Medical and Scientific Humanities
Although no course listed below is required of all MaSH minors, it is highly recommended that students enroll in a designated MaSH section of HUMA 3300 as an introduction to the ideas and interdisciplinary approach taken in the MaSH program.
Medical and Scientific Humanities Courses
HUMA 3300 Reading and Writing Texts (3 semester hours)Focuses on a significant topic or issue through which students are offered an opportunity to gain experience in various analytic and interpretive approaches. Explores connections among artistic and intellectual endeavors appropriate to a range of courses in the Arts and Humanities. Prerequisite: HUMA 1301 or equivalency. This course is a requirement for all AH, AP, HIST and LIT majors and should be taken prior to completing the first 12 hours of upper-division course work. (3-0) S
COMM 3301 Public and Professional Speaking for Business (3 semester hours) Explores public communication strategies in professional contexts. Helps students develop skills to masximize business communication opportunities to present themselves and their ideas. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or COMM 2312 or COMM 2313. (3-0) T
COMM 3311 Interpersonal Communication (3 semester hours) The course wille xamine elements that characterize and contribute to unhealthy relationships and examines theories and strategies to establish and maintain healthy relationships. The course will explore basic concepts involved in the communication process and will introduce related skills to aid in successful communication. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, or RHET 1302 or equivalent. (3-0) T
COMM 3342 Topics in Communication (3 semester hours) Topics may include theory and practice of oral and verbal communication techniques with specific applications and performance demonstration. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing. (3-0) R
HIST 3304 Conceptions of Human Nature (3 semester hours)Emphasis on contemporary conceptions of human nature and the human condition, stressing the cultural and historical settings. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division history. (3-0) T
HIST 3328 History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine (3 semester hours An exploration of the development of philosophical ideas in science and medicine. Topics may include comparison of Eastern and Western philosophies of natural knowledge and medicine and scientific and medical concepts in philosophical and ethical contexts. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division history. (3-0) T
HIST 3337 Technology and Western Civilization (3 semester hours)A survey of the role played by technology in shaping Western culture from antiquity through the industrial revolution. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division history. (3-0) T
HIST 3344 History of Science in Europe (3 semester hours)Surveys the development of the mathematical and natural sciences in European culture. Subject matter will vary from semester to semester, but topics may include astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, natural history, geology, evolution, and genetics. Time periods may range from human pre history to the Scientific Revolution and from the Scientific Revolution to the present. Course content will not overlap with HIST 3337. No technical background required. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division history. (3-0) T
HIST 3362 Rise of the Helping Professions in America (3 semester hours)A course on the history of medicine, psychiatry, social work, and education in the United States since the late nineteenth century. Examines the social dynamics and consequences of professional politics, public policies, specialized knowledge, and therapeutic relationships. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division history. (3-0) T
HIST 3374 America Technological Development (3 semester hours) A survey of the role played by technology in shaping American culture from colonial times to the present. Fulfills one-half of the Texas legislative requirement for six hours in American history. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division history. (3-0) T
HIST 3380 The Nuclear Age in America (3 semester hours) An examination of the historical roots of the modern nuclear age. Topics will include the development of the atomic bomb and the role of nuclear weapons in postwar diplomacy . Prerequisite: Three hours of lower division history. (3‑0) T
HIST 3389 History of Science in the U.S. (3 semester hours) Surveys the development of the mathematical and natural sciences in American culture. Subject matter will vary from semester to semester, but topics may include astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, natural history, geology, evolution, and genetics. Course content will not overlap with HIST 3337. No technical background required. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours lower division history. (3‑0) T
HIST 4380 Topics in Philosophy and Intellectual History (3 semester hours) Subject matter will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). (3‑0) R
