Economics Professor David M. Cutler ’87 said that the new Standing Committee on Global Health and Health Policy will create an “umbrella” for studies in domestic health policy—already a popular secondary among undergraduates. Studies in global health policy are currently limited to General Education courses and interdisciplinary courses in other concentrations.

“It will allow us to provide a home for courses that are currently taught where there is no home for them,” Cutler said.

Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will also see a new concentration in Biomedical Engineering following a unanimous vote at yesterday’s meeting. Bioengineering Professor David J. Mooney said that field is becoming increasingly relevant in the engineering world.

Though students have already been focusing on biomedical engineering studies, Mooney said the new concentration will build an academic path that includes courses in chemistry and biology in addition to other SEAS courses.

“Harvard has a responsibility to train the future leaders of this field,” Mooney said.

—Staff writer Noah S. Rayman can be reached at nrayman@fas.harvard.edu

—Staff writer Elyssa A.L. Spitzer can be reached at spitzer@fas.harvard.edu.