FAQs | Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Application

When must I apply by?

Spring 2022
Domestic- 11/1/21
International- 10/1/21

Summer 2022
Domestic- 4/1/22
International- 2/1/22

Fall 2022
Domestic- 7/1/22
International- 4/15/22
What should I write about in my Personal Statement?
In your personal statement please address the following questions: Explain why you are interested in our program and how you see it fitting in with your long term professional ambitions. Try, if possible, to comment in your statement on what one or more of the terms “compassionate care,” “medical humanities,” and “bioethics” mean to you. How do these areas of study mesh with where you see your career plans developing at this point in your life?
I received a Masters degree in addition to my undergraduate degree. Do you need both transcripts?
Official Transcripts are required for any college coursework completed at academic institutions outside of Stony Brook. Applicants who have completed coursework at Stony Brook University do not need to send their official Stony Brook transcripts, as these can be retrieved internally.

*Official paper transcripts can be sent directly to Center’s mailing address here.
*Official electronic transcripts (also known as “eTranscripts”) should be sent directly to April.Bortzfield@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?
Ideally at least two of your letters should be from professors/instructors whom you have worked with. If you have earned a degree in the past 5 years then two of your letters must come from professors at the degree granting program.
I am an international student. Are there any additional requirements for application?
International students must include TOEFL or IELTS scores as a part of their application package. Further details are available in the Graduate Bulletin. Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States must also provide the University with verification that the necessary funds are available to finance their education at Stony Brook as well as their living expenses while a student. The Office of Visa and Immigration Services works with the Graduate School to see that accepted students file the necessary documentation to secure their I-20 and gain entrance to the United States.
If admitted, can I defer my admission offer?
You may defer your offer of admission for one or two semesters (e.g., if you applied for fall admission, you can defer to any term up to fall of the following year). After this time you must reapply through the graduate school.
I've taken some graduate-level classes at other institutions. Can I transfer those credits to this program?
The Graduate School policy does not allow us to accept transfer credits that have counted toward a degree or certificate at another institution. If no degree was received, then the student may petition the graduate admissions committee to have up to 12 credits transferred. The courses must have been taken in the previous 5 years. Determination of acceptability and relevance is made at the sole discretion of the graduate admissions committee.
Is financial aid available for qualified students?
The Center does not have any graduate teaching or research assistantships to offer at this time. Advising on grants, scholarships and loans is available through various offices on campus. General inquiries may be directed to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services on West Campus. University or Medical Center employees, medical students and students in the health sciences should contact the following offices:
- Learning and tuition benefits for employee of the Health Sciences Center or a unit of Stony Brook's West Campus
  
  HSC & West Campus Human Resources
  
  Benefits Administrator: Kristen Blandi (631)632-6180; Kristen.Blandi@stonybrook.edu
  
  Benefits Administrator: Paulene Toussaint (631)63 2-6180; Paulene.Toussaint@stonybrook.edu
- Medical student
  
  Medical Student Financial Advising
  
  Mary Jean Allen (631)444-2341; Mary.Allen@stonybrookmedicine.edu
- Health Sciences undergraduate or graduate student
  
  HSC Student Financial Advising
- Hospital employee
  
  Hospital Employee Human Resources; Benefits department
  
  (631)444-4700; SBUHHR@stonybrookmedicine.edu
If I am accepted into the program can I defer admission to a later date?
On your application there will be a form for you to indicate the semester for which you would like to apply. Please fill out this form as accurately as possible. Under special circumstances we do allow deferments up to two semesters.

About the Program

What do graduates do with a degree in Medical Humanities?
The MA is not a professional degree in the sense that there are prescribed steps individuals follow after graduating. The diversity of our student body is reflected in their diverse goals and aspirations. Students at comparable programs go on to complete terminal medical degrees and PhD programs. They hold diverse positions in such fields as clinical ethics, hospital administration, patient advocacy, hospice care and the chaplaincy. Many current working professionals use the education they receive in this program to enhance and complement their skills and knowledge in their current profession. For additional information please contact Dr. Stephen Post at Stephen.Post@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
I am a working professional with a family. Can I take classes part-time?
Many of our students are working professionals. We understand such commitments and do everything we can to accommodate. All of our required courses during the Fall and Spring semesters meet in the evenings (as do most of our electives). Students can complete the program in one to five years.
I have been out of school for several years. Will I feel out-of-place in this program?
We count the range of experiences and voices found in our student body as one of our great strengths. Students in our program come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and are diverse in age and ethnicity.
Is campus housing available?
Please note: There are often very early deadlines to apply for on campus housing.
For the most up to date information about campus housing please visit the student affairs housing website or email them directly at reside@stonybrook.edu.

Masters Degree