The Biology of Global Health Major
Louis Pasteur
Issues dealing with health and disease have extraordinary reach into the wide diversity of sciences that make up modern biology. The Major in the Biology of Global Health (BGH) addresses current public health issues, at the local, national, and international levels, combining strengths from across the Georgetown campus in health and disease research with interdisciplinary work in policy, economics, ethics, law, and sociology. BGH majors will gain a thorough understanding of both the science behind health concerns and the societal issues that impact them. Students will gain disciplinary understanding and skills in critical analysis, evidence-based reasoning, and synthesis of ideas. The broadened perspectives and applied curriculum reinforce the Jesuit qualities of character, conscience, and citizenship.
Coursework. The BGH major includes coursework in the basic sciences, including genetics, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, evolution, ecology, mathematics and computational sciences. In addition, students integrate perspectives from policy, economics, ethics, law and sociology. (see program description for details)
Other campus programs. The Biology of Global Health (BGH) augments and enriches programs already present on campus, specifically those in the School of Foreign Service emphasizing policy aspects of global health issues and in the School of Nursing and Health Studies with a directed focus on human health issues through both the Human Sciences and International Health majors.
Career Paths
The Biology of Global Health major will prepare students for graduate education in research, medicine, law, and public health as well as preparing students to become leaders in the search for solutions to global health challenges. Current majors are involved in a wide range of activities including: reasearch with the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, volunteering in local hospitals, studying translational helath abroad, and working as microbiology lab assistants.
Research
As with all majors in the Department of Biology, Research Tutorial (for juniors) and the RISE program (for seniors) allow students to gain independent research experience during their undergraduate years.
