Population Health Minor

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The Population Health Minor is an interdisciplinary minor open to all Xavier University undergraduate students and compatible with any major.  Courses provide students with an understanding of the distribution of health outcomes within populations, the social determinants that influence health distribution, the economic framework influencing social determinants of health (SDoH), the cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to address SDoH and the policies and interventions that impact the determinants and life expectancy of the population within diverse communities. The provision of health equity across the nation is addressed. The minor consists of 15 credit hours of which one three credit hour course (HESA 245 Introduction to Population Health) is required and then students can select the remaining 12 credit hours from the list of approved attribute courses taught across the four university colleges. No more than six credits of the approved electives may be from the same department.  Students enrolled in the Health Service Administration prerequisite requirements can substitute HESA 345 Population Health for the HESA 245 required course.

Social and Environmental Determinants of Health include the following yet not limited to just these determinates: food insecurity, access to fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy food, transportation, education systems, employment, income and wealth, psycho-social environment, social isolation and loneliness, safe housing, public safety, quality of air we breathe, physical environment and health systems and services. In completing this minor, students will obtain a broad overview of these topics from the introductory HESA 245 course, and then can achieve greater depth in one or more of the topics by taking elective courses. It is possible that a student delves deeply into epigenetics and the brain with four electives concentrated in Biology and Psychology, for example, while another uses their electives to learn more broadly about four different topics, taking courses in four different departments. The requirement of taking no more than six credits in a single department insures students explore at least some breadth, but may go into greater depth if they choose. The goal of population health is to support healthy people comprising healthy populations that create productive workforces and thriving communities. Completing the minor will inspire some students to go on to complete graduate work in this field, or to deploy it in their professional lives in health care, business, government and more.

Xavier University Mission supports the Center for Population Health and the development of the minor in population health. “Driven by our commitment to educating the whole person, promoting the common good, and serving others, the Xavier community challenges and supports all our members as we cultivate lives of reflection, compassion and informed action.”

Academic Support - The minor has a faculty Director who is available to advise and guide students on the minor in population health requirements. Contact the Director of the Center for Population Health.

The minor consists of 15 credit hours of which one three credit hour course (HESA 245 Introduction to Population Health or HESA 345) is required and then students can select the remaining 12 credit hours from the list of approved attribute courses taught across the four university colleges. No more than six credits of the approved electives may be from the same department.  See attached list of approved courses.