LIT 3304 Advanced Composition (3 semester hours) Rhetorical strategies for analytical, descriptive, and research writing, with emphasis on grammar and style. Prerequisite: RHET 1302 (3‑0) Y
LIT 3311 The Literature of Fantasy and Science Fiction (3 semester hours) The tradition of the fantastic narrative from classical through modern literature. Consideration of fantasy and/or science fiction as genres melding entertainment and speculation. Works of fantasy include The Golden Ass, Dracula, and One Hundred Years of Solitude. Writers of science fiction may include Mary Shelley, Poe, Hawthorne, Wells, Clarke, Heinlein, and LeGuin. May be repeated for credit (6 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division literature or HUMA 1301. (3-0) T
LIT 3312 Studies in Prose Narrative (3 semester hours) Studies in fiction, biography and autobiography, essays, and travelogues. May examine such topics as the history of the novel, spiritual autobiography, scientific biography, literary movements, and the new journalism. May be repeated for credit (6 hours maximum ). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower division literature or HUMA 1301. (3‑0) Y
LIT 3319 Periods in English Literature (3 semester hours) Examines representative selections of literature written during such periods as the Middle Ages, Renaissance, the 17th century, the 18th century, or the early 19th century, or topics such as the literature of the scientific revolution. May be repeated for credit when literary periods vary (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower division literature or HUMA 1301. (3‑0) Y
LIT 3328 Ethics in Literature (3 semester hours) Considers the perspective offered by literature on various ethical questions, and the relation between literature and moral philosophy. Topics may include existentialism, the environment, and religion and literature. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). (3‑0) Y
LIT 3334 Literature of Science (3 semester hours) Explores the interrelations between authors such as Donne, Swift, Mary Shelly, Hardy, and Pynchon, and science, such as astronomy, evolution, medicine, and chaos theory. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). (3‑0) T
LIT 3344 European Realism and Naturalism (3 semester hours) A study of the naturalist movement of the late 19th century in Europe. Consideration will be given to the philosophical, social, and scientific backgrounds. Readings will include dramas and novels . Prerequisite: Three hours of lower division literature or HUMA 1301. (3‑0) T
LIT 4348 Topics in Literary Studies (3 semester hours) Subject matter will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor. (3-0) R
LIT 4V71 Independent Study in Literary Studies (1‑3 semester hours) Independent study under a faculty member’s direction. May be repeated for credit (9 hours maximum) .Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor required. ([1‑3]‑0) R
PHIL 2316 History of Philosophy I (3 semester hours) Intensive study of texts significant in the history of philosophy from antiquity through the Renaissance. (3-0) T
PHIL 2317 History of Philosophy II (3 semester hours) Intensive study of texts significant in the history of philosophy from the early modern period to the present. (3-0) T
PHIL 3304 Conceptions of Human Nature (3 semester hours) Emphasis on contemporary conceptions of human nature and human condition, stressing the cultural and historical settings. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division philosophy. (3-0) T
PHIL 3373 Philosophy of Mind (3 semester hours) An examination of the historical roots of the mind/body problem and efforts to resolve it. May also examine the nature of consciousness, the problem of other minds, the nature of sensation and personhood, and the emotions. Prerequisite: Three hours lower division philosophy. (3-0) T
PHIL 3375 Ethics in Contemporary America (3 semester hours) An examination of various ethical problems which have been a part of 20th century American conciousness, against the backdrop of social and political events. Issues may include abortion, capital punishment, sexual morality, world hunger, and war. Prerequisite: Three hourse of lower-division philosophy. (3-0) T
PHIL 4380 Topics in Philosophy (3 semester hours) Subject matter will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor. (3-0) R
SPAN 3441 Medical Spanish (4 semester hours) This course is designed to introduce students to the utilization of the Spanish language in the Health Care arena. A combination of written and oral exercises will be employed in a workshop atmosphere. Prerequisite: Introductory Spanish or the equivalent. (4-0) Y
General Studies, EPPS, and BBS Courses (limited to 6 hours)
AMS 3300 American Popular Culture (3 semester hours) Examines American culture from the colonial period to the present through some of its most popular cultural forms: fiction, drama, film, magazines, advertising, music, and television. Considers the economics of cultural production, ways of critically reading popular texts, and how consumers make use of popular culture. Pays particular attention to the ways gender, race, and class influence how popular texts are created and consumed. (3-0) Y
AMS 3314 Public Communication (3 semester hours) Study of communication theory in relation to ways in which the U.S. government and other institutions present themselves. (3-0) Y
