Medical Humanities Minor

Description

Medical humanities is an interdisciplinary field that explores, from multiple perspectives, connections between humans, cultures, medicine and allied health sciences. Medical humanities complements the health sciences, and encompasses the humanities, social sciences and the arts. It includes topics related to: health and illness; the interactions between health practices and conceptions of personhood, gender, and community; beliefs; practices, healing and ethics across cultures; the nature of suffering; and models of wellness.

The minor in medical humanities provides students who are interested in careers in medicine, nursing, public health, psychology, social work, health education, and other allied health sciences, with courses that complement and support their studies. The minor is intentionally flexible and interdisciplinary, reflecting both the needs of students and the nature of the discipline. It includes options and opportunities such as distance education and service learning. The medical humanities minor helps students to increase their understanding of the nature of illness, health, wellness, healing and medicine by exploring these topics in relation to:

  • inclusivity and diversity
  • ethics, religion and culture
  • narrative medicine, communication, fine arts

Other Information

All coursework taken for the medical humanities minor must be completed with a grade of “C-“ or better.

Contact Information

Dustin Pendley,
dpendley@unomaha.edu

Website

Requirements

Undergraduate students seeking to minor in medical humanities must complete at least 15 credit hours of medical humanities courses with a grade of C- or higher and include at least one course from each of three core areas or blocks related to the study and practice of medical humanities: Block 1) inclusivity and diversity; Block 2) ethics, religion and culture; Block 3) narrative medicine, communication, fine arts. 

A minimum of 9 out of the 15 credit hours of coursework must be upper division (3000 or higher) courses.

Please note: As this is a new minor, courses are being added. As new courses are being added on an on-going basis, students should select medical humanities courses in consultation with their minor advisor who will provide them with the most recent list of course options.

Courses Fulfilling the Core Area/Block Requirements

Students must choose at least one course from each of the three core areas or blocks below. The rest of the 15 credit minor requirement may consist of coursework chosen from the medical humanities minor full course listings. No less than 9 out of the 15 total credit hours for the minor must be taken at the 3000-4000 level.

Block Requirement Options
MEDH 1000 Introduction to Medical Humanities will fulfill one Block requirement. That is, a MEDH minor taking MEDH 1000 may use it to satisfy the requirement of three hours of coursework from Block 1, 2, or 3.
MEDH 3000 Medical Humanities Commons will fulfill one Block requirement. Attribution to Block 1, 2, or 3 will be handled through advisement, as the topic may change from semester to semester.

