An interdepartmental program in Health: Science, Society, and Policy

Last updated: July 5, 2016 at 1:23 p.m.

Objectives

The Health: Science, Society and Policy program, which draws on a considerable range and depth of expertise in the College of Arts and Sciences and The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, is designed to:

  • Expand students' understanding of the biological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors that promote health or cause illness.
  • Introduce students to the political, economic, legal, public-health, and organizational dimensions of health care systems in the United States and throughout the world.
  • Provide students with hands-on experience in either an internship (in a health-care delivery, public health or advocacy organization), a laboratory (studying the biological basis of health, behavior, or disease), or a field-based research project (investigating aspects of health or illness in a social context).
  • Provide students with the opportunity to integrate their academic coursework and supervised fieldwork or laboratory experiences across a number of health-related disciplines through a team-taught, capstone seminar.

This major draws upon courses in the social sciences, life sciences, and the fields of policy, law, and management, and is especially appropriate for students preparing for careers or further study in health and medicine as well as students who want to examine the issues and concerns of this important sector in society. The major can be completed with either a BA or the more science-intensive BS degree. The minor in HSSP is designed to provide an introduction to interdisciplinary study of health and medicine and to supplement a student's major(s).

Learning Goals

Health: Science, Society and Policy (HSSP) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major that focuses on health, health care, and health policy. Launched in 2003, HSSP is a unique program that draws from three of the major strengths of Brandeis: the life sciences, the social sciences, and the health policy expertise of the Heller School. HSSP students undertake four core courses: a core Science, a core Society course, a core Policy course, and HSSP 100b - Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Population Health, an important perspective rarely offered to undergraduates. In addition to the capstone for majors, the required hands on experience (HOE) enables HSSP majors to engage academic material experientially in a setting related to either health or health care. HSSP majors may fulfill their HOE with a health-related summer or semester internship, a field or lab based research project, a senior thesis, through a study abroad program, or a Justice Brandeis Semester.

There are few programs like HSSP in the country; the emphasis is studying multiple perspectives on health and health care. Many HSSP graduates go on to graduate or professional school in medicine, public health, nursing, health administration, physical therapy, health law, and other health related fields.

In pursuing the major, students can choose a BA version or the more science intensive BS. In both cases, students take four core courses, a hands on experience, and a senior capstone course. Additionally, BA majors have a choice of several electives, while BS majors must complete a series of basic science courses as well as a couple of electives. HSSP courses emphasize social science perspectives about health and illness, others that examine health policy issues, and courses that present scientific views of disease and treatment.

Knowledge: The HSSP major emphasizes knowledge and awareness of health from the perspectives of science, society and policy in both US and global contexts. HSSP students will achieve significant competency in understanding:

  • The nature of disease and illness from a basic scientific perspective;
  • The social and cultural contributions to health and illness;
  • The impact of health care system in diverse social and cultural settings;
  • How public policies in health and health care are developed, implemented and evaluated.

Core Skills: Students completing a major in HSSP will also acquire important core analytic thinking and quantitative reasoning skills including the ability to:

  • Synthesize information and perspectives from different disciplines, especially but not exclusively about health and health care;
  • Critically think about and evaluate health care system organization and delivery;
  • Provide a first hand experience with a health related organization; this teaches students how to function in and evaluate a "real world" situation beyond the classroom;
  • Critically evaluate health issues with epidemiology, basic biostatistics and quantitative reasoning;
  • Research health-oriented problems and analyze and communicate findings in both written and oral presentations.

Social Justice: The HSSP curriculum provides the tools for those committed to the Brandeis ideal of learning in service of social justice. The HSSP graduate will come away with a strong understanding of:

  • The social determinants of health and disease and health disparities and the impacts of social inequality on health;
  • Issues related to access of health care and health reform options;
  • Social and cultural differences that pertain to health;
  • Selected major bioethical issues.

Upon graduating many of our students take different health-related routes:

  • Enter graduate and professional schools for health-related professions and occupations including medicine, nursing, medical social work, podiatry, physical therapy and others;
  • Seek careers in public health and in public policy related to health and health care, often ultimately pursue further education in public health, law, government, business, and public policy;
  • Embark on careers in health-oriented research (often beginning with entry level positions and sometimes seeking advanced academic degrees);
  • Work in health-related domestic or international public sector agencies or NGOs or become involved with health services or health advocacy organizations, both domestic and international.

How to Become a Major or a Minor

Students can begin study in the HSSP major or minor with virtually any course in the program. Students are encouraged to begin taking their core "science" course, core "society" course, and their core "policy" course early in their pursuit of an HSSP major.

Students interested in majoring or minoring in HSSP should also review the major/minor requirements and then make an appointment with the program’s Undergraduate Advising Head (HSSP UAH) to declare their chosen HSSP degree and be assigned an HSSP adviser.

Core Faculty

Sara Shostak, Chair
(Sociology)

Darren Zinner, Associate Chair
(Heller School)

Peter Conrad
(Sociology)

Sarah Curi, Undergraduate Advising Head and Study Abroad Liaison
(Legal Studies)

Deborah Garnick
(Heller School)

Anita Hannig
(Anthropology)

James Morris
(Biology)

Sacha Nelson
(Biology)

Mayada Saadoun, Internship Instructor
(Heller School)

Cindy Parks Thomas, Honors Coordinator
(Heller School)

Judith Tsipis
(Biology)

Affiliated Faculty (contributing to the curriculum, advising and administration of the department or the program)
Stuart Altman (Heller)
Susan Birren (Biology)
Wendy Cadge (Sociology)
Joe Cunningham (Psychology)
Elaine Lai Fulton (Biology)
Laura Goldin (American Studies)
K.C. Hayes (Biology)
Liz Hedstrom (Biology)
Eli Hirsch (Philosophy)
Dominic Hodgkin (Heller)
Constance Horgan (Heller)
Derek Issacowitz (Psychology)
Nina Kammerer (Heller)
Margie Lachman (Psychology)
Walter Leutz(Heller)
Eve Marder (Biology)
Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson (Heller)
Joan Press (Biology)
Sharon Reif (Heller)
Lindsay Rosenfeld (Heller)
David Sherman (English)
Neil Simister (Biology)
Melissa Stimmel (Legal Studies)
Gina Turrigiano (Biology)
Larry Wangh (Biology)
Mick Watson (Psychology)
Jutta Wolf (Psychology)

Requirements for the Minor

To complete the minor, students must successfully complete the following six semester courses (four core courses and two electives):

A. One core "science" course: BIOL 14a (Genetics and Genomics), BIOL 15b (Cells and Organisms), BIOL 16a (Evolution and Biodiversity), or BIOL 42a (Physiology).

B. One core "society" course: SOC 191a (Health, Community, and Society).

C. One core "policy" course: HS 104b (American Health Care) or LGLS 114a (American Health Care: Law and Policy).

D. HSSP 100b (Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Health). Open to HSSP juniors and HSSP seniors, generally taken in the junior year. Offered in both fall and spring semesters.

Note: Entrance into HSSP 100b can only be guaranteed to those students who declare their HSSP minor before the end of their junior year, regardless of the number of satisfactorily completed courses.

E. One elective from any of the three focal areas.

F. One elective from one of the two remaining focal areas.

G. No course with a final grade below C- can count toward fulfilling the requirements for the minor in Health: Science, Society, and Policy. No course taken pass/fail may count toward the minor requirements.

