• B.A. in Health Policy Studies

Interdisciplinary

Patricia E. Green, Associate Dean and Coordinator

The School of Health Sciences and Human Performance is committed to the promotion of interdisciplinary course offerings that teach students the importance of collaboration among professionals in related fields. Increasingly, the health care environment is characterized by multidisciplinary teams employing a case management approach in the area of disease prevention as well as in areas of diagnosis and treatment. A number of courses are cross-listed between departments, such as Seminar: Health Care Teams, which is numbered 620-46000 in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and 661-46000 in the Department of Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Services. The course numbered 666-10000 is a first-year seminar designed to introduce students to fields in all departments of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance.

666-10000 Health Sciences: Foundations and Careers   NLA

 An overview of the foundation of health sciences and career opportunities in the various fields. The class format includes small-group discussion as well as guest lectures by health science educators. Selected issues related to the professions are also examined. 2 credits. (F,Y)

666-31200 Health Care and Culture   LA 1g

 An investigation of sociocultural context in the delivery and receipt of health care and rehabilitation services. Students examine, through readings, discussion, and interviews with people in the community, the role of ethnicity, race, religion, and socioeconomic status in shaping the health-related beliefs and behaviors of individuals. Prerequisites: Junior standing.
2 credits. (S,Y)

666-31300 Health Care and Culture: An International Field Experience   NLA 1g

 An investigation of sociocultural factors in the delivery of health care and rehabilitation services in an international context. Students examine, through experiential learning, discussion, and lectures, the role of ethnicity, race, religion, and socioeconomic status in shaping the health-related beliefs and behaviors of individuals in a selected country. Prerequisites: 666-31200 or permission of the instructor. 1 credit. (Sum,Y)

B.A. in Health Policy Studies

Health policy studies is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary program that offers the opportunity to study policy and cultural issues related to health and health care at the regional, national, and international levels. The major is a broad-based, liberal, and interconnected course of study involving social, political, economic, and cultural research and analyses.

In addition to the required and elective courses in this degree program, students must complete a minor (or double major) of their choice and an eight-week internship in a health policy setting, usually during the summer following the junior year. Graduates of this program are well prepared to serve as policy analysts with government agencies, lobby groups, legislative offices, health facilities, private corporations, international health agencies, health activist organizations, and health policy institutes.

Requirements for the Major in Health Policy Studies -- B.A.

Major requirements-

Restricted electives -- select two of the following courses:

640-11000	War, Hunger, and Genocide: An International Health Perspective (3)
662-20300	Consumer Health (3)
640-13000	Healthy Viewings: Media and Health (3)
640-14000	Cyborgs, Clones, and Policy: New Technologies in Health and Medicine (3)
	Total, restricted electives	6

Specific requirements

640-21500	Introduction to Health Policy and Policy Making	3
640-30400	Economics of Health Care	3
640-33510	Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Policy	3
640-39000	Health Policy Internship	4
640-41500	Health Policy Seminar	3
	Total, specific requirements	16

Health Promotion Core

662-13901	Technology for the Professional Edge	3
640-20500	Critical Health Issues	3
662-21300	Wellness: Multicultural Perspectives on Health and Healing	3
662-31700	Community Health	3
640-31500	Health Research and Analysis	3
662-44400	Professional Leadership in Health	3
	Total, health promotion core	18

Health policy electives --

Select two of the following courses (6 credits)
(no more than one may be at the 100 level):

303-27800	Environmental Health and Medicine (3)
310-36200	Theory and Politics of Public Policy (3)
310-36400	Law and Public Policy (3)
310-36500	The Politics of Health (3)
310-36600	Environmental Politics (3)
310-37000	Selected Topics in Public Policy (3)
314-xxxxx	Philosophy elective (200 level or higher) (3)
319-22500	Health Communication (3) or
640-22500	Health Communication (3)
331-21500	Introduction to Contemporary Mental Health Issues (3)
331-31400	Sociology of Health and Medicine (3)
331-31600	Women and Health (3)
339-38000	Medical Anthropology (3)
640-32600	Health Planning and Administration (3)
640-36000	Front-Page Public Health: Policy and Epidemiology (3)
662-22500	Alcohol and Alcoholism (3)
662-22900	Disease and Lifestyle (3)
303-10400	Environmental Biology (3)
303-10600	Plants, People, and Food Production (3)
303-10700	Human Genetics (3)
303-10800	The Human Organism (3)
303-10900	Life in the Ocean (3)
303-36100	Social Welfare (3)
331-37600	Poverty (3)
	Total, health policy electives	6

