Dallas Hall at SMU is the home of Dedman College and the M.S. in Organizational Psychology program.

Undergraduate programs

Bachelor of Science in health and society

B.S.

Overview

Health and society B.S. majors develop a broad understanding of health and its determinants to prepare them for outstanding careers in the health professions. The program incorporates the sciences, social sciences, humanities and behavioral sciences to offer career development opportunities through interdisciplinary teaching and research collaborations between students and faculty involved in the major.

Students can tailor their coursework to their own goals so that they are best able to match the requirements needed for their future career plans. The health and society degree prepares students to pursue postgraduate studies in medicine, public health, psychology, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, health care administration, the social sciences, (e.g., medical sociology, medical anthropology) and the humanities, (e.g., history of science, medical humanities, philosophy of science, bioethics). Students have also continued directly to nonprofit and for-profit careers in many health-related industries. 

Top 20%

Best National Universities

U.S. News & World Report (2026)

11:1

undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio

90+

undergraduate majors at Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences

Admissions

Deadlines and details

Key dates and admissions information to help plan your application with confidence.

Transfer students

Everything transfer students need to know about admission requirements.

International students

All the essential admission requirements international students need to know.

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Tuition and financial aid

2 out of 3 first-year students are awarded grants and/or scholarships with an average total of $38,598.

Tuition and costs

Explore the cost breakdown of tuition for undergraduate programs.

Financial aid

Find information on scholarships and financial support available at SMU.

Curriculum and learning

Featured courses

ANTH 3306

Introduction to Medical Anthropology

Discover how cultures around the world understand health, illness and healing.

ANTH 3301

Health, Healing and Ethics

A cross-cultural exploration of medical systems, economic development and the global exportation of biomedicine as well as ethical dilemmas.

ANTH 4343

Biomedicine, Culture and Power

Examines biomedicine, medical bureaucracy, professionalism, medical education, alternative and popular medicine, economics and healthcare.

View course catalog

Outside the classroom

Student success

Our majors continue on to top graduate programs and careers in research, medicine, consulting, policy, law and other fields.

Student stories

Nicholas Simpson is a graduate of the Health and Society undergraduate program at SMU.

Nicholas Simpson ’23

“Neither illness nor health can be understood through medicine or science alone; they exist within social and cultural worlds. If you are someone with curiosities about both the biological and sociocultural determinants of health, the health and society program is your home. This program gave me the flexible interdisciplinary space and mentorship that I needed to find my path as a (future) physician-anthropologist.”

Nomvuyo Makhathini is a Health and Society major at SMU who says Anthropology Department faculty are invested in her success.

Nomvuyo Makhathini ’26

“I have loved every health and society course I have taken, so much so that I have taken the maximum number allowed. The faculty in the anthropology department are deeply invested in student success, whether that means pursuing research, medical school, graduate study or entering the workforce. Understanding health and society is relevant to everyday life and essential for anyone who plans to work with people in any capacity.”

Faculty

Health and Society faculty predominantly focuses on medical anthropology, and undergraduate students have opportunities to be involved in faculty research and internships in diverse locales.

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Photo, Neely Myers

Neely Laurenzo Myers

Professor of Anthropology and Department Chair
Photo, Nia Parson

Nia Parson

Associate Professor of Anthropology
Photo, Elyse Ona Singer

Elyse Ona Singer

Associate Professor of Anthropology
Photo, Eric Bing

Eric G. Bing

Professor of Global Health

Photo, Elizabeth Berk

Elizabeth Berk

Lecturer of Anthropology Director of Undergraduate Studies - Health and Society
Picture, Aanmona Priyadarshini

Aanmona Priyadarshini

Visiting Lecturer of Anthropology
Photo, Karen Lupo

Karen D. Lupo

Professor of Anthropology
Photo of Betsy Nelson wearing a black shirt

Elizabeth A. Nelson

Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Photo, Maryann Cairns

Maryann R. Cairns

Associate Professor of Anthropology

Photo, Matthew Abel

Matthew Abel

Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Portrait of professor Bianca Batista

Bianca Batista, Ph.D.

Lecturer

James Calvert

Senior Lecturer II

Thomas Ritz

Professor

Brian Zoltowski

Professor
Austin Baldwin

Austin Baldwin

Professor
Department Chair
David Son Photo

David Y. Son

Professor and Chair
Michael Lindsey

Michael Lindsey

Lecturer
Chris Logan

Chris Logan

Senior Lecturer II
Co-Director of the Undergraduate Studies
Undergraduate Advisor

Facilities

The Environment and Infrastructure Laboratory

Functions as a space to complete studies in environment infrastructure, water, pollution and health in anthropology.

Medical Anthropology Laboratory

Includes office space for four research assistants, meeting space, data storage, telephone and internet access, and audio recording equipment.

Molecular Anthropology Laboratories

Specializes in the analysis of DNA from both modern and archaeological samples to address classic problems in anthropology.

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Frequently asked questions

The health and society B.S. is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in the practice and study of health in global and cultural contexts. Students study human behavior and societies by adopting a cross-cultural perspective regarding the customs, cultures, languages, and social lives of different peoples around the world.

The major includes courses spanning lab, behavioral and social sciences, an ethics component, as well as a capstone course or project. The foundation courses include introductory, intermediate and advanced level classes where students in this major come together in shared experience. 

Health science professionals can be employed in a number of environments, according to Indeed. The most common include:

  • Medical laboratories
  • Federal government agencies
  • Private agencies
  • Insurance companies
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Consultant firms
  • Manufacturing companies
  • Hospitals
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Outpatient care facilities
  • Physicians’ offices
  • Clinics 

Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Society continue on to top graduate programs and careers in research, medicine, consulting, policy, law and other fields.

The health and society program prepares students to meet the demand for a scientifically trained and globally minded workforce. It exposes students in broad and diverse ways to the problems of illness and healthcare in human societies through guest speakers, course projects and experienced faculty.

From coursework addressing important contemporary global issues, students participating in faculty research and an anthropology club, to a field school near Taos, New Mexico, students earning a B.S. in health and society build their cultural competency, critical thinking and global skill sets to prepare them for life after graduation.

The Fort Burgwin campus is an important educational facet of SMU. Its unique environment, courses and research opportunities contribute to its popularity and enduring success.

  • Synergistic areas of research concentration (medical anthropology, migration, archaeology, human impacts and environmental anthropology, gender studies, GIS, cultural heritage)
  • Unique research infrastructure (e.g.: Archaeological Research Collections, Taos Field School, genetics lab, environmental anthropology lab, connections to facilities and institutions in the Dallas area, and opportunities for Dallas-based research)
  • Strong emphasis on methods training and field research
  • Strong record of both global and local research by students

Through this plan of study, students engage in broad and diverse ways with the problems of illness and healthcare in human societies. With its major emphasis on interdisciplinary study, the major fosters graduates who are well-prepared to perform and collaborate in healthcare occupations by viewing health as part of dynamic systems with symbolic, material, ethical and historical factors.

For the curious and open-minded, SMU Taos is an SMU satellite campus that specializes in cultivating educational opportunities that are enhanced by the cultural and natural resources of northern New Mexico.

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