Global Health (Minor)
To see more about what you will learn in this program, visit the Learning Outcomes website!
The minor in Global Health provides undergraduate students with an understanding of current global health challenges, and an appreciation of interdisciplinary approaches to addressing global health needs. Offered by the Department of Biological Sciences, the Global Health Minor is available to all baccalaureate degree students at North Carolina State University. This minor is especially appropriate for (but not limited to) students majoring in the life sciences,social sciences, engineering and international studies. At least 9 credit hours of the minor must be completed at NC State.
Admission to the Minor
Students who plan to minor in Global Health should contact the contact person listed below for information on how to do so. Students are strongly encouraged to declare the minor early in their studies so they receive information on relevant courses, events, and other opportunities from the Department of Biological Sciences.
Completion of the Minor
All requirements for the minor must be completed no later than the semester in which the student expects to graduate from his or her major degree program. Students apply to graduate in the minor through MyPack at the same time that they apply to graduate in their major program.
Contact
Contact Person
Dennis Kauffman
Bostian Hall 2727
919.515.3341
BioSciHelp@ncsu.edu
Coordinator
Dr. Julie Casani
Student Health Services
919.513.3290
jpppiero@ncsu.edu
SIS Code: 17GHM
Plan Requirements
The Global Health Minor consists of a minimum of 18 credit hours.
- A grade of C- or better is required for all minor courses and a 2.0 GPA in the minor is required for graduation.
- No more than one course used in the minor can be taken for credit only (S/U).
- Courses taken for the minor can also be used toward major requirements, GEP Electives or Free Electives.
- At least 9 credit hours of the minor must be completed at NC State.
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 6 | ||
| Fundamentals of Global Public Health | |||
| Epidemiology and Statistics in Global Public Health | |||
| Elective Courses | |||
| Group I: Societal Aspects of Global Health | 6 | ||
Select two of the following: 1 | |||
| Disease and Society | |||
| Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Living | |||
| Introduction to International Studies | |||
or IS 393 | Theories of Globalization | ||
| Public Health Nutrition | |||
or SOC 350 | Food and Society | ||
| Global Justice | |||
| Health, Wellness and the Pursuit of Happiness | |||
| International Law | |||
| Global Environmental Politics | |||
| Community and Health | |||
| Sociology of Medicine | |||
| Bio-Medical Ethics | |||
| Introduction to Gerontology: An Interdisciplinary Field of Practice | |||
| Hunger and Homelessness | |||
| Women and Health | |||
| Group II: Scientific Aspects of Global Health | |||
| Select two of the following: 1 | 6 | ||
| Urban Ecology | |||
| Quantitative Approaches to Biological Problems | |||
| Insects and People | |||
| Water and the Environment | |||
or AEC 380 | Water Resources: Global Issues in Ecology, Policy, Management, and Advocacy | ||
| Human Dimensions of Climate Change | |||
or ES 200 | Climate Change and Sustainability | ||
| Fundamentals of Air Pollution | |||
| The Fourth Horseman: Plagues that Changed the World | |||
or MB 411 | Medical Microbiology | ||
| Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases | |||
| The Worm's Tale: Parasites In Our Midst | |||
| Poisons, People and the Environment | |||
| Total Hours | 18 | ||
- 1
Take 2 courses in each group, unless you replace one of those courses with 3 credits of the Experiential Learning Option (see below).
Experiential Learning Option
You can use up to 3 credits of relevant experiential learning toward Electives. The focus of the research or immersion experience must be in global health, and the experience must be approved by the Minor Coordinator (through review of the signed agreement for that experience) prior to your beginning the work. Research and immersion experience must address at least one of the core elements of global health: social determinants of health, implementation or evaluation of a global health program, or investigation that impacts global health.
Other Relevant Courses
Other relevant courses, including some capstone and special topics course offerings, can be approved by the Minor Coordinator on a case-by-case basis after review of the syllabus and discussions with the course instructor where necessary. These courses must address at least one of the core elements of global health: social determinants of health, implementation or evaluation of a global health program, or investigation that impacts global health. Email BioSciHelp@ncsu.edu with course information that you would like considered.
Pre-requisite Course Notification
A number of courses in the minor require prerequisite courses. Thus, the minor is not one that is begun in the freshman year, but later on, after foundation courses in science, social science and humanities have been taken. Still, it is best to think about this minor as early as possible in your academic career so that you can incorporate any prerequisites for future minor courses into your existing degree requirements. Allowances for counting a course toward both a major and a minor differ between Colleges at NC State.