Humanities

Overview

Humanities programs teach students about a culture through its creative expressions.

Humanities programs include topics such as:

Literature
Arts
Music
Philosophy
Religion

Concentrations

In humanities programs, students may be able to specialize in:

Film
Cultural studies
Classical studies

Many colleges and universities offer interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees in humanities. Interdisciplinary programs combine courses from several college departments. In humanities it may be arts, literature, and religion.

A degree in humanities can provide good preparation for many graduate programs.

Schools

Most community colleges offer associate degree programs in humanities. An associate degree program usually takes two years of full-time study.

Many colleges and universities offer a bachelor's degree in humanities. A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study to complete.

Some universities offer graduate degrees in humanities. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers to Consider

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Algebra
Contemporary World Issues
Economics
Geography
Humanities
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Political Science
Second Language
US History
Western Civilization
World Area Studies
World History

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.

Additional requirements at some schools may include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Literature in English
Ability to read, speak, and write a second language
Letters of recommendation
Personal statement
Academic writing sample

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Art and Music History
Biology and Ethics
Classics
Communication
Computers, Technology, and Society
Critical Theory
English Literature
History of the Western World
Humanities
Languages
Philosophy and Religion
Political Science
Social Science
Technology and Society

Electives vary with each student's emphasis.

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate programs that lead to a master's or doctoral degree typically include:

Required courses
Thesis (master's degree)
Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)

Things to Know

There can be considerable overlap between interdisciplinary studies, liberal studies, and humanities.

Some humanities programs offer gradually advancing core education requirements, and, similar to interdisciplinary studies, allow students to develop areas of emphasis.