Requirements for the Major

All majors are required to complete the four HSSP core courses plus HSSP 110a (Integrative Seminar on Health) and a hands-on experience course, as well as the elective requirements, which vary for the BA and the BS degrees.

Option I: The BA Degree in HSSP

A. One core "science" course: BIOL 14a (Genetics and Genomics), BIOL 15b (Cells and Organisms), BIOL 16a (Evolution and Biodiversity), or BIOL 42a (Physiology).

B. One core "society" course: SOC 191a (Health, Community, and Society).

C. One core "policy" course: HS 104b (American Health Care) or LGLS 114a (American Health Care: Law and Policy).

D. HSSP 100b (Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Health). Open to HSSP juniors and HSSP seniors, generally taken in the junior year. Offered in both fall and spring semesters. The Brandeis/Denmark Institute for Study-abroad (DIS) course Epidemiology: Danish Case Studies can substitute for HSSP 100b.

E. HSSP 110a (Integrative Seminar on Health). The capstone is open only to HSSP seniors in their final spring semester.

You may request to take HSSP 110a (Integrative Seminar on Health) in your junior year, if you:
1. Are graduating a semester early (i.e., December instead of May) and you have ready officially changed your graduation date, or
2. Have declared a double major in Education and HSSP or a major in HSSP and a minor in Education, because as an Education major/minor you must all teach in the Spring semester of your senior year.

F. A hands-on experience (HOE) chosen from the following options:

1) An internship seminar: HSSP 89a, ENVS 89a, LGLS 161b, PAX 89a, or WMGS 89a.
2) HSSP 98a or HSSP 98b (Independent Research in Health: Science, Society, and Policy).
3) HSSP 99d (Senior Research).
4) A health-related Justice Brandeis Semester (JBS) semester.
5) A health-related study abroad program.

Note: All majors must communicate their HOE choice, in writing, to the HSSP Internship Instructor. In addition, students who choose to complete their HOE through options 1 and 4 must also meet with the HSSP Internship Instructor in the fall of their sophomore or junior year for written internship pre-approval, before accepting/registering for that option. Students who choose to complete their HOE through option 5 must meet with the HSSP Study Abroad Liaison for pre-approval.

Students wishing to obtain a Bachelor of Arts (BA) must complete all the 6 required courses listed above, plus 4 elective courses:

G. One Focal Area A elective.

H. One Focal Area B elective.

I. One Focal Area C elective.

J. One additional elective from any of the three focal areas or a research methods course.

Option II: The BS Degree in HSSP

A. One core "science" course: BIOL 42a (Physiology).

B. One core "society" course: SOC 191a (Health, Community, and Society).

C. One core "policy" course: HS 104b (American Health Care) or LGLS 114a (American Health Care: Law and Policy).

D. HSSP 100b (Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Health). Open to HSSP juniors and HSSP seniors, generally taken in the junior year. Offered in both fall and spring semesters. The Brandeis/Denmark Institute for Study-abroad (DIS) course Epidemiology: Danish Case Studies can substitute for HSSP 100b.

E. HSSP 110a (Integrative Seminar on Health). The capstone is open only to HSSP seniors in their final spring semester.

You may request to take HSSP 110a (Integrative Seminar on Health) in your junior year, if you:
1. Are graduating a semester early (i.e., December instead of May) and you have ready officially changed your graduation date, or
2. Have declared a double major in Education and HSSP or a major in HSSP and a minor in Education, because as an Education major/minor you must all teach in the Spring semester of your senior year.

F. A hands-on experience (HOE) chosen from the following options:

1) An internship seminar: HSSP 89a, ENVS 89a, LGLS 161b, PAX 89a, or WMGS 89a.
2) HSSP 98a or HSSP 98b (Independent Research in Health: Science, Society, and Policy).
3) HSSP 99d (Senior Research).
4) A health-related Justice Brandeis Semester (JBS) semester.
5) A health-related study abroad program.

Note: All majors must communicate their HOE choice, in writing, to the HSSP Internship Instructor. In addition, students who choose to complete their HOE through options 1 and 4 must also meet with the HSSP Internship Instructor in the fall of their sophomore or junior year for written internship pre-approval, before accepting/registering for that option. Students who choose to complete their HOE through option 5 must meet with the HSSP Study Abroad Liaison for pre-approval.

Students wishing to obtain a BS must complete all the 6 required courses listed above, plus the following:

G. The introductory biology sequence: BIOL 14a and BIOL 18b, BIOL 15b and BIOL 18a, and BIOL 16b.

H. One Focal Area A elective.

I. One Focal Area B elective.

J. One Focal Area C elective.

K. All BS majors must also successfully complete 16 credits worth of additional basic science courses from BIOL, BCHM, CBIO, CHEM, NBIO, PHYS, MATH, COSI at or above the 10-level. PSYC 51a (Statistics) may be used as one of these electives.

Note: Together, the 18-credit introductory biology sequence BIOL 14a (Genetics and Genomics) and the lab BIOL 18b; BIOL 15b (Cell and Organisms) and the lab BIOL 18a; and BIOL 16a (Evolution and Biodiversity) provides a solid foundation in biology. BIOL 14a is the prerequisite for BIOL 18b. BIOL 15b is the prerequisite for BIOL 18a. Many HSSP BS students choose to take BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b in their first year; BIOL 18b lab and BIOL 18a lab in their second year; and BIOL 16a in their third year. BIOL 14a, BIOL 15b, and BIOL 16a can be taken in any order - one is not a prerequisite for any other. Students usually take BIOL 42a - Physiology in their junior or senior year, following completion of BIOL 14a and BIOL 18b; BIOL 15b and BIOL 18a; and BIOL 16a. All courses are 4 credits. Labs are 2 credits, with the exception of BIOL 18a which is 4 credits.

Notes for Undergraduate Majors
Students interested in lab experience and senior research should contact prospective mentors about these opportunities.

No course with a final grade below C- can count toward fulfilling the requirements for the major in Health: Science, Society, and Policy. No course taken pass/fail may count toward the major requirements.

Outside Coursework: Majors may transfer up to two courses (8 credits) taken from outside of Brandeis with written pre-approval from the Undergraduate Advising Head. With few exceptions, such outside courses may only fulfill HSSP electives and/or the Additional Basic Science Course requirement.

AP credit/ IB credit: Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credit cannot be counted for any HSSP major or minor requirement; if you test out of an introductory science course, you are required take a more advanced course.

Honors Program
In order to enroll for honors courses, a student must have a 3.25 overall GPA or a 3.5 GPA from a minimum of five HSSP electives and three HSSP core courses. Students wishing to graduate with honors in HSSP will be required to take HSSP 99d (Senior Research) for which the formation of a three-faculty member committee and a formal defense before that committee is required. The committee will consist of the student’s adviser as well as two members decided upon by the student and the adviser, and must be approved by the chair of HSSP.

Special Notes Relating to Undergraduates Interested in Premedical Studies

Although the HSSP program is not specifically designed to fulfill the premedical requirements, students can fulfill the requirements as follows:

1. By majoring in HSSP and selecting either:

  • The BA option of HSSP and completing BIOL 14a (Genetics and Genomics) or BIOL 42a (Physiology) as the core "science" course.
  • The BS option of HSSP.

2. By majoring in one of the life sciences or physical sciences and choosing HSSP as a minor. Students should consult the premed website at: www.brandeis.edu/acserv/health/index.html and with their premedical adviser.

