Shaping insightful thinkers through liberal arts exploration
Channel your curiosity about the human condition with our highly interdisciplinary humanities program. With self-designed concentrations and faculty mentorship, you’ll develop the intellectual, analytical and communication skills that will set you apart in any industry.
The humanities discipline questions the fundamentals of existence, examining the human experience through society and culture. From Greek tragedies to postmodern novels to Renaissance sculpture, the humanities explores the cultural, social and behavioral theories, and experiences that influence the human condition.
Through self-designed concentrations and faculty mentorship, UNH Manchester’s highly interdisciplinary humanities program develops the intellectual, analytical and communication skills that will set you apart in any industry. As a humanities major, you’ll sharpen your abilities in analysis and critical thinking through exploration of diverse works of art, music, literature, history, philosophy and the sciences. Let your interests fuel your studies with self-designed concentrations, from the social and ethical implications of genetic engineering to the examination of a historical period through literature, arts and more.
Massachusetts does not offer a bachelor's-level humanities program in their public universities, so students from Massachusetts pay a reduced tuition rate.
The UNH Manchester humanities program is an interdisciplinary study of the human condition, past and present. The program is based on careful examination of substantial works from a variety of disciplines and is intended to develop intellectual skills, specialized knowledge, and breadth of understanding. It provides students with a broad foundation of knowledge and skills in the liberal arts combined with a coordinated, self-designed program of studies in an area of individual student interest.
The program attracts highly motivated students who wish to assume significant responsibility for the content and direction of their studies. Humanities students develop skills of analysis, critical assessment, and effective communication as they study diverse works of art, music, literature, history, philosophy, and the sciences. Individually designed programs may cover the full range of student interests: for example, the social and ethical implications of genetic engineering or the examination of an historical period through study of its literature, arts, history, philosophy, and sciences. Students complete their major with two capstone seminars. The first, HUMA 795 Study of Creativity, explores the nature of creativity through the lives and works of individuals such as Leonardo da Vinci, Kathe Kollwitz, Mozart, Freud, Einstein, and Georgia O'Keeffe. The second seminar, HUMA 796 Study of Contemporary Issues, explores current social and political issues with a focus on developments in public policy, science, and business, and their impact on social values.
Humanities majors find employment in a wide range of fields or pursue graduate study in subjects such as law or education. Skills and knowledge developed through the major are important in virtually all social and career responsibilities. A humanities major or minor can also complement work in other majors such as elementary or secondary education, business, communications, or computer information systems.
For the humanities major at UNH Manchester, students must complete a minimum of 128 credits and satisfy the University's Discovery Program and foreign language requirements, and students must complete 40 credits with a minimum grade of C in each course in the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| HIST 500 | Introduction to Historical Thinking | 4 |
| or ENGL 419 | How to Read Anything | |
| HUMA 411 | Humanities I | 4 |
| HUMA 412 | Humanities II | 4 |
| Self-Designed Concentration 1 | 20 | |
| Discovery Program Capstone Courses | ||
| HUMA 795 | Study of Creativity | 4 |
| HUMA 796 | Study of Contemporary Issues | 4 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
| 1 | This is an approved program of study designed by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor. In addition to courses available on the Manchester campus, students may, with prior approval, use courses from area colleges and the University's Durham campus. The concentration is made up of two humanities courses (HUMA prefix) at the 600 or 700 level and three courses from any relevant discipline at any level. |
For more information, contact Susanne Paterson, Associate Professor and program coordinator or the UNH Manchester Office of Admissions at (603) 641-4150.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects positive growth in many careers that demand sharp skills in critical thinking, analytical and communication — skills that are central to the humanities program.
Your humanities degree will open doors to careers in industries from business to technology to arts and beyond, or prepare you for graduate studies in law, education and more. Whatever you hope to achieve after graduation, you’ll be armed with the skills and experience for a bright future.
| Job Title | Job Growth | Average Salary |
| Advertising, Promotions or Marketing Manager | 9% | $124,850 |
| Archivist, Curator or Museum Worker | 7% | $46,710 |
| High School Teacher | 6% | $57,200 |
| Historian | 2% | $55,800 |
| History Teacher, Postsecondary | 13% | $72,470 |
| Human Resources Specialist | 5% | $58,350 |
| Middle School Teacher | 6% | $55,860 |
| Paralegal or Legal Assistant | 8% | $48,810 |
Our campus is in the heart of the region’s cultural, economic, entertainment and government activity — putting unlimited internship opportunities at your doorstep. We’ve partnered with local businesses to give you the real-world experience that sets you apart.
“Rather than thinking of education in a vacuum, as something to prepare you for something else after graduation, the internship actually bridges education with career.”
Jack Resch, Program Coordinator and Professor of Humanities
Humanities majors have interned at many high-profile organizations in the area, including:
Add a breadth of perspective to your degree with a humanities minor, giving you a foundational understanding of the human condition through art, music, history, literature and more.
Complement any degree with a philosophy minor, giving you the analytical, interpretive and critical reasoning skills that employers in any industry look for.
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