Liberal Studies-Humanities

Overview

Program Coordinator: Jason Read, Chair of Philosophy & Liberal Studies-Humanities

Explore history, philosophy, art, literature, religion, and more with the distinguished Humanities faculty at USM. This major provides a broadbased understanding of the humanities for students who want to explore more than one traditional humanities discipline. It also provides the opportunity to combine existing liberal arts credits from other institutions with USM Humanities courses to create an efficient and coherent path to degree completion.

The humanities is the study of the human condition and its relationship to human cultures, social and political formations, and the natural world. The humanities comprise a variety of disciplines such as history, philosophy, religion, the arts, language, and literature. Methodologically, humanists are eclectic, drawing upon multiple approaches ranging from critical theory and cultural studies to empiricism, hermeneutics, historicism, philology, narrative, and exegesis. The humanities also includes scholarly, professional, technical, and creative writing.

The Humanities offer the framework and skills for meeting the challenges of our complex and constantly changing world:

• knowledge of cultural, intellectual, artistic, and literary traditions
• appreciation of the cultural and historical contours of diversity
• skills of close reading, analysis, synthesis, persuasion/rhetoric, and communication
• intellectual curiosity
• global, historical, and ethical awareness

Programs

• Liberal Studies-Humanities, B.A.