Courses of Instruction

(1-99) Primarily for Undergraduate Students

HSSP 89a Internship and Analysis
[ wi ]
Prerequisites: Open only to HSSP majors who have pursued a health-related internship with the approval of the Internship Instructor.
This course for declared HSSP majors combines: 1) a supervised health-related internship, and 2) a weekly, classroom-based discussion during the Internship Seminar. The internship placement must be clearly health-related and take place within a healthcare organization whose work involves science (e.g., natural sciences and medicine), society (e.g., the social sciences and public health), and/or policy (e.g., law, politics, economics, and organizations). The internship must be arranged in consultation with and approved in writing by the HSSP Internship Instructor BEFORE the internship begins. Further details available at: http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/hssp/experiential.html. Students are required to attend a weekly 1.5 hour section, keep a journal, write several short papers, and prepare several presentations - all of which requires reflection on and systematic analysis of the internship experience. Usually two sections are offered in the fall semester and one section is offered in the spring semester.
Staff

HSSP 92a Internship and Analysis
Staff

HSSP 98a Independent Research in Health: Science, Society, and Policy
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. Usually offered every year.
Staff

HSSP 98b Independent Research in Health: Science, Society, and Policy
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. Usually offered every year.

HSSP 99d Senior Research
Under the direction of a member of the HSSP faculty, students conduct a year-long, original, health-related research project (laboratory- or field-based) and write a thesis.
Staff

(100-199) For Both Undergraduate and Graduate Students

HSSP 100b Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Health
[ qr ss ]
Core course for the HSSP major and minor. Open to juniors and seniors only.
Provides an orientation to the science of epidemiology, the quantitative foundation for public health policy. As a comprehensive survey course, students from varying academic backgrounds are introduced to biostatistics and major epidemiological concepts, and provided with training in their application to the study of health and disease in human populations. Case studies examine how environmental, physical, behavioral, psychological, and social factors contribute to the disease burden of populations. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

HSSP 102a Global Perspectives on Health
[ ss ]
A primer on major issues in health care in developing nations. Topics include the natural history of disease and levels of prevention; epidemiological transitions; health disparities; and determinants of health including culture, social context, and behavior. Also covers: infectious and chronic disease incidence and prevalence; the role of nutrition, education, reproductive trends, and poverty; demographic transition including aging and urbanization; the structure and financing of health systems; and the globalization of health. Usually offered every year.
Staff

HSSP 104b Health Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or 10a.
Emphasizes the concepts and tools of health economics applicable to both developed and developing countries. Topics include: cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, the demand for health services, insurance and risk, managed care, provider reimbursement, national health insurance, and an overview of health care systems in other countries. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Hodgkin

HSSP 106a Managing Medicine
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: HS 104b or LGLS 114a.
Overview of the principles of management within health-care organizations. Through case studies of real hospitals, insurers, and firms, the class examines choices of clinicians and managers aimed at improving quality, containing costs, driving technology adoption, or promoting new ventures. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Zinner

HSSP 107b Health Care Technology: Evaluating Emerging Medical Services, Drugs and Devices
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: HS 104b or permission of the instructor. Priority given to HSSP majors and minors.
An overview of the role of medical technology in the U.S. health care system, with a focus on the impact of prescription drugs on the health care system, their promise for the future, and inherent risks. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Thomas

HSSP 110a Integrative Seminar on Health
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: Senior status in the HSSP major.
The capstone course is designed to bring all HSSP seniors together to integrate their academic coursework and fieldwork/laboratory experiences across a range of health-related disciplines. Each year the course focuses on a single issue that lends itself to examination from a variety of perspectives. Topics vary from year to year at the discretion of the faculty who teach the course. Refer to the Schedule of Classes for specific topics. Course is usually team-taught by faculty in different disciplines. Usually offered every year.
Staff

HSSP 112b Perspectives on Child Health and Well-Being
[ ss wi ]
Open only to juniors and seniors.
Introduces students to health principles as they apply to child health and well-being. It includes a review of the health and development of infants, children and youth and explores the determinants of the health and well-being of children and families, including the physical environment, social conditions, health behavior and public policies. Selected topics such as childhood disability, special health care needs, infant mortality, school readiness, adolescent pregnancy, disparities by race, ethnicity and neighborhood, their distribution across the population and the policies and programs to address them. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Earle and Ms. Rosenfeld

HSSP 114b Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care
[ ss ]
An examination of the epidemiological patterns of health status by race/ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status. Addresses current theories and critiques explaining disparities in health status, access, quality, and conceptual models, frameworks, and interventions for eliminating inequalities. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Jefferson

HSSP 115b Perspectives on Behavioral Health: Alcohol, Drugs, and Mental Health
[ ss ]
A survey course which focuses on the science and biological basis of substance use and mental disorders, and linkages between behavioral health and general health. Consequences of behavioral health on society are discussed. Policy responses and the treatment system are assessed for their effectiveness. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Merrick and Ms. Reif

HSSP 118b Viewing Medicine and Health Policy Through the Lens of Literature
[ oc ss ]
Literature – fiction, memoir, poetry and drama – offers a powerful lens for studying key health policy issues. By harnessing the power of authors’ imaginations, insights and compelling stories, students can gain deeper insight into patient centered care, ethics in research, access to healthcare, obesity and hunger, role of the pharmaceutical and tobacco, aging policy, disability, and clinicians’ roles and training. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Garnick

HSSP 120bj Health Care Landscapes
[ ss wi ]
Through the lens of diabetes and obesity, students will explore the health landscape and gain insight into current "healthy environments", including how we are - or are not - addressing population health needs. Students will use a social determinants of health lens to critically analyze how our systems and environments (e.g. health care, food, schools, built environment/neighborhoods, community organizations and more) are situated within a context of local, national, and global inequities and struggles for justice. In using this lens, students will learn how to critically explore what impact race, gender, socioeconomic status, neighborhoods, and more have on health. Guest lectures, site visits, participatory discussion, hands-on experiences/assignments. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Rosenfeld

HSSP 124a Long-term Care Policy, Programs, and Politics
[ ss ]
May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 124a in prior years.
Fifty million Americans have a disability. What kinds of help do they want? What are the responsibilities of families, friends, and communities to help? Current U.S. approaches to service delivery, financing, and organization are reviewed and alternatives considered. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Leutz

HSSP 128a Disability Policy
[ ss ]
Focuses on exploring the principles and provisions of disability service programs in the United States and on developing an understanding of the complexities surrounding the financial, ethical, and legal issues related to current disability policies and the consequences of these policies. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Parish

HSSP 135a Special Topics in Public Health: U.S. History and Policy
[ ss ]
With an interdisciplinary focus, this course examines the complex history of efforts in the U.S. to improve our population's health. Key topics include promoting sanitation / environmental health, managing chronic / infectious diseases, and enhancing emergency preparedness as well as the role of law / government. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Curi

HSSP 140b Aging Policies and Programs: U.S. and Global Perspectives
[ ss ]
Addresses aging policies at national, state/provincial, and local levels in high-, middle-, and low-income countries, covering issues that include: demographics, politics, economics, families, work, retirement, pensions, housing, prevention, health promotion, health and long-term care, death and dying. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Leutz

HSSP 148b The Policy Context of Families of Children with Disabilities
[ ss ]
Examines the role of families in raising children with disabilities, how families have influenced the development of policies/programs for children with disabilities, and how they interact with these policies/programs to improve their children's well-being and outcomes. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Acevedo-Garcia

