Overview
The undergraduate major in Global Health Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary perspective to understanding how issues surrounding global health relate to the greater impacts on society, culture, and the environment. This major combines social science and humanist perspectives and crosses the disciplines of anthropology, religious studies, geography, regional studies, classics, history, literature, and sociology.
The GHS major offers two tracks: Global Health in the Humanities (30 credits), Global Health in the Social Sciences (30 credits). The Humanities track will fulfill the Arts & Humanities area of knowledge requirement. The Social Sciences track will fulfill the People & Society area of knowledge requirement.
Whereas medicine as a field addresses disease diagnosis and care, the field of global health is much broader, and still being defined. Global health in the social sciences encompasses disease prevention, education, health policy, access, and resiliency. Global health in the humanities examines the history and cultural significance of medicine and health from ancient times to today. This major provides students with the opportunity to explore the cultural and social aspects of health and underlying causes that affect the well-being and provide an important interdisciplinary platform for the empirical and theoretical interaction of humanists and social scientists.
Curriculum Requirements
Humanities Track
(Arts and Humanities)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| or WRS 107 | First-Year Writing II: STEM | |
| or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| MTH 108 | Precalculus Mathematics II | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts & Humanities Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
| People and Society Cognate | 9 | |
| STEM Cognate | 9 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
| Language Requirement | 3-9 | |
| Minor Requirement | 15 | |
| Electives | 39 | |
| Required Core Course | ||
| GHS 201 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 |
| Methods Course (Choose 3 credits) | 3 | |
| Hospital Ethnography | ||
| Introduction to Social Research | ||
| Geographic Research Methods | ||
| Introduction to Biobehavioral Statistics Section B | ||
| Policy Course (Choose 3 credits) | 3 | |
| Global Health Policy and Ethics | ||
| Applied Health Policy | ||
| Globalization and Change in World Politics | ||
| Humanities Track Required Courses (Choose 6 credits) | 6 | |
| Religion and Medicine: Health Care as Spiritual Practice | ||
| Religion and Bioethics | ||
| Ancient Medicine | ||
| Biomedical Ethics | ||
| Humanities Track Electives (Choose 9-12 credits)* | 9-12 | |
| Principles of Cultural Anthropology | ||
| The Sounds of the World's Languages | ||
| The Evolution of Language | ||
| Caribbean Cultures | ||
| Violence and Ritual | ||
| Interpreting Bodies | ||
| Methods of Anthropological Research | ||
| Medical Terminology | ||
| Sexuality and Gender in the Ancient World | ||
| Magic and the Occult in Antiquity | ||
| Sciences in Ancient Greece and Rome | ||
| Ancient Medicine | ||
| Literature and Medicine | ||
| Sociocultural Foundations of Global Health | ||
| Hospital Ethnography | ||
| Topics in Global Health Studies: Humanities | ||
| Advanced Seminar in Global Health Studies: Humanities | ||
| Global Health Response to Disasters: From Management to Recovery and Reconstruction | ||
| Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Gender, Race, and Class | ||
| LGBTQ Communities | ||
| Issues in Reproductive Medicine | ||
| Mental Illness, Gender, and Psychiatry | ||
| Gender and Language | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Cultural Context | ||
| The Scientific Revolution | ||
| Science and Society | ||
| Culture, Civilizations and Religion in International Relations | ||
| Interdisciplinary Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies | ||
| Interdisciplinary Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies-Travel Course | ||
| Topics in Comparative Cultural Studies | ||
| Comparative Topics in Gender and Sexuality | ||
| Migration Studies | ||
| The Caribbean through Literary and Cultural Studies | ||
| Studies in Literature, Culture, and Science | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy and Health Sciences | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| History and Philosophy of Science | ||
| Biomedical Ethics | ||
| Evidence and Knowledge in Medicine | ||
| Cultural, Values, Religiosity, and Mental Illness | ||
| Religion and Medicine: Health Care as Spiritual Practice | ||
| Religion and Gender | ||
| Death and Dying | ||
| Religion and Science | ||
| Religion and Bioethics | ||
| Spiritual Healing in the Americas from Controversy to Cure | ||
| Medical, Cultural and Bioethical Debates in Spanish | ||
| Capstone Experience | 3-6 | |
| The capstone experience must focus on issues/experiences related to global or planetary health. Students will be able to choose between the following capstone experiences. | ||
| Global Health Studies Senior Thesis I: Humanities and Global Health Studies Senior Thesis II: Humanities | ||
| Global Health Internship | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- *
Electives outside the College of Arts & Sciences may be taken with permission of the GHS Director and the Course Instructor.
