Humanities, BA
Humanities majors are introduced to the interdisciplinary nature of the discipline by taking courses in art history, history, literature, music, philosophy and political science. Students in the program choose an area of concentration in history, literature or philosophy and complete additional credit hours in the concentration.
In the first two years of the program, humanities majors complete their General Education Core requirements and take humanities electives. In their junior year, students take HUM 3900: Introduction to the Humanities where they are introduced to research methods in the Humanities and HUM 3905: Humanities Junior Seminar that features guest lectures by humanities faculty members representing a range of disciplines. Some examples of past seminar topics are the Risks of Science and Technology, Superheroes, Alternate History, Race in the Modern World, Banned and Censored Books, and Storytelling.
The courses prepare students for their Senior Capstone Project, beginning in the first semester of their senior year and including HUM 3999: Capstone Research Methods and HUM 4100: Senior Capstone Project. Students choose an interdisciplinary research project that is an extension of their previous coursework. The students regularly meet with the Capstone Committee, a group of humanities faculty members, and their peers in the Capstone program and work individually with two humanities faculty members as they research and write their senior theses.
History Concentration
The Humanities - History concentration provides students an opportunity to appreciate the story of humankind. Explore patterns of human thought and successes in human invention; develop an understanding of the evolution of humanity’s past and how it relates to the present. Students will study the major fields of history, the tools at the historian’s disposal, and the methodologies and interpretations necessary to fully implement the craft of history. Humanities-History majors will focus on courses in European, American, and World History while also being introduced to the interdisciplinary nature of the humanities by taking courses in art history, literature, music, philosophy and political science.
Literature Concentration
The Humanities - Literature concentration introduces students to a dynamic and expansive literary tradition from its foundations in the ancient world to contemporary works in fiction, poetry, drama, film, television and comics. Courses emphasize the close reading of primary texts and the application of literary theory. Students will graduate with strong skills in critical thinking, writing and communication that are essential tools for success in graduate studies and professional careers. Humanities-Literature majors are introduced to the interdisciplinary nature of humanities by taking courses in art history, history, literature, music, philosophy and political science.
Philosophy Concentration
The Humanities - Philosophy concentration encourages students to pursue topics of philosophical, ethical, and global significance such as the nature of the human mind, the morality of cloning, and the justice of wars. Students will gain a philosophically-informed perspective on a wide range of academic and practical questions, improve their creative thinking, and hone their critical thinking. Humanities-Philosophy majors will focus on courses in the history and methods of philosophical analysis while also being introduced to the interdisciplinary nature of humanities by taking courses in art history, history, literature, music, philosophy and political science.