Medical Humanities Honors Track

Medical Humanities Honors track provides the Honors Scholars with a broad understanding of medicine from an interdisciplinary perspective combining humanities, social science, and the arts. The selection of courses in this track provide a better examination of issues surrounding health and illness - from personal to global issues. Scholars take courses from a variety of disciplines such as philosophy, ethics, history, comparative literature, psychology, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, literature, theater, film, and visual arts.

By defining a track, Honors Scholars can explore the field in a focused and planned way in honors-only courses as they are working toward their majors. The Honors track consists of nine Honors courses applicable to the four groups of Honors course requirements. Scholars completing an approved milestone experience (internship, co-op, research experience, or international study) may complete the track in eight courses. (No online courses and no Honors-mixed courses count towards the required coursework. Honors mixed courses count toward honors electives.) 

Components of the Medical Humanities Honors Track: 

• Coursework
  • One 200 level honors course designated as part of Medical Humanities (see below)
  • Two 300 level honors courses designated as part of Medical Humanities (see below)
  • One HSS Capstone designated as part of Medical Humanities (see below)
  • Four elective honors courses in health related disciplines such as Biology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Engineering, or Chemistry. OR three elective honors courses plus one interdisciplinary course connecting medical practice or related sciences to a historical, humanistic, or societal issue enhanced as honors approved by the specialized trak advisor. 
    • ENGL102 Honors is required as of Fall 2025 for all Dorman Scholars and applies here.
  • One major capstone course
• Two colloquia per semester (required to attend one Medical Humanities Colloquium per semester)
• Appropriate community service (15 internal hours + 15 external hours)
• Optional approved milestone experience: research, study abroad, service abroad (such as Engineers without Borders, GlobeMed, etc.), co-ops, and internships*

*This counts as a course reduction

Educational Outcomes:

• Students will understand the social and cultural context of well-being/health and disease.
• Students will be able to recognize critical questions in biomedical ethics.
• Students will be able to use their area of academic expertise in an interdisciplinary manner so as to address a question of public health.