Simmons University, an educational institution in Boston where traditional undergraduate programs are restricted to women, has announced the creation of a new minor degree program in health humanities. The university will offer the new program in cooperation with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science in Boston.
The new minor program will focus 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. The minor consists of five courses, with a required introductory course and a required capstone independent research project. The remaining electives can be chosen from three categories: health narratives, health care ethics, and global health and cultural perspectives. Students will be encouraged to take optional internship experiences that explore the intersection of health and culture.
Dianne Grossman, a professor of philosophy and women’s and gender studies at Simmons who oversaw the creation of the new minor degree program, stated that “medical and health humanities are increasing in demand. They are unique in their interdisciplinary approach, and they support a broad career path. This minor would be ideal for students who are pre-medical, pre-veterinary, or pre-dental. But we must also prepare students to think about health in a broader sense, for example, in terms of community-based issues, preventive medicine, and cultural notions of health and illness. This minor could also be invaluable for a student interested in law, social work or public health policy.”