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Humanities

The Humanities Program offers interdisciplinary courses in history, philosophy, and literature, with a focus on major aspects of the Western humanistic tradition. In these courses, students examine the development of a wide variety of ideas and forms of expression that exert a major influence on modern America. Through lectures and class discussions, and through the writing of essays, students learn to interpret literary, historical, and philosophical texts and to conduct independent critical assessment of documents and ideas.

The five-course sequence meets the humanities and writing requirement of Revelle College. Instruction in university-level writing is part of all five courses, but students in Humanities 1 and 2 (six units each) receive intensive writing instruction.

Students must have satisfied the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement before registering for the Humanities sequence. Humanities 1 and 2 must be taken before Humanities 3-4-5 (four units each).

For detailed description of the Revelle College humanities requirement, see Revelle College, General-Education Requirements, Humanities, in the UCSD General Catalog.

Humanities Program Learning Objectives

The Humanities Program prepares students to:

  1. Engage with important questions relating to human experience from a variety of perspectives, including but not limited to history, philosophy, religion, literature, art, and music.
  2. Understand the way that core texts from the Western tradition have helped to shape the ideas, concepts, and beliefs that underpin not only Western societies, but also an emerging global culture.
  3. Develop critical reading strategies to analyze and respond to complex texts from different time periods and genres.
  4. Critically analyze a text by considering, among other things, its argument and rhetorical strategies, its use of evidence, and its relationship with other texts. 
  5. Develop an understanding of how texts contain, critique, and challenge accepted beliefs and ways of thinking.
  6. Effectively express ideas in writing, attending to the demands of different audiences in a range of contexts and genres.
  7. Formulate an analytical argument that advances a clear claim based upon textual evidence.
  8. Use writing as a mode of inquiry to develop a deeper understanding of texts and generate their own ideas rooted in their analysis. 
  9. Use writing as an iterative process that can include discussion, feedback, collaboration, and revision.
  10. Refine writing and communication skills—including effective process and individual voice—that are transferable to academic and professional environments beyond the Humanities Program. 
  11. Understand and adhere to UC San Diego standards of academic integrity, which includes producing their own original work. 
  12. Reflect effectively on their critical thinking and writing processes in order to engage with the world and ask meaningful questions.

Contact Us

Galbraith Hall 180
858-534-3312

Summer Hours
Please email us to make an appointment.

humanitiesprogram@ucsd.edu
Current students, please submit a VAC.

Mailing Address:
UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
Humanities 0306
La Jolla, CA 92093-0306