The Science of Human Health—A Context-Based Chemistry Course for Non-Science Majors Incorporating Systems Thinking
David R. Armstrong, Judith C. Poë
Abstract
The Science of Human Health is an undergraduate chemistry course for non-science majors. This course presents chemistry content following a systems thinking approach and was created with the goal of providing students with the necessary chemistry foundation to make informed decisions which will affect their own well-being and their global citizenship. Chemistry is taught and learned on a need-to-know basis in order to address the three themes: nutrition for the prevention of disease, diagnostics for the detection of disease, and medicine for the treatment of disease. The course relies heavily on active learning assignments and group work, promoting the development of critical thinking and communication skills. Presenting chemistry with a systems thinking orientation through the context of human health and well-being is particularly effective at engaging non-science students who might otherwise struggle to relate to chemistry.