Culture and Health Minor
Understand Health in a Whole New Way
The Culture and Health minor at ETSU is an interdisciplinary program that helps students explore how cultural, historical, social, and ethical forces shape health care experiences. This minor is especially valuable for students pursuing careers in health professions – from medicine and public health to nursing, pharmacy, and beyond.
You’ll learn how to work across cultures, communicate with empathy, and think critically about the human side of medicine. Whether you’re applying to medical school or preparing for a career in community health, this program gives you tools that stand out.
Why Choose the Culture and Health Minor?
Enhance your med school application with a unique credential that shows you understand the broader context of care.
Engage in hands-on learning through service projects, research, and international study opportunities.
Study the stories that shape health in courses like Narrative Medicine, Medical Anthropology, and Bioethics.
Learn from faculty mentors across anthropology, sociology, philosophy, and public health—and get your non-science references!
Be part of a community—from peer mentoring with Hungarian Roma to education abroad in Italy.
What Can You Do with a Culture and Health Minor?
Pairing this minor with a health-related major helps you:
- Prepare for medical, dental, or pharmacy school
- Pursue careers in community health, health policy, or global health
- Work in fields like bioethics, epidemiology, health humanities, or cultural competence training
- Enhance your patient communication and cultural awareness—key skills in today’s health professions
Program Requirements
The minor consists of 12 required credits and 9 guided electives that can be tailored to your interests. Explore topics like:
- Medical Anthropology
- Religion, Medicine, and Health
- Race, Science, and Human Variation
- Traditional and Indigenous Medicine
- International Field Experience
- Bioethics
- Narrative Medicine
- History of Medicine
- Community Health
Important Note About Minors: Before adding a minor to your degree plan, talk with your academic advisor to make sure it aligns with your major and financial aid eligibility. Learn more about Course Program of Study (CPoS)