What are the Humanities?
The Humanities encompass academic disciplines that study all aspects of human society and culture, including Classics, English literature, philosophy, modern languages, law, religion, music, theater, art, and rhetoric. These fields train students to think critically, to ask the question that is at the heart of the liberal arts: Why? A core element of a well-rounded education, the Humanities are a studied pursuit of the human condition that helps us understand and interpret individuals and societies.
Wabash offers an interdisciplinary major in the Humanities and Fine Arts, granting students with a particular drive the chance to chart their own course through the liberal arts. Every field within the Humanities challenges students to hone crucial skills for life after Wabash, such as detailed writing, relevant research, and innovative analysis when solving any problem. A student interested in pursuing a self-designed Humanities major should consult with the Division Chair no later than his sophomore year.
Each self-directed Humanities major will work with an interdisciplinary committee appointed by the Division II Chair, taking into consideration the student's proposed area of focus and the nature of the anticipated project. This committee will help the student select his course of study, will advise and evaluate the capstone project, and will create a comprehensive examination suited to the student's curriculum. In the first semester of his junior year, the student must submit to his committee a written proposal for a project in the Humanities and Fine Arts, which will be completed, along with his course of study, by the end of the first semester of the senior year. In every case, the committee will be looking for a creative approach to a subject matter of the student’s own choice.
For more information, contact the current Division II chair directly.