Office of Study Abroad

Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP)

A group of men blowing alphorns in Switzerland

Switzerland

The Health: Science, Society & Policy (HSSP) program encourages HSSP majors and minors to engage in study abroad programs.  Each year, approximately one-third of HSSP students participate in such programs.  In recent years, HSSP students have gone to Mexico, Chile, Denmark, England, Geneva, South Africa, Spain, and numerous other countries for their life-enriching study abroad experiences.

While some HSSP students do not take health-related courses abroad, others go abroad to expand their perspectives on health and health care, as well as cultural differences in understanding health, illness, and well-being. Many programs offer health-related internship and field experience components that fulfill the HSSP hands-on experience (HOE) requirement. 

Sample of approved programs with pre-approved health-related coursework:

Explore Pre-approved HSSP Courses abroad

If you are interested in Studying Abroad options:

Step 1 - Get Started:  Review the Office of Study Abroad’s "Get Started" resources to learn, for example,  how to create an online study abroad account, think about your goals and options, and learn about finances.

Step 2 - Research your Options:  Start your research into Programs and Courses that interest you:

  1. See this Sample of Approved Programs; and
  2. If you want to seek HSSP credit while abroad, explore over 175 pre-approved HSSP courses, including HOEs, on the Office of Study Abroad’s List of Pre-Approved Courses.   

Note:  Majors can take 2 for HSSP credit; Minors 1.   New courses will be added from time to time.

Step 3 - Read the FAQs: Carefully review the FAQS for earning HSSP credit while Study Abroad.

Step 4 - Meet with OSA:  Schedule a meeting with an Office of Study Abroad advisor.

Step 5 - Finalize your Plan:  Choose the course(s) you want to take and finalize your plan:

  1. Is the course already on this List?  And, is it approved by HSSP for what you plan to take it for (for example, HSSP Focal Area C or HOE)?  If so, note that on your Proposed Course Abroad form and you’re all set!  You don’t need any additional signatures because the course is pre-approved for what you want it for.  
  2. If a course or HOE you are interested in is health-related (i.e., has at least 50% health-related content) and is NOT on this List, then complete this Petition.  Prof. Curi will notify you whether or not the HSSP faculty has approved your petition. 

Note:  If the HSSP faculty doesn’t approve that course/HOE, then you may explore another option(s).

 Upon return from abroad: 

After returning from abroad,  Follow the Office of Study Abroad's Returning to Brandeis checklist, including attending their Re-Entry Workshop.  

Any pre-approved courses will be automatically transferred. If you are a major who took more than 2 pre-approved courses, please let the Office of Study Abroad know which course(s) you would like to transfer toward your HSSP major.


FAQs

Before contacting the HSSP Study Abroad Liaison with questions, please review the Steps above and the following FAQs.