FIVE COLLEGE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN CULTURE, HEALTH, AND SCIENCE
- FIVE COLLEGE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN CULTURE, HEALTH, AND SCIENCE
The Five College Certificate in Culture, Health, and Science complements any major, allowing students to deepen their knowledge of human health, disease, and healing through interdisciplinary inquiry. Under the guidance of faculty program advisors on each campus, students choose a sequence of seven courses available across the five campuses and identify (in consultation with their advisor) an appropriate project or internship that will count toward the certificate. (Four semesters of a second language is also recommended, but not required.) Together with the visiting lectures and seminars sponsored by the Program, CHS provides a structure that is adaptable for students interested in pursuing health-related careers, as well as those curious to learn how different disciplines analyze common human experience.
Students interested in the certificate should reach out to a campus advisor and fill out the Declaration of Interest Form. It is also recommended that you download the CHS Certificate Completion Form, which can be found on the CHS webpage, to help you and your advisor keep track of what courses you need and what requirements you have fulfilled.
Requirements for the Certificate
Seven CHS-approved courses, with at least one course from each of the five categories of inquiry:
- Category 1: Biocultural Approaches
Interdisciplinary and/or comparative approaches that explore the interdependent influences on human health and disease - Category 2: Mechanisms of Disease Transmission
Mechanisms of disease transmission within individuals and populations - Category 3: Population Health and Disease
Exploring the relationships among social, behavioral, economic and other aggregate population forces on human health and disease - Category 4: Engaged and Humanistic Approaches
Ethical, humanistic, artistic, and engaged approaches to human health and disease, including explorations of healthcare practice, policy, and activism - Category 5: Research Design and Analysis
Concepts of evidence, data collection, research ethics, measurement and modes of analysis
An Independent Research Project:
- The Certificate requires the completion of an independent project such as an internship, thesis, Division III project, course project, independent study or other activity. You work with your campus CHS advisor to develop a project that satisfies both the Certificate requirements and your own interests.
Additional Specifications:
- No course can be used to satisfy more than one category.
- No more than three courses can “double count” toward a student’s major.
- Four semesters—or the equivalent—of a second language is recommended but not required. Such language training may be required for students seeking internships and summer research positions.
A comprehensive list of certificate requirements is available online at https://www.fivecolleges.edu/academics/culture-health-and-science-chs#certificate. The Amherst faculty advisor is Professor Christopher Dole of the Anthropology Department.