HSSP 192b Sociology of Disability
[ ss ]
In the latter half of the twentieth century, disability has emerged as an important social-political-economic-medical issue, with its own distinct history, characterized as a shift from "good will to civil rights." Traces that history and the way people with disabilities are seen and unseen, and see themselves. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Gulley

HSSP Core Courses

HS 104b American Health Care
[ ss ]
Examines and critically analyzes the United States health care system, emphasizing the major trends and issues that have led to the current sense of "crisis." In addition to providing a historical perspective, this course will establish a context for analyzing the current, varied approaches to health care reform. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Altman

HSSP 100b Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Population Health
[ qr ss ]
Core course for the HSSP major and minor. Open to juniors and seniors only.
Provides an orientation to the science of epidemiology, the quantitative foundation for public health policy. As a comprehensive survey course, students from varying academic backgrounds are introduced to biostatistics and major epidemiological concepts, and provided with training in their application to the study of health and disease in human populations. Case studies examine how environmental, physical, behavioral, psychological, and social factors contribute to the disease burden of populations. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

HSSP 110a Integrative Seminar on Health
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: Senior status in the HSSP major.
The capstone course is designed to bring all HSSP seniors together to integrate their academic coursework and fieldwork/laboratory experiences across a range of health-related disciplines. Each year the course focuses on a single issue that lends itself to examination from a variety of perspectives. Topics vary from year to year at the discretion of the faculty who teach the course. Refer to the Schedule of Classes for specific topics. Course is usually team-taught by faculty in different disciplines. Usually offered every year.
Staff

LGLS 114a American Health Care: Law and Policy
[ ss ]
Not recommended for freshmen.
Focuses on individual rights, highlights how our laws and policies affect American health care. Traces the evolution of the doctor-patient relationship; explores access issues, including whether health care is or should be a fundamental right; assesses the quality of care and the impact of malpractice; and examines the cost of having (or not having) adequate health insurance. Concludes with options and prospects for meaningful reform. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Curi

SOC 191a Health, Community, and Society
[ ss ]
This course offers a 2-credit optional practicum.
An exploration into interrelationships among society, health, and disease, emphasizing the social causes and experience of illness. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Conrad

Focal Area A: Biological Dimensions of Health and Illness

ANTH 116a Human Osteology
[ sn ss ]
Anthropology majors have priority for enrollment. Students wishing to enroll during early registration should waitlist themselves.
Skeletal anatomy and application of forensic techniques to archaeological problems. Hands-on laboratory sessions focus on methods of estimating age at the time of death, determining sex, assessing skeletal variability, detecting instances of bone remodeling, and identifying cultural and natural modifications to bony tissue. Case studies exemplify bioarchaeological approaches. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Urcid

BCHM 100a Advanced Introductory Biochemistry
[ qr sn ]
Prerequisite: One year of organic chemistry with laboratory.
Topics include protein and nucleic acid structure; chemical basis of enzyme-catalyzed reaction mechanisms and enzyme kinetics; the chemical logic of metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation; and regulation of enzymatic pathways through allosteric control. Usually offered every year in multiple sections.
Ms. Westover

BIBC 126b Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: BCHM 100a. May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 126b in prior years.
Explores biochemical changes—in proteins, enzymes and metabolic pathways—that underlie human diseases. Examines molecular mechanisms for a variety of diseases, with a particular focus on molecular mechanisms for therapies. Draws heavily on current literature. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Westover

BIOL 14a Genetics and Genomics
[ qr1 sn ]
May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 22a in prior years.
Studies fundamentals of genetics, genomics, molecular biology and biological problem-solving. Topics include heredity, meiosis, molecular basis of phenotypic variations in individuals and populations, as well as an introduction to the tools and techniques used by past and current researchers in genetics and genomics. Usually offered every semester.
Ms. Woodruff

BIOL 15b Cells and Organisms
[ sn ]
May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 22b in prior years.
Introduces contemporary biology with an emphasis on cells, organs, and organ systems. Topics include the forms and functions of macromolecules, organelles, and cells, the integration of cells into tissues, and the physiology of fundamental life processes. The course is intended to prepare students to understand the biology of everyday life, and to provide a strong foundation for those who continue to study the life sciences. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Simister and Ms. Miara

BIOL 16a Evolution and Biodiversity
[ qr sn ]
May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 60b in prior years.
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution," Dobzhansky said famously. Evolution is the unifying theory of biology because it explains both the unity and diversity of life. This course examines processes and patterns of evolution, including the sources and fate of variation, natural selection and genetic drift, species and speciation, biogeography, and the history and diversity of life on Earth. We end with a discussion of human evolution and the impact of humans on the planet. Usually offered every fall.
Mr. Morris

BIOL 42a Physiology
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 14a or BIOL 22a and BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b. CHEM 25a and b are recommended.
Introduces basic physiological principles. Topics include the physiology of human nervous and endocrine systems, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, water and electrolyte regulation, digestion and absorption, reproduction, and immunology. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BIOL 43b Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: BIOL 15b or 22b.
Focuses broadly on vertebrate anatomy. The gross and microscopic morphology of each organ system is considered in depth. Comparative anatomy, embryology, and relationships between structure and function are explored. Lectures, laboratory dissections, and clinical cases are used to illustrate the structure and function of vertebrates, with an emphasis on humans. Usually offered every spring.
Mr. Morris

BIOL 43bj Comparative Anatomy
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: BIOL 15b or 22b.
Drawing from comparative anatomy and functional morphology, this course is designed to provide an overview of the form and function of organisms and provide a base on which to build further study organismal biology. Students will be introduced to the basics of the development, cellular make-up, evolution and function of the anatomy of many eukaryotes including vertebrates, fungi and plants anatomy. While the focus will be to examine these topics at the level of organs, organ systems and whole organisms, connections will be made to the molecular and cellular levels of organization. It is expected that students who pass this course will understand all concepts such that they may integrate them with each other and apply them to novel situations. Laboratory dissections, an end-of-term oral presentation and short answer tests will aid in this goal. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Miara

BIOL 46aj Biomechanics
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 15b and 16a or 23a.
Introduces biomechanics at all scales and within a variety of taxonomic groups. Students will explore fluid and solid mechanics applying their knowledge to understand how physical properties impact our day-to-day lives. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Miara

BIOL 55b Diet and Health
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: BIOL 15b must be successfully completed prior to taking BIOL 55b.
Reviews the current evidence concerning dietary impact on the chronic diseases of humans. Topics include nutrigenomics, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. Students also examine the involvement of specific nutrients; for example, sugars, fats and cholesterol, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and alcohol in these disease processes. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Lai

BIOL 75b Infectious Disease
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 14a or BIOL 22a and BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b. Chem 25a is recommended.
Discusses infectious disease with a focus on host-microbe relationships and disease pathogenesis. Topics include characteristics of microbial agents, immune responses, concepts in epidemiology and infectious disease, and factors influencing whether microbes are 'perceived' as commensals or pathogens. Emerging infectious diseases and system-specific diseases are discussed. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Press

BIOL 125a Immunology
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL14a or BIOL 22a, BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b. CHEM 25a is recommended. May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 70a in prior years.
Topics include properties and functions of cells involved in innate and adaptive immunity; genes, structure and function of immunoglobins, B cell receptors and T cell receptors; lymphocyte differentiation; genetic regulation; MHC restriction; cell interactions and signaling; pathogen immunity (bacteria, viruses) and vaccines; tolerance and autoimmunity. Usually offered year.
Ms. Press

