MA Degree Plans

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What degree plans are available for the Master’s Program in Humanities, Health and Medicine?

The Master’s Degree in Humanities, Health, and Medicine requires satisfactory completion of 30 credit-hours, up to nine of which may come from approved upper-division undergraduate classes. Students may complete the degree over the course of nine, twelve, or sixteen months, depending on which specific degree plan they opt for and how intensively they are able to devote themselves to their coursework. Degree plans range from a coursework-only option (i.e., ten 3-credit classes) to plans that incorporate an independent capstone project, master’s report, or master’s thesis. Detailed information about requirements and degree plans can be found below.

Students might design study plans that emphasize, for example, Health and Culture; History of Medicine; Health, Ethics, and Social Justice; Narrative, Health, and Medicine; or Critical Disability Studies. Students also have the ability to complement their MA degrees with UT-Austin Graduate Portfolios in, for example, Disability Studies and Health Communications.

Degree Plans

The MA (HHM) degree is offered according to four plans. With the guidance of the HHM Graduate Advisor, students choose the plan that best matches their individual interests and desires.

Coursework Only Option

Category	Credits
Required Course: HHM 380 Introduction to Humanities, Health, and Medicine Provides an overview of the history, aims, and challenges of the field and its current role in health-professional education and practice. Units focus on subfields within the health humanities, including, for example, literature, narrative, and health; history of medicine; medical anthropology; disability studies; and bioethics.	3
Required Course: HHM 383 Topics in Theory and Methods in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. HHM 383 will be cross-listed with selected theory and methods courses offered by other departments Sample courses include: Black Studies Methods (AFR); Introduction to Digital Humanities(ENGL) Theories of Interpersonal Communication(CMS); Qualitative Methods for Social Sciences(SOC); Feminist Theory (SOC)	3
Prescribed Electives: Five different variants of HHM 385 Topics in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. HHM 385 will be cross-listed with selected topics courses offered by other departments. To meet this requirement, students must select topics courses cross-listed with at least two different academic departments. Sample courses include: Health, Medicine, and American Literature since the Civil War (ENGL); History of Science (HIS); History of Physical Culture and Alternative Medicine (KIN); Sociocultural Influences on Health (NURS); Disability and Aging (SW).	15
Electives: Three elective courses, chosen in conjunction with the graduate advisor. These electives may but aren’t required to be cross-listed with an HHM course number*.	9
TOTAL	30

*Students will be advised to use electives to attain it, if they do not already possess them, in a foreign language with significant numbers of native speakers in Texas or the nation (e.g., Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, ASL, etc.). Students will be able to count up to nine hours of approved upper-division undergraduate courses towards the degree.

Departmental Report Option
Category	Credits
Required Course: HHM 380 Introduction to Humanities, Health, and Medicine Provides an overview of the history, aims, and challenges of the field and its current role in health-professional education and practice. Units focus on subfields within the health humanities, including, for example, literature, narrative, and health; history of medicine; medical anthropology; disability studies; and bioethics.	3
Required Course: HHM 383 Topics in Theory and Methods in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. HHM 383 will be cross-listed with selected methods courses offered by other departments. Sample courses include: Black Studies Methods (AFR); Introduction to Digital Humanities(ENGL) Theories of Interpersonal Communication(CMS); Qualitative Methods for Social Sciences(SOC); Feminist Theory (SOC)	3
Prescribed Electives: Four different variants of HHM 385 Topics in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. HHM 385 will be cross-listed with selected topics courses offered by other departments. To meet this requirement, students must select topics courses cross-listed with at least two different academic departments. Sample courses include: Health, Medicine, and American Literature since the Civil War (ENGL); History of Science (HIS); History of Physical Culture and Alternative Medicine (KIN); Sociocultural Influences on Health (NURS); Disability and Aging (SW).	12
Electives: Three elective courses, chosen in conjunction with the graduate advisor. These electives may but aren’t required to be cross-listed with an HHM course number*.	9
Departmental Report or equivalent capstone project (HHM 3CC) Capstone project may consist of, for example, experiential learning in a healthcare setting with weekly response papers. [Note: The capstone project option may be especially appealing to medical students, as experiential education in health-care settings is already an integral part of their training.] Requires supervision by a faculty member approved by the GSC chair.	3
TOTAL	30

*Students will be advised to use electives to attain proficiency, if they do not already possess it, in a foreign language with significant numbers of native speakers in Texas or the nation (e.g., Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, ASL, etc.). Students will be able to count up to nine hours of approved upper-division undergraduate courses towards the degree.

Masters Report Option

Category	Credits
Required Course: HHM 380 Introduction to Humanities, Health, and Medicine Provides an overview of the history, aims, and challenges of the field and its current role in health-professional education and practice. Units focus on subfields within the health humanities, including, for example, literature, narrative, and health; history of medicine; medical anthropology; disability studies; and bioethics.	3
Required Course: HHM 383 Topics in Theory and Methods in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. HHM 383 will be cross-listed with selected methods courses offered by other departments. Sample courses include: Black Studies Methods (AFR); Introduction to Digital Humanities(ENGL) Theories of Interpersonal Communication(CMS); Qualitative Methods for Social Sciences(SOC); Feminist Theory (SOC)	3
Prescribed Electives: Four different variants of HHM 385 Topics in Humanities, Health, and Medicine HHM 385 will be cross-listed with selected topics courses offered by other departments. To meet this requirement, students must select topics courses cross-listed with at least two different academic departments. Sample courses include: Health, Medicine, and American Literature since the Civil War (ENGL); History of Science (HIS); History of Physical Culture and Alternative Medicine (KIN); Sociocultural Influences on Health (NURS); Disability and Aging (SW).	12
Electives: Three elective courses, chosen in conjunction with the graduate advisor. These electives may but aren’t required to be cross-listed with an HHM course number*.	9
MA Report (HHM 398R) Requires supervision by a faculty member who serves on the GSC. Requires a second reader.	3
TOTAL	30

Masters Thesis Option
Category	Credits
Required Course: HHM 380 Introduction to Humanities, Health, and Medicine Provides an overview of the history, aims, and challenges of the field and its current role in health-professional education and practice. Units focus on subfields within the health humanities, including, for example, literature, narrative, and health; history of medicine; medical anthropology; disability studies; and bioethics.	3
Required Course: HHM 383 Topics in Theory and Methods in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. HHM 383 will be cross-listed with selected methods courses offered by other departments. Sample courses include: Black Studies Methods (AFR); Introduction to Digital Humanities(ENGL) Theories of Interpersonal Communication(CMS); Qualitative Methods for Social Sciences(SOC); Feminist Theory (SOC)	3
Prescribed Electives: Three different variants of HHM 385 Topics in Humanities, Health, and Medicine HHM 385 will be cross-listed with selected topics courses offered by other departments. To meet this requirement, students must select topics courses cross-listed with at least two different academic departments. Sample courses include: Health, Medicine, and American Literature since the Civil War (ENGL); History of Science (HIS); History of Physical Culture and Alternative Medicine (KIN); Sociocultural Influences on Health (NURS); Disability and Aging (SW).	9
Electives: Three elective courses, chosen in conjunction with the graduate advisor. These electives may but aren’t required to be cross-listed with an HHM course number*.	9
MA Thesis (HHM 698 A-B) Requires supervision by a faculty member who serves on the GSC. Requires a second reader.	6
TOTAL	30

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If you have questions or would like additional information, please send an email to HHM@austin.utexas.edu. Personal consultations with the Graduate Advisor are also available upon request.