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Health Humanities Minor

Launching Fall 2024

Are you looking for a more humanistic approach to healthcare? Our Health Humanities Minor offers insight into the human condition as it pertains to the arts and sciences of healing. It provides a deeper understanding of disease and wellness, pain and suffering, the nature of death and dying, and the limits of technological knowledge—just to name a few. Health Humanities offers you an in-depth examination of the human dimensions of health and medicine through new and established research methods, such as metaphor analysis, film criticism, social justice studies, and aging and disability studies. Get ready to reveal the ethical, cultural, and social contexts of health!

Program Overview

A minor in Health Humanities provides you with interdisciplinary knowledge, which will enable you to: 

  • Think critically and holistically about healthcare issues 
  • Develop strong communication skills and collaborate effectively 
  • Empathize with diverse patient populations 
  • Analyze and interpret complex information 
  • Recognize healthcare disparities 

A minor in Health Humanities will prepare you for careers across the healthcare industry, such as a medical or health humanities researcher, healthcare communications specialist, healthcare policy analyst, medical information specialist, arts in healthcare coordinator, and more!

Curriculum

Students are required to complete five courses to fulfill the Health Humanities Minor. These courses must include one introductory course and four elective courses. Of the four electives, two must be in Art and English and two must be in History, Philosophy, or Religion. At least two electives must be at the 200 level or higher. Special topic courses, independent studies, and honor projects that are approved by the program advisor(s) may also fulfill the Health Humanities Minor course requirements. 

Health Humanities Core Course 

  • HHUM 125: Introduction to Health Humanities (LinC M2)

Health Humanities Art and English Electives (Choose 2) 

  • ART 125: Art in Public Spaces 
  • HHUM/ENGL 252: Literature and Health 
  • HHUM/ENGL 366: Contemporary Illness Narratives 
  • HLTP 235: Storytelling, Health, and Medicine 

Health Humanities History, Philosophy, and Religion Electives (Choose 2) 

  • HIST 145: Nutrition and Food in the Americas 
  • HIST 221: History of the Body 
  • REL 127: Heath, Healing, and Medicine in Asian Contexts 
  • REL 221: Buddhism and Mindfulness 
  • PHIL/REL 230/330: Advanced Topics in Ethics: Abortion 
    • Additional cross-listings: WGSS, Philosophy Ethics Minor, Peace and Justice Studies Minor
  • PHIL/REL 270 Ethics in Asian Cultures (LinC U2) 
  • PHIL/REL 290: Moral Injury: A Public Health Crisis
    • Additional cross-listings: HTPL, Nursing, MTS, Peace and Justice Studies Minor

Faculty

Belinda Waller-Peterson

Department of English and Writing Arts
Office location: Zinzendorf 303
Email: waller-petersonb@moravian.edu

Heikki Lempa

History Department
Office location: Comenius Hall 302
Office phone: 610-625-7957
Email: aguilars@moravian.edu

Sandra Aguilar-Rodriguez

History Department
Office location: Comenius Hall 302
Office phone: 610-625-7957
Email: aguilars@moravian.edu

Kin Cheung

Department of Global Religions
Office location: Comenius Hall 110
Office phone: 610-625-7844
Email: cheungk@moravian.edu

Kelly Denton-Borhaug

Department of Global Religions
Office location: Comenius Hall 109
Office phone: 610-625-7104
Email: denton-borhaugk@moravian.edu

Natessa Amin

Art Department
Email: aminn@moravian.edu

Cathy Coyne

Nursing and Public Health Department
Office Location: Sally Miksiewicz Center, Room 305
Office phone: 610-625-7720 
Email: coynec@moravian.edu

Mission 

The Health Humanities Minor supports ΢ÃÜÆƽâ’s claim as a premier institution for the education of health and pre-health professionals. It distinguishes Moravian as an institution that helps prepare our health science and pre-health students for not only the scientific rigors of their future medical work, but also for the personal, institutional, humanistic, and moral challenges. 

Contact 

Program Director Belinda Waller-Peterson 
Associate Professor, Department of English 
Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion 
waller-petersonb@moravian.edu