Program Description
The Bachelor of Science program in Language and International Health is jointly administered by the Department of Languages and the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. This program pairs a modern language concentration (Chinese, French or Spanish) with coursework in public health theory and practice. The language component emphasizes linguistic and cultural proficiency in the target language by studying specific peoples, cultures, literatures, technical language, health environments, and multicultural issues. The public health component includes the history and philosophy of public health and medicine; the organization, management, and financing of health services; the social and behavioral aspects of health, epidemiology, health evaluation methods, and health communications.
Graduates are qualified to assume positions in a variety of settings, including integrated hospital systems, consulting firms, managed care organizations, pharmaceutical companies, as well as multicultural community centers. They can also pursue professional health degrees (e.g., medical, dental, physical or occupational therapy) or graduate degrees in community health, epidemiology/biostatistics, health administration, health systems, and research.
An internship of at least 135 contact hours and study abroad are mandatory. Both the internship and study abroad must be conducted in a target-language setting and selected from a list of L&IH pre-approved programs. Students may petition for L&IH approval of an alternate program by application; these are considered on a case-by-case basis.
In addition to the curriculum requirements below, students are required, as a condition of graduation, to pass a noncredit language examination and submit a noncredit senior dossier to assess their language competence in various areas. Both assessments take place in the student’s last full semester at the University.
Students may apply to change majors into Language and International Health with decisions based on available space and approval by the L&IH Advisory Board, which includes faculty and staff from the departments of Languages and Public Health Sciences. Applications are accepted in the fall semester beginning on the first day of class with a deadline of the last day of classes. Accepted change-of-major students must be signed into the program by the academic advisor. Applicants must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 with 49 or fewer earned credits or a 2.75 with 50 or more earned credits. For more detailed information, please contact the Department of Languages.
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