Medical Humanities
The Human Experience at the Center of Healthcare
UMW prepares students to value the human experience at the center of all healthcare. Medical humanities brings a holistic perspective to the study of health and launches careers in healthcare, social work, counseling, and more.
Paths of Study
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
- Minor
Explore:
What You’ll Study
Our medical humanities minor gives students the opportunity to explore the complex interplay of cultural, ethical, historical, political, and social forces that shape medical knowledge, clinical practice, and the lived experience of illness.
Sample course topics include:
- PHIL 226 Medical Ethics
- COMM 378 Health Communication
- ANTH 225 Medical Anthropology
- ENGL 308 Writing Studies and Healing
For a full list of courses in acting, visit the Academic Catalog.
Why Medical Humanities Matters at UMW
This minor addresses a complementary and vital need to understand the human experience at the center of all healthcare. Drawing upon the analytical tools of the humanities and social sciences, students examine how factors like race, class, and gender shape health outcomes, and graduate prepared for engaged, compassionate citizenship, regardless of their major or career path.
Program Highlights
An Interdisciplinary Foundation
The minor moves beyond a purely biological framework to consider the patient as a whole person, providing an interdisciplinary understanding of the social and cultural dimensions of health and illness.
A Curriculum That Builds on Itself
Introductory courses build fluency in the human experience at the center of healthcare, while upper-level seminars dive deep into such topics as the doctor-patient relationship, the authority of the physician, changing conceptions of disease, and healthcare policy.
Real-World Experience
Many students pursue internships to apply classroom skills in professional settings and explore career interests across medical, nursing, pharmacy, and public health sectors. Students may also elect individual studies or choose to study abroad, building an education that extends beyond the classroom and into the communities they aim to serve.
Career Outcomes
Medical humanities is of particular value to students planning to attend medical, nursing, or pharmacy school. Many also plan careers in social work, counseling, law, journalism, public policy, and healthcare administration.