Degree Requirements
All students are required to complete overall degree requirements in addition to their major. Please see Degree Completion Requirements for full details for students entering in the 2023-2024 catalog year.
Those students who started at Hiram prior to the 2023-2024 academic year will follow the Degree Requirements outlined in your catalog of record.
Major Requirements
The biomedical humanities major consists of five components:
Medical Humanities Core
These courses examine questions of human values in health and quality of life through study of humanistic methods and materials, and consider the roles and limitations of bioethical principles.
Relational Core
These courses provide students opportunities to explore the ways in which individuals understand and respond to one another, and to apply the knowledge and skills obtained in various contexts.
Science Core
These courses enable students to explore the form and function of living systems and to develop the theoretical and conceptual background for empirical research and data analysis.
Capstone
Experiential Learning
Each component is detailed below:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| I. Medical Humanities Core | ||
| A. Introductory Course | 4 | |
| INTRO TO MEDICAL HUMANITIES:IM | ||
| B. Select At least three of the following, at least one of which must have an ES designation: | 9-12 | |
| WOMEN, MEDICINE, MEDIA:CA | ||
| LITERATURE AND MEDICINE:IM | ||
| SEM: (Special Topics Seminars) | ||
| SEM: (The Ethics and Culture of Grey's Anatomy:ES) | ||
| SEM: (Self-Care, Self-Love, and Mental Health) | ||
| SEM: (Deviant and Extraordinary Bodyminds: Disability and Aging in US Culture) | ||
| GLOBAL DISABILITY & AGING:EW | ||
| NARRATIVE BIOETHICS:ES | ||
| CARE & CONFINEMENT:ES | ||
| FEM OF COLOR PERSPECTIVES:UD | ||
| HEALTH AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:ES | ||
| AUTOBIO,ILLNESS,EMBODIMENT:IM | ||
| HOW WE DIE:ES | ||
| ISSUES IN WOMEN'S HEALTH:ES | ||
| GOING VIRAL | ||
| ANCIENT HEALTH/MEDICINE:CA | ||
| DISABILITY/ILLNESS US FILMS:ES | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY & FILM:ES | ||
| II. Relational Core | ||
| A. Select at least one of the following (communication theory): | 3-4 | |
| INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION:CA | ||
| GROUP INTERACTION PROCESSES | ||
| ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| FAMILY COMMUNICATION:CA | ||
| NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION:CA | ||
| COMMUN BETWEEN CULTURES:EW | ||
| GENDER COMMUNICATION:CA | ||
| PERSUASION AND ATTITUDE CHANGE | ||
| INTERCULTURAL HLTHCRE COMM:UD | ||
or other courses as approved by the program. | ||
| B. Select at least one of the following (communication praxis): | 3-4 | |
| SHAKESPEARE IN PERFORMANCE:CM | ||
| ENTR MIND/CREAT&INNOVATION:CM | ||
| FUNDAMNTL PRNCPLS OF ACTING:CM | ||
| CREATIVE DRAMATICS:CM | ||
| WRITING ABOUT:CM | ||
| BASICS OF CREATIVE WRITING:CM | ||
| CRAFT & TECH: POETRY:CM | ||
| CRAFT&TECH:CREATIVE NONFIC:CM | ||
| CRAFT & TECH: FICTION:CM | ||
| CRAFT & TECH: SCREENWRITING:CM | ||
| TEACHING/SUPERVISING WRIT:CM | ||
or another course approved by the program | ||
| III. Science Core | ||
| A. The following six courses are required: | 24 | |
| INTRO BIOL I W/LAB: SM | ||
| INTRO BIO II W/LAB:SM | ||
| GEN I:STRUCTURE/BOND-W/LAB:SM | ||
| GEN II:INTR CHEM ANLS-W/LAB:SM | ||
| STATISTICS:MM | ||
or PUBH 20100 | EPIDEMIOLOGY&BIOSTATISTICS:MM | |
| GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| B. Select at least two of the following: | 6-8 | |
| ANATOMY/PHYSIOLOGY I:W/LAB | ||
| ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II-W/LAB | ||
| MOLECULAR&CELLULAR BIOL-W/LAB | ||
| MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY-W/LAB | ||
| GENETICS-W/LAB | ||
| IMMUNOLOGY | ||
| BASIC BIOCHEMISTRY-W/LAB | ||
| INTERMED BIOCHEMISTRY-W/LAB | ||
| INTRO TO ORGANIC CHEM-W/LAB and INTERMED ORGANIC CHEM-W/LAB | ||
| INTERMED ORGANIC CHEM-W/LAB | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY:CA | ||
| FOOD:EATERS,EATING& THE ENV:CA | ||
| EXPLORE ABILITY&DISABILITY | ||
| PRINCIPLES PHYSICS I-W/LAB:SM | ||
| PRINCIPLES PHYSICS II-W/LAB:SM | ||
| FUNMNTLS OF PHYSICS-W/LAB I:SM | ||
| FUNMNTL OF PHYSICS-W/LAB II:SM | ||
| RESEARCH DESIGN & ANALYSIS:SM | ||
| HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| DEVELOP ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN | ||
| EXCEPTIONALITY:UD | ||
| ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| INTRO COUNSEL/CLINCL PSYC:ES | ||
