Undergraduate

Humanities Major

What are the B.A. degree requirements?

There are three tracks to choose from in the HWC major. All three have basic requirements in common while encouraging individual interests and curriculum planning.

The humanities emphasis requires a generous sampling of courses from across the curriculum. You will select humanities courses from three of the following departments:

• African and African-American Studies
  
• American Studies
  
• Classics
  
• Communication Studies
  
• East Asian Languages and Cultures
  
• English
  
• French and Italian
  
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
  
• History
  
• History of Art
  
• Humanities and Western Civilization
  
• Music History
  
• Philosophy
  
• Religious Studies
  
• Slavic Languages and Literatures
  
• Spanish and Portuguese
  
• Theatre and Film
  
• Women's Studies

The humanities emphasis requires a total of 30 credit hours including

• HWC 110 Introduction to the Humanities
• HWC 420 The Interrelations of the Humanities and the Arts or an authorized alternative that treats interrelations of the humanities and the arts
• HWC 424 Independent Study
• 21 additional credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above from three humanities departments, with no more than 15 credit hours and no fewer than 6 hours from one department

The literature emphasis in humanities requires a total of 30 hours including

• HWC 110 Introduction to the humanities
• HWC 420 The Interrelations of the Humanities and the Arts
• HWC 424 Independent Study
• 21 additional credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above, including a course on a major author in the original language, a course in literary theory (HWC 390 or equivalent) and two sources from this sequence:
         HWC 304 Masterpieces of World Literature I
         HWC 308 Masterpieces of World Literature II
         HWC 312 Masterpieces of World Literature III

The Western civilization emphasis is a concentration that enables students to build on the basic Western civilization courses with an in-depth study of the history of disciplines shaping the Western tradition from ancient times to the present. HWC 430 European Civilization in a World Context is the foundation for the Western civilization emphasis of the HWC major. It includes readings from both Western and non-Western sources. The Western civilization emphasis requires a total of 30 credit hours including

• HWC 110 Introduction to the Humanities
• HWC 430 European Civilization in a World Context
• HWC 424 Independent Study
• At least 21 credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above, including HWC 430 and HWC 424
• Fulfillment of the B.A. foreign language requirement in Greek, Latin, or a major modern European language (French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish)
• At least one course from each of these historical periods, distributed among at least three disciplines:
         Ancient Near Eastern, Greek, and Roman Civilizations
         Medieval Europe
         Early Modern Europe
         Modern Europe
• One of these courses (may be counted as one historical period course):
         HWC 304 Masterpieces of World Literature I
         HWC 308 Masterpieces of World Literature II
         HWC 312 Masterpieces of World Literature III

• At least four courses focusing on particular epoch (e.g., the Renaissance) or culture (e.g., French), at the 300 level or above, distributed among at least three disciplines. (Students who wish to specialize in a non-English-speaking culture must have the equivalent of at least the first two courses in the requisite language.)

Can I get a scholarship?

The program administers the Donna Evans Kingsbury scholarship for women in the humanities.

For information about other scholarships based on academic merit, diversity, major, and residence, write or call the University of Kansas, Office of Admissions and Scholarships, KU Visitor Center, 1502 Iowa St., Lawrence, KS 66045-7576, (785) 864-3911, www.admissions.ku.edu.

For information about grants, loans, and other need-based financial aid, write or call the University of Kansas, Office of Student Financial Aid, Strong Hall, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 50, Lawrence, KS 66045-7535, (785) 864-4700.

What can I do with a degree in Humanities and Western Civilization?

Writing and critical thinking skills will give you a competitive edge in any field. Your ability to understand cultural issues and relationships between ideas will help you in business, journalism, marketing, library science, government and public service, social services, or international relations. The HWC majors provide excellent preparation for graduate study and teaching and offer exciting options for double majors with other fields of study.

Where can I get more information?

Write or call the University of Kansas, Humanities and Western Civilization Program, Bailey Hall, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 308, Lawrence, KS 66045-7574, (785) 864-3011, e-mail: hwc@ku.edu.

Why should I choose KU's Humanities and Western Civilization Program?

• Your Overall Education. The overall quality and breadth of your education is one great reason for coming to KU. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers hundreds of courses and has excellent teachers. You will meet many international students and teachers who bring a cultural richness to campus and who will introduce you to the diverse viewpoints and customs so important to your undergraduate education. Concerts and shows in the Lied Center Series bring outstanding performers to KU each year.
  
• The Writing Program. HWC is a pioneer in writing across the curriculum at KU. In 1992, the program began a collaborative effort with KU’s Writing Center to devise an intensive writing experience for undergraduates in Western civilization. The writing component will help you accomplish the learning goals of Western civilization classes. It also reinforces the training in composition skills that you received in your required English courses and includes opportunities for peer tutoring and extracurricular writing workshops.
• Study Abroad. HWC students can take Western Civilization I and II along with a course in European studies and a course in the history of art for a total of 12 credit hours. The group spends half the semester in Florence, Italy, and half in Paris, France, where they experience European history, art, and culture — both ancient and modern — first hand.
• Resources. The Humanities and Western Civilization Program offers a variety of enrichment activities. Museum visits, a lecture series, and a film series are among the resources available. KU’s museums and libraries rank among the best on college campuses. KU hosts lectures, film series, theatre and music programs, distinguished visitors, and cultural activities that will broaden your awareness.