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Health Humanities

The Health Humanities minor offered by Simmons University and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science (MCPHS) adds humanistic perspectives to the understanding of wellness and healthcare through interdisciplinary scholarship and research.

The future of healthcare is now

The Health Humanities minor focuses on ethical leadership practice, sensitivity to cultural impacts on health and wellness, and communication skills, helping future practitioners bridge the gap between patients and providers.

This minor includes a Capstone for independent research, and students will be encouraged to take optional internship experiences that explore the intersection of health and culture.

Minor Requirements

To fulfill the Health Humanities minor course requirements, students must take five (5) courses, for a total of 18–20 credits (depending on whether courses are taken at MCPHS). For more information, consult the Humanities Department Chair.

This minor includes a Capstone for independent research, and students will be encouraged to take optional internship experiences that explore the intersection of health and culture.

Required Course (4 credits)

All minors must complete the following course:

PHIL131	Biomedical Ethics	4

Global Health Course (4 credits)

Complete one of the following:

BIOL104	Introduction to Environmental Science	4
CHEM101	Chemical Determinants of Health	4
ECON145	Economics of Sustainability and Resource Use	4
NUTR150	International Nutrition Issues	4
PH245	Global Health	4

Cultural and Historical Perspectives Course (4 credits)

Complete one of the following:

AST232	Race, Gender & Health	4
BUS220	Introduction to Health Systems	4
HIST211	Medicine and the African American Experience	4
HIST255	Pathogens and Peoples: A Cultural History of Disease	4
PH241	Health, Illness & Society	4
SOCI275	Birth and Death	4
SW251	Human Behavior in the Social Environment I	4

Medical Narrative Course (3–4 credits)

Complete one of the following:

COMM312	Health Communications	4
MCPHSHUM.456-O	Narrative and Medicine	3

HUM.456-O is taught at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) and requires cross-registration through the Colleges of the Fenway (COF).