BIOL 128a Human Genetics
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.
Survey of topics, including: overview of the human genome; variation; mutation and polymorphism; reproductive genetics; single-gene inheritance and complexities thereof; multifactorial conditions;risk assessment including Bayesian analysis; gene mapping including linkage analysis and genome wide association studies (GWAS); molecular methodology in genetics and genomics; cytogenetics; hemoglobinopathies; population genetics; cancer genetics; genetics of development;biochemistry of selected genetic diseases; treatment including pharmacogenetics and gene therapy; ethical considerations in genetics and genomics. Usually offered every year.
Staff

BIOL 132a General Microbiology
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 14a or BIOL 22a, BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b, and CHEM 25a. May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 71a in prior years.
Topics include the physiology and properties of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms; microbial nutrition, metabolism, growth; bacterial genetics; horizontal gene transfer; microbial pathogenesis; immunity; antibiotics and other means of microbial control. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Lovett

BIOL 149b Molecular Pharmacology
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b and CHEM 25a and b. NBIO 140b strongly recommended.
Covers the essentials of pharmacology and the study of the actions of chemical agents (drugs, toxins, neurotransmitters, and hormones) that interact with living systems. Emphasizes molecular mechanisms of neuropharmacology. Topics include pharmacokinetics, hormone action, autonomic pharmacology, and the psychopharmacology of drugs of abuse and mental disorders. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Griffith

BIOL 153aj Project Lab in Biomimetics / Bioinspiration
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 15b and 16a or 23a.
Explores how the natural world has been used to inspire designs solving real-world problems, identify a problem themselves, learn techniques to plan and build their own bio-inspired designs and present their products in a clear and accessible manner. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Miara

BIOL 154a Environmental Epidemiology: Ticks, Mosquitoes, and Soil Amoebae in the Woods of New England
[ sn ]
Some ticks and mosquitoes in New England are vectors for diseases. We will suit-up and smear-up to collect these creatures. We will also collect Naegleria, amoeba-flagellates in mud. These specimens will be identified morphologically and archived for molecular analysis in Biology 154b. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Wangh

BIOL 154b Project Lab: Barcoding and Virtual Barcoding of Species
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: One year of laboratory experience.
We live in an era of the Sixth Extinction because large numbers of species of animals and plants are becoming extinct due to human activities. This course will address these issues through a focus on ticks, mosquitoes, and Naegleria (an amoeba-flagellate that lives in the mud), using technologies invented in the laboratory of Professor Wangh. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Wangh

BIOL 160b Human Reproductive and Developmental Biology
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 14a or BIOL 22a and BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b.
Course deals with hormonal, cellular, and molecular aspects of gametogenesis, fertilization, pregnancy, and birth. Pathological and abnormal variations that occur and the available medical technologies for intervention, correction, and facilitation of these processes are discussed. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Jackson

BIOL 172b Growth Control and Cancer
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: BIOL 14a or BIOL 22a and BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b and CHEM 25a.
Covers the fundamental rules of behavior of cells in multicellular organisms. Examines the research that has revealed the molecular basis of cancer development, including the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern cell growth, differentiation and survival in normal cells, and how this regulation is disrupted in cancer. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Woodruff

BISC 1b Biology for Poets, Lawyers and Budding Scientists
[ sn ]
Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
Modern biology and genetics offer answers to enduring questions about who we are and our relationship to other organisms. This course will explore how these findings should affect how you think about yourself and the biological world around you. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Rosbash

BISC 2b Genes and the Human Story
[ sn ]
Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
Correlates findings from a wide variety of genetic sources with anthropological, cultural, historical, and religious information about human origins, human reproduction, infectious diseases, and lineages of human populations. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Wangh

BISC 4bj Food, Nutrition, and Health
[ sn ]
Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
Nutrition is the science of food and its role in health and disease. This course will introduce the biological background to provide students with tools to better understand everything from how we choose food to how our diet influences our long-term health. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Lai

BISC 5a Pathogens and Human Disease
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: High school chemistry and biology. Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
This course discusses the life cycle, pathogenesis, transmission, and epidemiology of certain organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) that cause important human diseases. Other topics include emerging diseases, host defense mechanisms, vaccines, and public health concerns. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Press

BISC 5b Diseases of the Mind
[ sn wi ]
Prerequisite: High school chemistry. May not be taken by students who have completed BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b. Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
An exploration of biology of several protein folding diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, ALS, and mad cow disease and their effect on normal brain function. Examines the medical and ethical challenges of therapies, drug design, and clinical trials on patients afflicted with these disorders. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Kosinski-Collins

BISC 6bj Environmental Health
[ sn ]
Yields six semester-hour credits towards rate of work and graduation. Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
Introduces the science and tools of environmental health, giving students skills to explore current issues experienced by local communities. Students will become familiar with the environmental health paradigm, the conceptual model of the field, including underlying principles of hazard identification, exposure assessment, toxicology, risk assessment, and characterization and interpretation of epidemiological studies. Students produce a publishable environmental health study. Offered as part of JBS program.
Mr. Fragala, Ms. Goldin, Mr. Myatt, and Mr. Stewart

BISC 8a Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: High school biology and chemistry. Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
Examines the science, history, policies and ethics behind this biomedical field. Although stem cells and regenerative medicine are touted as the next breakthroughs in human therapies, they have also engendered much argument and controversy. This course provides the scientific context for understanding the debate over stem cell research, and discusses the promises and pitfalls of the field. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Lau

BISC 10aj Diabetes
[ oc sn ]
Does not meet the requirements for the major in Biology.
Studies the rising prevalence of diabetes that has taken an alarming human and societal toll. This course explores the science behind Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes plus gestational diabetes, the contribution of modern Western lifestyle to disease development, current diabetes treatments including insulin and non-insulin drugs and bariatric surgery, future treatment such as stem cell therapy, the increasing diabetes treatment cost and impact on current healthcare policy. Emphasis will be placed on discussion of molecular genetic research that has illuminated our understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. A new food lab is included to further inform about the importance of food and nutrition (together with exercise) in the management and prevention of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the focal example by which we investigate the biological, behavioral, environmental, social and policy factors that influence our health and health care. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Lai

CBIO 106b Chemical Biology: Medicinal Enzymology
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: Satisfactory grade in BIOL 14a or BIOL 22a, BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b, CHEM 25a and 25b, and BCHM 100a or the equivalent.
Introduces students to the conceptual framework and experimental methods in medicinal chemistry. Topics include mechanisms of drug-target interactions, strategies for lead optimization and issues in metabolism, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Readings drawn from textbooks and the original scientific literature. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Hedstrom

NBIO 140b Principles of Neuroscience
[ sn ]
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, BIOL 15b or BIOL 22b, one additional BIOL, BCHM, NBIO or NPSY course and one of the following: One year of college-level chemistry with lab, one year of college-level physics with lab, or any math course above 10a,b. AP scores are not accepted to meet the prerequisite. Junior standing recommended.
Examines the fundamental principles of neuroscience. Topics include resting potentials, action potentials, synaptic transmission, sensory systems, motor systems, learning, neural circuits underlying behavior, neurological diseases, and mental illness. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Marder

NBIO 145b Systems Neuroscience
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: NBIO 140b.
Explores fundamental questions in circuit-and systems-level neuroscience. We will take a systems-level perspective to explore how the brain supports behavior and cognition. Topics include sensory coding, computation by neural circuits, learning and memory, attention and motor control. Understanding these processes requires insight into cellular and network mechanisms in the brain. We will examine classical literature and recent advances in understanding the underlying circuit and neurophysiological mechanisms. The course emphasizes reading from original papers, exploration of neural circuit simulations, and extensive class discussion. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Jadhav

