Course Descriptions
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Humanities
6HUM 101, 102 (I, II-3) Western Cultural Tradition
HUM 101 and 102 are no longer offered as of fall 2006. This description is provided for reference purposes only.
This one-year sequence combines two projects: (1) the exploration and analysis of important problems in the history, philosophy, literature, religion, and science of the Western cultural tradition, and (2) training in expository writing. Each section will read a series of original texts to analyze them in the light of modern creative adaptations and critical commentaries. Each student will complete a series of writing assignments totaling at least 5,000 words each semester. The first semester considers the ancient, medieval, and Renaissance worlds; the second moves from the early modern period to the present. Within these guidelines, each instructor organizes the course to focus on different writers, to emphasize different themes, to stress different methods of analysis, and to teach writing skills in different ways. All students are required to take this sequence, unless the Chair of the Humanities Department specifically exempts them. To satisfy this requirement, students are encouraged to register for sections whose concerns match their own interests. May not be repeated for credit.
6HUM 111, 112 (I, II-3) Foundations of Twentieth-Century Culture
Introduction to the main themes in contemporary culture with emphasis on the sources of novelty and experiment and on the quest for a new tradition. Prerequisite: HUM 101-102 or equivalent.
6HUM 281, 282; 481, 482 (I, II-3) Topics in Humanities
These courses tend to be broadly interdisciplinary. Topics vary from year to year. Recent offerings include The Literature of Leadership, Autobiography, Faust in Music and Literature, and Weimar Culture.