COURSE CURRICULUM

The Health Humanities Track within the Master of Humanities program at University of Colorado Denver is an interdisciplinary graduate pathway that combines core training in interdisciplinary studies with specialized coursework focused on health, medicine, ethics, and the human experience of care. Students begin with the program’s core required courses in interdisciplinary studies, including Foundations and Theories of Interdisciplinary Studies, Methods and Practices of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Research Perspectives in Interdisciplinary Studies, which build a strong foundation in theory, methodology, and research design. In addition to these core requirements, students complete two dedicated Health Humanities courses: Foundations of Health Humanities and Foundations of Health Care Ethics, which introduce key concepts related to medicine, healthcare systems, and ethical issues in health practice. Students must also complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of Health Humanities–related graduate coursework, which may include internships or applied learning experiences depending on academic and professional goals. The program culminates in either a final project or thesis focused on a Health Humanities topic, allowing students to demonstrate advanced interdisciplinary research and critical analysis skills. The curriculum is further supported by a broad selection of suggested elective courses drawn from disciplines such as architecture, English, film studies, fine arts, history, philosophy, and gender studies. These electives allow students to explore themes such as medical ethics in cultural representation, visual depictions of health and illness, historical perspectives on medicine, philosophy of art and media, and the social meaning of gender, disability, and embodiment. Overall, the Health Humanities Track provides a flexible and integrative academic structure that equips students with the analytical, ethical, and research skills needed to critically engage with healthcare systems and human experiences of health, preparing them for careers in healthcare, public health, education, policy, nonprofit work, and further graduate study.