Updated 03/15
Approved Courses for Graduate Study
MHS 300/6100. Graduate Colloquium. Introduction to graduate-level interdisciplinary work in
medicine, health, and society, drawing on the perspectives of anthropology, economics, history,
philosophy, political science and policy studies, psychology, religious studies, and sociology. [3]
MHS 305/7305. Foundations in Global Health. Determinants of health and interventions used to
better health, particularly in low-resource settings. Core research and evaluation methodologies used
in the field. [3]
MHS 306/7306. Foundational Skills in Global Health.
Core field tools, needs assessment, implementation techniques, and methodologies in global health
program implementation. Management and leadership of global health programs and organizations in
complex and challenging environments. Underpinnings of health systems, data collection and analysis,
program design, and management. [3]
MHS 308/7308. Ethics, Law, and Medicine. Explores intersection of ethical, legal, and medical concerns
in the modern world of health care. Casebased and discussion format. Serves as repeat credit for
students who have completed DIV 3452, MED 504-5240, or LAW 450 -909 [3]
MHS 311/7311. Ethics in Global Health. Overview of ethical issues and standards in global health,
particularly ethics in international research. Serves as repeat credit for students who have completed
VIGH 5244 or IGHM 5244. [1]
MHS 312/7312. Informatics for Global Health Professionals. Medical informatics with emphasis on a
global health care setting. As global health bridges both patient care and public health, so informatics.
Patient- based information systems and public health information systems. Serves as repeat credit for
students who have completed VIGH 5242 or IGHM 5242. [1]
MHS 313/7313. Introduction to Medical Anthropology. The study of illness, suffering, and healing in
cultures around the world. Medical anthropology topics, theoretical approaches, and research
techniques. Case studies on chronic illness, sorcery and traditional healing, modern pandemics, and
treatment/illness expectations. Serves as repeat credit for students who have completed VIGH 5248 or
IGHM 5248. [1]
MHS 314/7314. Global Health Politics and Policy. Global health problems facing the world’s populations
today and efforts taken to improve health at a global level. Political movements of global health issues in
the US and among the G8 nations from 2000-2011. Serves as repeat credit for students who have
completed VIGH 5250 or IGHM 5250. [1]
MHS 315/7315. Leadership and Development in Global Health. Leadership theory and practice in the
area of global health. Serves as repeat credit for students who have completed VIGH 5246 or IGHM
5246. [1]
MHS 316/7316. Case Studies in Tropical Diseases. Tropical diseases and parasitology in a clinical case
study format. Serves as repeat credit for students who have completed VIGH 5249 or IGHM 5249. [1]
Updated 03/15
MHS 317/7317. Introduction to Quality Improvement. Concept and methodology of Quality
Improvement (QI) science as it applies to health care delivery in the U.S. and in the developing world.
Serves as repeat credit for students who have completed VIGH 5252 or IGHM 5252. [1]
MHS 319/7319. Laboratory Technology in Low Resource Settings. Core laboratory principles,
technologies, and applications used in the delivery of care and the performance of clinical research in
resource-limited settings. Strengths, limitations, and appropriate use of laboratory technologies in the
changing landscape of international research and clinical care. [2]
MHS 369/7999. Master’s Thesis Research. [0-12]
MHS 390a/7850. Independent Study. A program of independent readings and research in a minimum of
two disciplines, to be selected in consultation with a faculty adviser and subject to the approval of the
CMHS director. [3]
MHS 390b/7851. Independent Study. A program of independent readings and research in a minimum of
two disciplines, to be selected in consultation with a faculty adviser and subject to the approval of the
CMHS director. [3]
MHS 393a/7880. Internship Training. Must be taken concurrently with 393b and/or 393c. MHS
393b. Internship Research. Students will write a substantial research paper under the
supervision of a Vanderbilt faculty member. [3]
MHS 393c/7882. Internship Readings. Readings and a substantial interpretive essay on topics related
to the internship training, under the supervision of a Vanderbilt faculty member. [3]
MHS 394a/7830. Graduate Service Learning. Must be taken concurrently with 394b and/or 394c.
After completing the experience, all students must write a thorough report. [1-3]
MHS 394b/7831. Service Learning Research. Students will write a substantial research paper under
the supervision of a Vanderbilt faculty member, on a topic related to their service learning
experience. [3]
MHS 394c/7832. Service Learning Readings. Readings and a substantial interpretive essay on topics
related to the service learning experience, under the supervision of a Vanderbilt faculty member. [3]
Other Approved Courses Additional courses not on this list may be approved at the discretion of the
CMHS director. Graduate students enrolled in 6000/7000-level courses will complete additional work
in order to gain graduate credit.
