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Undergraduates

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Stay up to date on all things global health for Stanford Students

Undergraduate opportunities at CIGH

We train and inspire a new generation of global health leaders by creating meaningful, multidisciplinary  global health learning and engagement opportunities for Stanford students.

Undergrads have access to dozens of global health courses offered across the university’s 7 schools. They may choose to deepen their  global health education through the Human Biology Minor sub-track in Global Health, or join one of the many  student groups related to global health.  We also offer a curated list of global health research funding and study abroad opportunities offered by other Stanford departments and centers for undergraduate students.

Explore these resources and choose how you’d like to get involved!

Learning Opportunities

post doctoral fellowship in global health

Minor in Global Health →

This interdisciplinary minor introduces students to concepts, challenges and opportunities in the field of global health.

Study abroad Opportunities for Undergrads →

While CIGH does not host study/intern abroad opportunities for undergrads, other departments/centers do. See a curated list here.

Connect

Research Opportunities for Undergrads →

See a curated list of global health research collaboration and funding opportunities available to undergrads.

Undergraduate Global Health Club →

An interdisciplinary organization of undergrad and grad students, dedicated to strengthening the campus global health community.

Climate & Health Student Group →

Stanford Climate and Health is a student-driven advocacy group that provides a space for the Stanford community to take action on climate change, planetary and environmental health, and sustainable health care by engaging in advocacy, education, dialogue, and research.

Graduate Global Health Network →

The Stanford Graduate Global Health Network hosts a monthly seminar series, where members of the Stanford community can come together to learn, share, and collaborate on approaches to improve global health. Organized by Stanford PhD students and postdocs, seminars are open to attendees of all levels of experience and disciplines.

Learn More

Stanford India Policy and Economics Club →

This student-led organization is committed to fostering dialogue and engagement around fields such as health, policies, entrepreneurship, and economics. SIPEC believes that students are the future drivers of these evolving fields and should actively participate in discussions alongside leaders.

Student spotlight

Stanford undergrads interested in global health hail from diverse backgrounds and come with various interests. Meet some here!

Name

Bennett Liu

Major

Computer Science

YEAR

2024

There’s a lot of student excitement in the Stanford global health space. The approach is very interdisciplinary, incorporating planetary health, health care, and technology, for instance.

Read The Article

Name

Lour Drick Valsote

Major

Human Biology

YEAR

2024

Through working with CIGH, I have learned so much about the invaluable role that scientific communication plays in advancing global health. At a time when global health topics are at the forefront of current events, it is crucial that scientists are able to convey information in an accessible and easily digestible format. To be able to share ideas between researchers in the field as well as to inform the general public, communication is paramount.

Lour Drick in graduation gown

Undergraduate Courses in Global and Planetary Health Studies

We curate global and planetary health courses across Stanford’s 7 schools to help students find courses of interest to their studies. Courses are updated each quarter prior to registration. Explore the offerings below!

