About the Major

The Medical Humanities and Health Studies program prepares you to understand the broader role and determinants of health and medicine in today’s world. Humanities courses raise questions of how human beings deal with health, medical intervention, illness, and death. You will gain insight into the social, economic, and cultural contexts of health, illness, and health care. This degree prepares students for a wide array of career paths.

Skills and abilities this major develops include: effective communication, health care knowledge, public speaking, research, and problem solving (IU School of Liberal Arts, 2017).

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Quick Facts

Sample Coursework

  • Perspectives on health, disease, and healing
  • Health economics
  • Applied health care ethics
  • Sociology of death and dying
  • Health communication
  • History of medicine and public health
  • Anthropology of aging

Possible Careers

  • Medical scribe
  • Medical sales
  • Nurse*
  • Physician assistant*
  • Public health educator
  • Rehabilitation counselor*
  • Wellness program director

*These career options require additional training or education.

Where could I work?

  • Community Health Network
  • Eskenazi Health
  • IU Health
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Nursing and residential care facilities
  • Offices of physicians

Where to Get More Information

IU School of Liberal Arts

Bureau of Health Professions

American Society for Bioethics and Humanities

Arts, Humanities, and Human Services Cluster

This major is part of the Arts, Humanities, and Human Services (AHHS) cluster. The AHHS cluster is the academic home of University College students pursuing majors in art and design, education, general studies, journalism, liberal arts, and social work. The AHHS cluster partners with students on their academic advising and career plans to guide them into their degree-granting schools. 

Learn about the AHHS cluster

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