Skip to Content

All University of South Carolina system institutions will be closed through the end of the spring semester. Columbia campus virtual instruction will continue through the conclusion of final exams in May. Details can be found on the coronavirus landing page.

College of Arts and Sciences

Medical Humanities and Culture Minor

Are you interested in pursuing a career in medicine or a health-related field? The Medical Humanities and Culture minor offers a range of courses in the humanities and social sciences that explore the ethical, social, representational and historical dimensions of disease, health, disability and health care.

The entrance exam for medical school (MCAT) includes two sections that test your critical analysis and reading skills along with your knowledge of the psychological and social foundations of behavior. If you are majoring in science or a health field, this minor can help you prepare for the MCAT exam and a possible career in medicine, nursing, public health, global health, health policy, health promotion, law, journalism, psychology or patient advocacy.

Requirements

The minor in Medical Humanities and Culture consists of 18 credit hours or six classes.

  • Two, three or four courses (6-12 credit hours) must be chosen from offerings in the humanities (Group A). If two humanities courses (six hours) are chosen, then 12 hours must be chosen from the social sciences to comprise the requisite 18 hours.
  • Two, three or four courses (6-12 credit hours) must be chosen from offerings in the social sciences (Group B); if two social sciences courses (six hours) are chosen, then four courses (12 hours) must be chosen in the humanities to comprise the requisite 18 hours.
  • Departmental or Honors College special topics courses related to medicine may satisfy the minor requirements in either the humanities (Group A) or social sciences (Group B) if pre-approved by the office of the Dean of Undergraduate Student Affairs and Advising in Flinn Hall.

Group A: Humanities (2-4 courses: 6-12 hours)

ARTH 333      Art, Anatomy, and Medicine
CLAS 230        Medical and Scientific Terminology
CLAS 360 [=PHIL 312] Classical Origins of Western Medical Ethics
ENGL 341      Literature and Medicine Prerequisites: ENGL 101 and 102 or equivalent
HIST 393        Making Modern Science: The Life Sciences
HIST 451        The History of American Medicine
HIST 452        The History of Science in America
JOUR 562       Communicating Science, Health, and the Environment
PHIL 312 [=CLAS 360] Classical Origins of Western Medical Ethics
PHIL 321       Medical Ethics Strongly recommended for those interested in becoming medical or health practitioners
PHIL 323        Ethics of Science and Technology
PHIL 360        History and Philosophy of Science
PHIL 362        Philosophy of Research Design in Science and Medicine
PHIL 512        Philosophy of Science Prerequisites: 3 hours in philosophy beyond the 100-level or consent of instructor
PHIL 550        Health Care Ethics Prerequisites: 3 hours in philosophy beyond the 100-level or consent of instructor
PHIL 598       The Ethics of Killing Prerequisites: 3 hours in philosophy beyond the 100-level or consent of instructor
RELG 473       Religions, Medicines, and Healing
SPAN 360       Spanish for Healthcare Professionals Prerequisites: SPAN 309, or equivalent course at the college level, or consent of the instructor
THEA 554      Performing Arts Safety

Group B: Social Sciences (2-4 courses: 6-12 hours)

AFAM 365 [=ANTH 263] Medical Experimentation and the Black Body
AFAM 366 [=ANTH 366] Medicine, Disease, and Slavery
ANTH 204      Plagues Past and Present
ANTH 208      Anthropology of Globalization and Development
ANTH 212      Food and Culture
ANTH 221      Forensics of Sherlock Holmes
ANTH 262      Basic Forensic Anthropology
ANTH 263 [=AFAM 365] Medical Experimentation and the Black Body
ANTH 366 [=AFAM 366] Medicine, Disease, and Slavery
ANTH 388 [WGST 388] Cultures, Pregnancy, and Birth
ANTH 551 [=HPEB 551] Medical Anthropology: Fieldwork
ANTH 552 [=HPEB 552] Medical Anthropology
ANTH 557      Psychological Anthropology
ANTH 565      Health and Disease in the Past
ECON 531      Health Economics Prerequisites: ECON 221 and 222, or ECON 224
ENHS 323 [=ENVR 323] Global Environmental Health
ENHS  324      Environment and Obesity
ENHS 660       Concepts of Environmental Health Science
ENVR 323 [=ENHS 323] Global Environmental Health
HPEB 511       Health Problems in a Changing Society
HPEB 512       Southern Discomfort: Public Health in the American South
HPEB 513       Race, Ethnicity, and Health: Examining Health Disparities
HPEB 547       Consumer Health in Contemporary Society
HPEB 551 [=ANTH 551] Medical Anthropology: Fieldwork
HPEB 552 [=ANTH 552] Medical Anthropology
HPEB 560       Cooking Up a Storm: Food, Globalization, Localization, and Health in the South
HPEB 621 [=WGST 621] Maternal and Child Health
HSPM 412      Health Economics
MGMT 371     Principles of Management
MGMT 374     Management of Human Resources Prerequisites: MGMT 371
PSYC 465       Health Psychology Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or SCHC 130
PSYC 503      Psychology of Drug Use and Effects Prerequisites: PSYC 450 or PSYC 455 or PSYC 460 or consent of instructor
SLIS 315         Information Policy
SLIS 415         Social Informatics
SOCY 310      Social Demography
SOCY 315      Global Population Issues
SOCY 360      Sociology of Medicine and Health
SOCY 510      Life Course Demographics Prerequisites: SOCY 310 or consent of instructor
WGST 113      Women’s Health
WGST 388 [=ANTH 388] Cultures, Pregnancy, and Birth
WGST 621 [=HPEB 621] Maternal and Child Health

 

Please refer to the academic bulletin for updated information.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

©