Overview of the Certificate Program
The undergraduate program in the Conceptual Foundations of Medicine is designed to offer a group of related courses in the areas of medical ethics, the nature of explanation and evidence in the biomedical sciences, and social problems such as assessments of alternative forms of health care delivery. The program is likely to be of particular interest to pre-medical and pre-professional health care students, but is intended to appeal to all students interested in social and philosophical problems in the biomedical sciences.
Students interested in obtaining the the undergraduate certificate should apply as early in their course work as possible. Normally, satisfactory completion of one course in the two-term core sequence, History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) 0612 or 0613, is required for admission into the certificate program.
Application Information
Download a Printable Application form in:
You can send the completed application to our Administrator, Diana Volkar at dlv23@pitt.edu. (During normal campus operations it may also be returned to the department via campus mail or in person at the office, 1101 Cathedral of Learning.)
Requirements
- The two introductory core courses (HPS 0612 and 0613) in Conceptual Foundations of Medicine.
- A two-term college-level course in biology.
- Two additional courses in a variety of departments dealing with social and conceptual issues in the biomedical sciences. The two elective courses must be in different departments.
- Students must achieve at least a C grade in each of the required courses, and at least a C+ average in the overall certificate requirements.
Core Courses from the History and Philosophy of Science Department
- HPS 0612 Mind and Medicine 3 Credits
This course focuses on questions of the aims of medicine, its scientific status and its relation to the natural sciences. These questions are pursued in the context of psychiatry, neurology, genetics, and the process of physical diagnosis.
- HPS 0613 Morality and Medicine 3 Credits
This course is an introduction to the ethical, legal, and social problems which are part of the modern practice of medicine. It begins with a brief introduction to various types of moral theories (e.g., Kantian, Utilitarian, Naturalistic) followed by discussions of truth-telling in medicine, informed consent, euthanasia, abortion, and the relation between political systems and health care. The focus throughout will be on the role of moral values in medical treatment.
Important Certificate Information
- All required courses must be completed with a "C" average or better. Pass/fail grades do not count.
- IMPORTANT: Your two upper-level elective courses MUST be from two different departments.
- The department will furnish a list of courses which satisfy the requirements in the "Other" or "Upper Level" category. It will be available online at the beginning of each registration period or by stopping in the office or phoning the department at 412-624-5896.
- If you require academic advising with respect to the required courses, please make an appointment to see Professor Paolo Palmieri, 1101 Cathedral of Learning, e-mail:pap7@pitt.edu.
- Use CFMED as the Plan Code on your registration form to ensure proper credit on your final transcript.
- During the first few weeks of your final term of your senior year fill out an additional application in the Arts and Sciences Dean's Office (140 Thackeray Hall). This will ensure the processing of the certificate information onto your transcript. If this process is not completed in a timely manner, a processing fee will be assessed by the Registrar.
- It is your responsibility to bring a copy of your final transcript to the HPS Department for coursework/GPA verification of the six courses taken. If everything is correct we will then issue a certificate in your name to the permanent address listed on your original application.
Alternative Elective Courses to Satisfy the Conceptual Foundations Requirement
If you believe that there is a course that deals with the social and conceptual issues in the biomedical sciences, and that it should satisfy the elective requirement for the certification, you must:
- Obtain the description of the course;
- Write a very short explanation of why the course ought to count toward satisfaction of the elective requirement, by showing how it deals with social or conceptual issues in the biomedical sciences; and
- Submit both to the Undergraduate Advisor for approval.
These are the courses that are considered as electives for the CFM Certificate Program. Please make an appointment to see Professor Paolo Palmieri (pap7@pitt.edu) for permission to use other courses. This list can also be found on our website: www.hps.pitt.edu Please click “Undergraduate Program”.