Quarters Available

Student Type

Course Type

Course Name
Professor
Quarters Offered
Student Type
Course Type
HUMBIO 29: Introduction to Global Health
Tiffany Chao, MD & Victoria Ward, MD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
EPI 237: Practical Approaches to Global Health (INTLPOL 290, MED 226)
Stephen Luby, MD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
SOMGEN 206: Global Medical Issues Affecting Women (FEMGEN 206)
Clea Sarnquist, DrPH, MPH
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
ETHICSOC 136R: Introduction to Global Justice
Valerie Soon, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
BIOE 122 : BioSecurity and Pandemic Resilience (EMED 122, EMED 222, PUBLPOL 122, PUBLPOL 222)
Milana Boukhman Trounce MD, MBA
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HRP 224: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Lab (SE Lab) - Human & Planetary Health (MED 224, PUBLPOL 224)
Gordon Bloom, MBA, MFA
Spring Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
AFRICAST 195: Shifting Frames
Laura Hubbard, PhD
Spring Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
ANTHRO 82: Medical Anthropology (ANTHRO 282, HUMBIO 176A)
Angela Garcia, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
BIOE 394: Innovate for Planet Health: Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Planet and Societal Health Challenges
Narges Baniasadi, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
CHPR 242: The Science of Well-being: A Global Perspective
Ann Hsing, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
BIOE 271: Frugal Science
Manu Prakash, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
EMED 134: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health (EMED 234)
Phillip Harter, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
SURG 234: Service Through Surgery: Surgeons with an Impact
Micaela Esquivel, MD
Winter
Graduate Students Medical Students
MED 285: Global Leaders and Innovators in Human and Planetary Health (HRP 285, SUSTAIN 345)
Gordon Bloom, MBA, MFA & Sara Singer, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
CEE 374W: Advanced Topics in Water, Health and Development
Jenna Davis, PhD
Spring Summer Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
HUMBIO 114: Global Change and Emerging Infectious Disease (EARTHSYS 114, EARTHSYS 214, ESS 213)
James Jones, PhD & John Openshaw, MD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
PEDS 223: Human Rights and Global Health
Bertrand Patenaude, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
MED 54Q: Decolonizing Global Health
Takudzwa Shumba, MD, MPH
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
MED 159: Oaxacan Health on Both Sides of the Border*
Catherine Heaney, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates
Global Health
HUMBIO 123E: Health Economics & Policy: exploring health disparities, child health & health care spending
Maya Rossin-Slater, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HUMBIO 125: Current Topics and Controversies in Women's Health (FEMGEN 256, OBGYN 256)
Marcia Stefanick, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students
Global Health
EARTHSYS 196A: Environmental Justice and Human Rights Lab (HUMRTS 196)
Jessie Brunner, MA; Sibyl Diver, PhD; Emily Polk, PhD & Penelope Van Tuyl, JD
Spring Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
MED 294: Global Health: Through an Equity Lens (MED 194)
Michele Barry, MD & Geoff Tabin, MD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HUMBIO 124C: Global Child Health (MED 124, PEDS 124)
Yvonne Maldonado, MD & Clea Sarnquist, MD
Fall
Undergraduates
Global Health
BIO 103: Human and Planetary Health (BIO 203, SOC 103, SUSTAIN 103, MED 103)
Katherine Burke, MBA, MSc; Giulio De Leo, PhD & Stephen Luby, MD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
MED 228: Physicians and Social Responsibility
Ami Laws, MD & Erika Schillinger, MD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
CEE 371C: SARS-CoV-2 in the Environment
Alexandria Boehm, PhD
Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
CHPR 237: Hunger & Food Insecurity: Challenges and Solution
Christopher Gardner, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
CSRE 5C/105C: Human Trafficking: Historical, Legal, and Medical Perspectives (FEMGEN 5C/105C, HISTORY 5C/105C, INTNLREL 5C/105C)
Katherine Jolluck, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HISTORY 201C: The U.S., U.N. Peacekeeping, and Humanitarian War (INTNLREL 140C, INTNLREL 140X)
Bertrand M Patenaude, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
BIO 179: Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (BIO 279, EARTHSYS 179, EARTHSYS 279)
Gretchen Daily, PHD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
MED 232: Global Health: Scaling Health Technology Innovations in Low Resource Settings
Anurag Mairal, PhD & Michele Barry, MD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
PEDS 220: Covid-19 Elective
Rishi Mediratta, MD
Spring Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
BIOE 375: Biodesign and Entrepreneurship for Societal Health (Med 236)
Narges Baniasadi, PhD & Pedram Afshar
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
PSYC 244: Islamic Psychology (PSYC 144)
Rania Awaad, MD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
STRAMGT 345: Impact: Taking Social Innovation to Scale
Steve Davis, JD, MA
Spring
Graduate Students
Global Health
MED 268: Tackling Cross-Cultural Health Challenges: Emphasis on the Asian Community (ASNAMST 268)
Latha Palaniappan, MD, MS & Bryant Lin, MD, MEng
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HUMBIO 128U: Upstreaming Health (DESIGN 261)
Sara Singer, MBA, PhD; Joanne Cheung & Stephen Johannes Downs
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
ECON 127: Economics of Health Improvement in Developing Countries
Grant Miller, PhD, MPP
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
SOMGEN 207: Theories of Change in Global Health (INTLPOL 291, PUBLPOL 291)
Stephen Luby, MD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
HUMBIO 122M: Challenges of Human Migration: Health and Health Care of Migrants and Autochthonous Populations (PEDS 212)
Eunice Rodriguez, MPH
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
EARTHSYS 125: Shades of Green: Exploring and Expanding Environmental Justice in Practice (CSRE 125E, EARTHSYS 225, URBANST 125)
Sibyl Diver, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
MED 233: Global Health: Beyond Diseases and International Organizations
Cybele Renault MD, DTM&H & Ashley Styczynski, MD, MPH
