Biomedical Humanities Major

Major-Biomedical Humanities
Minor-refer to Biomedical Humanities Minor

For Course Offerings and Program Requirements see The Hiram College Catalog.

All students who are interested in the Biomedical Humanities major should take the Mathematics Placement Examination

   1. Which courses are for first year students who wish to explore new areas of interest, but have no clear intent to major in this area?

      There is a wide array of courses that fulfill requirements in the major. Students may want to consult with one of the coordinators in order to choose the most appropriate course to start with.
   2. What is the desirable course work a prospective major/minor should complete by the end of their first year and the end of their second year?

      Majors:Students interested in majoring in Biomedical Humanities should consult with a member of the Health Science Board as soon as possible. Ideally, students will be ready to enter calculus-level math sometime before beginning their second year. They will also complete the Chemistry 120 and 121 sequence, and one of the introductory biology courses (141 or 142). Students should also enroll in at least one appropriate course from the Communication Skills or the Relationship and Cultural Sensitivity areas. By the end of the second year, students should have completed the organic chemistry sequence (Chem. 220 and 320), the other introductory biology course, and Biology 230. Students should also have completed three courses from the Communication Skills and Relationship and Cultural Sensitivity courses.

      Minors:
   3. What is the minimum a prospective major/minor must do by the end of their first and second year?

      Majors:All students interested in the Biomedical Humanities major must complete at least one of the science sequences (Biology 141/142 or Chemistry 120/121) by the end of their sophomore year. It should be noted that if this is all the students completes during their first two years, the remainder of their time at Hiram College will be spent filling courses for the major.

      Minors:
   4. How important is it for a student with some interest in majoring in your area to make contact with a member of your department?

      Students interested in the Biomedical Humanities major definitely should contact a member of the Health Sciences Advisory board during their first year. Many courses in the major also count towards the distribution requirements for the college. Informed decisions early on create more opportunities for elective courses.
   5. What are the major pitfalls a student should avoid during their first year and how can an advisor help the student to avoid them?

      Students need to take the Mathematics placement examination during institute week. If students place into Math 162, they need to enroll in this preparatory course during their first semester at Hiram College. Ignoring the recommended course placement can result in failed science courses and perhaps a fifth year as an undergraduate.

      Science courses are sequential, so students and their advisors need to be aware of the prerequisites. Students also have to begin the science sequences as soon as they are academically ready to do so. If they struggle in a prerequisite, they should repeat that course before moving on

      Many graduation requirements are fulfilled while completing the major. Students should be aware of which courses fulfill both the college general education requirements and the requirements of the major. 

One Potential Four-Year Schedule:
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
First Year	Colloquium	First-year Seminar
	Chemistry 120	Chemistry 121
	Communication Skills Course	Biology 141(142)
	Elective	Elective
	Fall Semester	Spring Semester
Sophomore Year	Biology 141(142)	Biology 230
	Chemistry 220	Chemistry 320
	Communication Skills Course	Relationship Course
	Seminar (1-hour)	Elective
	Elective
Clinical Internship or Research Internship -summer
	Fall Semester	Spring Semester
Junior Year	Biology 365	Math 108
	Relationship Course	Ethics Course
	Ethics course	Area of Specialization
	Seminar (1-hour)	Elective
	Elective
Clinical Internship or Research Internship -summer
	Fall Semester	Spring Semester
Senior Year	Ethics Course	Area of Specialization
	Area of Specialization	Sr. Seminar (1-hour)
	Elective	Elective
	Elective	Elective