AMS 3316 Interpersonal Communication (3 semester hours) Study of the theory and practice of interpersonal communication. The focus will be on learning and applying various concepts and skills needed to improve the quality and effectiveness of communication in both personal and professional aspects of life. (3-0) Y
AMS 4303 Business, Law and Culture (3 semester hours) Study of the interactions among business, law and culture from an interdisciplinary perspective. The course examines business tangles, legal complexities, ethical dilemmas, and cultural contradictions in the capitalist system. (3-0) T
AMS 4304 Communication in America (3 semester hours) Examines the basic verbal and non-verbal elements affecting communication in American society. Perspectives to be addressed include communication across cultures, gender differences in communication, interpersonal communication styles, and communication in peer groups, families, and work contexts. In addition, the effects of technology on communication and its impact on individuals and society will be explored. (3-0) T
AMS 4379 Topics in American Studies (3 semester hours) Subject matter will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit (9 hours maximum). (3-0) Y
GST 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies (3 semester hours) An introduction to the way gender shapes individuals, social institutions and culture. Examines gender, class, sexuality, race/ethnicity, and nationality as interactive systems. Topics include biological arguments about gender and sexuality; the cultural construction of gender; the psychology of sex roles; the ways gender shapes families, workplaces and other social institutions. (Same as SOC 2300) (3-0) Y
GST 3301 Psychology of Gender (3 semester hours) An overview of individualistic and interactional perspectives in biology, personality, and social relations. With a focus on the individual, gender in thought, emotion, personal relationships, and self-concept is explored. (Same as PSY 3324) (3-0) Y
GST 3302 Gender in Western Thought (3 semester hours) Identifies gendered approaches within the history of ideas, including philosophy, theology, and literature. Universal truths about human nature, particularly with regard to sex and gender, are located within the intellectual milieu of various writers and within the larger body of Western thought. (Same as HIST 4380 when topic is Women in Western Thought) (3-0) T
GST 3303 Gender, Society and Politics (3 semester hours) Addresses the influence of gender on the distribution of public goods and the way gender, interacting with race and class, shapes social, political, and economic institutions. Introduces students to traditional notions of rights and citizenship as conceptual underpinnings for contemporary political and legal debates (on welfare, reproductive rights, childcare, job segregation, women in the military, prostitution). (Same as SOC 3354 and GOVT 3354) (3-0) Y
GOVT 3354 Gender, Society and Politics (3 semester hours) Addresses the influence of gender on the distribution of public goods and the way gender, interacting with race and class, shapes social, political, and economic institutions. Introduces students to traditional notions of rights and citizenship as conceptual underpinnings for contemporary political and legal debates (on welfare, reproductive rights, childcare, job segregation, women in the military, prostitution). (Same as GST 3303 and SOC 3354) (3-0) Y
ISGS 3130 Pre-Health Professional Development (1 semester hour) This course is for students who are committed to a career in health and wish to improve communication skills. This course will focus on content areas relevant to the health care professions. (Permission of instructor required) (1-0) S
ISGS 3305 Humans: Our Place in Nature (3 semester hours) The history of the human lineage is a complicated but fascinating combination of biological and cultural changes. (3-0) Y
ISGS 3306 Human Female: Biology and Culture (3 semester hours) This course takes a life cycle approach to the major biological events in a woman's life, and the various cultural observances or lack thereof, which accompany these changes. (3-0) Y
ISGS 3308 Bones, Bodies, and Disease (3 semester hours) An introduction to the wealth of knowledge that can be ascertained through an analysis of skeletal and mummified remains. (3-0) Y
ISGS 4309 Diversity and Globalization (3 semester hours) This course studies the meaning, processes, and impacts of globalization. It highlights sensitivity to global diversity and examines how global companies cope with a wide array of political/legal forces and transform social/cultural differences into competitive advantages. Topics include conflict resolution in business diplomacy and strategies of managing global diversity. (3-0) Y
ISHD 3343 Children in a Changing World (3 semester hours) Issues relevant to childhood in the 20th century. Topics include day care, divorce, parenting styles, and parental leave. The influence of social policy, socioeconomic factors, and family structure on childrearing will be discussed. (3-0) Y
