Medicine, Science, and the Humanities Requirements

(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree.)

The Program in Medicine, Science, and the Humanities is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on humanistic approaches to understanding the knowledge constituted by the natural sciences and medicine. 

Students complete two introductory courses, a focus area in a core humanities area, additional courses in both the medical humanities and sciences, and foreign language through the intermediate level. A minimum grade of C- or better is required for all courses applying towards major requirements and courses may not be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory. Courses directly equivalent to JHU courses from study abroad or taken at other universities may count towards requirements; however non-direct equivalent courses must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies for the major. 

Students must complete at least 6 credits of Writing and Communication foundational ability coursework in one major. For this major, students would be able to fulfill this requirement by completing AS.145.219 Science Studies and Medical Humanities: Theory and Methods, a required 3 credit course of the major, and by selecting one of their electives (at least 3 credits) for the major that is designated as a Writing and Communications course.

Major Requirements:***

***September 16, 2024 - Catalogue note for students entering Fall 2024: please note that the MSH major requires six elective courses (18 credits). Three courses (9 credits) must be at the 300-400 level and offered through the Medicine, Science, and the Humanities Program, cross-listed with MSH, or have the POS-Tag MSCH-HUM. Three courses (9 credits) must have the Science and Data foundational ability tag from approved departments; one must be at the 200-level or higher, two must be in the same department.

AS.145.10x One introductory medical humanities course3
AS.145.219Science Studies and Medical Humanities: Theory and Methods3
Four courses in one pre-approved humanities focus area 112
Foreign language through the intermediate level 212-18
Six additional courses totaling at least 18 credits in the humanities and sciences18
Two must be in the humanities with POS-Tag MSCH-HUM at the 200-400 level
One must be in the humanities with POS-Tag MSCH-HUM at the 300 or 400 level
Three must be in the sciences (courses with an N designator) 3
Total Credits48-54
1

See choices in Focus Area choices below.

2

Languages that currently apply automatically include: Akkadian, American Sign Language, Ancient Greek, Arabic, Biblical Hebrew, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Middle Egyptian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Yiddish, and Sumerian. Students should speak to the DUS if they wish to request that languages not taught at JHU apply.  

3

Two of the science courses must be from the same department (or cross-listed with the same department) and one of them must be at the 200-level or higher.

4

To fulfill the MSH science elective requirements, the program will accept courses from these departments:

  • Behavioral Biology, Biology, Biophysics, Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Earth and Planetary Science, Neuroscience, Physics and Astronomy, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering (all undergraduate programs, except the Center for Leadership Education). All courses must carry the Science and Data foundational ability tag.

Focus Area Choices:

Africana Studies

AS.326.111 Introduction to African American Studies3
One Africana Foundations course (select 1 course on the period of enslavement OR 1 course focused on the African continent)3
Two Africana Studies electives at the 300 level or higher; if the Africana Foundations course is at the 300+ level, a student may take one Africana Studies elective course at the 100-400 level and one at the 300+ level6
Total Credits12

Anthropology

Two courses in the Anthropology Department at the 100-400 level (AS.070.1xx-AS.070.4xx)6
Two courses in the Anthropology Department at the 300-400 level (AS.070.3xx-AS.070.4xx)6
Total Credits12

Archaeology

AS.136.101Introduction To Archaeology3
or AS.130.177 World Prehistory: An Anthropological Perspective
One course with POS-Tag ARCH-ARCH at the 100-400 level3
Two courses with POS-Tag ARCH-ARCH at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

Bioethics

AS.150.219Introduction to Bioethics3
AS.150.220Introduction to Moral Philosophy3
Two courses in the Philosophy Department (AS.150.3xx-4xx) with POS-Tag PHIL-BIOETH at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

Classics

Two Classics courses (or cross-listed with Classics) at the 100-400 level6
Two Classics courses (or cross-listed with Classics) at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

East Asian Studies

East Asian language courses cannot be used to fulfill the focus area requirement.  However, students pursing the East Asian focus area are encouraged to study an East Asian language to fulfill the foreign language requirement of the Medicine, Science, and Humanities major.

Two East Asian Studies courses (or cross-listed with East Asian Studies) at the 100-400 level6
Two East Asian Studies courses (or cross-listed with East Asian Studies) at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

English

AS.060.107Introduction to Literary Study3
One period or theme course at any level **3
Two course in the English department at the 300-400 level (AS.060.3xx-4xx courses)6
Total Credits12
**

To identify these courses, students should select one course with either the POS-Tag of ENGL-PR1800 or ENGL-GLOBAL.  If this course is at the 300 or 400 level in the English department, students will need another English courses at the 100-400 level to complete a total of 4 courses for the focus area.

Film and Media Studies

Students are encouraged to take AS.061.226 Special Topics: Writing About Film.  This will count as the 200 level course with the POS-Tag FILM-CRITST.

AS.061.140Introduction to Cinema, 1892-19603
or AS.061.141 Introduction to Cinema, 1960-present
One course with POS-Tag FILM-CRITST at the 200 level3
Two courses with POS-Tag FILM-CRITST at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

German

One of the four courses may be taught in English (identified with POS-Tag MLL-ENGL).

Four courses designated AS.210.3xx (German language only); AS.211.3xx-4xx (with POS-TAG GRLL-GERM) and AS.213.3xx-4xx 112
1

AS.210.xxx courses taught in German that apply are: AS.210.361, AS.210.362, AS.210.363, or AS.210.365.

