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Global Health Studies

The Global Health Studies Program examines how dynamic processes of change affect health worldwide. It views health issues and health care in developing and developed countries, including the United States, in light of themes, processes, and institutions that influence health and disease. Among these are technology, culture, politics, religion, legal structure, history, and economy.

The Global Health Studies Program emphasizes career and vocational aspects of global health work. It provides an understanding of related phenomena, such as infections and chronic diseases, fitness and longevity, climate change and natural disasters, environmental hazards, use of illicit and proprietary drugs, interventions against violence, war and injuries, new biomedical technologies, reproductive health and family planning, links between health and human rights, health care services and insurance programs, and non-Western health cultures and alternative therapies.

It also promotes an institutional focus that enables students and faculty members from different departments, colleges, and disciplines University-wide to meet on the common ground of their shared interests in global health issues.

The program attracts undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from a wide range of disciplines: public health, health and pre-health sciences, health economics, nursing, social sciences, environmental engineering, anthropology, history, law, business, journalism, social work, and education.

The program offers the Certificate in Global Health Studies for undergraduate and graduate students and a minor in global health studies for undergraduates.

Certificate

The Certificate in Global Health Studies requires 25 s.h. and is open to undergraduate and graduate students. It requires core courses, electives, and health or environmental health-related research, usually in a foreign country. Courses may be chosen from those offered by the Global Health Studies Program (see "Courses" below) and by other departments and programs (see "Approved Electives"). Students may be granted credit toward the certificate for course work they completed up to two years before beginning the program.

Students must maintain a g.p.a. of 3.00 or higher in work for the certificate.

To enter the program, students must already be enrolled at The University of Iowa. To apply, they must complete the certificate program application form, available from the Global Health Studies Program office.

Certificate requirements are as follows.

CORE COURSES

Students complete the following. 

ELECTIVES

Students complete 17 s.h. of approved electives, including at least 9 s.h. in residence at The University of Iowa. Students may petition to take courses not on the approved list (see "Courses" and "Approved Electives"), providing they can show that the courses include substantial material related to global health. Contact the Global Health Studies Program for details.

FOREIGN STUDY OR RESEARCH

Students must complete a study or research project of six to eight weeks duration, typically in a foreign setting but under some circumstances in the United States. They may develop and conduct a research project, participate in a health-related study abroad program, assist a faculty member with research, or complete an internship on a global/environmental health issue.

Projects require approval by the Global Health Studies Program steering committee and must be supervised by a faculty member. Students may apply up to 8 s.h. of academic credit for research or internship experiences to the elective requirement.

Financial support may be available for some projects. Contact the Global Health Studies Program.

Foreign Language Study

Students should complete four semesters of modern language study or course work that fulfills or is equivalent to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program foreign language component. This certificate requirement can be waived for students whose first language is not English.

The Global Health Studies Program steering committee may require students to take additional language study in preparation for a research or internship program. Students interested in learning an infrequently taught language to facilitate their participation in a foreign experience should investigate the Autonomous Language Learning Network (ALLNET) of International Programs.

Unless foreign language course work is integral to a study abroad program, it may not count toward the 25 s.h. required for the certificate.

Public Presentation

During the semester following the foreign experience, students present their foreign research project results to a special session of  152:150 Research Design in Global Health or to an equivalent public forum, such as a departmental seminar. Students also must submit a two- to three-page project report summarizing their research, study abroad, or internship experiences.

Approved Electives

In addition to courses offered by the Global Health Studies Program (see "Courses"), students may use the following courses to complete requirements for the certificate or minor.

Aging Studies 

Anthropology 

Community and Behavioral Health 

Economics 

Education 

History 

Literature, Science, and the Arts 

Nursing 

Occupational and Environmental Health 

Public Health 

Minor

The minor in global health studies requires a minimum of 15 s.h., including 12 s.h. in advanced courses taken at The University of Iowa. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass.

The minor is interdisciplinary, designed for undergraduates who wish to study health issues in a global context. It draws on a set of courses offered by the Global Health Studies Program and the Departments of Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Sociology, and Psychology; the Program in Literature, Science, and the Arts; and the Colleges of Engineering, Law, Nursing, and Public Health, and the Carver College of Medicine.

Students may choose from those offered by the Global Health Studies Program (see "Courses") or by other departments and programs (see "Approved Electives"). They should choose course work from at least two different disciplines and are strongly encouraged to include a core course from those listed under requirements for the certificate. A period of study abroad focused on global health issues is highly recommended.

Each student's plan of study for the minor is developed according to the student's interests and in consultation with a program advisor.

Activities and Resources

The Global Health Studies Program organizes both on-campus and international activities and research opportunities for students and faculty members, enabling them to become acquainted with major global health issues. Several scholarships, academic fellowships, international fellowships, and research and study abroad programs supplement the global health studies certificate program. These are sponsored by the University and a variety of agencies. Contact the Global Health Studies Program for details.