The Health and Society (HESO) Minor offers a multidisciplinary exploration of issues concerning health, illness and society, such as:
- How do social inequalities impact health (why are wealthier people healthier)?
- What influences health status and health behaviours in Canada (why do Canadian women live longer than men but suffer more illnesses)?
- How does the structure of health care systems impact health?
- How do cultural representations of health and illness reflect or frame societal understandings of disease and health care?
- How have representations of health and disease changed over time?
A range of courses in the social sciences, the humanities, the arts, interdisciplinary programs, and additional disciplines enable students to explore these and other issues. Click here to to find more information on courses.
Students with interests in a whole range of health-related fields and occupations will benefit from the HESO Minor. The BC government predicts that “health care and social assistance” will have the highest rate of job growth of all major sectors and industries in the near future (BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, 2009). Additionally, starting in 2015, the new Medical College Admission Test (MCAT®) will include sections on the social and behavioural sciences (for more information, see the FAQ page). Expertise and a credential in the societal dimensions of health will help students in a wide range of disciplines.
See the Alumni page for information on how program graduates have used the HESO minor in their careers.