HONORS INTEGRATED MINOR IN HEALTH
The Honors Integrated Minor in Health develops interdisciplinary, systems-level thinking around issues of population health in order to understand and address health outcomes and achieve greater health equity and healthy societies.
You will take courses in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences to develop a deep and nuanced understanding of the historical, social and environmental ecology of health and illness over place and time.
You will complete your Honors requirements in a coordinated fashion around a common theme and with a cohort of peers.
Faculty Director: Dr. Melissa Watt, Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences.
Administrative Support: Dominic Pecoraro, Associate Director of Special Programs, Honors College.
If you are an incoming or current Honors College student and are interested in applying, review more information below. The application is due April 1 and includes two short essay responses.
Global
Who: Up to 22 Honors students from any major will be admitted into the minor.
What: Coursework Schedule
- Fall 2024: HONOR 2114 – Intellectual Traditions: Health (3 credits)
- Spring 2025: HONOR 2951- Foundations of Global Health (3 credits) + HONOR 3602 – Intellectual Traditions: Africa
- Summer 2025: HONOR 3260 – Community Engagement for Health and Development (3 credits) + HONOR 3280 – Ecology and Evolution of Human Disease
- Fall 2025: HONOR 2311 – Writing and Health (3 credits)
Where: Students will participate in a 5-week Learning Abroad program in South Africa, which is offered in collaboration with the Organization for Tropical Studies
Cost: Approx. ~$8200 (including tuition, fees, room/board, etc.) plus airfare (~$1500-$2500) for the summer learning abroad. Need-based scholarships are available.
Applications for the 2024-25 cohort submitted after May 3 will be reviewed on a rolling basis through the summer.
“My experience in Rio Mesa helped me understand that the art of knowing, science, and/or ethics weaves together social and cosmological values. I used to wonder how the holistic view of body, mind, and spirit affected the way of living, but I am filled with gratitude to say that this journey has changed my perspective regarding spiritual well-being, as well as discovered a new respect for nature. Through this opportunity, I was able to get out of my comfort zone, and I am happy to say the course created a very special bond within my cohort, as well as memories that will forever be cherished.”
– Jessica Venegas
Utah
The local track focuses on US health disparities and includes local community engagement.
Who: Up to 20 Honors students from any major will be admitted.
Coursework Schedule:
- Fall 2024: HONOR 2114 – Intellectual Traditions: Health (3 credits) + HONOR 2455 – Social Determinants of Health (3 credits)
- Spring 2025: HONOR 2311 – Writing and Health (3 credits) + HONOR 3280 – Ecology and Evolution of Human Disease (3 credits)
- Fall 2025: HONOR 2118 – Intellectual Traditions: Land, Health, and Tradition (3 credits)
- +1 pre-approved minor elective completed in any semester prior to graduation (3 credits)
Cost: No additional cost beyond regular class tuition, fees, etc.
Where: Fall 2025 fall break trip to Rio Mesa
Applications for the 2024-25 cohort submitted after May 3 will be reviewed on a rolling basis through the summer.