History

AS.100.293Historical Methods, Archives and Interpretations3
One course in the History Department at the 100-200 level (AS.100.1xx-2xx)3
Two courses in the History Department at the 300-400 level (AS.100.3xx-4xx) 6
Total Credits12

History of Art

AS.010.101Introduction to Art History, Pre-14004
or AS.010.102 Introduction to Art History, 1400 to the Present
One History of Art course (cross-listed with History of Art) at the 200-400 level3
Two History of Art courses (or cross-listed with History of Art) at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits13

History of Science, Medicine, and Technology

One survey course selected from:3
AS.140.105
History of Medicine
AS.140.105
History of Medicine
AS.140.301
History of Science: Antiquity To Renaissance
AS.140.302
Rise Of Modern Science
AS.140.321
Scientific Revolution
One History of Science, Medicine, & Technology course (or cross-listed) at the 100-400 level3
Two History of Science, Medicine & Technology courses (or cross-listed) at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

Italian

AS.210.351Advanced Italian I3
AS.210.352Advanced Italian II3
AS.214.362Italian Journeys: Medieval and Early Modern3
or AS.214.363 Italian Journeys: An Other Story
One course AS.211.2xx-4xx with POS-Tag MLL-ITAL or AS.214.2xx-4xx3
Total Credits12

Latin American Studies

One survey course selected from: ****3
AS.100.115
Modern Latin America
AS.215.231
One course cross-listed with Latin American Studies at the 100-400 level3
Two courses cross-listed with Latin American Studies at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12
****

If offered, AS.100.105 and AS.100.239 would also apply.

Near Eastern Studies

Two Near Eastern Studies courses (or cross-listed with Near Eastern Studies) at the 100-400 level6
Two Near Eastern Studies courses (or cross-listed with Near Eastern Studies) at the 300-400 level6
Total Credits12

Philosophy

Of the four required courses, at least two courses must be at the 300-400 level. Either AS.150.111 or AS.150.112 will count, but not both.

One course in philosophy of science 13
One course with POS-Tag PHIL-ANCIEN, PHIL-MODERN, PHIL-ETHICS, or PHIL-MIND3
Two additional philosophy courses6
Total Credits12
1

Philosophy of science courses will have the POS-Tag PHIL-LOGSCI.  However, as some courses with this POS-Tag are focused solely on logic and not science, students will need to speak to the director of undergraduate studies to confirm if a course will apply.

Science and Technology Studies

Two MSH listed courses at any level (AS.145.XX)
One MSH listed course at the 300+ level
New 300-level "advanced theory and methods" course that builds on our required Theory and Methods course (AS.145.219)

Writing Seminars

AS.220.105Introduction to Fiction & Poetry I3
or AS.220.108 Introduction to Fiction & Nonfiction
AS.220.106Introduction to Fiction & Poetry II3
AS.220.200The Craft of Fiction3
or AS.220.201 The Craft of Poetry
One course in the Writing Seminars Department at the 300-400 level (AS.220.3xx-4xx)3
MSH majors with a focus area in Writing Seminars are required to take a 4th MSH humanities elective at the 300+ level
Total Credits12

Sample Program of Study

A typical program might include the following sequence of courses:

First Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
Foreign language4Foreign language4
AS.145.10x course3Natural science course at the 100 level3
Natural science course at the 100 level3Course in selected focus area at any level3
 10 10
Second Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
AS.145.2193Foreign language3
Foreign language3Course selected focus area at any level3
Natural science course at the 200 level3 
 9 6
Third Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
Course in selected focus area at the 300-400 level3Course in selected focus area at the 300-400 level3
 200-400 level Humanities elective with POS-Tag MSCH-HUM
 3 3
Fourth Year
First SemesterCreditsSecond SemesterCredits
200-400 level Humanities elective with POS-Tag MSCH-HUM3300-400 level Humanities elective with POS-Tag MSCH-HUM3
 3 3
Total Credits 47

Honors in the Major

Honors will be offered as an option to juniors with a minimum GPA of 3.50 in major requirements. Honors work will require enrollment in two courses, culminating with an original thesis paper (or equivalent scholarly or creative work) approximately 20-25 pages in length, whose topic is closely related to the student’s humanities core area. Thesis projects may be supervised by a faculty member in the student’s core area, or by another faculty member with expertise relevant to the topic. In either case the supervisory/mentoring role will be by arrangement between the student, MSH Director of Undergraduate Studies, and the faculty member being solicited. All topics and supervisors are to be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Juniors interested in the pursing honors option must apply with the Director of Undergraduate Studies before fall of the senior year. The application requires development of an approved research proposal with an accompanying mentorship plan.

For the first course requirement, all students hoping to pursue honors in the major must take the MSH Capstone course (AS.145.350 MSH Research Capstone) in the spring of their junior year. This capstone course may count as a 300 level MSCH-HUM POS-Tagged course. Completion of this course does not require a student to write a thesis in the senior year nor does it guarantee a student will be approved to write an honors thesis.  

Typically, students are expected to write their thesis in fall of their senior year by enrolling in an honors-specific Senior Thesis course (AS.145.516 MSH Honors Thesis) for 3 credits.  These credits do not count as fulfilling a requirement of the major.