Public Humanities

  Advisor:Felicia Jamison ()

Students in this track are interested in bringing the ideas of academic debate into the public sphere. Our courses explore subjects related to the arts and humanities and enable students to develop the knowledge and skills to facilitate public engagement and leadership. Students can combine the study of Public Humanities with a discipline or a focus on the culture of a particular historical period. The cultural periods included are: Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance, Early Modern, and Modern/Contemporary.

This track is ideal for professionals, as well as for students interested in our joint degrees: JD/MAHUM program (Law School) or MA/MBA program (School of Business).

A Summer Seminar Series is being planned for the Public Humanities concentration, to begin in Summer 2023.

Curriculum

(Minimum of 30 credit hours with a minimum of 15 credit hours at the 600 level—excluding the final project HUM 645 or HUM 655).

NOTA BENE: A Graduate Internship (HUM 650-03) is required, but no language competency is required for this track.

Required Courses

Theories and Methodologies

One of the following:

HUM 609. Interdisciplinary Theory: Arts & Humanities
Methods and theories in interdisciplinary thinking and research emphasizing: 1) the interrelationships of the disciplines; 2) the importance of synthesizing art, theatre, literature, music, philosophy, and religion in a cultural context; and 3) the critical examination of issues arising from fields outside the humanities that have significant impact on the synergy with the humanities.

or

HUM 610. Methods and Theories in the Study of Religion
A survey of major theories and methodologies in the academic study of religion from a historical perspective.

Concentration Courses

Public Humanities Core Area (12-15 credit hours):

  • HUM 636 Public Humanities Seminar
  • HUM 671 /HIS 697 Introduction to Public History
  • HUM 650-03 Graduate Internship
  • 3/6 credit hours in electives, approved by advisor

Second Core Area

(9 credit hours) in a second humanities area among the following: Comparative humanities; art history, literature, classical and modern languages, religious studies, Jewish studies, film, public history, philosophy, ancient studies, medieval-renaissance studies, early modern (17th and 18th century) studies, or modern/contemporary studies, theatre arts, psychology, women's gender and sexuality studies.

Final Project (3 or 6 credit hours)

  • HUM 655 Directed Study (3 credit hours)

or

  • HUM 645 Thesis (6 credit hours)

Sample Full-Time Course Sequence

Full-Time First-Year Schedule

Fall

  • HUM 609 Interdisciplinary Theory and Methods
  • HUM 671 / HIS 697 Introduction to Public History
  • HUM 595: Principles of Intellectual History

Spring

  • HUM 636 Public Humanities Seminar
  • Second Core Area – Course 1
  • Second Core Area – Course 2

Full-Time Second-Year Schedule

Fall

  • HUM 650-03: Graduate Internship
  • Public Humanities Core Area – Course 4
  • Second Core Area – Course 3

Spring

  • HUM 655 (DSP option) - Defense

or

  • HUM 645 (3 credit hours)

Spring and Summer

  • HUM 645 for Summer Defense (3 credit hours)

Total Credit Hours: 30 with DSP and 33 with Thesis