Approved Elective Courses for Spring Term, 2021 (2214)
ANTH 1752/27681 - Anthropology of Food
ANTH 1761/27888 - Patients & Healers: Medical Anthropology
ANTH 1793/30342 - Asian Medical Systems
BIOENG 1241/12887 - Societal, Political, Ethical Issues in Biotech
ENGCMP 0535/28999 - Writing in Health Science Professions
ENGCMP 1102/26076 - Language of Medicine
ENGLIT 0541/24632 - Literature and Medicine
GEOL 1055/10780 - Environmental Ethics
HIST 0791/29370 - Health Controversies in History
HIST 1090/31982 - History of Medicine & Health Care
HIST 1706/29463 - Drugs in Global History
NROSCI 0081/10985, 22915, 24027 - Drugs and Behavior
NROSCI 1030/26711 - Psychiatric Disorders & Brain Functions
PHIL 1360/22924 - Biomedical Ethics
PSY 0205/28870, 29116, 29117, 29118 - Psychopathology
PSY 1110/22913 - Psychological Aspects of Human Sexuality
PSY 1205/10944, 16550, 26878 - Abnormal Psychology
PSY 1210/31704 - Introduction to Clinical Psychology
PUBSRV 1305/22374 & 24304 - Health, Law and Ethics
REHSCI 1290/13692 - Practical Issues in Disability
REHSCI 1292/24126 - Diversity/Cultural Issues in Health, Disability & Rehabilitation
RELGST 1558/31249 - Buddhism and Psychology
SOC 0446/31346 - Sociology of Gender
SOC 0473/32208 - Soc of Globalization & Health
SOC 0477/22380, 24939 & 31416 - Medical Sociology
SOC 1488/31983 - History of Medicine and Healthcare
These are the courses that are considered as electives for the CFM Certificate Program. Please make an appointment to see Professor Paolo Palmieri pap7@pitt.edu for permission to use other courses. This list can also be found on our website: www.hps.pitt.edu Please click “Undergraduate Program”.
Approved Elective Courses for Fall Term (2020) Term 2211
History of the African Diaspora-AFRCNA 1021/28077
African American Health Issues-AFRCNA 1710/11380
The Archeologist Looks at Death-ANTH 0538/26575
Forensic Anthropology-ANTH 0630/26505
Human Sexuality in Cross-Culture-ANTH 0786/31610
Anthropology of Food-ANTH 1752/39736
Patients & Healers: Medical Anthropology-ANTH 1761/23744
Asian Medical Systems-ANTH 1793/330415
Societal, Political & Ethical Issues in Biotech-BIOENG 1241/18723
Issues in Health Care-EM 1152/14038
Issues in Health Care Education-EM 1153/14458
Writing Health Science Professions-ENGCMP-0535/26339
Environmental, Ethics, Science & Public Policy-GEOL 1055/24578
History of Global Health-HIST 0709/28430
Religion and Healing in China-HIST 1476/28020
History of Medicine and Health Care-HIST 1090/31264
Disease & Health in Modern Africa-HIST 1725/28409
Brain and Behavior-NROSCI 0080/10902 & 24653
Drugs and Behavior-NROSCI 0081/10900, 23721, 23872
UHC Brain and Behavior-NROSCI 0083/25447
Introduction to Bio-Medical Ethics-PHIL 0360/26569
Psychopathology-PSY 0205/28508, 28510, 28511
Psychopathology-PSY 0205/28584 (Web Based class)
Abnormal Psychology-PSY 1205/28866, 28867, 28868
Introduction to Clinical Psychology-PSY 1210/11243
Introduction to Clinical Psychology-PSY 1210/26568 (Web Based class)
Health Psychology-PSY 1215/11348
Health Psychology-PSY 1215/24699 (Web Based class)
Psychology of Death and Dying-PSY 1230/27763
Introduction to Global Health-PUBHLT 1001/18315
Health, Law and Ethics-PUBSRV 1305/22755, 24434 (Web Based classes)
Issues in Health Care-REHSCI 1240/14066
Psychology and Sociology of Disability-REHSCI 1280/16654
Practical Issues in Disability-REHSCI 1290/24617
Diversity Cultural Health/Rehabilitation-REHSCI 1292/18173
Religion and Healing in China-RELGST 1560/28021
Death, Health Care Professions-RELGST 1725/31307
Deviance and Social Control-SOC 0471/21831
Sociology of Globalization & Health-SOC 0473/24403
Medical Sociology-SOC 0477/21866
Medial Sociology-SOC 0477/22759, 24435 (Web Based classes)
Social Problem and Moral Crusades-SOC 1324/26530