Social Sciences Track
(People and Society)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| or WRS 107 | First-Year Writing II: STEM | |
| or ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| MTH 108 | Precalculus Mathematics II | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 9 | |
| People & Society Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
| STEM Cognate | 9 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
| Language Requirement | 3-9 | |
| Minor Requirement | 15 | |
| Electives | 39 | |
| Required Core Course | ||
| GHS 201 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 |
| Methods Course (Choose 3 credits) | 3 | |
| Hospital Ethnography | ||
| Introduction to Social Research | ||
| Geographic Research Methods | ||
| Introduction to Biobehavioral Statistics Section B | ||
| Policy Course (Choose 3 credits) | 3 | |
| Global Health Policy and Ethics | ||
| Applied Health Policy | ||
| Globalization and Change in World Politics | ||
| Social Sciences Track Required Courses (Choose 6 credits) | 6 | |
| People, Plagues, and Pandemics | ||
| Health and Medical Geography | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Medical Sociology | ||
| Social Sciences Track Electives (Choose 9-12 credits)* | 9-12 | |
| HIV: Sex, Science, and Society | ||
| Medicine and Health Care in Society | ||
| Evolution of Human Behavior | ||
| Folk and Alternative Medicine: Psychedelic Plants in Cultural Context | ||
| Human Adaptation | ||
| Drugs and Culture | ||
| Medical Anthropology | ||
| Human Osteology | ||
| Bioarchaeology-Peopling the past | ||
| Paleopathology: Health and disease in ancient peoples | ||
| Methods of Anthropological Research | ||
| Advanced Medical Anthropology | ||
| Health Economics | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography | ||
| Health and Medical Geography | ||
| Geographic Research Methods | ||
| Sustainable Development | ||
| Sustainable Food Systems | ||
| Hazards and Disasters: The Nature-Society Interface | ||
| Climate Change, Sea Level Rise and Society | ||
| Landscape Character, Dynamics, Evolution; Influence on Societal Habitation and Risks | ||
| Population, Health, and Environment | ||
| Population, Sustainability, and the Media | ||
| Global Water Security Sustainability | ||
| Immigrant and Refugee Health | ||
| Climate Change and Public Health | ||
| Cities in Time and Space | ||
| GIS for Health and Environment | ||
| Climate Change and Security | ||
| Sociocultural Foundations of Global Health | ||
| Hospital Ethnography | ||
| People, Plagues, and Pandemics | ||
| Topics in Global Health Studies: Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Seminar in Global Health Studies: Social Sciences | ||
| Global Health Response to Disasters: From Management to Recovery and Reconstruction | ||
| Globalization and Health | ||
| Global Health and International Development | ||
| Disasters, Terrorism and Global Public Health | ||
| Global Perspectives | ||
| World in Crisis | ||
| Globalization and Change in World Politics | ||
| International Migration and the Health Care System | ||
| Introduction to Biobehavioral Statistics Section B | ||
| Relationships and Health | ||
| Interdisciplinary Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies | ||
| Interdisciplinary Topics in Latin American and Caribbean Studies-Travel Course | ||
| Drug Trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean | ||
| Refugees and Migrants | ||
| Politics of Globalism | ||
| Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Political Conflict | ||
| Gender and Politics | ||
| International Organizations | ||
| Social Movements | ||
| LGBTI Politics | ||
| Sex, Babies, and the State | ||
| Relationships and Health | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Cultural, Values, Religiosity, and Mental Illness | ||
| Social Epidemiology: Illness and Death in Society | ||
| Applied Health Policy | ||
| Population and Society | ||
| Violence in America | ||
| Sociology of Mental Health and Illness | ||
| Sociology of Drug Abuse | ||
| Aging in Society | ||
| Medical Sociology | ||
| Health Disparities in the U.S. | ||
| Capstone Experience | 3-6 | |
| The capstone experience must focus on issues/experiences related to global or planetary health. Students will be able to choose between the following capstone experiences. | ||
| Global Health Studies Senior Thesis I: Social Sciences and Global Health Studies Senior Thesis II: Social Sciences | ||
| Global Health Internship | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- *
Electives outside the College of Arts & Sciences may be taken with permission of the GHS Director and the Course Instructor.
Suggested Plan of Study
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
| MTH 108 | Precalculus Mathematics II | 3 |
| GHS 201 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 |
| STEM Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Language Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| WRS 106, 107, or ENG 106 | First-Year Writing II or First-Year Writing II: STEM or Writing About Literature and Culture | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences Track) or People and Society (Humanities Track) Cognate Course | 3 | |
| GHS Methods Course | 3 | |
| Language Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| GHS Track Required Course | 3 | |
| GHS Policy Course | 3 | |
| STEM Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Language Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GHS Track Elective | 3 | |
| GHS Track Required Course | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences Track) or People and Society (Humanities Track) Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| GHS Track Required Course | 3 | |
| GHS Track Elective | 3 | |
| STEM Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GHS Track Elective | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences Track) or People and Society (Humanities Track) Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| GHS Track Elective | 3 | |
| GHS Track Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GHS Capstone Course | 3 | |
| GHS Track Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Mission
The mission of the Global Health Studies program is to provide students with a multidisciplinary program that combines social science and humanist perspectives across disciplines that include anthropology, religious studies, geography, regional studies, classics, history, literature and sociology. Global health in the social sciences encompasses disease prevention, education, health policy, access and resiliency. In the humanities it examines the history and cultural significance of medicine and health from ancient times to today. Students in this program stand to benefit from the University’s advantageous geographic location that connects people and institutions from everywhere in the world. Miami, and the University, presents students with opportunities to examine the complex world of global health from multiple perspectives, participate in state of the art research, engage with a vibrant local and international community, and collaborate in developing sustainable solutions for global health issues.
Goals
The program aims for students to:
• Understand the complexities of global health issues from the social science and humanist perspectives
• Understand how issues surrounding global health relate to the greater impacts on society, culture and the environment
• Understand the cultural competencies, ethical challenges and sustainable solutions in addressing global health issues
• Understand health policy and governance at the local and global levels
• Acquire leadership and advocacy skills
• Gain quantitative and qualitative research skills to integrate stakeholders and researchers in the design, implementation, and interpretation of community-based participatory studies
• Prepare students to assist private, government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations formulate new global and community health strategies
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of cultural competencies, ethical challenges and sustainable solutions related to global health issues.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods within global health research.
- Students will be able to critically analyze global health issues from multidisciplinary perspectives, including social, economic, political and environmental factors that shape individual, community, and population health.
