Minor in Medical Anthropology

Medical anthropology is one of the most rapidly expanding areas within anthropology, positioned at the intersection of clinical and social sciences. This field seeks to understand health and illness within a social and cultural context by examining concepts of self and body, experiences of affliction, and practices of treatment.

The Minor in Medical Anthropology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa offers training on issues relevant to students in fields like Pre-Med, Nursing, and Public Health Studies. Graduates of this program will be able to demonstrate their capacity to understand and work effectively in multicultural biomedical settings—an important qualification that many medical schools and healthcare training programs seek.

Minor Requirements

Students pursuing a minor in medical anthropology must complete 15 credits of upper-division (300+) Anthropology courses.

Coursework must include:

  • ANTH 301: Culture and Health
  • One Theory course (T) from the list below
  • One Methods course (M) from the list below
  • Students may choose any remaining courses from the list below to fulfill the credit hour requirement:
    • ANTH 315: Sex and Gender (T)
    • ANTH 370: Ethnographic Field Techniques (M) (3 credits max)
    • ANTH 375: Race and Human Variation (T)
    • ANTH 399: Directed Reading or Research (M or T) (3 credits max, must focus on a relevant topic)
    • ANTH 427: Food, Health, and Society (M & T)
    • ANTH 428: Anthropology of the Body (T)
    • ANTH 463: Anthropology of Global Health & Development (T)
    • ANTH 465: Science, Sex, and Reproduction (T)
    • ANTH 467: Biomedicine and Culture (M & T)
    • ANTH 481: Applied Anthropology (M)

Courses must be completed with a grade of C (not C-) or better and cannot be used to fulfill any additional major, minor, certificate, or *HSL culture sub requirements.

* This applies to students whose primary major is within the College of Social Sciences (CSS); if your primary major is not within CSS, please consult with your major or college advisor as some UH colleges do allow double-dipping of HSL culture courses.

ANTH Courses

Next Steps

Interested in learning more about the Minor in Medical Anthropology or have questions about program requirements? Please schedule a meeting with the Anthropology Major Advisor.

Learn more about Anthropology Undergraduate Advising.