Students and faculty in the Humanities explore those large and profound issues that affect all human beings -- questions of meaning, ethical and aesthetic value, expression, belief, and the human spirit. The Humanities examine the cultural traditions that have made us who we are and explore who we can be.

The Humanities encourage imaginative and rigorous inquiry into the human condition. Courses in literature help students to understand the enduring power of texts, from cuneiform to manuscript to hypertext.

Scholars in English explore literature from the medieval to the contemporary. Study of more than 80 languages and dialects creates a gateway to civilizations that spans the entire globe and five millennia of human history. Philosophers provide training in the fundamental principles of logic and moral reasoning, and linguists illuminate the ways we communicate. Historians of religion, music, and art explore with students the multiple forms and media through which human beings have sought to express themselves and to make sense of their world.

Humanities faculty create new and unique bridges to intellectual progress that span many fields -- building broad new collaborations in such fields as archaeology and folklore, applying technology to traditional disciplines through creation of digital archives or electronic literature, and opening new doors to understanding the past through "virtual" exploration of classic civilizations by using the realm of electronic simulation of ancient worlds.

By teaching students to interpret the world of ideas with informed sensitivity and to articulate their thoughts with clarity and imagination, programs in the Humanities prepare them for culturally rich lives as informed and humane citizens.