Required courses outside major department --

In the School of Humanities and Sciences

306-12200	Principles of Microeconomics	3
310-10100	U.S. Politics (3) or
310-10300	U.S. and the World (3)	3
310-12900	Introduction to Global Studies (3) or
339-12900	Introduction to Global Studies (3) or
640-12900	Introduction to Global Studies (3)	3
310-14100	Power: Race, Sex, and Class (3) or
310-14200	Ideas and Ideologies (3)	3
313-15500	Basic Statistical Reasoning (3) or
313-24300	Statistics (3)	3
314-21200	Introduction to Ethics (3) or
314-23000	Bioethics (3)	3
331-10100	Introduction to Sociology (3) or
339-10400	Cultural Anthropology (3)	3
377-10600	Academic Writing I (3) or
377-11100	Academic Writing II (3)	3
377-20100	Persuasive Argument	3
377-20500	Personal Essay	3

In the Gerontology Institute

780-10100	Introduction to Gerontology	3
780-31900	Aging Policies and Programs	3

Summary

	Specific requirements	16
	Restricted electives	6
	Health promotion core	18
	Health policy electives	6
	Required minor	15-24
	Requirements outside department	36
	Free electives	18-27
	Total, B.A. in health policy studies	124

Health Communication Minor

The interdisciplinary minor in health communication is administered by the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies and the Health Communication Steering Committee, which consists of one faculty member from each of the following departments: health promotion and physical education; organizational communication, learning, and design; and speech communication. It involves coursework from three schools of the College and is designed to allow any student the opportunity to learn more about the complexities of communication in health care and health promotion.

For more information on this minor, see "Minor in Health Communication."

Health Services Administration Minor

Open to students majoring in all disciplines except health services administration. This minor includes coursework in both health services administration and business. It is designed for students interested in a focused set of courses that will introduce them to the management issues and skills in health-related organizations. The minor includes a practical field experience in a local health organization and an elective for pursuing a specialized area of interest.

Curriculum

Requirements

640-20500	Critical Health Issues	3
640-32600	Health Planning and Administration	3
640-39600	Fieldwork in Health Services Administration	3
640-43500	Health Care Law	3
882-22000	Principles of Management	3
887-20300	Legal Environment of Business	3
	Total	18

Choose one of the following:

640-34000	Managed Health Care (3)
640-35000	Communication in Health Service Organizations (3)
640-36000	Front-Page Public Health: Policy and Epidemiology (3)
780-41400	Long-Term Care Administration (3)	3
	Total, health services administration minor	21

Integrative Health Studies Minor

An interdisciplinary minor open to all students. Courses offered by multiple departments across campus are designed to facilitate the study of complementary and alternative health modalities and their history, theory, cultural contexts, economics, and uses to promote wellness and prevent disease. The minor complements the study of any allied health field, and enriches the perspective of any student interested in his or her own well-being and health and medicine as they interact with culture, economics, politics, and science.

Curriculum

Requirements

662-21300	Wellness: Multicultural Perspectives on Health and Healing	3
314-22500	Science and Pseudoscience (3) or
663-36400	Contemporary and Alternative Therapies (3)	3
640-20500	Critical Health Issues (3) or
319-22500	Health Communication (3) or
640-22500	Health Communication (3) or
640-25000	International Health Issues (3) or
306-30400	Economics of Health Care (3) or
640-30400	Economics of Health Care (3)	3
331-31400	Sociology of Health and Medicine (3) or
331-31600	Women and Health (3) or
339-38000	Medical Anthropology (3)	3
	Total	12

At least 3 credits from the following:

344-22100	Religion and Depth Psychology (3)
344-25200	Introduction to Mysticism (3)
554-41000	Feldenkrais (1)
662-22700	Stress: Its Nature and Management (3)	3
	Total	3

At least 3 credits from the following:

xxx-xxxxx	Independent Study/Research (3)
xxx-xxxxx	Fieldwork/Internship (3)	3
	Elective from courses listed above	3
	Total	21

Clinical Affiliations

A list of approved sites may be obtained through the Office of Experiential Learning (oel@ithaca.edu).