Health Humanities, Certificate

(Code 380-632) 

Advisor:  L. Rice (History).

The Certificate in Health Humanities is an integrative and interdisciplinary program designed for all students interested in gaining a deeper understanding of illness, suffering, healing, aging, and dying as human experiences on an individual level and in community. Students will use the humanities and social sciences to explain historical and modern-day constructions of health; explore issues in humane health care; and develop skills that make them effective healthcare advocates for themselves and others: observation, analysis, communication, critical-thinking, empathy, and self-reflection. 

A minimum of 15 credits, of which at least six credits must be at the 300-level or above, and no more than two courses from the same prefix. 

A minimum of one approved High Impact Practice that is centered in the health humanities (internship, undergraduate research, immersion or service learning). See program advisor for approval of High Impact Practice. 

Required Course:
IDIS 200Health Humanities3
Humanities Core (6 credits), select two of the following:
Visual Rhetorics of Science, Technology, and Culture
History of Public Health in the United States
The Global History of Disease
Latinx Health and Migration to the U.S.
Ethics of Health Care
Minimum of six credits from the following (if not taken as part of the Humanities Core):
Health Communication
Health Economics
Science Writing
Visual Rhetorics of Science, Technology, and Culture
Gender, Sex, and Science in European History
History of Public Health in the United States
The Global History of Disease
Historical Roots of Health Disparities in the Americas
Latinx Health and Migration to the U.S.
Navigating Health Care
Death and Bereavement
Cross Cultural Health
What is Happiness?
Ethics of Health Care
Environmental Ethics
Psychology of Adulthood and Aging
Health Psychology
Social Gerontology
Sociology of Sexualities
Spanish for Health Professions
Note: A minimum of 48 unique credits must be earned between the student’s major and this certificate for purposes of meeting graduation requirements for first- and second-degree programs.

Program Learning Outcomes

 Students completing this program will be expected to meet the following learning outcomes:

  • Students will use the humanities and the social sciences to explain historical and modern-day constructions of health, illness and death.
  • Students will demonstrate interdisciplinary preparation for humane health care through a deeper understanding of (and empathy for) impairment, illness, suffering, healing, aging, and dying as human experiences on an individual level and in community.
  • Students will develop skills that make them effective healthcare advocates for themselves and others: observation, analysis, communication, critical thinking, empathy, and self-reflection.