Help guide the conversation in health care

Medical professionals are confronted daily with the suffering of their communities. When conversing with patients and their families, they also confront cultural and socioeconomic differences, language barriers, ethical dilemmas and more.

Earning an undergraduate certificate in medical humanities online from Oregon State University can help you reflect critically on medical knowledge and discourse. Designed to support the scientific features of any healing profession, this certificate will help you better empathize with the suffering of others and leave you more prepared to navigate important conversations and decision-making processes in health care.

Coursework

This certificate helps you better understand and confront various moral, psychological and ethical dilemmas in medicine. The online courses emphasize cultural responsiveness, critical thinking, interpersonal communication and self-reflection.

Curriculum details and certificate requirements are available on Oregon State’s academic catalog.

Sample Course Topics

• Literature and medicine
• Medical anthropology
• Biomedical ethics
• Medical history
• Health and social justice
• Disability studies
• Migrant health
• Sociology of aging

Prerequisites

You may need to complete additional coursework prior to enrolling in this program and taking the required certificate courses. This could mean completing 3 or more additional credits, depending on your individual educational background as it relates to the program requirements. We recommend that you evaluate this prior to applying for admission.

Benefits of learning online with Oregon State

• All classes are developed by OSU's world-class faculty, who are known worldwide for their expertise, research and innovation.
• Oregon State is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
• OSU Ecampus students receive the same transcript-visible certificate as on-campus students.