Program in the History of Science and Medicine
History of Science and Medicine is a semi-autonomous, interdisciplinary Program in the History Department. It provides a framework in which students at all levels can examine the development of science, technology, and medicine in relationship with society. Students examine a wide range of issues in the past for their own sake and their relevance to the present. These topics include science in the Enlightenment; medicine and public health in western societies; science and medicine in China and Latin America; science, technology, industry, and national security; molecular biology and biotechnology; epidemics and chronic diseases; drugs and the pharmaceutical industry; eugenics and human genetics; plant and animal breeding; evolutionary biology and its social applications; the cultural history of the body; and colonial medicine and global health. An important feature of the Program is its strong link to the History of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, where a number of its faculty members have their primary appointment.
As a field, HSHM prepares students for a better understanding of the world in which we live as well as for a wide variety of careers, including medicine, public health, academic life, museum work, journalism, law, industry, and public service. Students study under the guidance of a diverse and expanding faculty with expertise in many disciplines, periods, and societies. The links here invite you to explore the curriculum at the graduate and undergraduate levels; to examine the requirements for the BA, M.A, and Ph.D degrees; to view the research and teaching interests of the faculty; to get information about the conferences and colloquia sponsored by the Program; and to find the contact information of our faculty and staff.
