Best institutions to study Medical/Health Humanities
A program that explores the ethical, historical, literary, philosophical, and religious dimensions of medicine or health.
31 U.S. institutions graduated 415 Medical/Health Humanities students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.3204, a specialization of Health Professions Education (CIP 51.32), and leads most directly to the Anthropologists and Archeologists occupation (BLS SOC 19-3091).
About Medical/Health Humanities programs
A program that explores the ethical, historical, literary, philosophical, and religious dimensions of medicine or health. Includes instruction in art, cultural studies, economics, ethics, history, literature, medical anthropology, philosophy, religion and spiritual thought, science and technology, visual art, and writing.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Medical/Health Humanities program, part of Health Professions Education, delves into the ethical, historical, literary, philosophical, and religious aspects of medicine and health. This interdisciplinary field is ideal for students interested in understanding the broader context of health care and the human experience in relation to medical practices.
Students in this program develop core skills in writing, critical thinking, and active listening, while gaining knowledge in sociology, anthropology, and the history of medicine. Coursework may include subjects like narrative medicine and cultural studies, equipping graduates with a well-rounded perspective on health-related issues.
Credentials awarded
What Medical/Health Humanities graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree294 graduates / yr · 15 institutions71%
- Master's degree50 graduates / yr · 7 institutions12%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year48 graduates / yr · 7 institutions12%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship13 graduates / yr · 2 institutions3.1%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate10 graduates / yr · 3 institutions2.4%
Graduates over time
Medical/Health Humanities completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 241 |
| 2021 | 277 |
| 2022 | 317 |
| 2023 | 343 |
| 2024 | 346 |
| 2025 | 415 |
CIP 51.3204 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.
Top 31 institutions for Medical/Health Humanities, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TXPublicBachelor's | 90 | 53% | — |
| 2 | Baylor University Waco, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 69 | 80% | $35,682 |
| 3 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJPublicBachelor's | 56 | 65% | — |
| 4 | Clemson University Clemson, SCPublicBachelor's | 30 | 87% | — |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 28 | 96% | $15,315 |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearMaster's | 20 | 89% | — |
| 7 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MOPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 17 | 58% | — |
| 8 | Drew University Madison, NJPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralPost-degree cert.Master's | 17 | 70% | $23,094 |
| 9 | Harding University Searcy, ARPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 12 | 69% | $19,423 |
| 10 | Hiram College Hiram, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 55% | $20,210 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington Abington, PAPublicBachelor's | 9 | 20% | — |
| 12 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 83% | — |
| 13 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 92% | $26,873 |
| 14 | University of Rochester Rochester, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 85% | $25,874 |
| 15 | Wilson College Chambersburg, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 5 | 48% | $18,586 |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 4 | 64% | — |
| 17 | Quinnipiac University Hamden, CTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 76% | $36,137 |
| 18 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 3 | 43% | — |
| 19 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 3 | 86% | $33,106 |
| 20 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 62% | $35,358 |
| 21 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicPost-degree cert. | 3 | 75% | — |
| 22 | The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Galveston, TXPublicDoctoral | 3 | — | — |
| 23 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 68% | — |
| 24 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 66% | $18,163 |
| 25 | Salem College Winston-Salem, NCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 57% | $19,415 |
| 26 | Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PAPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 2 | 76% | $22,907 |
| 27 | Bellarmine University Louisville, KYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 64% | $22,542 |
| 28 | Murray State University Murray, KYPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 61% | — |
| 29 | Creighton University Omaha, NEPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 83% | $27,353 |
| 30 | D'Youville University Buffalo, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 67% | $18,846 |
| 31 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TXPublicBachelor's | 1 | 51% | — |
Offered in 18 states
Where Medical/Health Humanities graduates come from. Each state links to all Health Professions Education programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5 | 183 | The University of Texas at San Antonio90 / yr |
| New Jersey | 2 | 73 | Montclair State University56 / yr |
| New York | 3 | 34 | Columbia University in the City of New York28 / yr |
| South Carolina | 1 | 30 | Clemson University30 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 19 | Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington9 / yr |
| Missouri | 1 | 17 | Missouri State University - Springfield17 / yr |
| Arkansas | 1 | 12 | Harding University12 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 10 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst7 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 10 | Hiram College10 / yr |
| Louisiana | 2 | 6 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana3 / yr |
| California | 1 | 5 | University of Southern California5 / yr |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 4 | University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire4 / yr |
| Connecticut | 1 | 3 | Quinnipiac University3 / yr |
| Kentucky | 2 | 2 | Bellarmine University1 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 2 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion2 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 2 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota2 / yr |
| North Carolina | 1 | 2 | Salem College2 / yr |
| Nebraska | 1 | 1 | Creighton University1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3091, Anthropologists and Archeologists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Medical/Health Humanities program can pursue careers as anthropologists, sociologists, and educators. The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an estimated 800 annual openings and a median wage of $64,910. A Master's degree is typically required for advancement in this field.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.3204
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthropologists and Archeologistsprimary SOC 19-3091 | $70,770 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~800 | Master's degree |
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other SOC 25-1199 | $77,640 | +1.8% Little or no change | ~13,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other SOC 19-3099 | $101,110 | -1.7% Decline | ~3,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other SOC 25-1069 | $72,990 | +1.7% Little or no change | ~1,500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Sociologists SOC 19-3041 | $106,030 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~300 | Master's degree |
Historians SOC 19-3093 | $76,750 | +2.2% About as fast as average | ~300 | Master's degree |
Geographers SOC 19-3092 | $102,040 | -3.1% Decline | ~100 | Bachelor's degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Medical/Health Humanities programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
- Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
- Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
- Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
- Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
- Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
Tools and technology used
Other Health Professions Education specializations
The 6 other 6-digit CIP codes under Health Professions Education (CIP 51.32).
- Nursing EducationCIP 51.32033,970 graduates / yr161 institutions
- Bioethics/CIP 51.3201
Medical Ethics 779 graduates / yr49 institutions - Health Professions EducationCIP 51.3202141 graduates / yr18 institutions
- Health Professions Education, Ethics, and HumanitiesCIP 51.3299partial data138 graduates / yr3 institutions
- Arts in Medicine/CIP 51.3206
Health limited data6 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- History of Medicine51.3205
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or other awards in Medical/Health Humanities.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in writing, critical thinking, and active listening, among others.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as an anthropologist, sociologist, or educator in health-related fields.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with 800 annual openings and a median wage of $64,910.
What is the CIP code for Medical/Health Humanities?+
Medical/Health Humanities is CIP 51.3204 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Health Professions Education (CIP 51.32). NCES defines it as: A program that explores the ethical, historical, literary, philosophical, and religious dimensions of medicine or health. Includes instruction in art, cultural studies, economics, ethics, history, literature, medical anthropology, philosophy, religion and spiritual thought, science and technology, visual art, and writing.
How many institutions offer Medical/Health Humanities programs?+
31 U.S. institutions reported Medical/Health Humanities graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 18 states, awarding 415 credentials in the year. That is 7.6% of all Health Professions Education graduates.
How much do Medical/Health Humanities graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Anthropologists and Archeologists occupation, which Medical/Health Humanities most directly leads to, pays a median of $70,770 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card