BS Medical Humanities

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Columbia University

Program Overview

The Medical Humanities Major at Columbia University is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program that examines health and medicine through biological, social, economic, cultural, political, and aesthetic perspectives. It suits students interested in the connections between medicine, society, and the humanities, while providing preparation for careers in health-related fields, medicine and public health, as well as further study in areas such as anthropology, history, sociology, and literature.

Curriculum Structure

Sophomore Year:
Students begin the major with Introduction to Comparative Literature & Society (CPLS UN3900), which introduces interdisciplinary methods and explores topics including narrative, science, health, medicine, race, gender, and sexuality. Students also begin developing their individual academic focus and complete the required advanced foreign-language preparation.

Junior Year:
Students build their individual area of study through courses connected to themes such as Medical Anthropology, History of Medicine, Comparative Public Health, Disability Studies, Neuroscience, Biopolitics, and Bioethics. They also complete Medical Humanities core courses and two courses in biological or biochemical sciences, giving them a stronger foundation in both human biology and the social and cultural dimensions of health.

Senior Year:
The final year centres on advanced interdisciplinary study and independent research. Students complete Senior Seminar in Comparative Literature and Society (CPLS UN3991), which involves directed readings, critical discussion, and individual research projects; students who choose the thesis route can also undertake Senior Thesis (CPLS UN3995) as a year-long research project.

Focus Areas:

Medical Anthropology, History of Medicine, Comparative Public Health, Disability Studies, Neuroscience, Biopolitics, Bioethics, Literature and Medicine, Narrative Medicine.

Learning Outcomes:

Interdisciplinary thinking, critical analysis, research skills, understanding of biological and social dimensions of health, multilingual and cross-cultural analysis, independent research, and the ability to examine healthcare through humanities and scientific perspectives.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The Medical Humanities Major is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major rather than a professionally licensed or separately accredited clinical degree. Columbia describes it as preparation for health-related fields, medicine and public health, and graduate study across the sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

Reputation (Employability):

Columbia does not publish a separate employability ranking specifically for the Medical Humanities Major. The university's official program information highlights progression into medicine, public health, and graduate study, while the curriculum develops interdisciplinary research and analytical skills applicable across health-related fields.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Columbia University’s Medical Humanities Major gives students practical experience through interdisciplinary research, discussion-based seminars, independent projects, and opportunities to connect medical humanities with real health and social issues. Students can develop research and writing skills through the Senior Seminar and optional Senior Thesis, while the ICLS also provides opportunities for internships, service learning, and engagement with faculty research across medicine, humanities, and social sciences.

Students can build this practical experience through:

Senior Thesis Research: Students who choose the thesis pathway undertake a year-long independent research project through CPLS 3995, working with a Columbia or Barnard faculty member as a thesis supervisor.
Senior Seminar: CPLS 3991 Senior Seminar exposes students to contemporary theoretical debates and current research interests of ICLS faculty, while allowing students to develop an independent research project.
Internship Opportunity: The Catherine Medalia Johannet Summer Intern Fellowship supports Medical Humanities majors undertaking internships or volunteer work relevant to literature or medical humanities. The fellowship has provided $2,000 in support and can include work with relevant organisations.
Research Experience: Columbia's Medical Humanities ecosystem connects students with research in areas such as bioethics, genomics, healthcare, medicine and society. In 2026, undergraduate scholars contributed to research projects on bioethics and global genomics partnerships under faculty mentorship.
Global & Field-Based Learning: Columbia Global Centers has offered undergraduate Medical Humanities coursework such as “Colonial Medicine, Literature and Contemporary Healthcare in India” at the Mumbai Center, providing an international perspective on medicine and healthcare.
Interdisciplinary Research Facilities: Students are part of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society (ICLS), located at the Heyman Center for the Humanities, and can engage with Columbia's wider research and academic community across humanities, medicine and social sciences.
Library-Based Research: Columbia University Libraries provide research collections and mentorship opportunities, including programs where undergraduate students conduct independent research with librarian mentors using Columbia's collections.

Facilities & resources:

Students in Columbia University’s Medical Humanities Major benefit from the resources of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society (ICLS) and the wider Columbia academic community. Key resources include the Heyman Center for the Humanities, Columbia University Libraries and their research collections, and access to interdisciplinary research across medicine, humanities, social sciences, bioethics, and healthcare. These facilities support students’ coursework, independent research, thesis work, and broader exploration of medical and societal issues.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Columbia University Medical Humanities Major prepares students to explore careers and further study at the intersection of healthcare, humanities, social sciences, and biological sciences. The interdisciplinary curriculum can support pathways into areas such as medicine, public health, health policy, research, advocacy, and graduate study. Columbia’s recent 2026 graduating class included 18 Medical Humanities graduates, with students receiving departmental honors and thesis recognition.

Typical Job Roles: Health Policy Analyst, Public Health Program Coordinator, Medical Writer, Healthcare Researcher.

Career development and future opportunities include:

University Career Support: Columbia provides broader career resources through its schools and career offices, including career advising, workshops, networking, employer connections, internship support, and job-search resources. Students interested in medical humanities can also benefit from the program’s faculty advising and interdisciplinary academic network.
Employment & Salary: Columbia does not publish employment rates or salary figures specifically for Medical Humanities undergraduate graduates. Therefore, program-specific salary figures should not be used as an official outcome.
University–Industry / Professional Connections: The major connects students with an interdisciplinary academic environment spanning humanities, medicine and social sciences. Students can also undertake relevant summer internships or volunteer opportunities through the Catherine Medalia Johannet Summer Intern Fellowship, which specifically supports Medical Humanities majors.
Long-Term Accreditation Value: Medical Humanities is an academic interdisciplinary major, rather than a professional clinical degree, so it does not provide a separate professional accreditation or clinical licence. Its value is in developing interdisciplinary research, analytical, communication and critical-thinking skills that can complement later professional or graduate education.
Graduation Outcomes: Columbia students can pursue further academic and professional pathways after graduation. For example, the university reported that 2026 Medical Humanities graduate Josephine O’Brien received the Lafayette Fellowship to undertake graduate research in France focused on comparative bioethical approaches to assisted reproductive technology.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the Medical Humanities Major, students can continue into graduate or professional programs related to medicine, public health, bioethics, anthropology, history, sociology, literature, health policy and other interdisciplinary fields. The program also offers an optional Senior Thesis, giving students experience in sustained independent research and close faculty supervision that can provide a strong foundation for postgraduate study.