About the Minor:

Basic info: The Medicine and Society Minor is housed in the Department of Science and Technology in Society at Virginia Tech, which is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. It is run through a collaboration of faculty in STS, History, and English, with help from the Honors Program. Information about the minor, including all syllabi from courses in the minor, is available in the Honors offices in Hillcrest Hall and in Professor Bernice Hausman's office (206 Shanks Hall).

What is it? The Medicine and Society (MSOC) minor is part of a field called medical humanities.  Focusing on the humanistic aspects of medical practice, pressing bioethical questions, and the subjective experience of illness and health, medical humanities provides an essential education for anyone curious about the role of medicine in past eras and contemporary culture.

Why take it? The MSOC minor is a great addition to a major in the life sciences; human nutrition, health, and exercise; biochemistry; or any other pre-med course of study. Undergraduate students who are planning to attend medical school are highly recommended to enroll in the MSOC minor.

What do you do? In MSOC courses, students study health, illness, and medical practices as they manifest in historical contexts and are influenced by cultural beliefs and traditions. 

Who is eligible to enroll? The minor is available to all undergraduates at Virginia Tech.  MSOC is ideal for students planning careers in medicine, as well as for science studies, bioethics, or public health policy.  MSOC complements majors in biology, chemistry, animal science, and HNFE.  The MSOC minor can also be used as part of the STS degree option in the Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) major.

For Honors Students: Honors students pursuing the Scholar in Health Studies certificate are advised to enroll in the MSOC minor.

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