Health: Science, Society, and Policy Program

1.     The Internship Seminar is offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters.
2.     The health-related Internship:  Each HSSP major is responsible for researching and securing their own health-related internship: ‘Health-related’ means related to science (e.g., natural sciences or medicine), society (e.g., the social sciences or public health), and/or policy (e.g., law, politics, or economics).

• All internships must be pre-approved via the HSSP Internship Approval Form, which, once submitted will be reviewed by the HSSP’s Internship Instructor.   There is no deadline for seeking such pre-approval.  
• Internships can be in person or online.
  • For summer internships, a minimum of 8 weeks and a minimum of 110 hours.
  • For internship during the academic year:  a minimum of 100 hours.
• Internships can be paid or unpaid.  

Examples of recently approved Internships include working in a lab on a health-related project, conducting health services research, shadowing physicians in clinical settings, or contact tracing as well as conducting public health, health economics, and health marketing projects.

When to complete the Internship:  Most HSSP majors complete their Internships in the summer before Junior or Senior year, however, some do so during the Academic Year.

When to take the Internship Seminar:  HSSP majors may complete the HSSP 89a: Internship Seminar at the same time or just after they complete their Internship.    Therefore, you may either complete your Internship 1) during the summer then take HSSP 89a during the academic year or 2) concurrently while you are taking HSSP 89a. The Seminar cannot be taken before the Internship begins.

Before Your Internship:   Before your internship begins, it must be pre-approved by the Internship Instructor via the HSSP Internship Approval Form. If you have questions, email the Internship Instructor to discuss your options.

How to find an Internship:  Students are responsible for finding their own internships.  Making an appointment with the internship advisors at the Hiatt Career Center is a great place to start.  As you apply to internships, give yourself plenty of time.  To give you any idea of the diverse opportunities for HSSP approved internships, here is a list of examples from Summer/Fall 2023.

The Pre-Approval Process:  As soon as you have secured an internship, complete and submit the HSSP 89a Internship Approval Form, Your submission will be reviewed and you will be notified by email of whether or not that internship meets the HSSP HOE Internship requirements.

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Note on Outside Internships: While HSSP credit is only available for internships completed in conjunction with HSSP 89a, regular Brandeis credit may be available for other internships. For example, other departments also offer internship courses, including LGLS 89a and SJSP 89a.  If students are considering substituting one of these courses for HSSP 89a, they should first contact Professor Zinner to receive pre-approval before petitioning.  

As part of the experiential Summer study abroad program in Mérida, Mexico , HSSP 137a counts as either your HOE or Focal Area C elective requirement (but not both).

HSSP137a - Contemporary Issues in Public Health in the Yucatan:                                                                  The increased diversity in the socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial composition of the local communities has presented health care providers with many new challenges when responding effectively to patients’ healthcare well-being. This course will expand on these, while providing the knowledge of the basics about healthcare in the Mexico and in Yucatan, examining the public and private health care systems of Mexico, mainstream and traditional care in the urban and rural setting, as well as a study of local prevailing health issues, from a cross-cultural competency to understanding the patients' expectations from their own cultural context.

This hands-on course invites students to address concrete social problems through public policy reform. It provides background in theories, advocacy skills, networks, and key players that drive the legislative process. Focusing on policy change at the statehouse level, students engage with elected officials and community organizations to advance key legislation affecting social welfare, health, education, and economic justice. Usually offered every Spring.  

Key Contact:  Prof. Melissa Stimell

Note:  You must notify Prof. Stimell of your plans of using LGLS 161b to fulfill your HSSP HOE and to work on a health-related final paper.

Combines fieldwork in domestic and sexual violence prevention programs with a fortnightly seminar exploring cultural and interpersonal facets of violence from a feminist perspective. Topics include theories, causes and prevention of rape, battering, child abuse, and animal abuse. Internships provide practical experience in local organizations such as rape crisis, battered women's violence prevention, and child abuse prevention programs. Usually offered every Fall.

Key contact:  Prof. Deirdre Hunter

Approximately 1/3 of HSSP students study abroad.  There are over 30 pre-approved HSSP Study Abroad HOE courses.  For more information, see HSSP Study Abroad.

Key Contact:  Office of Study Abroad

Plan Ahead - Failure to plan ahead could jeopardize your plans.  To choose many of these options you must have already declared your HSSP major.  When you are ready to declare your HSSP degree, review How to declare (or change) your HSSP Major or Minor to learn more about how to make your appointment with Prof. Sarah Curi, our HSSP Undergraduate Advising Head (UAH).

Under the direction of a member of the HSSP faculty or faculty sponsor approved by HSSP Chair, students conduct an intensive laboratory- or field-based project that culminates in a twenty- to twenty-five-page research paper.

Key Contact:  After identifying a Faculty sponsor, must seek approval of HSSP chair.

Undertaking a Senior Honors Thesis is a unique opportunity for you to develop and hone your intellectual ability to conceptualize, implement, and complete an original health-related field-based research project under the direction of your thesis advisor. A thesis provides a venue to undertake in-depth work with faculty on a topic of your choosing.  To learn more see Senior Honors Thesis.

Key Contact:  HSSP’s Senior Thesis Advisor:  Dr. Cindy Thomas