About the Program
This dynamic program provides first-year students the opportunity to meet others with similar intellectual interests as well as an informal forum to discuss issues relating to human experience. The classes are interdisciplinary and draw on divergent perspectives, incorporating the disciplines of African American studies, Classics, gender studies, history, literature, philosophy, religion, theatre, and the arts. Students live in Regester and Seward Halls with other members of the program. Acceptance into the program is not limited to those intending to major in the humanistic disciplines; many will go on to major in the sciences and social sciences, but all share a special interest in the arts and humanities.
In the Classroom
Participants in the Humanities Program take part in a first year seminar in the fall such as:
- SSI1/SSI2 101 Dionysus and the Art of the Theatre
- SSI1 115 Imaging Blackness
- SSI1 124 Utopia/Dystopia
- SSI1 131 Athens, Freedom, and the Liberal Arts
- SSI1 149 Transgressive Bodies
- SSI1 152 Performing Gender
- SSI1 172 The Scientific and Romantic Revolutions
This seminar satisfies the Seminars in Scholarly Inquiry 1 core requirement.
Beyond the Classroom
The program sponsors co-curricular activities on- and off-campus in Tacoma and Seattle, organized by students and/or led by faculty. In the past, students have initiated a trip to Seattle to see the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast, after which all went to the BluWater Bistro for discussion. The Humanities Program theme floor also held a mini-film series where they watched Fight Club, Seven, and Perfect Blue and discussed the moral, cultural, sexual, spiritual, and ethical issues addressed by these films. Members have also explored the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, which showcases work by internationally recognized artists, and the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. Students regularly attend campus theater productions and lectures given by prominent figures, including recognized literary, musical, and visual artists, scholars, comedians, and activists.
How do I join?
Admitted students who have accepted their offer of admission and submitted an Advance Tuition Payment may indicate their interest in joining the Humanities Program on the Advising Placement Questionnaire.
Questions about the Humanities Program? Please contact the Office of Admission at 253.879.3211 or admission@pugetsound.edu.