About Us

Health & Medical Humanities is an interdisciplinary field that uses humanistic perspectives to understand health and healthcare. The minor is supported by faculty and classes across CHESS, including from the departments and majors of Africana Studies, Anthropology, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, History, Language and Cultural Studies, and Philosophy.

We have a major in Interdisciplinary Studies and a minor. The Health & Medical Humanities minor is an 18 credit interdisciplinary minor engaged in the humanistic and cultural study of illness, health, healthcare, and the body. This program explores the experience of illness, mortality, fragility, health, and healthcare settings through literature, the arts, and the social sciences. This minor is also intended to enhance personal reflection, critical thinking skills, and understanding of health, illness, and medical care’s personal, social, historical, and cultural contexts.

The minor and major are housed in CHESS but are open to all students in the university. Students who major in HHUM take two required classes (HHUM 2100, Introduction to Health & Medical Humanities (3 credits); and HHUM 4100, Portfolio Capstone in Health/Medical Humanities (3 credits)). Between these two classes, students take approved electives from various social sciences, humanities, arts, and natural sciences departments. Throughout, students investigate questions of health, healing, and disease from multiple disciplinary perspectives and integrate their insights into an interdisciplinary portfolio as a capstone project.