NBIO 146a The Neurobiology of Human Disease
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: BIOL100b, BIOL103b or NBIO 140b.
A lecture- and literature-based overview of the neurobiological underpinnings of neurological and psychiatric disorders including autism, mental retardation, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other developmental and degenerative disorders. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Rodal

NPSY 141a Stress, Physiology, and Health
[ sn ss ]
Prerequisites: NPSY 11b, NBIO 146a, PSYC 38a, or NPSY 199a.
About a third of all diseases in western society are related to stress. The study of psychosocial determinants of health is a growing field, in which biological and psychological research is combined to understand pathways between CNS processes and health. We will study these processes in this course. Usually offered every year.
Staff

NPSY 199a Human Neuropsychology
[ sn ss ]
Prerequisite: Psych 10a (formerly PSYC 1a) or Math 10a and at least sophomore standing.
Designed as an introduction to human neuropsychology. Topics include cerebral dominance, neuroanatomical mapping, and localization of function, with special reference to language, memory, and related cognitive function. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Wingfield

Focal Area B: Social and Behavioral Dimensions of Health and Illness

ANTH 111a Aging in Cross-Cultural Perspective
[ nw ss wi ]
This course offers a 2-credit optional Experiential Learning practicum.
Examines the meanings and social arrangements given to aging in a diversity of societies, including the U.S., India, Japan and China. Key themes include: the diverse ways people envision and organize the life course, scholarly and popular models of successful aging, the medicalization of aging in the U.S., cultural perspectives on dementia, and the ways national aging policies and laws are profoundly influenced by particular cultural models. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Lamb

ANTH 127a Medicine, Body, and Culture
[ nw ss ]
Examines main areas of inquiry in medical anthropology, including medicine as a sociocultural construct, political and economic dimensions of suffering and health, patients and healers in comparative medical systems, and the medical construction of men's and women's bodies. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Lamb or Ms. Hannig

ANTH 154a Culture and Mental Illness
[ ss ]
Without underestimating the importance of biological causes and treatments, this course challenges the hegemony of bio-medical models in psychiatry by seeking to conceptualize emotional problems and mental illness as historically situated and culturally constructed. Examines how factors related to political circumstances, social institutions, religious belief systems, socio-economic status, and ethnic background participate in shaping forms of distress and the ways they are dealt with in various socio-cultural settings. The course will also consider alternative therapies such as art therapy, community-based treatments, and culturally specific approaches to emotional healing and accommodation. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Schattschneider

ANTH 164a Medicine and Religion
[ nw ss ]
Prerequisite: ANTH 1a or equivalent.
Considers the convergence of two cultural spheres that are normally treated as separate: medicine and religion. The course will examine their overlap, such as in healing and dying, as well as points of contention through historical and contemporary global ethnographies. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Hannig

ENG 58a Literature and Medicine
[ hum wi ]
How has literature grappled with illness, healing, and the patient-doctor encounter? How can poetry and storytelling communicate with experience of bodily pain--and how does the body seek to communicate its suffering without language? We examine literary responses to the body's biological vulnerabilities, and seek to contextualize the vulnerable body within the cultural and political fields that shape medical knowledge and practice. Readings in fiction, poetry, essay, and drama will suggest the art, or craftsmanship, involved in the healing sciences, as well as the diagnostic nature of literary criticism. Reading for new approaches, generated by the literary imagination, to controversial issues in medical ethics. Usually offered every third year.
Mr. Sherman

ENG 162b Narratives of Disability in South Asia
[ hum nw ]
Explores literary and filmic narratives about disability in India and Pakistan. In conjunction with secondary literature that contextualizes the experience of living with disability and its representation in aesthetic forms, and the particular disabling effects of social and historical realities of South Asia. Special one-time offering, spring 2016.
Ms. Kantor

ENVS 102aj Field Research and Study Methods: Environmental Health
[ ss ]
Comprises the skills and methods component of the Environmental Health and Justice JBS. Students will be trained in environmental health study design, sampling methodology, field research and equipment techniques, data interpretation, statistical analysis, risk communication and presentation. The course will equip students to design and carry out a semester-long environmental health research study integral to the themes of Environmental Health and Justice JBS. Students produce a publishable environmental health study. Offered as part of JBS program.
Mr. Fragala, Ms. Goldin, Mr. Myatt, and Mr. Stewart

HSSP 114b Racial/Ethnic and Gender Inequalities in Health and Health Care
[ ss ]
An examination of the epidemiological patterns of health status by race/ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status. Addresses current theories and critiques explaining disparities in health status, access, quality, and conceptual models, frameworks, and interventions for eliminating inequalities. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Jefferson

PHIL 23b Biomedical Ethics
[ hum ]
An examination of ethical issues that arise in a biomedical context, such as the issues of abortion, euthanasia, eugenics, lying to patients, and the right to health care. The relevance of ethical theory to such issues will be considered. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Hirsch

PHIL 123b Neuroethics
[ hum wi ]
Focuses on the philosophical and ethical implications that arise from advances in neuroscience. We will investigate questions like: What are the evolutionary origins of moral judgement? Does evolutionary theory shed light on morality? Do our moral motivations derive from reason or pre-reflective intuition? Do psychopaths have moral responsibility? Do we have free will? Is there an obligation to enhance ourselves? Should drugs be used to enhance mental functioning? Is it moral to grow human organs in animals for purposes of transplantation? Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Ofengenden

POL 184b Political Theories of Medicine: Distribution, Recognition, and Democracy
[ ss wi ]
Introduces the political theory of health and medicine. It is divided into three parts: justice and the distribution of health care, medicalization and the politics of identity, and a selection of special issues. Special one-time offering, spring 2016.
Mr. Smith

PSYC 33a Developmental Psychology
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: PSYC 10a (formerly PSYC 1a).
An examination of normal child development from conception through adolescence. Course will focus on theoretical issues and processes of development with an emphasis on how biological and environmental influences interact. Usually offered every year.
Staff

PSYC 37a The Psychology of Adult Development and Aging
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: PSYC 10a (formerly PSYC 1a).
Describes the sensory, cognitive, personality, health, and social changes that occur during early, middle, and later adulthood. Emphasis is on pathways to successful development and healthy aging in the context of a shifting balance of gains and losses in psychological and physical functioning. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Lachman

PSYC 38a Health Psychology
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: PSYC 10a (formerly PSYC 1a).
An examination of the social and psychological factors important for well-being, physical health, and effective medical care. Psychological perspectives are applied to such topics as health promotion and compromise, the stress-illness relationship, social relations, chronic illness, death and dying, and health care provider and patient interactions. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Wolf

PSYC 130b Life Span Development: Early and Middle Adulthood
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: PSYC 10a (formerly PSYC 1a), PSYC 51a, and PSYC 52a, plus one of the following: PSYC 31a, PSYC 33a, PSYC 36b or PSYC 37a, or permission of the instructor.
Seminar on advanced topics in life span developmental theory and methodology. Substantive emphasis will be on cognitive, personality, social, and physical changes that occur in early adulthood and midlife. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Lachman

PSYC 142a Sport Psychology: A Health Psychology Perspective
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: NBIO 140b, NPSY 11b, NPSY 199a, or PSYC 38a, and permission of the instructor.
Applies health psychology to topics central to sport psychology and relevant to athletes, athletes' performance, such as optimal arousal levels, team cohesion, injury rehabilitation, imagery, burnout, and goal setting. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Wolf