ANTHROPOLOGY: 240/3143, Medical Anthropology; 250/3141, Anthropology of Healing; 260/3142,
Medicine, Culture, and the Body; 267/2370, Death and the Body; 274/4373, Health and Disease in
Ancient Populations; 329/8310, The Anthropology of Death: Body, Place, and Memory.
ASIAN STUDIES: 230/2630, Chinese Medicine.
Updated 03/15
DIVINITY/RELIGION: 3053/7053, Seminar: Contemporary Psychotherapy and Pastoral Counseling;
3060/7051, Freudian Theories and Religion; 3061/7052, Post- Freudian Theories and Religion;
3062/7024, Research in Religion and Health; 3068/7007, Religion and Coping; 3069/7004, Theories of
Personality; 3099/7041, Pastoral Care for Persons with Addictions and Mental Disorders; 3752/7049,
The Religious Self According to Jung; 3051/7054, Critical Issues in Psychotherapy; 3464/7220, Seminar in
Clinical and Research Ethics; 3951/7101, Methods in Ethics; 3977/5022, Reading Course in Medical
Ethics.
ECONOMICS: 268/3350, Economics of Health; 312a/9490–312b/9480, Health
Economics.
ENGLISH: 355/8155, Special Topics in English and American Literature (as
appropriate).
Note: topics vary; the CMHS director will approve versions with sufficient MHS content for credit
toward this program.
HISTORY: 280/2800, Modern Medicine; 281/2810, Women, Health, and Sexuality; 283/2830,
Medicine, Culture, and the Body (same as Anthropology 260).
MEDICINE, HEALTH, AND SOCIETY: 225/3150, Death and Dying in America; 231/2310, Chinese Society
and Medicine; 235/3030/5030, Community Health Research; 236/2410/5410, HIV/AIDS in the Global
Community; 237/2510, Caring for Vulnerable Populations; 240/2430, Social Capital and Health;
244/2320, Medicine, Law, and Society; 245/3120/5120, Medicine, Science, and Technology; 246/3350,
Medicine, Religion, and Spirituality; 248/2150, Medical Humanities; 250/2520, Autism in Context;
290/3890, Special Topics; 295/3000, Undergraduate Seminar; 300/6100, Graduate Colloquium;
305/7305, Foundations in Global Health; 308/7308, Ethics, Law, and Medicine; 311/7311, Ethics in
Global Health; 312/7312, Informatics for Global Health Professionals; 313/7313, Introduction to Medical
Anthropology; 314/7314, Global Health Politics and Policy; 315/7315, Leadership and Development in
Global Health; 316/7316, Case Studies in Tropical Diseases; 317/7317, Introduction to Quality
Improvement; 369/7999, Master’s Thesis Research; 390a/7850–390b/7851, Independent Study;
393a/7880, Internship Training; 393b/7881, Internship Research; 393c/7882, Internship Readings;
394a/7830, Graduate Service Learning; 394b/7831, Service Learning Research; 394c/7832, Service
Learning Readings.
NURSING: 225/5105, Population-Based Health Care, 231a/1601, Introduction to Nutrition; 231b/1602,
Nutrition and Health: Issues and Insights; 226/5205, Health Care Systems: Micro Issues; 227/5305,
Health Care Systems: Macro Issues; 333/6812, The Evolution of Midwifery in America; 381a/6040,
Introduction to Health Informatics; 396f/6301, Concepts of Public Health Management of Emergencies/
Disasters.
PHILOSOPHY: 239/3606, Moral Problems; 256/3630, Philosophy of Mind; 270/3608, Ethics and Medicine.
PSYCHOLOGY: 277/3785, Brain Damage and Cognition; 301a/6310, Advanced General Psychology, as
appropriate [topics vary; the CMHS director will approve versions with sufficient MHS content for credit
toward this
Updated 03/15
program]; 306, Evolutionary Psychology; 310, Research Methods in Clinical Psychology; 342, Seminar:
Social Psychology; 352, Seminar: Clinical Psychology.
PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (PEABODY): 2890P, Ethics for Human Development
Professionals; 3040P, Field Research Methods; 3150P, Program Evaluation; 3360P, Behavioral Pediatrics
and Child Health Psychology; 3450P, Seminar in Systems and Community Psychology; 3550P,
Sociobiology; 3570P, Seminar in Behavioral Biology; 3600P, Developmental Psychology; 3630P, Seminar
in Social and Personality Development; 3700P, Theories of Personality; 3750P, Social Psychology; 3780P,
Current Research in Social Psychology; 3790P, Advanced Seminar in Personality and Social Psychology.
SOCIOLOGY: 220, Population and Society; 237, Society and Medicine; 257, Gender, Sexuality, and the
Body; 264, Social Dynamics of Mental Health.