Anthropology Department

Nurse with a patient

Health Anthropology

Overview

Health anthropologists address well-being and illness in sociocultural, biological and environment context, with a focus on empowering communities affected by health disparities and multiple forms of structural violence.

Career Pathways

  • Community health
  • Community organizing
  • Global health
  • Health professions
  • Integrated conservation and development
  • Graduate studies in anthropology, applied anthropology, biology, biomedical sciences and health professions

Recommended Pathway Courses

Core Requirements

  • Anth 101 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
  • Anth 102 Introduction to Archaeology
  • Anth 103 Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology
  • If you're earning the B.S.: Stat 244 Introduction to Probability and Statistics II
  • If you're earning the B.A.: Ling 232 Language and Society OR Ling 233 Language and Mind OR Ling 390 Introduction to Linguistics
  • Anth 304 Social Theory OR Anth 305 Culture and Power
  • Anth 345 Practicing Anthropology
  • Anth 350 Archaeological Method and Theory
  • Anth 372 Human Variation

B.A. majors must also complete two years of a foreign language or demonstrate equivalent proficiency.

Recommended Anthropology Electives

  • Anth 325U Culture, Health, and Healing
  • Anth 333U Anthropology of Food
  • Anth 415 Applied Anthropology
  • Anth 425 Topics in Medical Anthropology
  • Anth 472 The Roots of Human Biology

Recommended Non-Anthropology Electives

  • Comm 329U Introduction to Health Communication
  • PHE 350 Health and Health Systems
  • Bi 440 Evolutionary Medicine
  • PHE 478 Program Planning and Evaluation: Needs Assessment and Interventions

Internship Opportunities

Organization NamePaid or UnpaidLocation
Cascade AIDS ProjectUnpaidPortland, Oregon
Coalition of Community Health Clinics InternshipVariesClackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, Oregon
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)UnspecifiedPortland, Oregon
Mercy CorpsPaidPortland, Oregon; Washington, D.C.; Virtual
Minka ProjectPaidPeru
Monteverde InstituteUnpaidVirtual; Costa Rica; Hybrid
Multnomah County Health DepartmentVariesMultnomah County, Oregon

Field Schools