Program Details
In the Bachelor of Humanities, students read the world’s most influential books and explore the world’s most exciting ideas in art, philosophy, history, literature, classics, music, religion and science. You will study the world’s most influential books and artworks including Homer, Plato, Dante, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, Machiavelli, Algonquin myths, Shakespeare, Mozart, Mary Shelley, Picasso, Rushdie and more.
This “Great Books” program focuses on big ideas, explored through small discussion groups and writing assignments. The typical Humanities student loves to read and is excited about sharing ideas with students and professors. Students are invited to participate in an extensive cultural program, including a student literary journal, music nights, visits to museums, and subsidized trips to Montreal and New York City.
At the program’s heart are four core seminars. Each seminar focuses on a different time period and discipline (religion, philosophy, literature and politics). Core seminars for Humanities students are taught by two professors and include small discussion groups. Complementary courses round out the curriculum in subjects like ancient and modern drama, history of art and music, and science in the modern world.
Humanities students have the option to add another discipline to receive a Combined Honours degree or a minor in another subject. A Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities degree and a Bachelor of Humanities and Biology degree are also offered.
Capital Advantage
Institutions such as Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian Museum of History, and the National Gallery of Canada all contribute to the cultural advantages of studying in the nation’s capital. Many nationally and internationally renowned speakers and dignitaries visit our city and students can hear them speak at public lectures, conferences and in Parliament.
Work Experience
Students in the Bachelor of Humanities can ask to be paired with a professional mentor and can gain insight into the workplace before they graduate. Many students in the Bachelor of Humanities also take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad.
Program Videos
Program Videos
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Career Outcomes
Explore your passions, refine new skills and discover the career that’s right for you.
Humanities students graduate with outstanding research, writing and communication skills, and they normally rise very quickly in their chosen professions.
Sample Courses
HUMS 1000 - Foundational Myths and Histories
Recurring symbols in myth, epic and ritual representing the relation between the sacred and the profane, the origin of the cosmos, the basis of community, and formative human experiences. Primary sources drawn from ancient India and China, Mesopotamia, the Hebrew Bible, and Indigenous cultures.
HUMS 4103 - Science in the Modern World
An introduction to the major scientific ideas of our time (such as Big Bang theory, molecular genetics, evolution, atomic structure), and the impact of technology on society (e.g. global warming, pollution, genetically modified foods, viral infections).
Visit the Undergraduate Calendar to view a comprehensive list of course offerings for this program and discover the exciting things Carleton students are learning in the classroom!
Through the Humanities program, I have travelled the globe, made amazing friendships and enjoyed reading texts that shape the world we live in. Through the program's Maurice Price Summer Internship, I spent my summer researching the Reformation in Northern Europe in the Åland Archipelago archives in Finland and gained valuable experience in archival work and academic research.