Spring
Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
OBGYN 256: Current Topics and Controversies in Women's Health (HUMBIO 125, FEMGEN 256)
Marcia Stefanick, PhD
Spring
Medical Students
Global Health
SUSTAIN 140: Environmental Humanities: Finding Our Place on a Changing Planet (BIO 184)
Erika Veidis, MBA; Giulio De Leo, PhD; Kathy Burke, MS, MBA; Sara Michas-Martin, MFA; Kelly McManus Chauvin, PhD & Tad Fukami, PhD, MS
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
MED 124: Global Child Health (HUMBIO 124C, PEDS 124)
Yvonne Maldonado, MD & Clea Sarnquist, DrPH, MPH
Fall
Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
CHPR 239: Contemplative Competence for Sustainability of Public and Planetary Health and Well-being
Tia Rich, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
PSYC 86Q: Psychology of Xenophobia
Rania Awad, MD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
SURG 234: Service Through Surgery: Surgeons with an Impact
Micaela Esquivel, MD
Winter
Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
SUSTAIN 2: Climate and Society
Marshall Burke, PhD, MS; Noah Diffenbaugh, PhD & David Lobell, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
CEE 277F: Advanced Field Methods in Water, Health and Development
Jenna Davis, PhD, MSPH
Spring Summer Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
OSPGEN 259: Community Health in Oaxaca
Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, PhD, MPH; Catherine Heaney, PhD
Summer
Undergraduates
Global Health
BIO 2N: Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease in a Changing World
Erin Mordecai, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
EPI 231: Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
Julie Parsonnet, MD; Yvonne Maldonado, MD & Jason Andrews, MD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HUMBIO 116: Climate Perspectives: Climate Science, Impacts, Policy, Negotiations, and Advocacy (PUBLPOL 116)
Joe Nation, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
SUST 210: Pursuing Sustainability: Managing Complex Social Environmental Systems (ESS 230)
Garry Sotnik, MA & Pam Matson, PhD, MS
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
HUMBIO 166: Food and Society: Exploring Eating Behaviors in Social, Environmental, and Policy Context (CHPR 166)
Christopher Gardner, PhD, MS
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
EARTHSYS 194A: Environmental Justice Colloquium (HUMRTS 194A, URBANST 155A)
MarCarrera Zamanillo, PhD, MS
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
HUMBIO 3B: Environmental and Health Policy Analysis
Laurence Baker, PhD & Joe Nation, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
ME 375: Wildfire Science
Matthias Ihme, PhD, MSc
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
STS 177: The Cultural Politics of Food and Eating: Technology, History, and Justice
Kyoko Sato, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
SUSTAIN 329: Policy Practicum: Smoke (LAW 808D)
Michael Wara, JD, PhD & Deborah Sivas, JD, MS
Spring Fall Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
ESS 268: Empirical Methods in Sustainable Development (INTLPOL 272)
Marshall Burke, PhD, MS
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
BIO 117: Biology and Global Change (EARTHSYS 111, EARTHSYS 217, ESS 111)
Karen Casciotti, PhD, MS & Peter Vitousek, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
CEE 260C: Contaminant Hydrogeology and Reactive Transport (ESS 221)
Steven Gorelick, PhD, MS, Katharine Maher, PhD, MS
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
CEE 270: Movement and Fate of Organic Contaminants in Waters
Richard Luthy, PhD, MS
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
CEE 278A: Air Pollution Fundamentals
Royal Kopperud, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
HUMBIO 154D: Models for Understanding and Controlling Global Infectious Diseases (HRP 204)
Jason Andrews, MD & Jeremy Goldhaber-Fiebert, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
HUMBIO 179B: Music and Healing (MUSIC 39B)
Denise Gill, PhD, MA
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
MED 246: Confronting Emotions in the Climate Sciences (SUSTAIN 223)
David Palumbo-Liu, PhD; Peter Pellitier, PhD; Britt Wray, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health Planetary Health
CEE 64: Air Pollution and Global Warming: History, Science, and Solutions (CEE 263D)
Mark Jacobson, PhD, MS
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
COLLEGE 106: Environmental Sustainability: Global Predicaments and Possible Solutions
William Barnett, PhD; Chris Field, PhD; Mejgan Massoumi, PhD, MCP & Belinda Ramírez, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
PEDS 225: Humanitarian Aid and Politics
Bertrand M Patenaude, PhD
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
ENGLISH 102: Pathogens and Populations: Representing Infectious Disease
Alex Sherman & Mallory Harris
Fall
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
MED 215C: Health Policy Graduate Student Tutorial III (HRP 201C)
Grant Miller, PhD
Spring
Graduate Students
Global Health
NATIVEAM 240: Psychology and American Indian/Alaska Native Mental Health (EDUC 340, PSYCH 272)
Teresa LaFramboise, PhD, MEd
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
OSPSANTG 57: Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Public Policy in Chile*
Claudia Dides
Spring
Undergraduates
Global Health
OSPMADRD 57: Health Care: A Contrastive Analysis between Spain and the U.S.*
Alicia Perez Blanco
Spring
Undergraduates
Global Health
COLLEGE 108: Where Does it Hurt?: Medicine and Suffering in Global Context
Lidia Schapira MD; Karl Lorenz MD MSHS; Nicole Martinez-Martin JD, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Global Health
GLOBAL 112: Oceans and the Global Imaginary
Krish Seetah, PhD, MS
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
EARTHSYS 109: Rethinking Meat: An Introduction to Alternative Proteins (EARTHSYS 209, ESS 103, ESS 203, ETHICSOC 107)
David Lobell, PhD
Spring
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
BIO 71: Planet Ocean (ESS 71)
Rob Dunbar, PhD; Fiorenza Micheli, PhD; & Stephen Palumbi, PhD
Winter
Undergraduates Graduate Students Medical Students
Planetary Health
SGSI 2023: Exploring Planetary Stewardship: Sustainability Solutions in a Rapidly Changing World**
Clayton A. Hurd, PhD & Joanne Tien, PhD
Summer
Graduate Students
Planetary Health
HRP 215: Causal Inference for Environment-Health Studies: A Survey of Recent Literature (MED 215)
Eran Bendavid, MD
Fall
Graduate Students
Global Health Planetary Health