Bachelor of Arts Humanities: History of Culture

The humanities include the disciplines which study philosophy, religion, history, literature, and the arts. The BA in Humanities: History of Culture serves students who want to major in more than one Humanities discipline, using interdisciplinary methods of investigation.

The department supports study of cultural history on a global level, including Europe and the Americas, East Asia South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and predominantly Islamic areas. Its courses give attention to historical development and cross-cultural interaction, both in the past and in the modern period. Students learn to analyze individual works of the humanities and to relate them to social and cultural developments.  The department’s curriculum includes some courses called “Humanities” (HUMA) and others called “Religion” (REL).  

The small size of classes and seminars in the Humanities: History of Culture BA program encourages close relationships between students and faculty. Working closely with faculty, students learn to formulate problems clearly, to consider and evaluate different methods and concepts, to do efficient and thorough research, and to write clearly, concisely, and effectively, culminating in work in rigorous senior seminars, with the option of writing an individually advised senior thesis.  

Students interested in the Humanities: History of Culture degree should contact the Major Advisor (Prof. Seán Murphy) as soon as possible. There are no prerequisites for declaring the major.