Health and Society Microcredential

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College of Liberal Arts >> Sociology department

9 hours

The health and society microcredential is focused on providing a sociological foundation for students preparing to work in medical and health-related fields. Future health care providers would benefit from this microcredential because understanding the social determinants of health and the social organization of health care is important to their work and patients. For example, pre-med students need a strong foundation in sociology because the entrance exam to medical school (MCAT) tests them on core sociological knowledge. Students complete a survey course that provides foundational knowledge about society and then have an opportunity to reinforce that knowledge in a more applied course. Next, students select a course on a health-related topic that integrates their core knowledge in a more specialized area of health and society.

Learning outcomes include:

Understanding the social determinants of health and their effects on patients
Understanding the social organization of health care and the different social roles of patients, doctors, nurses, administrators and other health care service providers
Awareness of the social problems surrounding health care and health care policy
Apply core sociological knowledge to a specialized area of health and society

Undergraduate Microcredential Requirements

The total number of credit hours required for an undergraduate microcredential may vary by academic discipline but must require a minimum of 6 credit hours and not more than 9 credit hours.
At least 50% of the microcredential requirements must be earned at USI.
Coursework taken more than 4 years before the microcredential is awarded cannot be applied.
Credit hours earned for a microcredential may be applied toward another degree program. A microcredential, therefore, can be embedded within a larger (e.g. certificate, minor, or major) undergraduate degree program. Academic departments may determine whether coursework taken to complete a microcredential can also be applied to a degree program.
Microcredentials may be stand-alone or linked to an existing degree program, allowing for stackability with other microcredentials and certificates toward a degree (i.e., certificate, minor, or major) program.
Students earning an undergraduate microcredential are not eligible to participate in commencement exercises, but the credential will be added to their official transcript record.

Required Courses (6 hours)

SOC 121 - Principles of Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 231 - Social Problems Credits: 3

Elective (3 hours)

Choose one course

SOC 321 - Sociological Aspects of Aging Credits: 3
SOC 341 - Medical Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 343 - Death, Dying, and Bereavement Credits: 3
SOC 370 - Seminar in Sociology Credits: 3 (approved topic: Reproduction)
SOC 415 - Environmental Sociology Credits: 3
SOC 424 - Population Credits: 3