Degree Type: Certificate

The primary objective of the Society, Biology, and Health Certificate is to create an interdisciplinary graduate training environment that will foster innovative research on the complex associations among social factors and health over the life course 

Multi-level, multi-method research on society, biology, and health presents tremendous opportunities for enriching our understanding of the determinants and consequences of variation in health, but it also poses significant challenges. In particular, few social scientists possess the background in biological theory and method that is necessary to effectively measure, analyze, and interpret health-related data in community-based research settings. Collaborations with biomedical scientists can help address this gap, but if social scientists want to make the most of these efforts, it is incumbent upon them to share a foundation of common knowledge with their collaborators.

The Society, Biology, and Health Certificate will likely appeal to students seeking degrees in anthropology, economics, human development and social policy, political science, psychology, or sociology. We expect participating students to complement their disciplinary training with coursework and cluster activities that will encourage them to think critically and creatively about how broader social policies, contexts, and processes influence health in the US, and globally.

Certificate Offered