Photo of a stethoscope and syringes

The undergraduate Certificate in Medical Humanities offers OSU students a multi-disciplinary integrated program to study health, medicine and the healing professions. The certificate relies on key courses in medical anthropology, literature and medicine, medical history, and biomedical ethics for its core content foundations; courses from an additional nine different disciplines – biology, ethnic studies, exercise science, philosophy, political science, psychology, public health, religious studies, sociology, and women studies – can fulfill complementary elective courses. In addition, the certificate program provides a team-taught colloquium on “the art of healing” that emphasizes skills in professional identity, reflective writing, cultural competency, and diversity as a complement to the scientific features of the healing professions.

The certificate will prepare students to:

  • empathize with the sufferings of others;
  • reflect critically on medical knowledge and discourse;
  • create new representations of the medical experience;
  • confront moral, psychological, and ethical dilemmas.
     

Yes, Studying the Humanities Might Make You a Better Doctor


Medical Humanities Core (10 required credits from the following)

ANTH 345: *Biological and Cultural Constructions of Race (3, BCC)
ANTH 383: *Introduction to Medical Anthropology (3, BCC)

ENG 489/ENG 589: Writing, Literature and Medicine (4)

HSTS 416/HSTS 516: *History of Medicine: Pre-1800 (4, BCC)
HSTS 417/HSTS 517: *^History of Medicine (4, BCC)

PHL 275: Introduction to Disability Studies
PHL 299/HC 299: Selected Topics: The Art of Healing (2)
PHL/REL 444/544: *Biomedical Ethics (4, BCC)
PHL/REL 455/555: Death and Dying (3)

Medical Humanities Electives (minimum 17 credits)

Note: A course listed in the Core requirements may be taken for elective credit if not used for a core requirement.

ANTH 240. Introduction to Biological Anthropology (3)
ANTH 345. *Biological and Cultural Constructions of Race (3)
ANTH 352. *Anthropology, Health, and Environment (3)
ANTH 374. *Anthropology and Global Health (3)
ANTH 383. *Introduction to Medical Anthropology (3)
ANTH 448/ANTH 548. Evolutionary Medicine (4)
ANTH 461/ANTH 561. Neuroanthropology (4)

BB 331. *Introduction to Molecular Biology (3)
BB 332. *Molecular Medicine (3)
BI 301. *Human Impacts on Ecosystems (3)

COMM 437. Health Communication (3)

ENG 489/ENG 589. Writing, Literature and Medicine (4)

ENT 300/HORT 330. *Plagues, Pests and Politics (3)

ES 445. *Native American Science and Technology (4)

FCSJ/ANTH 361. Food Justice (4)

H 100. Introduction to Public Health (4)
H 210. *Introduction to the Health Care System (3)
H 225. *Social and Individual Health Determinants (4)
H 312. *HIV/AIDS and STIs in Modern Society (3)
H 333. *Global Public Health (3)
H 344. Foundations of Environmental Health (3)

HDFS 447. *Families and Poverty (4)
HSTS 415/HSTS 515. *^Theory of Evolution and Foundation of Modern Biology (4)
HSTS 416/HSTS 516. *History of Medicine Pre-1800 (4)
HSTS 417/HSTS 517. *^History of Medicine (4)
HSTS 419/HSTS 519. *^Studies in Scientific Controversy: Methods and Practices (4)
HSTS 423/HSTS 523. *Science and Religion (4)
HSTS 437/HSTS 537. ^History of Animals in Science (4)
HSTS 440/HSTS 540. *History of Psychotherapy (4)

KIN 312. *Sociocultural Dimensions of Physical Activity (3)
KIN 475. *Power and Privilege in Sport (3)
MB 330. *Disease and Society (3)

NUTR 240. Human Nutrition (3)
NUTR 312. *Issues in Nutrition and Health (3)

PHAR 210. Terminology of the Health Sciences (2)

PHL 275. *Introduction to Disability Studies (4)
PHL/HC 299. Selected Topics: The Art of Healing (2)
PHL/REL 444/544. *Biomedical Ethics (4)
PHL/REL 455/555. Death and Dying (3)
PHL 474/PHL 574. ^Philosophy of Biology (4)

PSY/WGSS 465/565. Women, Weight and Body Image (4)
PSY/WGSS 466/566. *Fat Studies (4)
PSY 498/PSY 598. Health Psychology (4)

SOC 350. Health, Illness and Society (4)
SOC 355. Death and Dying (4)
SOC 432/SOC 532. Sociology of Aging (3)

WGSS 270. Violence Against Women (3)
WGSS 340. *Gender and Science (3)
WGSS 350. *Politics of Motherhood in a Global Context (3)
WGSS 482/WGSS 582. Global Perspectives on Women's Health (3)
WGSS 483/583. Race, Gender, and Health Justice (4)
WR 323. *English Composition: Writing Bodies in Illness and Health (3)

Total=27 Credits

Footnotes:

* Baccalaureate Core Course
^ Writing Intensive Course (WIC)

Undergraduate Certificate Declaration Form

For more information, contact one of the Medical Humanities Advisors listed below:

Dr. Courtney Campbell, Medical Humanities Program Director and Hundere Professor in Religion and Culture in the School of History, Philosophy, & Religion

Marilyn Stewart, Associate Head Advisor and Pre-med Coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts