KOS1500 – Bridging Humanities and Medicine for Societal Impact – Advancing the Future of Medical Humanities
Course content
This course focuses on the critical interdependencies and synergies between the humanities and medicine in enhancing sustainable social change. Traditionally seen as separate realms—arts and sciences— the course demonstrates the power of their convergence in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges.?
Emerging from and adding to an online lecture series co-organized by partners from the Circle U Universities, this course demonstrates how the synthesis of, and translation between, perspectives from medicine and the humanities is critical in tackling global challenges such as climate change, democratic deficits, global health disparities, and the evolving challenges of artificial intelligence.?
The field of medical humanities was initially developed to provide medical students with a grounding in literature, philosophy, art, music, history, and drama, enhancing their understanding of illness experiences and cultivating their empathy.?
However, the scope of medical humanities extends far beyond these initial benefits. It also introduces innovative ways to understand the entanglements between technological advancements, environmental disruptions, governance systems, lifestyle choices, and health—complex networks that cannot be fully explored by a single discipline but require translation across different disciplines in the humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences.??
Through this course, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to analyze and address these interdependencies, translate between different disciplines, and contribute meaningfully to the academic dialogue. As part of the course, you will also have the opportunity to add your own voice to the lecture series, enriching the ongoing debate around these critical issues and this emerging academic field.?
Learning outcome
Knowledge:?
Upon completing this module, you will be able to:?
Explain the interconnections between science and the humanities in addressing complex health-related challenges;?
Account for the links between health and other global challenges, such as democratic deficits and sustainable development;?
Identify various applications of medical humanities?
Summarize key theoretical debates within the field of medical humanities;?
Trace the historical emergence and intellectual origins of medical humanities.?
Skills:?
Upon completing this module, you will be able to:?
Identify and analyse the bio-social dimensions of global challenges;?
Analyse the links between health and other global challenges from a historical or contemporary perspective;?
Analyse the social impact of medical humanities in specific cases;?
Translate? knowledge between different disciplines.??
Contribute to the academic debate about the future of the medical humanities.?
General competence:?
Upon completing this module, you will be able to:?
Cooperate productively with peers from different areas of expertise;?
Present your results clearly to a non-expert academic audience;?
Reflect on your own research and dissemination practice.?
Admission to the course
Admission to KOS1500 at the University of Oslo requires either:
- Enrolment in a programme at the University of Oslo at bachelor's level, or
- Enrolment in a programme at another Circle U. university at bachelor's level.
Students at the University of Oslo apply in Studentweb. Studentweb opens June 3. Students at another Circle U. university apply to the course through an online form:?Application form for KOS1500.?The online application form opens April 23. Application deadline: September 1, 2025.?All students will receive an answer to your application by September 22 by email. Students at the University of Oslo will receive an answer in Studentweb.
Documentation requirements for Circle U. students: ?
- Confirmation of student status. Please attach a certificate that confirms that you are currently enrolled as a student at a program on bachelor's level at one of the Circle U. universities.
- Copy of passport or ID-card.
- Name change documentation if your name appears different in any of your documentation.
There are a minimum of 4?study places available for each of the participating universities. In case of more eligible applicants than available places, all applicants will be pooled together and chosen at random to ensure that all eligible candidates have an equal opportunity to participate. The course will have 40 places in total. Please note that applicants are not guaranteed admission to the course even if they are qualified.?
Formal prerequisite knowledge
A good command of English is expected of all students. It is the student's responsibility to ensure the level of language expected and needed to keep up with teaching and course content throughout the semester.?
Teaching
The course is organized according to flipped classroom principles, with a prerecorded lecture series serving as its foundation. Teaching focuses on discussing challenges that will shape the students' own recorded lectures. Instruction is divided into two online group sessions of 2 hours each: in the first session, the prerecorded lectures will be discussed and contextualized, while in the second session, students present their lecture ideas and receive feedback.
The two online seminars will take place in October in the afternoon.?The exact dates for the online seminars are published on the semester page.
Compulsory activities:?
Individual presentations forming the basis for the students’ recorded lectures.?
100% attendance in the online group sessions is required to be eligible to taking the exam. Attendance will be registered.
You will find more information about the requirements for the compulsory assignment and the submission deadline in Canvas.?
Approval of the compulsory activities is only valid for the current semester.?
All compulsory activities must be approved to qualify for the exam. It is your responsibility to verify that you have obtained approval for all compulsory activities.?
Absence from compulsory activities:
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the rules regarding absence from compulsory activities, to prevent being excluded from teaching and losing your eligibility to take the exam.?
More information on compulsory activities at the University of Oslo:?
Examination
The examination is a portfolio consisting of a 15-minute recorded video lecture based on the topic and a presentation developed during the group sessions and pre-approved by the course leader. A simple guideline for preparing and sharing the recordings will be provided.
You must submit the exam in Inspera -?see guides for digital exams.?
You are personally responsible for familiarizing yourself with the requirements and deadlines for the exam.?
All compulsory activities must be completed and approved in order to take the exam.?
You can find more information about the exam on the semester page of the course.?
Language of examination
The examination questions are given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
An exam submission that is passed may not be resubmitted in revised form.
If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.