ISHD 4347 Drugs, Behavior, and the Brain (3 semester hours) An examination of the nature of brain cells and the brain-cell chemical communication process. Mechanisms of action of major psychoactive drugs, drug dependence, withdrawal, and drug-induced brain damage are considered. (3-0) R
ISHD 4391 Psychology and the Legal System (3 semester hours) Relationship of psychology to legal issues including the insanity defense and criminal responsibility, mental competency, standards for involuntary commitment, and predictions of future behavior. Other topics include polygraphic examinations, jury selection, decision processes, and rules of evidence. (3-0) Y
Any 3000-level or 4000-level organized course in PSY
SOC 2319 Race, Gender and Class (3 semester hours) The study of how race, gender, and class systems are interwoven. Explores how the multiple statuses of individuals (race, gender, and class) combine to produce packages of privileges and disadvantages. Topics include the social meanings of color, sex/gender systems in historical and contemporary perspectives, theories of power, stereotyping, affirmative action, and welfare debates. (3-0) Y
SOC 3321 Deviance (3 semester hours) Analysis of historical and contemporary perspectives which propose the causes, consequences, and cures for deviance. Description of theories, research, and public policy associated with efforts to control deviant behavior and deviant groups, and to establish normalcy. (3-0) R
SOC 3325 Race, Ethnicity, and Community (3 semester hours) Considers cultural and social behavior in multiracial and multiethnic societies. Issues include the formation and maintenance of individual and group identity, patterns of socioeconomic achievement, intergroup conflict, and the causes and consequences of public policy. (3-0) R
SOC 3332 Social Control and Criminal Sanctions (3 semester hours) Examines the means by which society attempts to control the deviant/criminal conduct of its members. Analysis of formal and informal means and a variety of institutions and social processes meant to deter, punish, and reform inappropriate conduct. Prerequisite: CJS 3302 or CJS 3303. (Same as CJS 4305) (3-0) R
SOC 3333 Religion in Society (3 semester hours) An assessment of the origins and forms of religious movements, including the practices and beliefs through which the religious experience is channeled; the impact of religious movements and cults on social, economic, and political institutionsl the societal response to religious movements; the personality and behavioral changes wrought by religions. (3-0) R
SOC 3342 The Life Cycle (3 semester hours) An examination of the institutions that shape the course of people's lives from birth to death. Topics include primary socialization, family, schools, peer groups, occupations, retirement, and death. (3-0) R
SOC 3343 Sociology of the Family (3 semester hours) Trends in family life are examined with special attention to how these relate to changes in men's and women's roles. Topics include sex role socialization, division of labor in the household, sexuality, emotional aspects of marriage, marital power and decision making, and divorce. (3-0) R
SOC 3352 Gender Roles (3 semester hours) Examines female and male gender roles in both historic and contemporary contexts. Topics may include the sex/gender distinction, gender socialization, masculinities, the sexual division of labor, gender and power, and the interaction of gender with race, class, and sexuality. (3-0) R
SOC 3353 Law and Gender (3 semester hours) Examines how laws and legal institutions reflect and repoduce cultural notions of gender. Focuses on how legal equality and sex discrimination have been defined and challenged. Topics include rape law, reproductive issues, marriage and divorce, pornography, workplace regulations, and, generally, how gender and race ideologies interact in legal decision making. (Same as GOVT 3353) (3-0) R
SOC 3354 Gender, Society, and Politics (3 semester hours) Addresses the influence of gender on the distribution of public goods and the way gender, interacting with race and class, shapes social, political, and economic institutions. Introduces students to traditional notions of rights and citizenship as conceptual underpinnings for contemporary political and legal debates (on welfare, reproductive rights, childcare, job segregation, women in the military, prostitution). (Same as GOVT 3354 and GST 3303) (3-0) T
SOC 3357 Spatial Dimensions of Health and Disease (3 semester hours) Examines the spatial dimensions of health, disease, and the public health and health care systems. Provides an introduction to spatial epidemiology and a bridge to the terminology of medical and health care professionals. (Same as GEOG 3357) (3-0)
SOC 4370 Poverty and Unemployment (3 semester hours) The historical, economic, political, and cultural context of poverty and unemployment in the United States, and the social and governmental response to these conditions. (3-0) R
SOC 4372 Health and Illness (3 semester hours) An examination of the social conditions and correlates of diseases, the social behavior of the sick, health institutions and professions, and the formulation and implementation of health policies and programs. (3-0) R
For additional information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
