Minor in Health & Medical Sciences (HMED)

Image of mascot similar to  Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man

The Minor in Health & Medical Sciences is available to all Georgia Tech undergraduate students, and is ideal for students interested in the scientific questions underlying human health and medicine and students interested in all health-related careers. The Health & Medical Sciences Minor offers the flexibility to customize your coursework toward your intended field of study, including medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, optometry, physical therapy, physician assistant, or public health professional schools. The minor is also ideal for students interested in health-related research, industry, or the science underlying human function.

  • To maximize your competitiveness for future jobs, professional school, or graduate school, your minor program of study should be designed around a cohesive set of courses that advances your knowledge and expertise toward your areas of interest
  • If you are pre-health, it is extremely important that you consult with the Georgia Tech Pre-Health Advising office to ensure that you are taking necessary and appropriate coursework to fulfill pre-requisite coursework required for your individual professional school plans. Please note that completing the HMED minor will not, in and of itself, fulfill all pre-medical or other pre-health requirements.

Interested in the Health & Medical Sciences Minor? 
Join the 2024 HMED Minor Information Session
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
2-3 pm | Zoom: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/4151007233


HMED minor details

  • The HMED minor is available to all undergraduate students at Georgia Tech.
  • The minor requires 15 credits in approved College of Science courses, listed in the table below. Note that non-CoS courses (eg, BMED courses) cannot count toward the HMED minor.
  • A minimum of 9 credits must be from at least two Schools outside of your major (home unit). School designations are based on subject code; subject codes included in the HMED minor are BIOS (formerly BIOL and APPH), CHEM, NEUR, PHYS, and PSYC
    • Note that courses which are cross-listed under two schools count as BOTH schools; eg, APPH/BIOL courses count as both APPH and BIOL
  • A maximum of 6 credits can be from your major (home unit)
  • A minimum of 9 credits must be at the 3000 level or higher
  • A maximum of 6 credits can be Special Topics courses, or 3 credits of Research or VIP and 3 credits of Special Topics
    • Research, VIP, and Special Topics credits must be within the College of Sciences and must be pre-approved as health-related and science-focused by the Health & Medical Sciences committee to count toward the minor
  • A maximum of 3 credits can be Transfer coursework
  • All courses must be taken on a letter-grade basis with a final grade of C or higher

Declare the HMED minor

  1. Enroll in the HMED Minor Advising Canvas page (you can choose to unenroll if you decide not to declare the minor)
  2. Complete 3 short modules:
    • Read About the HMED Minor
    • Tell us about you on the HMED Minor Information Form
    • Complete the HMED Minor Proposed Course Completion Plan module. Once approved, move forward. Otherwise, please revise your plan and resubmit in Canvas.
  3. Complete a Change of Minor Form (via DocuSign). Specific instructions are included. Change of Minor forms (to add the HMED Minor) will not be signed until the course plan is approved.

*Most of your questions can be answered here and in the HMED Minor Advising Canvas page. Please check this website and the Canvas page first before contacting the HMED Minor Advisors via email (hmed-advisor@lists.gatech.edu).


Double counting courses toward your major and the HMED minor

  • Courses cannot be counted toward more than one minor or certificate
  • Free electives can be counted toward the major program and the HMED minor
  • A course may be allowed to double count toward the major and the minor if it meets all three of the following criteria:
    • The course is on the list of approved HMED courses or has been pre-approved by petition to the HMED minor committee
    • The course is NOT fulfilling a Core A-E degree requirements, as listed in your DegreeWorks
    • The course IS in the designated block of courses outside of your major field of study, as determined by your major advisor (these courses will typically fall in the student’s breadth/technical/broadening electives.)

Students are encouraged to discuss questions related to double counting courses with your MAJOR advisor.


Petitioning for new courses/research to be included in your HMED minor

  • To submit a petition for research/new courses, you must be enrolled in the HMED Minor Advising Canvas page.
  • Once enrolled in the Canvas page, you can fill out the Research Petition Form to petition for up to 3 credits of research or VIP to count toward your HMED minor. Research and VIP credits must be within the College of Sciences.
    • For Research: only BIOS, CHEM, NEUR, PHYS, and PSYC research may count toward the HMED minor
    • For VIP: at least one faculty member associated with the project must be affiliated with the College of Sciences
  • Fill out the Special Topics/New Course Inclusion Petition Form to petition for a Special Topics or other new course to be considered for the HMED minor. Only BIOS, CHEM, NEUR, PHYS, and PSYC courses may be applied to the HMED minor.
  • Submit new course petitions before your graduating academic year! We need the extra time for Institute-level processing.

