Humanities BA Online
Total Units Required: 120
The state-support Bachelor of Arts in Humanities online degree completion program is devoted to the study, appreciation, and analysis of cultural traditions from an interdisciplinary perspective. It focuses on the arts (including literature, music, theatre, sculpture, painting, architecture, film) and ideas (philosophical trends, artistic movements, and religious traditions) by examining individual works and thinkers in their cultural and historical contexts. Humanities helps students render a comprehensive, competent, and constructive assessment of today’s world. Students learn how to write clearly and convincingly, to reason about a problem, and to do serious and reflective research. This online program will help students negotiate life and build bridges across cultures in the diverse world in which we live.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 40-42 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
Some courses appear under more than one area heading, but each course may be used to fulfill requirements in only one area.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | ||
| HUMN 320W | Seminar: Ancient and Medieval Art and Literature (W) | 3 |
| HUMN 322W | Seminar: Arts and Ideas from the Renaissance to the Present (W) | 3 |
| HUMN 324W | Seminar: Asian Film and Literature (W) | 3 |
| HUMN 312 | Digital Humanities | 3 |
| HUMN 400W | Seminar in Humanities (W) | 3 |
| HUMN 402 | Research Tools and Methods in the Humanities | 1 |
| Language Requirement | ||
| Two semesters of language, or pass an oral and written proficiency exam, or equivalent proficiency (on request). | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6-8 | |
| Beginning French I | ||
| Beginning French II | ||
| Intermediate French I | ||
| Intermediate French II | ||
| Beginning German I | ||
| Beginning German II | ||
| Intermediate German I | ||
| Intermediate German II | ||
| Beginning Ancient Languages | ||
| Intermediate Ancient Languages | ||
| Beginning Italian I | ||
| Beginning Italian II | ||
| Intermediate Italian I | ||
| Intermediate Italian II | ||
| Beginning Spanish I | ||
| Beginning Spanish II | ||
| Intermediate Spanish I | ||
| Intermediate Spanish II | ||
Any two courses in a language not listed | ||
| Approaches to the Humanities | ||
| Select four of the following (one course from each group): | 12 | |
Arts: | ||
| Hip Hop Culture | ||
| Greek Art and Architecture (W) | ||
| Religion and Film | ||
| Religion and the Arts | ||
Historical Studies: | ||
| Early Modern History | ||
| Twentieth-Century War in American Society | ||
| Religions of East Asia (W) | ||
or RELS 300 | Religions of East Asia | |
| Roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | ||
| Religions of South Asia | ||
Literature: | ||
| American Indian Storytelling/Oral Narrative | ||
| Science, Technology and the Literature of Cultural Change (W) | ||
| World Literature in Translation (W) | ||
Theory: | ||
| Conservatives and Liberals (W) | ||
or HUMN 300 | Conservatives and Liberals | |
| Philosophy of Race (W) | ||
| Theories and Criticisms of Religion | ||
| Feminist Theory (W) | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select two courses from below or any of the courses above in Approaches to the Humanities or 200-level language courses: | 6 | |
| Africa: Continuity and Change (W) | ||
| The Islamic World (W) | ||
or ANTH 377 | The Islamic World | |
| Literature of the Child (W) | ||
| Lands and Peoples of Latin America | ||
| Chicana/o Arts and Ideas | ||
| Food and Film (W) | ||
or HUMN 281 | Food and Film | |
| Judaism, Christianity, and Islam since the Crusades | ||
| Religion and Nature | ||
| Total Units | 40-42 | |
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires six units of honors coursework completed over two semesters.
The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:
- You must take six units of Honors in the Major coursework. All six units are honors courses (marked by a suffix of H), and at least three of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each course with a minimum grade of B.
- You must have completed 9 units of upper-division coursework or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
- Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the six units of coursework over the two semesters of their senior year.
- Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.
Honors in the Major is not part of the Honors Program. Each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
Transfer students accepted into this degree completion program generally will have completed all lower-division General Education Requirements.
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
- Any upper-division Writing (W) course.
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.
This online, state-support degree completion program is designed for the student who has at least 60 units of lower-division credit completed and is looking to finish their college requirements and bachelor’s degree. Transfer students who have completed lower-division GE and American Ideals/Institutions requirements can complete the program in four semesters; students entering with more than 60 units of applicable transfer credit may complete sooner.