CUNY(The City University of New York)

What you'll study

This interdisciplinary programme blends courses from the humanities, social sciences and health disciplines to explore how ethical reasoning, narrative, history and pedagogy shape health practice and policy. Core themes include the history and philosophy of medicine, clinical and public health ethics, medical and narrative humanities, communication and mentorship in healthcare, and methods for qualitative research.

• Foundations in medical humanities: introduction to literature and medicine, narrative approaches to illness, history of medicine and disability studies.
• Ethics and policy: clinical ethics, public health ethics, research ethics, and health law basics.
• Education and pedagogy: theories of adult learning, curriculum design for health professions, assessment and feedback, and instructional methods for clinical skills teaching.
• Communication and cultural competence: patient-centred communication, health literacy, working with diverse populations and interprofessional collaboration.
• Research methods: qualitative methods, mixed methods, program evaluation and an introduction to bio-statistical reasoning appropriate for humanities-focused researchers.
• Applied learning: practicum placements or shadowing in clinical, community or educational settings, and a capstone project or honours thesis synthesising ethical, pedagogical and humanistic analysis.

Entry requirements

CUNY evaluates applicants holistically. Typical entry criteria include a recognised secondary school diploma or equivalent, a strong academic record in humanities and science courses, and college preparatory coursework. While exact requirements vary by campus and programme, applicants are usually expected to demonstrate competence in writing and critical thinking.

• Academic background: college preparatory coursework, with recommended subjects including English, social sciences and at least one biological or physical science.
• Supporting materials: a personal statement outlining interest in health professions education and ethics, and at least one letter of recommendation; some campuses may request a portfolio or examples of writing.
• Additional considerations: relevant volunteer, work or shadowing experience in healthcare or community settings strengthens applications. Transfer applicants should provide college transcripts and descriptions of completed courses to determine credit transfer.

Career prospects

Graduates leave prepared for a range of roles that bridge healthcare, education and the humanities. Many proceed to graduate or professional study (medicine, nursing, public health, bioethics, medical humanities), while others move directly into employment.

• Clinical educator or faculty development coordinator in hospitals, medical schools or allied health programmes
• Health policy analyst or ethics consultant in government, non-profits or healthcare institutions
• Medical or narrative humanities researcher, programme coordinator for community health initiatives
• Patient advocate, health communicator or curriculum developer for continuing professional education
• Progression to graduate training in bioethics, health professions education, public health, social work or clinical disciplines

Why study at CUNY (The City University of New York)

CUNY offers an urban, diverse learning environment with strong links to New York’s hospitals, community health organisations and cultural institutions. Students benefit from interdisciplinary faculty expertise across humanities and health-related departments, opportunities for practicum placements in nearby clinical and community settings, and access to citywide research, public service and internship networks.

The university’s commitment to affordability, breadth of campus options across the system, and emphasis on civic engagement make it well suited for students who wish to combine rigorous humanistic study with hands-on experience in healthcare education, ethics and community-centred practice.