DegreeWorks errors with the HMED minor

AKA: Does my list of classes fulfill the HMED minor?

  • Be aware that the minor courses may not display correctly, depending on your major and how minor courses are expected to count in the major. In many cases, these display issues cannot be fixed until your graduating semester.
  • Once you have determined the list of classes that you plan to take toward the HMED minor, complete the HMED Course Completion Plan Form. To submit the HMED Course Completion Plan Form, you must be enrolled in the HMED Minor Advising Canvas page.
  • If your classes are completed or in-progress, then a note will be added to the bottom of your DegreeWorks record specifying which courses will be used to fulfill the minor, pending approval of any double-counting by your major advisor. If you have not yet taken all the classes on your list, then you will be notified via email whether your planned list of classes can fulfill the HMED minor.

BIOS, BIOL, and APPH course combinations

Beginning Spring 2020, the School of Biological Sciences will offer courses under a new subject code, BIOS (Biological Sciences). This subject code will replace the APPH and BIOL subject codes for all undergraduate courses except APPH 1040 and APPH 1050. Because the BIOS subject code unifies APPH and BIOL into a single School, this new BIOS subject code will affect how course are counted toward the HMED minor. 


Approved HMED Minor Courses

School/Subject and Course NumberCourse NameCredit Hours
Biological Sciences Courses (beginning Spring 2020)NameCredits
BIOS 1107Biological Principles3
BIOS 1107LBiological Principles Lab1
BIOS 1108Organismal Biology3
BIOS 1108LOrganismal Biology Lab1
BIOS 1207Biological Principles for Majors3
BIOS 1207LBiological Principles Project Lab1
BIOS 1208Organismal Biology for Majors3
BIOS 1208LOrganismal Biology Project Lab1
BIOS 2500Intro to Sport Science3
BIOS 2600Genetics3
BIOS 2601Genetics Lab1
BIOS 2610Integrative Genetics3
BIOS 2611Integrative Genetics Lab1
BIOS 2699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
BIOS 3000Survey of Medicine3
BIOS 3380Microbiology3
BIOS 3381Microbiology Lab1
BIOS 3400Math Models in Biology3
BIOS 3450Cell Molecular Biol3
BIOS 3451Cell Molecular Biol Lab1
BIOS 3753Human Anatomy3
BIOS 3754Anatomy Lab1
BIOS 3755Human Physiology3
BIOS 3756Physiology Lab1
BIOS 4012Protein Biology3
BIOS 4015Cancer Bio/Tech3
BIOS 4100Exercise Physiology3
BIOS 4150Genomics & Applied Bioinformatics3
BIOS 4200Kinesiology3
BIOS 4238*Ion Channels3
BIOS 4340Medical Microbiology3
BIOS 4400Human Neuroanatomy3
BIOS 4401Experimental Design & Statistical Methods3
BIOS 4440Human Pathology3
BIOS 4464Developmental Biology3
BIOS 4471Behavioral Biology3
BIOS 4480Evolutionary-Develop Biol2
BIOS 4500Drug Discovery3
BIOS 4505Biological Programming3
BIOS 4510Epigenetics3
BIOS 4520Health Genes and Society3
BIOS 4540 Human Motor Control3
BIOS 4545Human Genetics3
BIOS 4560RNA Biology and Biotechnology3
BIOS 4570Immunology3
BIOS 4607Molecular Microbiology3
BIOS 4651Bioethics3
BIOS 4668Eukaryotic Mol Genetics3
BIOS 4699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
BIOS 4746Signaling Molecules 3
*Credit not awarded for both BIOS 4238 and NEUR 4803 Ion Channels towards HMED Minor.   
   