| DRUG USE AND ABUSE | ||
| SEM: (Judgment and Decision Making) | ||
| STEREOTYPING & PREJUDICE:UD | ||
| INTRO TO PUBLIC HEALTH:UD | ||
| EPIDEMIOLOGY&HEALTHRESEARCH:SM | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY:CA | ||
| SOCIAL PROBLEMS:ES | ||
| SOCIAL INEQUALITY | ||
| RACE & ETHNICITY IN AMERICA:UD | ||
| SEX AND GENDER IN SOCIETY:UD | ||
| THE FAMILY | ||
| IV. Capstone | 3 | |
| SERVICE IN HEALTH CARE SETTING | ||
| VOCATIONAL REFLECTION (Fall Semester) | ||
| SENIOR SEMINAR (Spring Semester) | ||
| V. Experiential Learning | ||
| A. Research Internship (120 hours) | ||
| Students must complete a minimum of 120 hours in research in natural or social sciences. Students are required to submit a form from their research mentor certifying completion of the internship. | ||
| B. Shadowing Internship (120 hours) | ||
| All students are required to shadow one or more health care practitioners during their time at Hiram College. This experience can help students feel secure in their understanding of professional environments by immersion into the system and by interacting with people who are involved in direct patient care. Students are required to have each practitioner they shadow sign off on the experience and the number of hours completed. | ||
| C. Service (60 hours) | ||
| All students must complete 60 hours of service work in a health care setting (broadly defined), and reflect critically on this service experience in the accompanying 1-credit course BIMD41000. | ||
| Total Hours | 52-59 | |
Capstone
BIMD 41000 SERVICE IN HEALTH CARE SETTING allows students the opportunity for critical reflection on their service experience, while situating their experience in the context of the American health care system.
BIMD 47000 VOCATIONAL REFLECTION is intended to help upper-level biomedical humanities majors reflect upon and integrate their coursework and experiential learning, with an eye towards their intended career path. Students enrolled in this course will reflect upon their Hiram Connect experiences (typically directed research or an internship), discuss issues of power inequality in health care, write their Hiram Connect capstone reflection (in the form of a personal statement or essay), and prepare for completion of Senior Seminar the following semester.
BIMD 48000 SENIOR SEMINAR This capstone, in the form of two formal public presentations, reflects a student’s portfolio of educational experiences in and out of the classroom. The first presentation is a demonstration of the student’s command of her or his research. The second is a reflective, evidence-based argument documenting integration of academic and experiential learning in the medical humanities.
Pathway
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall 12 Week | Hours | |
| BIOL 15100 or CHEM 12000 |
INTRO BIOL I W/LAB: SM or GEN I:STRUCTURE/BOND-W/LAB:SM |
4 |
| UCS 10101 | FIRST-YEAR ENDURING QUESTIONS | 4 |
| PSYC 10100 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| BIOL 15200 or CHEM 12100 |
INTRO BIO II W/LAB:SM or GEN II:INTR CHEM ANLS-W/LAB:SM |
4 |
| UCS 20201 | ADDRESSING URGENT QUESTIONS | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| BIOL 15100 or CHEM 12000 |
INTRO BIOL I W/LAB: SM or GEN I:STRUCTURE/BOND-W/LAB:SM |
4 |
| BIMD 20100 | INTRO TO MEDICAL HUMANITIES:IM | 4 |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Category A or B Relational Core Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| BIOL 15200 or CHEM 12100 |
INTRO BIO II W/LAB:SM or GEN II:INTR CHEM ANLS-W/LAB:SM |
4 |
| Category A or B Relational Core Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Medical Humanities Core Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| Science Core Elective | 4 | |
| MATH 10800 | STATISTICS:MM | 4 |
| Medical Humanities Core Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| UCS 30301 | URGENT CHALLENGE SEMINAR:TT | 4 |
| Science Core Elective | 4 | |
| BIMD 41000 | SERVICE IN HEALTH CARE SETTING | 1 |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall 12 Week | ||
| BIMD 47000 | VOCATIONAL REFLECTION | 1 |
| Medical Humanities Core Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Fall 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Spring 12 Week | ||
| BIMD 48000 | SENIOR SEMINAR | 1 |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Prerequisite Course | 4 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring 3 Week | ||
| Hiram Core Requirement, Elective, or Pre-Health Professions Pre-requisite Course | 3-4 | |
| Hours | 3-4 | |
| Total Hours | 123-130 | |