Medical Humanities (MHUM)

This is an archived copy of the 2018-2019 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.wofford.edu.

The program in Medical Humanities offers students an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the study of health care in today’s societies. Drawing on courses in such areas as Anthropology, Biology, Economics, History, Philosophy, and Psychology, the program encourages students to examine the nature of medicine and the important issues of health care in today’s world from a variety of disciplinary and cultural perspectives. It culminates in an independent capstone project designed to integrate learning from diverse areas of study.

The program in Medical Humanities is not a major. Courses applied toward requirements for this program may also be counted toward requirements that will satisfy other programs, majors, or minors. Successful completion of the program will be noted on the transcript and on the program for commencement exercises.

Coordinators

Charles D. Kay, Philosophy Department
Robert E. Moss, Biology Department

Program Requirements

PHIL 210Bio-Medical Ethics3
Select one science course from the following: 13
Introduction to Public Health
Current Topics in Biology
Case Studies In Human Disease
Case Studies in Public Health
Case Studies in Biomedicine
Health & the Environment
Abnormal Psychology
Health Psychology
Clinical Neuroscience
Clinical Psychology
Select two humanities courses from the following: 16
Medical Anthropology
Global Health
Case Studies in Public Health
Economics of Medical Care
Health Care Policy & Administration
History of Medicine
Medicine & Literature
Religion & Medicine
Senior Capstone Project3
Senior Capstone
Total Hours15

MHUM 448. Senior Capstone. 3 Hours.

Designed by the student, the Capstone Project combines an understanding of Medical Humanities with interdisciplinary study in two disciplines of the student's choice. Often the project will take the form of a traditional research paper (20-30 pages), but works of fiction or drama, field studies, multi-media presentations, or other formats are acceptable, subject to the coordinators' approval. Projects other than research papers must be accompanied by a bibliography of sources and a 5-10 page statement explaining goals, results, and research methods. Students will defend their final project before a committee of three faculty members, consisting normally of two teaching courses in the Medical Humanities program and one outside reader; these defenses will be open to the Wofford community.