Minor in Medical Anthropology

Medical anthropology is one of the most rapidly expanding interest areas within the broader field of anthropology. Situated at the margins of clinical and social sciences, medical anthropology seeks to understand the social and cultural context of health and illness by examining conceptions of self and body, narratives of affliction, and practices of treatment.

The medical anthropology minor provides training on issues relevant to students in the medical sciences including Pre-Med, Nursing, and Public Health Studies. Students from this program will be able to demonstrate their potential to understand and work in multicultural biomedical settings, a desirable qualification that many medical schools and other health-care training programs seek.


Minor Requirements

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

  • 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 & Gender (T)
    • ANTH 370: Ethnographic Field Techniques (M) (3 credits max)
    • ANTH 375: Race & 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, & Society (M & T)
    • ANTH 428: Anthropology of the Body (T)
    • ANTH 463: Anthropology of Global Health & Development (T)
    • ANTH 465: Science, Sex, & Reproduction (T)
    • ANTH 467: Biomedicine& 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.


Next Steps

Interested in learning more and/or ready to declare a minor in medical anthropology? Please schedule a meeting with the anthropology undergraduate advisor.