Health Humanities

Program and courses

Learn to critically analyze opinions, claims, beliefs and practices regarding health and healthcare. Gain an understanding of the historical and cultural context in which these have developed. Draw on insights and theories from various humanities disciplines, including cultural studies, gender studies, history, anthropology, philosophy, (online) media studies and technology studies.

Address questions such as:

• In what way do socio-cultural norms influence our understanding of ‘healthy’ and ‘normal’ versus ‘ill’ and ‘abnormal’? For example: how to decide the norm for a healthy body weight? Or why is melancholy a sign of depression in our culture rather than a normal part of life?
• What political views underlie policy choices within healthcare? And are these choices equitable and fair? For example: do corona safety measures impact everyone in the same way or not?
• How do new technologies and new media influence communication, knowledge production and perceptions within the health domain? For example: do you feel healthier when you continually monitor your health with wearables and apps?

Connect theory with practice through an internship (optional) and by attending guest lectures from professionals.

Turn academic content into publications that are accessible to a wider public through Diggit Magazine - both a learning instrument and an online news platform focusing on arts, digital culture, and globalization.

This is a track of MA Culture Studies. You specialize by following one of its tracks.

Typical courses are:

• Knowledge production in health and medicine
• Online Health Practices
• The Normal and the Abnormal
• Diversity and Equity in Health and Medicine

More on the program and courses

Career prospects

After your studies, you will be able to critically reflect on practices and theories in contemporary healthcare from a variety of perspectives. You will have knowledge of the historical and cultural context in which views, assumptions, beliefs and practices have developed, as well as the influence of technology and the online world.

This enables you to make a valuable contribution to policy discussions, the public debate and the development of innovative approaches, programs and tools.

This can be within a variety of disciplines, for example, journalism, communication, education, research, policy-making, management, creative and cultural industry, consulting and counseling.

Alumni facts

• Average time between graduation and first paid job is 2.5 months
• 84% of our alumni find a job within 2 months

Source: Alumni of Culture Studies (all tracks), National Alumni Survey, 2020 | n = 6

More on your career prospects

Application and admission

This program starts:

End of August

Best preparatory programs:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Culture Studies, Philosophy, Literature, Science and Technology Studies, Anthropology, History, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Religious Studies, Medicine.
• The academic background of the students in our Master's program varies a lot. Students with a Bachelor's degree in a different subject area are also most welcome to apply.

Pre-Master's program:

Open to both Research University students and students of a Dutch University of Applied Sciences (HBO).

Interested in the Master's program?

Check your eligibility

Related Master’s programs

• Management of Cultural Diversity
• Art and Media Studies
• Digital Culture Studies
• Philosophy of Contemporary Challenges