Block 1: Inclusivity and Diversity
BLST 3980SPECIAL TOPICS IN BLACK STUDIES (HIV and AIDS in Africa)3
GERO 4480GLOBAL AGEING3
GERO/PHHB/WGST 4550HEALTH ASPECTS OF AGING3
MEDH 4000TOPICS IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (Topic with a Block 1 attribute)3
MEDH 4990INDEPENDENT STUDY IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (TOPIC WITH A BLOCK 1 ATTRIBUTE)1-3
PHHB/GERO 3070DEATH AND DYING3
PHIL 3480PHILOSOPHY OF RACE3
PHIL/WGST 3490GENDER AND PHILOSOPHY3
PSYC 2500LIFESPAN PSYCHOLOGY3
SOC 3820MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY3
SOC 4440HUMAN CONNECTION, LONELINESS, & HEALTH3
SOC/PHHB 4700WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ISSUES OF DIVERSITY3
SOC 4800CONTEMPORARY TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY (Health & Stratification)3
SOC 4830SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL HEALTH & ILLNESS3
Block 2: Ethics, Religion and Culture
ANTH 4230ETHNOMEDICINES OF THE AMERICAS3
ANTH 4240MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY3
ANTH/NAMS 4270DECOLONIZING NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH3
ANTH 4920SEMINAR IN ANTHROPOLOGY (Free Healthcare, Clinical Cultures, and Health Disparities)3
ANTH/NAMS 4920SEMINAR IN ANTHROPOLOGY (Native American Health and Wellness)3
HIST/MEDH 2030HISTORY OF MEDICINE: FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT3
MEDH/PHIL 2300HUMAN VALUES IN MEDICINE3
MEDH 4000TOPICS IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (Topic with a Block 2 attribute)3
MEDH 4990INDEPENDENT STUDY IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (TOPIC WITH A BLOCK 2 ATTRIBUTE)1-3
PHIL 3450PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE3
PHIL 3500PROBLEMS IN PHILOSOPHY (Myth, Medicine & Cosmology, Neuroethics)3
PSYC 4680POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH, & WELL-BEING3
PSYC 4800LAW & PSYCHOLOGY: ETHICS, RESEARCH & SERVICE3
RELI 2500SPIRITUALITY AND WELLNESS3
RELI 3020NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS3
RELI 3030SHAMANISM3
RELI 3500TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (Spirituality and Madness; Public Health, Religon, and Human Rights; Religion in Public Life)3
RELI/BLST 4030AFRICANA RELIGIONS3
SPAN 3570SPANISH FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS3
Block 3: Narrative Medicine, Communication, Fine Arts
ART 2600SURVEY OF COMICS: MORE THAN CAPES AND TIGHTS (As topic appropriate)3
ART 3330ART IN PUBLIC PLACES (Theory & Practice in Public Health)3
CMST 1310PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES3
CMST 4220HEALTH COMMUNICATION3
ENGL/MEDH 4950BRINGING THE WAR HOME: DEPICTIONS OF WAR VETERANS IN LITERATURE AND FILM3
ENGL 4970WRITING ABOUT SICKNESS AND HEALTH3
MEDH 4000TOPICS IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (Topic with a Block 3 attribute)3
MEDH 4990INDEPENDENT STUDY IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (TOPIC WITH A BLOCK 3 ATTRIBUTE)1-3
MUS 2740CHAMBER MUSIC (Sound Health)1
MUS 4660HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR MUSICIANS3
RELI 3500TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (First Nations, Spirit in Culture)3
THEA 2310ACTING I (Medical Humanities Section)3
WRWS 3500CREATIVE WRITING FOR THE ARTS (Medical Humanities Section)3
Medical Humanities Minor Full Course Listings

College of Arts and Sciences

Anthropology
ANTH 4230ETHNOMEDICINES OF THE AMERICAS3
ANTH 4240MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY3
ANTH/NAMS 4270DECOLONIZING NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH3
ANTH 4920SEMINAR IN ANTHROPOLOGY (Free Healthcare, Clinical Cultures, and Health Disparities)3
ANTH/NAMS 4920SEMINAR IN ANTHROPOLOGY (Native American Health and Wellness)3
Biology
BIOL 1060INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL CAREERS & ETHICS2
BIOL 2060ART AND SCIENCE OF MEDICAL DECISION-MAKING3
Black Studies
BLST 3980SPECIAL TOPICS IN BLACK STUDIES (HIV and AIDS in Africa)3
BLST/RELI 4030AFRICANA RELIGIONS3
English
ENGL/MEDH 4950BRINGING THE WAR HOME: DEPICTIONS OF WAR VETERANS IN LITERATURE AND FILM3
ENGL 4960TOPICS IN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (Writing Graphic Memoirs)3
ENGL 4970WRITING ABOUT SICKNESS AND HEALTH3
Environmental Studies
ENVN 4320ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY AND HUMAN HEALTH3
Foreign Languages and Literature
SPAN 1140INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES1
History
HIST/MEDH 2030HISTORY OF MEDICINE: FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT3
Medical Humanities
MEDH 1000INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL HUMANITIES3
MEDH/HIST 2030HISTORY OF MEDICINE: FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT3
MEDH/PHIL 2300HUMAN VALUES IN MEDICINE3
MEDH 3000MEDICAL HUMANITIES COMMONS3
MEDH 4000TOPICS IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES3
MEDH 4990INDEPENDENT STUDY IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES1-3
Native American Studies
NAMS/ANTH 4270DECOLONIZING NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH3
NAMS/ANTH 4920SPECIAL TOPICS IN NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES (Native American Health & Wellness)3
Philosophy
PHIL 2030INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS3
PHIL/MEDH 2300HUMAN VALUES IN MEDICINE3
PHIL 3450PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE3
PHIL 3480PHILOSOPHY OF RACE3
PHIL/WGST 3490GENDER AND PHILOSOPHY3
PHIL 3500PROBLEMS IN PHILOSOPHY (Myth, Medicine & Cosmology, Neuroethics)3
Psychology
PSYC 2500LIFESPAN PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 4440ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC/GERO 4460PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGING3
PSYC 4680POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH, & WELL-BEING3
PSYC 4800LAW & PSYCHOLOGY: ETHICS, RESEARCH & SERVICE3
Religious Studies
RELI 2500SPIRITUALITY AND WELLNESS3
RELI 3020NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS3
RELI 3030SHAMANISM3
RELI 3500TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (Religion in Public Life; First Nations, Spirit in Culture, Compassion; Spirituality and Madness; Public Health, Religion and Human Rights)3
RELI/BLST 4030AFRICANA RELIGIONS3
Sociology
SOC 3820MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY3
SOC 4200SOCIOLOGY OF THE BODY3
SOC 4440HUMAN CONNECTION, LONELINESS, & HEALTH3
SOC/PHHB 4700WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ISSUES OF DIVERSITY3
SOC 4800CONTEMPORARY TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY (Health & Stratification)3
SOC 4830SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL HEALTH & ILLNESS3
Spanish
SPAN 1140INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES1
SPAN 3570SPANISH FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS3
Women's and Gender Studies
WGST 2020INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES: HUMANITIES3
WGST/PHHB 3080HEALTH CONCEPTS OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT3
WGST/PHIL 3490GENDER AND PHILOSOPHY3
WGST/PHHB/GERO 4550HEALTH ASPECTS OF AGING3

