An American university in the heart of Rome
Minor in Humanistic Studies | University Programs in Italy
John Cabot University: the Academic Experience
Minor in Humanistic Studies | University Programs in Italy

Minor in Humanistic Studies in Rome

Overview

How can we understand humans' different ways of life and thinking? Humanities students learn to appreciate and analyze cultures by exploring literature, art, history, philosophy, and religion. For instance, they might examine Homer's poetry or Plato's ethics, study sacred paintings or modernist architecture, analyze the workings of slavery or the rise and fall of fascism, or evaluate James Joyce's writing or Andy Warhol's pop art. By exploring such cultural products, they learn to understand the distinctive objects, approaches, and debates in the relevant fields and how to connect, compare, and theorize about them. They may also choose to concentrate on one or more specific fields, developing their own interests and expertise and taking advantage of the University's unique location in Rome, Italy, and the Mediterranean. The cultural knowledge that they gain and the reading, analysis, and research skills that they develop enrich their studies in other fields, such as business, politics, and communications, and provide the basis for a wide range of graduate studies and careers.

Learning Outcomes
  • Demonstrate knowledge of different cultures – that is, human beings' ways of living and thinking about their lives – as these are expressed in ancient, modern, and contemporary literature, art, history, philosophy, and/or religion.
  • Demonstrate ability to analyze cultural products, drawing connections and comparisons across fields and undertaking scholarly research into them.
  • Demonstrate ability to apply and evaluate theoretical approaches from relevant disciplines across a range of cultural products and issues.
  • Demonstrate ability to defend analytical positions through well-researched, supported, and organized reasoning.
  • Develop an awareness of the importance of finding, using and producing reliable information so as to respect (and know how to respect) academic integrity and ethical standards in their academic work.
  • Effectively and critically communicate ideas and information orally and in writing. 

Requirements for the Minor

Three courses from the following list of courses: 

  • PH 101 Introduction to Philosophical Thinking
  • PH 235 Ethics
  • HS 200 Doing History
  • AH 240 Introduction to Art Historical Thinking
  • EN 215 Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theories 
  • One AH course or literature course (other than EN 215, if taken)
  • HM 460 Research and Writing in the Humanities
  • HM 480 Senior Thesis

Three additional courses in the fields of HS, CL, ARCH, AH, literature (including EN, IT, and ITS), RH, MUS, PH, or RL.

At least two of the six courses must be at 300- or 400-level. 

 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MINORS 

  • No more than one grade of lower than a C- will be accepted in courses applying to the minor.
  • In the case of multiple minors, no course may apply to more than one minor.
  • No more than three courses may apply to both the major and the minor.
  • At least four courses must be taken in residence at John Cabot.
  • Requirements for the minor must be completed by the time of graduation.