Humanities 1 & 2

Victor Ekpuk drawing

Welcome to Humanities 1 and 2!

Humanities 1 (Fall term, Dialogues with the Classics) and Humanities 2 (Winter term, The Modern Labyrinth) form a sequence that introduces first-year students to the interdisciplinary richness of the humanities. Through an exploration of compelling literary texts, films, paintings, and other artworks that speak to key moments in global culture, students are invited to learn about the stories, images, and ideas that shape and reshape our world. The fall 2023 theme is, “What Is the Good Life?” and the theme for winter 2024 is, “Varieties of Intimacy.” Click here for a complete list of the works being studied during the 2023-2024 academic year.

These team-taught courses feature professors from a range of departments such as Religion, English and Creative Writing, French and Italian, Classics, Philosophy, and Theater. Weekly lectures are paired with small, lively discussion sections in which students work with professors and peers to hone their analytical and writing skills. Humanities 1 satisfies the Writing 5 requirement; Humanities 2 fulfills the First-year Seminar requirement. Students who gain admission into HUM can elect to take HUM 1 and/or HUM 2.

Are you taking Writing 5 this fall and you’re interested in taking Humanities 2 in the winter? Click “How to Apply” for more information on the application process.

The student experience

See what Dartmouth students have to say about the humanities sequence:

 

The Humanities at Dartmouth

The humanities sequence is hosted by The Leslie Center for the Humanities. The Leslie Center provides support to the humanities at Dartmouth through colloquia, seminars, symposia, and conferences, as well as activities for students, faculty and visitors.