The Emergence of Undergraduate Majors in Global Health: Systematic Review of Programs and Recommendations for Future Directions
Persistent URL
Author(s)
Drain, Paul K.
Mock, Charles
Toole, David
Rosenwald, Anne
Jehn, Megan
Csordas, Thomas
Ferguson, Laura
Waggett, Caryl E.
Obidoa, Chinekwu
Wasserheit, Judith N.
Date Issued
January 11, 2017
Abstract
Global health education has been expanding rapidly and several universities have created an undergraduate major degree (bachelor's degree) in global heath or global health studies. Because there are currently no national guidelines for undergraduate degrees in global health, each of these programs was developed along individual lines. To guide the development of future global health majors, we conducted a systematic review of undergraduate majors in global health. We identified eight programs and invited program directors or representatives to a symposium at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health 2016 conference to review their existing undergraduate major in global health and to discuss lessons learned and recommendations for other colleges and universities seeking to develop undergraduate degrees in global health. We noted significant diversity among the existing programs in terms of required courses, international field experiences, and thesis research projects. In this review, we describe these global health programs, their student characteristics, as well as the key educational competencies, program requirements, and core global health courses. Based on program reviews and discussions, we identify seven recommendations for the development and expansion of an undergraduate major in global health and discuss issues that have arisen in the curricular development of these programs that warrant further exploration. As the field of global health education continues to expand, following these students after graduation will be essential to ensure that the degree programs in global health both meet student needs and launch students on viable career pathways.
Journal
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Department
Global Health Studies
Citation
Drain, P.K., et al. (2017). The emergence of undergraduate majors in Global Health: Systematic review of programs and recommendations for future directions. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 96(1): 16-23. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.16-0687
Publisher
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Version of Article
Published article
Embargo
This version of the article is available for viewing after January 31, 2019.
DOI
10.4269/ajtmh.16-0687
ISSN
0002-9637
e1476-1645
Rights
The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ©2017. Contact publisher for access to this material.
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