Global Diseases Minor

Every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria. Every 20 seconds an individual dies from tuberculosis. Millions of other people die each year from AIDS, cancer, heart disease, dysentery, influenza, cholera, and other diseases.

At Cedar Crest College, you can take the first step toward improving health and mortality rates around the world by enrolling in our minor in global diseases, which can be linked with virtually any major on campus. This minor is designed with few prerequisites, so it won’t tax your credit load.

What Is Your Major…and How Can You Make A Difference?

Learn how combining a global diseases minor with your major can help you address the challenges that face our world.

• Biodiversity and Conservation Biology: Track down animal hosts of newly emerged pathogens.
• Business Administration: Develop businesses that create clean water sources for those without it.
• Chemistry: Develop methods to remove toxic chemicals from populated areas.
• Economics: Propose changes to raise the quality of life and health care.
• English or Theatre: Tell the story of those who have lost the battle against disease.
• Genetic Engineering: Conduct research to identify biological mechanisms employed by pathogens.
• History: Help the current population understand the severity of past pandemics.
• Marketing: Alert the public to the needs of others.
• Mathematics: Decipher the complexities of epidemics with calculus and statistical analyses.
• Media Studies: Create a media campaign that encourages philanthropy.
• Neuroscience: Search for cures for diseases of the brain.
• Nursing: Provide medical care for those in need.
• Nutrition: Promote public health through education and food preparation.
• Political Science: Champion important issues within the halls of Congress.
• Psychology: Expand the understanding of the relationship between stress and disease.
• Social Work: Work with children and adults within an African village to help them avoid serious diseases.

About Our Program

Adding a minor in global diseases can help you develop as a productive citizen of today’s increasingly interconnected global community. This minor builds upon principles central to the mission of Cedar Crest College—namely to educate the next generation of women leaders for our global society and to promote health and wellness, not only in our campus community but beyond.

Other key features of the program include:

• Working side-by-side with experienced faculty-scientists who are conducting relevant research on topics such as cancer, degenerative diseases of the nervous system, and botanical medicine
• A one-week study abroad component, which will provide you with firsthand exposure to people of another culture and the environment in which they live--far beyond what you would learn from a book
• The capstone course “Multidisciplinary Solutions for Global Diseases,” which will require you to write and present a thesis on how to improve the health of citizens within the foreign land that you have visited. This experience will test your leadership and persuasive abilities: A key aspect of the thesis is to convince readers and members of the campus community that your recommendations are feasible and would be effective.

For more information contact Alan Hale, director of the global diseases program, at abhale@cedarcrest.edu.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the global diseases minor is to provide our society with individuals who have an enhanced awareness of global diseases, a sincere interest in finding solutions to the many problems associated with these diseases, and the skills and initiative required to effect change. Key to the success of the graduates of this minor is an understanding that no discipline stands alone in solving global problems.

Program Requirements

 

In order to successfully complete a minor in global diseases, a student must have a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average in the courses used to satisfy the requirements of the minor. A grade of C- or better is needed for all courses that fulfill minor requirements. In addition, students must have completed an approved cultural experience. With the exception of the upper-level elective, all course requirements, including the cultural experience, must be completed successfully prior to participation in the capstone course. A written thesis is a requirement of the minor; the content of student theses will be the primary focus within the capstone course. Courses transferred in from another institution must have been completed within 10 years from the time the minor in global diseases is declared; BIO/HON 215, BIO 216 and BIO 311 must be completed at Cedar Crest College.

Total Number of Credits: 20-21

The total number of credits required for the global diseases minor, excluding the cultural experience, is 20-21, depending on whether the selected upper-level elective is 3 or 4 credits. The credit load for the cultural experience will depend on the specific opportunity, duration, and country chosen by the student.

Course Requirements

Core Courses

• BIO/HON 215 – Bioterrorism & Emerging Infectious Diseases 3 credits
• BIO 216 – Outbreak Investigations: Case Studies in Epidemiology (alternate years) 3 credits
• BIO 311 – Multidisciplinary Solutions for Global Diseases 2 credits

Cognate Courses

Choose three (3) of the following courses from three (3) different disciplines (e.g., ANT, BUA, ECO):

• ANT 100 - Cultural Anthropology 3 credits
• ANT 310 - Women in the Developing World 3 credits
• BUA 350 - Leadership 3 credits
• ECO 222 - Economic Geography 3 credits
• HIS 107 – European Civilization: Ideas and Experiences 3 credits
• HIS 121 – Survey of United States History 3 credits
• LLC 200*- Social Justice: A Global Perspective 3 credits
• NUR 328 - Nursing in the Global Community 3 credits
• PSC 210 - American Public Policy 3 credits
• PSC 211 - Globalization and International Law 3 credits
• REL 220 - Death and Dying 3 credits
• REL 233 - Spirituality and Wellness 3 credits
• SOC 222*- Social Justice: A Global Perspective 3 credits
• SWK/SOC - 202 The Social Welfare Institution 3 credits
• SWK 300 - Community Organizing 3 credits

*[Either SOC 222 or LLC 200]

Upper-Level Elective

One (1) approved course that matches a student’s interest and preferred approach to dealing with global diseases; no restrictions on specific discipline. In the future, courses outside of the biological and natural sciences will be added to the following list of approved upper-level electives.

• BIO 304 – Pathophysiology 3 credits
• BIO 309 – Conservation Biology and GIS 4 credits
• BIO 327 – Microbial Pathogenesis 4 credits
• BIO 360 – The Biology of Cancer 3 credits
• NEU 348 – Diseases of the Nervous System 3 or 4 credits
• CHE 314 – Toxicology 3 credits
• NTR 327 – Medical Nutrition Therapy 4 credits
• NTR 360 – Noninfectious Chronic Disease 3 credits
• NUR 311 – Health Assessment 3 credits
• NUR 333 – Health Promotion of the Community 5 credits

 

Click here for the requirements checklist.