Global Diseases - Minor
For information, contact Dr. Amy E. Faivre, aefaivre@cedarcrest.edu, 610-606-4666, ext. 3580
The Global Diseases minor is designed to help address a global problem: millions of children and adults die each year from AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, and from a diversity of other diseases. Solutions to these diseases will be multidisciplinary in nature, and thus, draw upon the talents of those who can communicate across the disciplines. Ultimately, the goal of this minor is to help mitigate or eliminate the impact of these diseases on the health and wellness of individuals around the globe while considering how alterations in the environment can lead to their increase and spread.
Although the Global Diseases minor is based within the Department of Biological Sciences, this minor is designed to serve the interests of students from all disciplines. The impact of diseases permeates all fields, ranging from art, communications, history and literature to economics, psychology, nursing and the natural sciences.
The coursework associated with the minor comes from a diversity of disciplines and culminates in a capstone course during which each student gives a presentation on her cultural experience and designs a project to inform the public about a particular global disease or public health related issue.
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.
Total Number of Credits
The total number of credits required for the global diseases minor, excluding the cultural experience, is 19, though it may be higher depending upon the cognate courses chosen. The credit load for the cultural experience will depend on the specific opportunity chosen by the student. The specific cultural experience will be determined in consultation with the Global Diseases Advisor.
Program Requirements for the Global Diseases Minor
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. Participation in the capstone course (BIO 311) should occur when a majority of the coursework for the minor is completed, ideally in the spring of the student’s senior year. Courses transferred in from another institution must have been completed within ten years from the time the minor in global diseases is declared; BIO 128, BIO 129 and BIO 311 must be completed at Cedar Crest College.
Course Requirements for the Global Diseases Minor
Core Courses of the Minor
BIO 128 Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Environment (Alternate Years) 3 credits
BIO 129 Outbreak Investigations: Case Studies in Epidemiology (Alternate Years) 3 credits
HLT 103 Introduction to Global Health OR HLT 102 Introduction to Public Health 3 credits
Cultural Experience (any number of credits)
BIO 311 Multidisciplinary Solutions for Global Diseases 1 credit
Cognate Courses
3 of the following courses from 3 different disciplines (e.g., ANT, BUA, ECO). If a student wishes to use other courses in this category, the student should discuss these options with the Global Diseases Advisor.
ANT 100 Cultural Anthropology 3 credits
ANT 310 Women in the Developing World 3 credits
BIO 112 Concepts in Human Biology and Health Issues 3 or 4 credits
BIO 261 The Amazon Basin: Natural History, Culture, and Conservation 3 credits
BIO 304 Pathophysiology 3 credits
BIO 309 Conservation Biology and GIS 3 or 4 credits
BIO 330 Drugs and the Brain: Neuropharmacology of Disease and Addiction 3 credits
BIO 339 Biology of Cancer 3 credits
BIO 348 Diseases of the Nervous System 3 or 4 credits
BUA 211 Introduction to Health Care Systems 3 credits
BUA 350 Leadership 3 credits
COM 212 Intercultural Communication 3 credits
ECO 222 Economic Geography 3 credits
GST 100 The Globalizing World 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
NTR 130 Food and Culture 3 credits
NUR 328 Nursing in the Global Community 3 credits
PSC 210 American Public Policy 3 credits
PSC 211 The New Global Economy 3 credits
PSY 201 Mind-Body Medicine 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
SPA 205 Spanish for Health Professionals 3 credits
SWK/SOC 202 The Social Welfare Institution 3 credits
SWK 300 Community Organizing 3 credits
*[Either SOC 222 or LLC 200]
Liberal Arts Curriculum Requirements fulfilled within the Minor
Several components of the Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements are fulfilled through successful completion of courses within the Global Diseases minor. BIO 128 (Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Environment) is a Global Studies (GS) course, and BIO 129 (Outbreak Investigations: Case Studies in Epidemiology) and BIO 311 (Multidisciplinary Solutions for Global Diseases) are designated as SCI (Natural Science) courses. Three cognate courses must be completed for the minor; within this set of courses, most, but not all, carry LAC designations the same is true for the Cultural Experience if taken for credit.