PSYC 169b Disorders of Childhood
[ ss ]
Prerequisites: PSYC 10a (formerly PSYC 1a), 33a, and permission of the instructor. Seniors and juniors have priority for admission.
Issues of theory, research, and practice in the areas of child and family psychopathology and treatment are reviewed in the context of normal developmental processes. Usually offered every semester.
Mr. Cunningham

SOC 117b Sociology of Science, Technology, and Medicine
[ oc ss ]
From the moment we are born, to when we die, our lives are shaped by science, technology, and medicine. This course draws on both historical and contemporary case studies to examine how science and medicine enter into our ideas about who we are as individuals and members of social groups (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity), understandings of health and illness, and ideals regarding what constitutes a good life, and a good death. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Shostak

SOC 165a Living and Dying in America: The Sociology of Birth and Death
[ ss ]
Not open to first year students. Not open to students who had a death in their immediate family in the past year.
This course introduces the tools and concepts central to the sociological study of birth and death in the United States. It is discussion-based and includes guest speakers, field trips, and interactive assignments. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Cadge

SOC 189a Sociology of Body and Health
[ ss ]
Explores theoretical considerations of the body as a cultural phenomenon intersecting with health, healing, illness, disease, and medicine. Focuses on how gender, race, class, religion, and other dimensions of social organization shape individual experiences and opportunities for agency and resistance. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Shostak

SOC 193a Environment, Health, and Society
[ ss ]
This course draws on sociological perspectives to examine two key questions: (1) How does social organization enter into the production of environmental health and illness? and (2) How do scientists, regulators, social movement activists, and people affected by illness seek to understand, regulate, and intervene in relationships between the environment and human health? Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Shostak

SOC 194a Sociology of Mental Health and Illness
[ ss ]
Examines sociological approaches to mental health and illness. The focus is on the history, definitions, social responses and consequences of conceptualizations and treatment of mental illness. This will include some discussion of social factors related to mental disorder and types of mental health treatment. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Conrad or Mr. Gillespie

WMGS 156b Sexuality and Healthcare
[ ss ]
Considers how ideas about gender and sexuality affect healthcare, with a particular focus on queer and trans communities. Examines the creation of "the homosexual" and "the transsexual" as medicalized categories; the recent expansion of access to healthcare; and medicine's role in constructing certain kinds of bodies. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Luis

Focal Area C: Health Care Policy and Practice

Undergraduates in the HSSP program may be admitted to the graduate-level courses below (numbered above 200) with the permission of the instructor.

HSSP 102a Global Perspectives on Health
[ ss ]
A primer on major issues in health care in developing nations. Topics include the natural history of disease and levels of prevention; epidemiological transitions; health disparities; and determinants of health including culture, social context, and behavior. Also covers: infectious and chronic disease incidence and prevalence; the role of nutrition, education, reproductive trends, and poverty; demographic transition including aging and urbanization; the structure and financing of health systems; and the globalization of health. Usually offered every year.
Staff

HSSP 104b Health Economics
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or 10a.
Emphasizes the concepts and tools of health economics applicable to both developed and developing countries. Topics include: cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, the demand for health services, insurance and risk, managed care, provider reimbursement, national health insurance, and an overview of health care systems in other countries. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Hodgkin

HSSP 106a Managing Medicine
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: HS 104b or LGLS 114a.
Overview of the principles of management within health-care organizations. Through case studies of real hospitals, insurers, and firms, the class examines choices of clinicians and managers aimed at improving quality, containing costs, driving technology adoption, or promoting new ventures. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Zinner

HSSP 107b Health Care Technology: Evaluating Emerging Medical Services, Drugs and Devices
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: HS 104b or permission of the instructor. Priority given to HSSP majors and minors.
An overview of the role of medical technology in the U.S. health care system, with a focus on the impact of prescription drugs on the health care system, their promise for the future, and inherent risks. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Thomas

HSSP 112b Perspectives on Child Health and Well-Being
[ ss wi ]
Open only to juniors and seniors.
Introduces students to health principles as they apply to child health and well-being. It includes a review of the health and development of infants, children and youth and explores the determinants of the health and well-being of children and families, including the physical environment, social conditions, health behavior and public policies. Selected topics such as childhood disability, special health care needs, infant mortality, school readiness, adolescent pregnancy, disparities by race, ethnicity and neighborhood, their distribution across the population and the policies and programs to address them. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Earle and Ms. Rosenfeld

HSSP 115b Perspectives on Behavioral Health: Alcohol, Drugs, and Mental Health
[ ss ]
A survey course which focuses on the science and biological basis of substance use and mental disorders, and linkages between behavioral health and general health. Consequences of behavioral health on society are discussed. Policy responses and the treatment system are assessed for their effectiveness. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Merrick and Ms. Reif

HSSP 118b Viewing Medicine and Health Policy Through the Lens of Literature
[ oc ss ]
Literature – fiction, memoir, poetry and drama – offers a powerful lens for studying key health policy issues. By harnessing the power of authors’ imaginations, insights and compelling stories, students can gain deeper insight into patient centered care, ethics in research, access to healthcare, obesity and hunger, role of the pharmaceutical and tobacco, aging policy, disability, and clinicians’ roles and training. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Garnick

HSSP 120bj Health Care Landscapes
[ ss wi ]
Through the lens of diabetes and obesity, students will explore the health landscape and gain insight into current "healthy environments", including how we are - or are not - addressing population health needs. Students will use a social determinants of health lens to critically analyze how our systems and environments (e.g. health care, food, schools, built environment/neighborhoods, community organizations and more) are situated within a context of local, national, and global inequities and struggles for justice. In using this lens, students will learn how to critically explore what impact race, gender, socioeconomic status, neighborhoods, and more have on health. Guest lectures, site visits, participatory discussion, hands-on experiences/assignments. Offered as part of JBS program.
Ms. Rosenfeld

HSSP 124a Long-term Care Policy, Programs, and Politics
[ ss ]
May not be taken for credit by students who took HS 124a in prior years.
Fifty million Americans have a disability. What kinds of help do they want? What are the responsibilities of families, friends, and communities to help? Current U.S. approaches to service delivery, financing, and organization are reviewed and alternatives considered. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Leutz

HSSP 128a Disability Policy
[ ss ]
Focuses on exploring the principles and provisions of disability service programs in the United States and on developing an understanding of the complexities surrounding the financial, ethical, and legal issues related to current disability policies and the consequences of these policies. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Parish

HSSP 135a Special Topics in Public Health: U.S. History and Policy
[ ss ]
With an interdisciplinary focus, this course examines the complex history of efforts in the U.S. to improve our population's health. Key topics include promoting sanitation / environmental health, managing chronic / infectious diseases, and enhancing emergency preparedness as well as the role of law / government. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Curi

HSSP 140b Aging Policies and Programs: U.S. and Global Perspectives
[ ss ]
Addresses aging policies at national, state/provincial, and local levels in high-, middle-, and low-income countries, covering issues that include: demographics, politics, economics, families, work, retirement, pensions, housing, prevention, health promotion, health and long-term care, death and dying. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Leutz

HSSP 148b The Policy Context of Families of Children with Disabilities
[ ss ]
Examines the role of families in raising children with disabilities, how families have influenced the development of policies/programs for children with disabilities, and how they interact with these policies/programs to improve their children's well-being and outcomes. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Acevedo-Garcia

