following courses or internships or certifications, all of which should be unique to the minor. Special attention should be paid to completing some of the formal coursework in both the humanities and social sciences; the minor should be diverse with courses from several different disciplines. No more than three 100-level courses should be used to satisfy the minor.
Tier 1: At least three courses should come from the following list:
ANTH 260 Medical Anthropology
ANTH 341/441 Making Babies
BD(SOC) 295 Alcohol Use and Abuse
HIST 325 Medicine in Modern Europe
HIST 371 Life-Cycles in History
MDSC 307 Medicine and Society
PEW 150 Wellness
PHIL 156 Biomedical Ethics
PSYC 203 Introduction to Child Psychology & Human Development
PSYC 206 Sport and Exercise Psychology
PSYC 275 Human Sexuality
PSYC 221 Introduction to Psychopathology
REL 251 Revelation in Religion and Science
SOC 248 Medical Sociology
WMST 304 Medical Historiography
An HWS-sponsored Hospital Internship (50-60 hours) or EMT Certification
Selected courses abroad (approved by HPAC) in:
Galway, Ireland
Copenhagen, Denmark
An appropriate Independent Study approved by HPAC
Tier 2: Additional courses for the minor may come from this list:
ALST 200 Ghettoscapes
ALST 225 African American Culture
ANTH 110 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 205 Race, Class, Ethnicity
ANTH 220 Sex Roles: A Cross Cultural Perspective
DAN 225 Anatomy and Kinesiology
DAN 215 Movement for Athletes: Analysis & Performance
HIST 151 Food Systems in History
ECON 122 Economics of Caring
ECON 160 Principles of Economics
PEHR 212 Making Connections
PHIL 130 Moral Dilemmas: Limiting Liberty
PHIL 131 Moral Dilemmas: Doing the right thing
PPOL 120* Debate and Policy Analysis
PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 221 Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 224 Social Deviance
SOC 225 Sociology of Family
SOC 226 Sociology of Sex and Gender
SOC 241 Sociology of Sport
WRRH 351 The Science Beat
WRRH 352 Writing in the Professional Workplace
We encourage students to take 2 courses in Spanish Language (e.g., SPAN 101, 102, 121, 122, 203, 204). Two courses would give the participant a foundation to communicate with the increasing number of Americans for whom Spanish is their first language. If your career plans in health care would make another language desirable, two courses in a language other than Spanish can be incorporated into the minor with permission of your minor advisor and the Health Professions Advisory Committee Chair.
* (1/2 credit, must be taken twice to count towards the minor)
Examples of coursework for a Health Care Minor
| Example 1 | Example 2 |
|---|---|
| Spanish 121 | Economics 160 |
| Spanish 122 | Sociology 248 |
| MDSC 307 | History 325 |
| Economics 241 | WRRH 352 |
| Philosophy 156 | In Copenhagen: Human Health and Disease |
| GGH Internship | Biomedical Ethics |
If your major is not in the sciences, you should strongly consider taking a few science courses related to health care (such as biology or chemistry) in addition to the requirements of the minor. Your minor advisor can help you select science courses that are appropriate for your career goals. You should be careful to make sure you fulfill the science requirements for any post-graduate work you wish to pursue.
Theodore Allen, Physics
David Belding, Mathematics
Christine Dedenus, Chemistry
Mark Deutschlander, Biology and HP Committee Chair
Kristy Kenyon, Biology
Justin Miller, Chemistry
Erin Pelkey, Chemistry
Jim Ryan, Biology
Learn more about the Health Professions Advisory Program.
Find out about exciting careers available in Health Care.