College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media

Art
ART 2600SURVEY OF COMICS: MORE THAN CAPES AND TIGHTS (As topic appropriate)3
ART 3330ART IN PUBLIC PLACES (Public Health focus-please check with the professor)3
Music
MUS 2740CHAMBER MUSIC (Sound Health Service Learning component)1
MUS 4000SPECIAL STUDIES IN MUSIC (Health & Wellness for Musicians)3
Communication Studies
CMST 1310PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES3
CMST 2010INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION3
CMST 2410SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP3
CMST 4220HEALTH COMMUNICATION3
THEA 2310ACTING I (MH Section)3
WRWS 3500CREATIVE WRITING FOR THE ARTS (MH Section)3

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

Public Health and Health Behavior
PHHB 2850STRESS MANAGEMENT3
PHHB/GERO 3070DEATH AND DYING3
PHHB/WGST 3080HEALTH CONCEPTS OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT3
PHHB/WGST/GERO 4550HEALTH ASPECTS OF AGING3
PHHB/SOC 4700WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ISSUES OF DIVERSITY3

College of Public Affairs and Community Service

Gerontology
GERO/PHHB 3070DEATH AND DYING3
GERO 4350ISSUES IN AGING3
GERO/PSYC 4460PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGING3
GERO/PHHB/WGST 4550HEALTH ASPECTS OF AGING3
GERO/SOWK 4850HOSPICE & OTHER SERVICES FOR THE DYING PATIENT/FAMILY3

Recommended Courses

Recommended courses for students interested in pursuing a minor in Medical Humanities (but not counting directly toward the minor) include:

ANTH 1050INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY3
BLST 1000INTRODUCTION TO BLACK STUDIES3
CMST 4170ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION3
CMST 4530INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION-US3
CMST 4700INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT3
GERO 2000INTRODUCTION TO GERONTOLOGY3
NAMS 1100INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES3
PHIL 1210CRITICAL REASONING3
PSYC 1010INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY I3
PSYC 1020INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY II3
RELI 1010RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD3
SOC 1010INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY3
WGST 2010INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES: SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE3

MEDH 1000Introduction to Medical Humanities will fulfill one Block requirement.  That is, a MEDH minor taking MEDH 1000 may use it to satisfy the requirement of three hours of coursework from Block 1,2, or 3.

MEDH 3000Medical Humanities Commons will fulfill one Block requirement.  Attribution to Block 1, 2, or 3 will be handled through advisement as the topic may change from semester to semester.