Certificate in Health, Culture, and Society
Introduction
The Certificate in Health, Culture, and Society allows students to use interdisciplinary approaches to explore and understand how health and health care operates in diverse cultural and social contexts. The certificate is designed for students who intend to enter a health profession, but it is open to undergraduate students from any college or major. The certificate is comprised of five courses (15 credit hours), including ANTH 216 Medicine, Culture, and Society, and one of a selection of courses that focus on an aspect of health or healthcare. Together, these two courses will help provide tools and perspectives by which students can come to understand the cultural and political components of health and well-being, and to critically examine the healthcare system.
The three elective courses which round out the program give students the chance to delve into the background, experiences, and unique challenges of different groups and populations who engage with healthcare systems. Because individuals’ experiences with both health generally and the medical system, specifically, are impacted by individual characteristics, it is important for health care professionals to have some insight into and understanding of who those people might be. The courses are chosen in consultation with the advisor and may focus on one group in depth or may cover multiple groups. For purposes of this certificate, “groups” of individuals is broadly defined; they may share culture, religion, gender, age, or life history traits.
For more information, please access the Certificate catalog entry or contact our Director of Undergraduate Studies.
