English Master of Arts in Medical Humanities and Social Sciences

About us

Because the science and practice of medicine benefit from humanistic and social-scientific perspectives, Ohio State now offers the MA in Medical Humanities and Social Sciences. The program provides transformational insights into illness and treatment, death and dying, doctor-patient relationships and the institutions, practices and cultural discourses of medicine.

Guided by faculty advisors, students follow their own interdisciplinary paths of study, emerging with a deeper understanding of the values, practices, successes and challenges of contemporary medicine. In addition to acquiring the knowledge relevant to their own goals, students develop valuable, portable skills in critical thinking, writing, synthesizing information and communicating ideas to diverse audiences.  

Graduates will be well-prepared for further study in medical school or PhD programs and for employment in such fields as;

  • public health
  • medical-facility administration
  • HR benefits
  • the insurance industry

Possible jobs include research positions in agencies devoted to health policy, leadership positions in institutions promoting wellness and advocacy roles in health-care reform. 

The MA in Medical Humanities and Social Sciences is housed within the Department of English and draws additional faculty from the departments of:

  • Anthropology
  • Classics
  • Communication
  • Comparative Studies
  • French and Italian
  • History
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Sociology