Official School of Record In the Steps of Hippocrates: Sacred Healing, Ethics & Early Medicine in Greece
An interdisciplinary field-based course tracing the transformation of healing from Asklepian sanctuary practice to Hippocratic medicine, using Greece as a living academic setting.
Offered by the Hellenic Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research (HCISR) — School of Record: Arcadia Abroad.
Why This Course and Why Now?
Greek healing traditions shaped the foundations of Western medicine by uniting philosophy, ritual, environment, and early clinical practice. From the sacred healing cults of Asclepius and Apollo to the work of Hippocrates, health in antiquity was approached as both a scientific and spiritual discipline rooted in civic life, ethical responsibility, and therapeutic landscapes.
This interdisciplinary course traces the transformation of healing from sanctuary-based Asclepian practice to the ethical and clinical foundations of Hippocratic medicine. Students examine early preventive medicine, well-being, purification rituals, therapeutic pilgrimage, and sanctuary care alongside the emergence of the Hippocratic method of systematic observation.
3
Credits
Undergraduate academic credits via Arcadia Abroad
27
Days On-Site
Full immersive program in Athens (May 24 – June 19, 2027)
12
Sessions
Structured academic sessions across the program
3
Island Destinations
Naxos · Delos · Mykonos
Learning Outcomes
Guided by expert faculty in Greek archaeology and medical humanities, students develop an understanding of ancient healing traditions, Hippocratic medicine, and therapeutic landscapes — through seminars, field-based academic activities, and structured site analysis.
Contextualize Sacred Healing Traditions
Situate Asklepian sanctuary traditions within the social and religious structures of ancient Greece.
Trace the Transition to Clinical Medicine
Follow the transformation from Asklepion sanctuary healing to Hippocratic clinical medicine.
Critique Medical Ethics
Analyze the ethical and philosophical foundations of ancient medical practice.
Interpret Healing Landscapes
Read archaeological healing landscapes as therapeutic and preventive health environments.
Who Is This Program For?
Introductory coursework in nutrition, public health, biology, or related health sciences is recommended. Students from diverse academic backgrounds are welcome. The course is particularly well-suited for undergraduate students in the following fields:
Medicine, Pre-Med & Health Sciences
Students preparing for medical school or careers in health sciences who want to understand the philosophical and historical foundations of medicine.
Public Health & Medical Humanities
Students interested in the social, civic, and cultural dimensions of health, healing, and bioethics.
History, Classics & Archaeology
Students of ancient Greece, classical civilization, and the material culture of the ancient world.
Philosophy & Anthropology
Students engaging with ancient philosophy, bioethics, and the anthropology of health, ritual, and culture.
Curriculum: 12 Academic Sessions
The course moves from the sacred origins of healing in ancient Greece, through Hippocratic medicine and medical ethics, to applied field-based learning across Athens, Delphi, and the Cyclades.
Module 1 · Sessions 1–4
Foundations of Sacred Healing
Sacred healing & origins of medicine, Hippocrates and preventive medicine, Asklepian sanctuary medicine, purification and ritual therapy.
Module 2 · Sessions 5–8
Hippocratic Medicine & Ethics
Delphi and oracular medicine, from sacred to clinical medicine, ethics, care & civic health, Apollo & therapeutic landscapes (Naxos).
Module 3 · Sessions 9–12
Applied Field Learning & Synthesis
Asklepion sanctuary medicine (Delos), civic health & public purification (Mykonos), therapeutic landscapes of classical Athens, Hippocrates and the birth of clinical medicine, final synthesis.
Assignments & Grading
Assessment is designed to build progressively — from active participation and guided reflection to primary-source analysis and a final integrative project.
Seminar Participation & Site-Based Engagement
Active participation in seminars, specialist-led workshops, and supervised site visits, including preparation and discussion contributions.
Textual Analysis Paper
Written analysis of ancient medical and philosophical sources, applying course frameworks to primary texts.
Field Reflection Portfolio
Structured reflection journals connecting site-based field experiences with course concepts in healing, medicine, and ethics.
Final Integrative Project
Final project integrating course learning, connecting healing ethics, ancient medicine, and modern wellness through a synthesized argument and oral presentation.
Program Experience
A rich, multi-format learning environment combining faculty-led seminars, guided walking seminars, academic field excursions, and structured site-based activities across Athens, Delphi, and the Cyclades.
Faculty-Led Seminars
12 structured academic sessions covering sacred healing, Hippocratic medicine, medical ethics, preventive medicine, and civic health.
Walking Seminars
Site-based academic walking seminars at the Asklepion on the south slope of the Acropolis and Plato's Academy.
Field Excursion: Delphi
Academic field excursion to the sanctuary of Apollo — oracular medicine, therapeutic pilgrimage, and Hosios Loukas monastery.
Cyclades Academic Travel
Five-day academic trip to Naxos, Delos, and Mykonos — healing sanctuaries, therapeutic landscapes, and civic health sites.
Reflection & Synthesis
Structured field journals, site analysis exercises, and a final integrative project connecting ancient medicine to contemporary healthcare ethics.
Orientation & Welcome
Student arrival, airport pickup, orientation at T16 Athens, and welcome dinner on Day 1 (June 21, 2027).
Course Details
- Course Code: HCISR PHIL/NUTR 240_01012026
- Course Title: In the Steps of Hippocrates: Sacred Healing, Ethics & Early Medicine in Greece
- Subject: Medical Humanities, Public Health, Philosophy
- Credits: 3 undergraduate credits
- Contact Hours: 40
- Term: Summer 2027
- Available Sessions: May 24 – June 19, 2027
June 21 – July 17, 2027 - Location: Athens, Greece (with field excursions to Delphi, Naxos, Delos, and Mykonos)
- Format: On-site, field-based
- School of Record: Arcadia Abroad (Arcadia University | The College of Global Studies)
- On-site Provider: HCISR — Hellenic Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research
Contact & Apply
This program is offered in partnership with Arcadia Abroad, the official School of Record, to support undergraduate students studying abroad in Athens.
Apply Now
HCISR | ARCADIA ABROAD — SUMMER 2027
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