Humanities and Cultural Studies (BA, Minor)
The Humanities and Cultural Studies major offers students the opportunity to study the meaning of the human condition by critically examining the values, systems, and productions of a variety of cultures. Throughout the program, students explore the fundamental questions that have shaped various cultures within the global human community while learning to apply knowledge of cultural difference as as a resource for challenging and changing dominate world views. Students do so through multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary coursework in a program that brings together art history, history, literature, music, philosophy, religion, and socio-cultural ethnic studies. In order to gain depth in a particular field of study, students also choose a 15-unit concentration.
The hallmarks of a student completing this major are: competence in critical analysis and synthesis across disciplines, advanced skills in written and spoken discourse, heightened self-knowledge, deep curiosity, and a love of learning. Graduates in this program are well-prepared for the rigors of graduate school; many go on to advanced programs in law, social work, non-profit management, business management, arts administration, journalism, teaching, and ministry.
The curriculum has special features to prepare students for success in the workplace and in civic life. Internships and service-learning are integral to the coursework. The development of a career plan is part and parcel of the student’s formal advising process. The senior project, conducted under the guidance of a faculty member, is developed with future goals in mind. Many students also spend a semester abroad in order to develop cultural competency in a second culture, and a number choose to teach abroad after graduation.
Students are encouraged to declare a minor and/or a second major. Where appropriate, coursework from the minor or second major can be applied to the student’s concentration.
Program Learning Outcomes
The student should demonstrate the ability to:
- Critically analyze philosophic, historic, literary, artistic, and musical texts in cultural context in order to facilitate inquiry into the enduring questions of humankind.
- Apply knowledge of cultural difference as a resource for challenging dominant world views.
- Apply appropriate (inter-)disciplinary skills and knowledge from the humanities and cultural studies to a substantial research inquiry in alignment with their future goals.
- Articulate life and career goals within a framework of the humanities based on a sense of personal and civic responsibility.