HSSP 192b Sociology of Disability
[ ss ]
In the latter half of the twentieth century, disability has emerged as an important social-political-economic-medical issue, with its own distinct history, characterized as a shift from "good will to civil rights." Traces that history and the way people with disabilities are seen and unseen, and see themselves. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Gulley

JOUR 130b Science and Journalism in Society
[ ss wi ]
Scientific progress has brought extraordinary medical advances and serious environmental crises. Good medical and science journalism has never been more important in understanding our world and how to fix it. This course is an introduction to the skills needed to cover medical and science news. It focuses on how to report and write daily news stories and longer features. It also explores the ethical, social, and political issues raised by the press coverage of science and medicine. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Weintraub

LGLS 114a American Health Care: Law and Policy
[ ss ]
Not recommended for freshmen.
Focuses on individual rights, highlights how our laws and policies affect American health care. Traces the evolution of the doctor-patient relationship; explores access issues, including whether health care is or should be a fundamental right; assesses the quality of care and the impact of malpractice; and examines the cost of having (or not having) adequate health insurance. Concludes with options and prospects for meaningful reform. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Curi

LGLS 114aj American Health Care: Reform
[ ss ]
Five years after the historic passage of the ACA, the United States and our health care system is at a cross roads. While the ACA seems to have weathered most of the significant implementation challenges, even its most ardent supporters acknowledge that the law provides only a partial fix for our nation's health care system. While access should improve appreciably, particularly for those who are currently uninsured, many will still remain without access to needed care. Moreover, among advanced nations our costs are the highest by far and the quality of our care is no better than that found in these less costly nations. We will explore the ACA, the events leading up to its passage, the policies the law was designed to further, and its impacts so far. Offered as part of the JBS program.
Ms. Noble

LGLS 131bj Patient Autonomy: Law, Medicine, and Ethics
[ ss ]
At the heart of our evolving health care system are the doctor and the patient. Related to the doctor-patient relationship are often complex issues related to patient autonomy, life and death treatment decisions, and the cost of and access to care. They implicate questions of justice and the just distribution of care, a key goal of health care reform. We will explore ethical, legal, and social issues (including end-of-life-decision making, physician assisted suicide, procreative liberty, cloning, and genetic therapies) from the micro level of patient care at the patient's bedside to the macro issues of the health care system in which patient care is delivered and financed. Offered as part of the JBS program.
Ms. Curi

LGLS 132b Environmental Law and Policy
[ oc ss wi ]
Provides students with an understanding of complex environmental issues from a policy perspective. We begin by considering the broad origins of environmentalism in the U.S and then focus on federal and some state and international treaties and policies. We’ll survey major environmental laws, environmental justice, risk and recent cross-cutting issues. Finally, we’ll discuss current environmental issues ripped from the headlines, like fracking, lead in drinking water as in Flint, Michigan, and the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Goldin

LGLS 138b Science on Trial
[ qr ss ]
Surveys the procedures and analytic methods by which scientific data enter into litigation and regulation/policy making. Introduces basic tools of risk analysis and legal rules of evidence. Case studies of tobacco litigation and regulation; use of DNA and other forensic evidence in the criminal justice system; the Woburn ground-water contamination case; and other topics to be selected, such as genetics in the courtroom, court-ordered Cesarean sections, polygraph testing, alternative medicine, and genetically modified foods. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Breen

LGLS 149b Genetics, Law and Society
[ ss ]
Explores the social policy implications of new genetic technologies, including legal, ethical, and political challenges. Topics include privacy and discrimination, changing definitions in family law, information technology and intellectual property, forensic implications of DNA testing, regulation of reproductive technology. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Noble

SOC 176a Nature, Nurture, and Public Policy
[ ss ]
Examines the impact of heredity or genetic theories of human problems on developing public policy, including the viability and validity of theories and evidence. Historical and contemporary cases such as gender, IQ, mental illness, and alcoholism are studied. Usually offered every year.
Mr. Conrad

WMGS 106b Women in the Health Care System
[ ss ]
Explores the scientific, social, and policy issues surrounding the role of women in health care throughout the human life span. We will examine the challenges faced, and successes achieved, by women in the healthcare system as providers, teachers, researchers, managers, policy-makers, care-givers, and recipients of health care. Usually offered every spring.
Ms. Brainerd

WMGS 168b Economics of Gender, Health and Population
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a, ECON 10a or WMGS 5a.
Examines issues in gender, health, and population from an economic perspective. Emphasis on empirical work and understanding causality. Topics include the US-European divide in female life expectancy, the economics of HIV/AIDS, and the impact of population policies on fertility. Usually offered every third year.
Ms. Brainerd

HSSP Research Methods Courses

Research methods courses counting towards the BA only (does not satisfy the focal area requirement).

ANTH 81a Conducting Ethnographic Fieldwork: Methods and Practice of Anthropological Research
[ ss wi ]
Formerly offered as ANTH 181aj.
Examines principal issues in ethnographic fieldwork and analysis, including research design, data collection, and ethnographic representation. Students will develop a focused research question, design field research, and conduct supervised fieldwork in a variety of local settings. Usually offered every second year.
Mr. Anjaria or Ms. Ferry

BIOL 51a Biostatistics
[ sn ]
Prerequisite: MATH 10a.
A basic introduction to methods of statistics and mathematical analysis applied to problems in the life sciences. Topics include statistical analysis of experimental data, mathematical description of chemical reactions, and mathematical models in neuroscience, population biology, and epidemiology. Usually offered every year.
Staff

ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis
[ qr ss ]
Prerequisite: ECON 2a or 10a. Students must earn C- or higher in MATH 10a, or otherwise satisfy the calculus requirement, to enroll in this course.
A first course in statistical inference. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, normal and binomial distributions, sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, properties of estimators, hypothesis testing, regression, and analysis of variance. Usually offered every semester.
Ms. Bui, Ms. Menon, and Mr. Sloczynski

POL 52a Basic Statistics for Social and Political Analysis
[ qr ss ]
Provides a foundation in statistics focusing on descriptive statistics, inference, hypothesis testing and the basics of regression analysis. Becoming familiar with basic statistics will help you to prepare for a career as a social scientist. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Corral

PSYC 51a Statistics
[ qr ss ]
Prerequisite: PSYC 10a (formerly PSYC 1a) or the permission of the instructor. Students must consult with the department one semester before anticipated enrollment. This course normally should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
Covers the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics. Techniques useful in the behavioral sciences will be emphasized. Students learn the theory of statistical decisions, practical application of statistical software, and how to analyze journal articles. Usually offered every semester.
Staff

SOC 118a Observing the Social World: Doing Qualitative Sociology
[ ss wi ]
Observation is the basis of social inquiry. What we see--and by extension, what we overlook or choose to ignore--guides our understanding of social life. We practice interviews, social observation and analysis of print and visual media. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Cadge or Ms. Shostak

SOC 181a Methods of Social Inquiry
[ ss ]
Prerequisite: SOC 1a or SOC 3b. Registration priority given to juniors and seniors.
Introduces students to qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research. Throughout the course emphasis is on conceptual understanding, with hands-on applications and exercises. No statistical or mathematical background is necessary. Usually offered every second year.
Ms. Cadge

SOC 182a Applied Research Methods
[ qr ss ]
Provides hand-on training in social science research methodology, covering issues related to research design, data collection, and causal analysis within the context of a large-scale collaborative research project. Students will operate as a member of a research team with responsibility over a component of a broader project tied to real-world social justice initiative. Usually offered every second year.
Staff