Health: Science, Society, and Policy Program

1.     The Internship Seminar is usually 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).
• 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.  
• All internships must be pre-approved via email by Professor Darren Zinner, HSSP’s Internship Instructor.   There is no deadline for seeking such pre-approval.  

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 1) complete your Internship during the summer then take HSSP 89a during the academic year or 2) your Internship concurrently while you are taking HSSP 89a. You cannot take the Seminar before you take the Internship.

Before Your Internship:   Before starting your internship, it must be pre-approved in writing by Professor Darren Zinner If you have questions, email Professor Darren Zinner to discuss your options.

How to find an Internship:  Students are responsible for finding their own internships.  A great place to start is making an appointment with the internship advisors at the Hiatt Career Center.  As you apply to internships, give yourself plenty of time.

The Pre-Approval Process:  As soon as you have secured an internship, complete the HSSP 89a Internship Approval Form, Professor Darren Zinner will then review your submission and notify you 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.  

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

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

Justice Brandeis Semester (JBS) programs are immersive academic programs that integrate classroom learning with real-world experiences to explore a topic in depth. JBS programs are small (class size), intense, and focus on practical skill development.

Note: Students must apply to JBS programs. 

Health, Law & Justice – Co-taught by Profs. Sarah Curi and Alice Noble

• HL&J is designed for students with career interests in public policy, medicine and healthcare, law, ethics, business, and social research, and for any student curious to understand how the American health care system works in practice.
• HL&J is 12 credits (3 courses): LGLS 114aj - American Health Care: Reform (Core HSSP Policy Course or Focal Area C), LGLS 131bj - Patient Autonomy: Law, Medicine & Ethics (Focal Area C), and LGLS 98bj - Independent Research (counts as HSSP HOE).

Note:  These courses may also count for credit in other majors/minors.

Commitment - One semester during the Summer (e.g., 10 weeks during the summer).

Approval Process

1. Declare HSSP major
2. Apply to a JBS program – the application process begins at the start of the Spring semester.

Key Contact -   - jbsprogram@brandeis.edu or the Director of Summer and Continuing Studies, Phil Dolan.

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 major, review How to declare (or change) your HSSP Major or Minor to learn more about meeting with Prof. Sarah Curi, our HSSP Undergraduate Advising Head (UAH).