The Humanities Division major affords students an opportunity to create, with some limits, an individual program of study in one or more of the humanities disciplines. The humanities disciplines are central to a liberal arts education. At this College the departments and programs included in the Humanities Division are: Art; Communication and Theatre Arts; English; History, Politics and Culture; American Indian Studies; Languages and International Studies (including American Sign Language, French, German, Latin, Ojibwe, Russian, Spanish); Medieval and Renaissance Studies; Music; Philosophy; Theology and Religious Studies; Women's Studies. A student choosing a Humanities major has the opportunity to study the broad relationships and connections among the humanities disciplines, while also focusing on those of particular interest and significance. A major in Human-ities is an excellent, multifaceted preparation for many non-specialized careers; the emphasis on reading, writing and critical evaluation of a broad range of historical/theoretical/ artistic developments gives a graduate skills essential to personal fulfillment and professional success in the world, a world which demands effective communication skills, multicultural understanding and the ability to identify and articulate an understanding of and position on a range of issues and problems.
A student graduating with a B.A. in Humanities from The College of St. Scholastica will:
Plan A: A comprehensive major for students wishing a broad liberal arts education. Courses are chosen to achieve breadth.
Requirements: 48 credits from the offerings of any three of the following departments and/or prefixes listed under the Humanities Division (ART, CTA, ENG, HIS, INS, LIS [ASL, FRN, GMN, OJB, RUS, SPN], MUS, PHL, TRS, WMS), with 16 credits coming from each of the three chosen departments/prefixes. At least 24 credits must be upper division courses (numbered 3000 or higher), with at least four credits of these upper division courses coming from each of the chosen departments/prefixes. Some leeway is allowed in the above requirements, according to the needs of the student's program and subject to approval of the division chair. The 48 credit requirement is fixed.
Plan B: Primarily intended for the student who is designing his/her own major within Humanities. The Plan B major may focus on departments or prefixes which offer minors but not independent majors (ART, FRN, GMN, RUS, SPN, INS, PHL, WMS).
Requirements: 48 credits from the offerings listed under the Humanities Division and any of its departments/prefixes. At least 24 credits must be upper division courses (numbered 3000 or higher). At least 24 credits must be from one discipline; at least 12 of these credits upper division. Some leeway is allowed in the above requirements, according to the needs of the student's program and subject to the approval of the division chair. The 48 credits requirement is fixed.
HUM 1174 Introduction to Geography 4 cr.
A topical overview of physical, cultural, economic and regional geography. The course is designed for those with little or no background in the discipline. Required for SSC majors.
HUM 1180 Benedictine Tradition (X) 2 cr.
Designed to explore with students the essential elements of the Benedictine tradition, the course ponders questions such as: What, if anything, in The Rule of Benedict can help us live spiritually in our world today? What are the core values of the Benedictine tradition that has a 1,500-year history? How can The Rule of Benedict provide tools for developing answers to the fundamental questions of our lives? The Rule of Benedict encompasses a way of life that stresses "Doing the ordinary extraordinarily well." Students explore ways of developing a spirituality that focuses on discovering God in the ordinary experiences of life.
HUM/LIS 2101 Cross Cultural Understanding 4 cr.
Emphasis on the necessity for becoming knowledgeable about the target culture, the techniques that can be used to penetrate another culture and the responsibilities one has in achieving intercultural communication.
HUM 2150 Ethnicity and The Performing Arts (I, VIII) 4 cr.
A consideration of the impact of the performing arts (music and dance) within African-American, American Indian, Asian-American, and Latino/a communities in the United States. Our study is structured around social and political movements that have emerged out of the performing arts. By examining songs, poetry, dance and martial arts forms in their cultural, historical and political contexts, we consider how individuals and communities use them to construct racial, class and gender identity, to express worldview, make political statements, question authority and seek social justice. Throughout the course, we seek out common themes and concerns faced by the four communities we study, but we also note the ways in which individual artists creatively engage with, express, and are empowered by cultural difference.
HUM/WMS 2243 Women and Religion (X) 4 cr.
Examines scriptural and historical understandings of women's roles in religion and churches. This course emphasizes the work of contemporary women thinkers who are exploring various dimensions of this question.
HUM 2290 Spirituality and Everyday Living (X) 4 cr.
Focuses on Christian living with a holistic view of what it means to be fully human. Course seeks to foster spiritual growth by integrating the principles of the science of formative spirituality with the search for God in the ordinary happenings of daily life.
HUM 3340 Spiritual Living: 21st Century (X, WI) 4 cr.
The course examines spiritual living with a holistic view of what it means to be fully human. It seeks to foster spiritual growth by exploring universal themes of spiritual living as they relate to the search for God in the ordinary happenings of daily life. Christian spirituality and the spirituality of other faith traditions will be studied.
HUM 3366 Travel Writing (WI) 4 cr.
Designed for students interested in exploring Ireland through writing, this course emphasizes the writing process as adapted to travel experiences. Requirements include reading travel writing by others, keeping a journal of observations, writing several travel pieces, and participating in writers' workshops. When offered, the course is taught onsite in Ireland.
HUM 3378 Spirituality and Prayer (X, WI) 4 cr.
Explores a theology and practice of prayer as reflected by some classic and contemporary Christian and non-Christian writers. This course encourages students to discover their own unique pathways of prayer, develop a personal relationship with God in their spiritual quest and engage in a prayer life that nurtures and inspires their quest for meaning in life.
HUM/ENG 3380 Women's Spirituality and Literature (I, IV, X, WI) 4 cr.
Involves students in the process of their own spiritual journey as well as examining the spirituality of female characters in literature. In addition, poetry, theology and spirituality texts are studied to provide the student with guides for reflection. This course incorporates journals, papers, presentations and a final integration paper.
HUM 4430 Craftsmanship and the Human Spirit (X, WI) 4 cr.
Theme of course is the idea and practice of craftsmanship, artisanship, the making with our hands and the satisfaction of spirit that comes with reflection upon creative activity. Students undertake a class project each semester (e.g., building a wood canoe, a playground, sculpture, pottery and furniture), working with a community artisan and reflecting with him/her on the religious/spiritual perspective he/she brings to the craft. The project is given to persons or agencies in the community who can utilize the project.
HUM 4440 Women Mystics (X, WI) 4 cr.
Introduction to the study of the mystical tradition through the examination of the lives and writings of selected women mystics: Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, Theresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux, Simone Weil, Etty Hillesum and Hildegard of Bingen.
HUM 4444 Seminar: Medieval and Renaissance Studies (WI) 4 cr.
Examines relationships between various intellectual and artistic forms and ideas from the medieval and Renaissance periods of western culture. In addition, it explores medieval and Renaissance studies as an academic field. Prerequisites: HIS 2212 or HIS/RES 3304, or consent from the instructor.
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