Humanities

The Humanities are comprised of several academic disciplines that seek to understand, appreciate, and critique the human condition. 

Some Humanities disciplines include: 

• History
• Literature
• Law
• Philosophy
• Archaeology
• Language
• Religion

All these subjects consider the “big questions” we face as human beings. For example: what is our purpose in life? What are our responsibilities to others? What does it mean to love and be loved? What is justice?

The Humanities give us tools to engage with these important questions and grapple with the ways we create meaning individually and collectively. It also offers tools with which to engage in civic life, both locally and globally, and to address some of the biggest challenges we face as human beings.

The Humanities are primarily interpretive (analytical, critical, and/or reflective,) as opposed to empirical or creative. The Humanities explore, interpret and preserve the diversity of human cultures, ideas, practices and experiences, past and present.

The skills developed by studying the Humanities, like communication, creativity and working in a team, are deeply valuable and serve students as they go on to college, graduate school and enter the workforce.

Some of these skills include:

• Critical thinking 
• Strategic thinking  
• An ability to synthesize and present complex information 
• Empathy 
• Creative problem-solving