Health and Wellness - Minor

For information, contact Professor Micah Sadigh, mrsadigh@cedarcrest.edu, 610-606-4666, ext. 3715.

Mission Statement

The purpose of the Health and Wellness minor is to provide students with a comprehensive approach to and understanding of health promotion and disease prevention, and to allow them to acquire the knowledge necessary for achieving optimal well-being. To realize this objective, a multidisciplinary approach to health is essential. Hence, the minor consists of courses from disciplines such as Biology, Psychology, Social Work, Religion/Spirituality, and Humanities. Additionally, the minor requires that students attend to their physical health through participation in credit and/or non-credit activities such as Dance courses or Healthy You programs. The multidisciplinary nature of the minor will add distinctiveness to students’ education, particularly as it relates to the multifaceted nature of the study of health and wellness.

Total number of credits: 18

Program Requirements

18 credits to fulfill the minor. All students must complete the core course, PSY 201 (Mind-Body Medicine); at least three credits from each of the four categories listed below, plus an additional three credits from any of these four categories. In addition, students must demonstrate two experiences in the physical area as defined below. Credits in the physical component do not count towards the 18 credits required for the minor.

Core Course


PSY 201 Mind-Body Medicine - 3 credits

I. Biological


BIO 112 Concepts in Human Biology 4 credits

BIO 117 Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology I 4 credits

BIO 118 Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II 4 credits

BIO 217 Anatomy and Physiology I 4 credits

BIO 218 Anatomy and Physiology II 4 credits

NTR 210 Principles of Nutrition 3 credits
BIO 330 Drugs and the Brain: Neuropharmacology of Disease and Addiction 3 credits
BIO 348 Diseases of the Nervous System 3 credits
NTR 210 Principles of Nutrition 3 credits

II. Psychological

PSY 231 Social Psychology for Psychology 3 credits
PSY 235 Psychology of Adjustment 3 credits
PSY 251 Health Psychology 3 credits
PSY 260 ST: Sports Psychology 3 credits
PSY 304 Stress, Disease, and Psychophysiological Interventions 3 credits
PSY 326 Principles of Behavior Modification 3 credits

III. Social/Spirituality

REL/PSY 204 Psychology of Religion 3 credits
REL 220 Death and Dying 3 credits
REL 225 Buddhism in America 3 credits
REL 233 Spirituality and Wellness 3 credits
SOC 243 Social and Psychological Aspects of Aging 4 credits

IV. History, Literature, and Languages Humanities

COM 245 Zombies: From the Living Dead to Post-Human 3 credits
ENG 235 Topics in Non-Fiction Writing 3 credits
HIS 220 Film & History: Vision and Revision of the Past 3 credits
PHI 141 Philosophy of Women 3 credits
PHI/BIO 320 Biomedical Ethics 3 credits
SPA 205 Spanish for Health Professionals 3 credits
ENG 104 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credits

Physical, Experiential Requirements

Students must demonstrate participation in physical activities, which maintain or improve cardiovascular functions, endurance, or flexibility. These activities may be credit bearing or non-credit bearing. If credit bearing, the course does not count towards the 18 credits required for the minor. If non-credit bearing, the activity must be approved by the health and wellness minor advisor. Students must complete two physical activities, each of which must consist of at least 2.5 hours of physical activity per week, for the duration of a semester. *

Examples of credit bearing courses which fulfill 2.5 hours of physical activity per week, for the duration of a semester are:

V. Physical

Any dance course, varsity sport, or EXS 101 Physical Conditioning for Exercise

* Examples of non-credit bearing activities may include participating in Healthy U programs or attending a gymnasium, as long as the hours spent in such activities are well-documented and can be verified.