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| Humanities |
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The humanities study diverse aspects of human life in world cultures such as the arts, languages, literature, history, philosophy, and religion. The study of the Humanities encourages interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge, problem solving, communal life, research techniques and classroom dynamics. Through a wide variety of courses offered in many departments and programs, you will gain valuable skills in written communication and critical, analytical thinking.
Courses in the humanities also introduce you to current interdisciplinary work that enhances past and contemporary theoretical approaches. Beyond the boundaries of traditional disciplines, interdisciplinary programs raise issues surrounding race, ethnicity, gender, class, ideology, and rhetoric. By emphasizing the importance of community, the Humanities extend our vision to encompass intellectual diversity and innovative thinking.
Studying the humanities is crucial even if the outcomes are difficult to measure. Success in life demands not only mastering the technical knowledge of a profession, but also acquiring the good judgment and wisdom to choose one's paths carefully, the capacity to relate sensitively and effectively to others, and the ability to respond imaginatively to the complex personal and professional situations we confront everyday. Sustained and vigorous engagement with the Humanities encourages the kind of self-reflection necessary to honing good judgment, developing well-examined values, and becoming a thoughtful person.
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Undergraduate Academic Programs
Our faculty in the humanities are known for their internationally recognized research and for creating opportunities for intellectual exchange. This excellence manifests itself in the classroom through lively discussion and a genuine concern for your pursuit of knowledge. Beyond the classroom setting, lectures, symposia, and other campus-wide events sponsored by the Humanities Council and departments and programs link the Humanities to other aspects of university and community life. |
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Undergraduate Programs in the Humanities |
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 African-American Studies (Major and MInor)
The African-American Studies (AAS) major involves three broad geographic and intellectual areas of engagement that span African America, Africa, and the Caribbean. This Interdisciplinary major draws on courses from history, economics, sociology, and political science, as well as literature, oration, drama, film, and visual arts. Two tracks (humanities and social sciences) are offered for AAS majors with different educational needs. An important part of majoring in African American Studies is a required internship with a local African-American community agency.
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 Classics (Major and Minor)
The Classics major focuses on great literary and historical traditions. Through the study of ancient literature and historical traditions, you will seeks to gain important insights about the modes and concepts upon which Western civilization is based. You will analyze themes of classical literature in the context of their continuing intellectual and emotional influence on the modern world. You will examine the values, ideas, and political institutions of antiquity. You will also study the languages and original texts of ancient Greece and Rome and may elect either a Greek or Latin emphasis. You may also major in classical civilization.
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 English and Textual Studies (ETS) (Major and Minor)
The English and Textual Studies (ETS) major offers a rich curriculum in textual and cultural studies, with special emphasis on literary history, criticism, and theory. Courses deal with such problems as the nature and implications of reading and interpretation, the production of meaning in language and culture, and the nature of literary forms. You may also include courses in creative writing, fiction, or poetry, and certain courses offered by the Writing Program.
If you are interested in pursuing coursework in English as a second language should contact Syracuse University's English Language Institute. |
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 Fine Arts (Major and Minor)
The Fine Arts major offers a range of courses in the history of the visual arts and music. You will explore the development of the arts and their place in the societies that created them. Concentrations include: architectural history, art history, music history, history of photography, or a combination of "arts and ideas." The courses offered include exploration into the visual arts or music from various historical periods: ancient, medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary. Special courses are offered in major creative personalities (Michelangelo, Beethoven), examination of specific areas (Opera in Society, History of Photography), or modes of creativity (Art and Science). There are also two exciting majors that allow you to pursue an Arts and Sciences major while simultaneously taking courses in studio art or music performance through the College of Visual and Performing Arts: Arts and Sciences/Art and Arts and Sciences/Music.
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 Fine Arts : Art History (Major and Minor)
The major in art history requires 30 credits numbered above 299. However, all courses above 299 must be art history courses. Students in this more specialized major may include only 6 credits of art studio work in the required 30 credits. Students may petition to have up to 9 credits of appropriate courses in art history taken outside the department (non-FIA courses) count toward the art history major. |
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 Fine Arts : History of Architecture (Major and Minor)
The History of Architecture program offers comprehensive study of major architectural periods and styles through the examination of works of architecture in the cultural, economic, political, religious, and artistic contexts of their eras. You will take courses in art history and history of architecture through the Department of Fine Arts. Additionally, you will take select courses through the School of Architecture, a special opportunity entitled to students majoring in the history of architecture. These courses will cover architectural elements of the Italian Renaissance, early America, Islamic and French architecture, and architectural preservation.
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 Fine Arts : Music History and Cultures (Major and Minor)
This program is designed for students who wish to study music in its historical, social, and cultural contexts and in relation to other arts. Although majors will be encouraged to develop performance skills, the focus of the degree will be on the study of musical cultures and styles in a liberal arts environment. You will explore the music of many different periods and cultural traditions, choosing a particular concentration for the topic of your Senior Project. |
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 Languages, Literature, and Linguistics (Major and Minor)
Language, Literature, and Culture majors are offered in Spanish, German, Russian, French, and Italian. The Linguistic Studies major, studying linguistic analysis, phonological analysis, and syntactic analysis, ties together studies in many areas, including anthropology, child and family studies, computer science, English and other languages, geography, literary criticism, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, sociology, speech communication, speech pathology, and linguistics itself. A combined major in modern foreign languages for which you take at least six courses in each of two languages. Courses (but no majors) are also available in Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Tamil, and Turkish.
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 Philosophy (Major and Minor)
Using reason and argument, philosophers seek to answer the most fundamental of questions: What am I? What can I know? What must I do? The study of philosophy is perhaps the most liberal of the liberal arts, an ideal way to participate in the life of the mind. Philosophy is an active field of current research that has a tradition reaching back thousands of years. You will study the history of philosophy and four core areas: ethics, logic, metaphysics, and the theory of knowledge. Courses also examine contemporary areas of inquiry such as mathematics, natural and social sciences, language, politics and law, the arts, history, education, and religion. The department also offers concentrations in logic and political philosophy.
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 Religion (Major and Minor)
The academic study of religion offers you the opportunity to explore religion in a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary context. Religion is viewed through its exemplification in discrete religions traditions (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism) and in particular cultural areas (e.g., American, Greek, South Asian). You can study religious life and thought from the perspectives of arts, ethics, gender, history, literature, mythology, philosophy, psychology, scriptural studies, social sciences, and theology. Related interdisciplinary programs include Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Classical Civilization, South Asian Studies, Judaic Studies , Religion and Society, Native American Studies, and Women's Studies.
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 Women's Studies (Major and MInor)
This wide-ranging and demanding interdisciplinary major or minor is supported by courses from a dozen academic departments. Using the perspective of gender as a social construction, you explore categories of knowledge, conduct research, and become involved in the community. At each level of study, the curriculum considers race, ethnicity, nationality, class, age, sexuality, and different abilities as categories of analysis.
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 Writing (Major and Minor)
The Writing and Rhetoric Major and Writing Minor focus on different genres
and practices of writing as enacted in historical and cultural contexts.
Students write in a range of genres: advanced argument, research writing,
digital writing, civic writing, professional writing, technical writing,
creative nonfiction, and the public essay. In the process of exploring and
practicing these genres, students study and analyze the interaction of
diverse rhetorical traditions and writing technologies and assess how these
factors shape the nature, scope, and impact of writing. The major also asks students to examine writing and rhetoric as embedded in culture. |
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