Chemistry and Biochemistry CoursesNameCredits
CHEM 1211K*Chemical Principles I4
CHEM 1212K*Chemical Principles II4
CHEM 1310*General Chemistry4
CHEM 1315*Survey of Organic Chem3
CHEM 2311*Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 2312*Organic Chemistry II3
CHEM 2313Bioorganic Chemistry3
CHEM 2380Synthesis Lab I2
CHEM 2699 (approval required) Undergraduate Research1-3
CHEM 3511^ Survey of Biochemistry3
CHEM 3521 (formerly CHEM 4511)^Biochemistry I3
CHEM 3522 (formerly CHEM 4512)^Biochemistry II3
CHEM 4311Advanced Organic Chemistry3
CHEM 4521 Biophysical Chemistry3
CHEM 4581 Biochemistry Lab I3
CHEM 4582 Biochemistry Lab II3
CHEM 4760 Biocatalysis3
CHEM 4765 Drug Design, Devl & Delivery3
CHEM 4699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
*Credit not awarded for both CHEM 1310 and 1211K towards HMED Minor.  *Credit not awarded for both CHEM 1310 and 1212K towards HMED Minor. *Credit not awarded for both CHEM 1315 and 2311 towards HMED Minor. *Credit not awarded for both CHEM 1315 and 2312 towards HMED Minor. ^Credit not awarded for both CHEM 3511 and 4511 towards HMED Minor. ^Credit not awarded for both CHEM 3511 and 4512 towards HMED Minor.  
Neuroscience CoursesNameCredits
NEUR 2001 Neuro-Principles4
NEUR 2699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
NEUR 3001Neuro-Cell & Molecular3
NEUR 3010Methods in Neuroscience3
NEUR 4300Neuroscience of Memory3
NEUR 4100Neurodevelopment3
NEUR 4400Neuroendocrinology3
NEUR 4699 (approval requiredUndergraduate Research1-3
   
Physics CoursesNameCredits
PHYS 2211 Intro Physics I4
PHYS 2212 Intro Physics II4
PHYS 2213 Intro to Modern Physics3
PHYS 2231 Honors Physics I5
PHYS 2232 Honors Physics II5
PHYS 2699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
PHYS 4250Neurophysics3
PHYS 4251 Biophysics3
PHYS 4699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
   
Psychology CoursesNameCredits
PSYC 1101 General Psychology3
PSYC 2103 Human Development3
PSYC 2210 Social Psychology3
PSYC 2230 Abnormal Psychology3
PSYC 2280Psychology of Creativity & Art3
PSYC 2699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
PSYC 2760 Human Language Process3
PSYC 3000Science of Stress, Anxiety, and Happiness3
PSYC 3009Health Psychology3
PSYC 3012 Intro Cognitive Psyc3
PSYC 3040 Sensation & Perception3
PSYC 3790 (cross-listed with CS 3790)Intro-Cognitive Science3
PSYC 4010 Human Abilities3
PSYC 4020Biopsychology3
PSYC 4090 Cognitive Neuroscience3
PSYC 4100 Behavioral Pharmacology3
PSYC 4260 Psychology of Aging3
PSYC 4699 (approval required)Undergraduate Research1-3
PSYC 4740 Neuroethics3

Beginning Spring 2020, the School of Biological Sciences will offer courses under a new subject code, BIOS (Biological Sciences). This subject code will replace APPH and BIOL for all undergraduate courses except APPH 1040 and APPH 1050.  Please refer to the conversion table for equivalency between APPH, BIOL, and BIOS courses. See above for an explanation of how combinations of BIOS, BIOL, and APPH coursework will be counted toward the HMED minor.


Special Topics Courses

The following special topics courses have been previously approved to count toward the HMED minor. Since special topics courses use generic course codes for all subjects, please include the name of the course when specifying a special topics course in your HMED Minor course completion plan.

Subject and CourseNameCredits
BIOS 4801History of Neuroscience1
BIOS 4803Nutrition3
BIOS 4803Neuromotor Physiology3
BIOS 4803Programming in Biological and Health Sciences (new course code = BIOS 4505)3
BIOS 4803Chromosomal Biology and Human Disease3
BIOS 4803Integrative Physiology3
PSYC 3803Programming for Brain & Behavior3
PSYC 3803Science of Stress, Anxiety, and Happiness (new course code = PSYC 3000)3
PSYC 3803Neuroscience of Mental Health: Research and Practice3
PSYC 4803Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience Methods3
PSYC 4803Mapping Experience and Space in the Mind3
PSYC 4803Neuroethics (new course code = PSYC 4740)3
PSYC 4803Emotions3
NEUR 4803*Ion Channels3
NEUR 4803Introduction to Neuroengineering3
NEUR 4803Neurobiology of Sleep3
NEUR 4803Neurodevelopment (new course code = NEUR 4100)3
*Credit not awarded for both BIOS 4238 and NEUR 4803 Ion Channels towards HMED Minor.