Humanities Courses

What Are the Humanities?

The Humanities study, well, humanity, not from a scientific perspective, but an experiential one. Human beings create, perform and write, all in an attempt to put words to what it means to be human and the field examines that knowledge base for understanding. The humanities include fields like the social sciences, art history, and literary studies, among others. Each area addresses the central questions of life and gives us a perspective about the beliefs and desires of humans that have gone before us.

Learn about the Humanities

So much emphasis is on hard sciences, but we can miss a lot if we don't examine the human experience. Humanities can teach us critical thinking skills, personal skills, and build a wide range of skills that make it easier to innovate and think outside the box. Studying different fields within Humanities could open doors not only for your career but your own experience.

Humanities Courses and Certifications

EdX.org partners with some of the most significant thinkers in the world of humanities to bring courses designed to examine the human experience. There are a plethora of humanities classes to choose from regardless of your knowledge on the subject. You can study literature with a three-part series from Harvard - Masterpieces of World Literature, Ancient Masterpieces, and Modern Masterpieces. You could study flower arrangements of ancient China and Japan through Tsinghua University. Wellesley offers courses on the Italian language, and the University of Queensland can introduce you to the principles of Social Psychology. If Philosophy is your interest, you have choices in many different areas from classical studies to modern Humanities. Curtin has a course on Philosophy and Human Rights Theory. You could also explore philosophy from a religious perspective with Columbia's introduction to Indian Buddhism. Berklee offers an introduction to Music Theory while Trinity College can introduce you to World Music and Culture. Whatever field you're interested in, edX has courses designed to enlighten and inspire.

Humanities and the Human Experience

Humanities majors are fields of study dedicated to big questions about the human experience. Whether you're learning comparative literature or studying political science, these academic disciplines can build a lifelong love of learning and develop creative thinking. Humanities disciplines give us not just the "how" but the "why" and could help us navigate our human journey. Humans have long, interesting cultural histories, and navigating through them could open your eyes to a wealth of options. Fine arts builds a critical eye. Modern languages help with building relationships, business, and otherwise. The field is full of things that help bring not just knowledge but also valuable experiences. Liberal arts can bring you a more comprehensive understanding and more resources to draw on. Humanities and social sciences can open your eyes to the world past and present. edX can give you all the resources you need to explore everything humanity has to offer.