Graduate Studies

A collage of ancient and modern works of art

The Department of Comparative Humanities offers an MA in Humanities and a unique interdepartmental PhD in Humanities. Both programs provide students with the opportunity to design an interdisciplinary, comparative, and globally oriented course of study in the Humanities in order to pursue their specific research and professional goals.

An MA or a PhD in Humanities is a field of study that includes a great variety of subjects, such as linguistics, history, philosophy, religion, literary studies, and many others. Our graduate students undertake original research and creative projects, gain a mastery of the global and public humanities, and specialize in interdisciplinary and comparative projects.

Our recent PhD graduates have gone on to pursue academic careers at such universities as Cornell University, Florida International University, Coastal Carolina University, Florida South Western State College, the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh in Dhaka, and Spalding and Bellarmine Universities here in Louisville.

Many of our graduates are actively engaged in community-based work as public humanists: artists, pastors, community leaders, digital archivists, and museum curators. Others have gone on to careers in the fields of education and publishing.

Research

The interdisciplinarity of the research and creative projects pursued within our Graduate Programs is what makes the programs unique.

Our graduate students work with Faculty from the Department of Comparative Humanities, as well as with the Affiliated Faculty  from the Departments in the Humanities Division in order to tailor the curriculum to suit their research and professional goals.

Our Graduate Programs at a Glance

The MA Program offers three areas of concentration (Interdisciplinary Humanities, Linguistics, and Public Humanities).

The PhD Program offers two tracks and a dual degree option:

  • Culture, Criticism, and Contemporary Thought (C3T): for scholars interested in pursuing careers in the academy and in other educational institutions
  • Public Arts and Letters (PAL): for artists and scholars wishing to pursue creative projects in the humanities
  • A dual degree in Health Care Ethics/Medical Humanities with a focus on either cultural studies or creative expression: https://louisville.edu/healthcareethics/dual-degree-pages/phd-humanities-ma.

Interested in our MA or PhD Programs? Please schedule a visit with us!