Florida State University 2008-2009 General Bulletin Undergraduate Edition

Department of Interdisciplinary Humanities

College of Arts and Sciences

Chair: David F. Johnson; Assistant Director: Maricarmen Martinez; Seminar Instructors: Briggs, Martinez, Stoddard; Director of Undergraduate Studies: Stoddard

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in humanities offers a broad interdisciplinary education in the thought, literature, art history, and music of Western and Eastern cultures. The interdepartmental undergraduate major is offered as a preparation for graduate work in the humanities and as a basic cultural background for a variety of professional fields, such as teaching, research, journalism, law, librarianship, foreign service, the religious professions, music, arts administration, and government service.

Computer Skills Competency

All undergraduates at Florida State University must demonstrate basic computer skills competency prior to graduation. As necessary computer competency skills vary from discipline to discipline, each major determines the courses needed to satisfy this requirement. Undergraduate majors in humanities satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of "C–" or higher in CGS 2060, CGS 2064, CGS 2100, or MUS 2360.

Requirements for a Major in Interdisciplinary Humanities

Please review all college-wide degree requirements in the "College of Arts and Sciences" chapter of this General Bulletin. All humanities majors must meet the language requirement for students seeking the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the College of Arts and Sciences. For alternatives to satisfy this requirement, refer to 'Foreign Language' in the "College of Arts and Sciences" chapter of this General Bulletin. If a student chooses to double major, only six (6) semester hours may be applied to both majors. For general policies pertinent to a double major, refer to 'Second Majors and Academic Regulations' in the "Academic Regulations and Procedures" chapter of this General Bulletin.

The major and minor combination comprises a minimum of thirty-nine (39) semester hours beyond the liberal studies requirements and numbered above 1999. All course work counted toward the humanities major must be completed with a "C–" or higher. All humanities majors must take HUM 2210, 2235, 2250, and 3324 or their equivalents, before taking the required HUM 4935 seminar. Humanities majors must also take a nonwestern humanities course (X; 3 CU) and a multicultural diversity course (Y; 3 CU), or their equivalents, before graduation. If these courses have not been taken to fulfill the liberal studies requirement, they may be taken as University electives or in the concentration of the major with the approval of humanities adviser. A list of approved courses for the various tracks of the major can be found at: http://dih.fsu.edu/undergraduate_guide.html. The courses will be distributed as follows:

  1. Eighteen (18) semester hours in one of the following departments: American studies; Art History; Asian studies; Classics; English; History; Communication; Film studies; Interior Design; Latin American and Caribbean studies; Modern Languages and Linguistics; Music (history and theory); Philosophy; Religion; and Theatre (history and criticism); or in literature courses in a classical language numbered above 1999 or a modern language numbered above 2999
  2. Fifteen (15) semester hours in one of the following concentrations or time periods—American studies; Asian and Middle East studies; African-American studies; Latin American and Caribbean studies; Women's studies; or Classical studies, Medieval studies, Renaissance studies, 18th-century studies, 19th-century studies, 20th-century studies; with no more than two courses in this cluster being selected from any one of the above-mentioned departments
  3. Nine (9) semester hours of criticism and appreciation to be selected as follows: one course from each of the three (3) categories listed below (a, b, and c)
    1. Choose one of the two courses listed below.
      1. ARH 3056 History and Criticism of Art I (3)
      2. ARH 3057 History and Criticism of Art II (3)
    2. Choose one of the four courses listed below.
      1. ENG  3014 Critical Issues in Literary Studies (3)
      2. ENG  4115 Film Theory (3)
      3. ENL  3334 Introduction to Shakespeare (3)
      4. ENL  4333 Shakespeare (3)
    3. Choose one of the five courses listed below.
      1. MUH  2011 Introduction to Music History–Music Appreciation: 18th and 19th Centuries (3)
      2. MUH  2012 Music in Western Culture, 19th and 20th Centuries (3)
      3. MUH  2051 Music Cultures of the World–Music of Tribal and Folk Culture (3)
      4. MUH  2052 Music Cultures of the World II–Ritual and Art Music of the Non-Western World (3)
      5. MUH  3053 American Roots Music (3)
      6. MUH  2019 Modern Popular Music (3)
    4. Note: Six (6) of the above hours are to be taken as part of the course requirements for either the departmental or the time period/concentration segments of the program.
  4. Three (3) semester hours in HUM 4935 Seminar in the Humanities
    1. Note: This seminar can only be taken after receiving adviser approval and item #3 above has been completed.

All interdisciplinary humanities majors are required to schedule regular advising appointments each semester. Additionally, humanities majors are required to schedule a graduation check with the college and with the University Registrar upon completion of ninety (90) semester hours. The student must also apply for graduation with the Registrar during the first two weeks of the semester in which the student expects to graduate. Failure to meet regularly with an adviser or to follow the specified procedures will delay progress toward completion of the degree.

Honors in the Major

The department offers a program in honors in the major to encourage talented juniors and seniors to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. For requirements and other information, see the "University Honors Office and Honor Societies" chapter of this General Bulletin and consult http://www.honorsinthemajor.fsu.edu.

Requirements for a Minor in Humanities

Courses taken to meet the humanities minor are not applicable to any other requirement. The undergraduate minor may be accomplished in one of the two following ways:

  1. Twelve (12) semester hours in courses with the HUM prefix
  2. Fifteen (15) semester hours of courses specified by the humanities program. Please visit the Humanties department for a list of courses. All course work counted toward the humanities must be completed with a "C–" or higher

Definition of Prefix

HUM—Humanities

Undergraduate Courses

HUM 1920. Freshman Interest Group (1). (S/U grade only.) Taught Fall term only. Topics vary. The Freshman Interest Group (FIG) Colloquium is a seminar-structured class designed to provide a set of experiences that will introduce the student to the academic culture at FSU.

HUM 1921. Learning Community Colloquium (1). (S/U grade only.) This series includes presentations on resources and University-wide programs as well as frequent talks by faculty members describing their own research and/or creative work. The course provides opportunities to meet a variety of potential role models and to engage in thoughtful, substantive discussions in a large-classroom setting.

HUM 2210. Humanities: Pre-history to Late Antiquity (3). The course offers an introduction to the thought, literature, and arts of Western culture from Homer to the Gothic.

HUM 2235. Humanities: From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment (3). This course offers an introduction to the thought, literature, and arts of Western culture from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment.

HUM 2250. Humanities: 18th-Century Romanticism to Postmodernism (3). This course offers an introduction to the thought, literature, and arts of Western culture from 18th-Century Romanticism to the Postmodern period.

HUM 2944r. University Honors Colloquium (1). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Admission to the honors program. Each Fall faculty from across the academic and creative arts spectrum explore "Art and Inquiry in the Modern University" with entering honors students. Discussions follow each weekly presentation. Students are required to write responses totaling two thousand (2,000) words. May be repeated to a total of two (2) semester hours.

HUM 3252. Humanities: Film and 20th Century Culture (3). This course offers an introduction to the thought, values, and arts of Western culture, with special emphasis on film.

HUM 3321. Multicultural Dimensions of Film and 20th-Century Culture (3). Explores diversity within Western culture by focusing on film as a key medium for shaping social and cultural attitudes and values. Primary emphasis will be placed on the themes of race and gender, but the student will also be trained in the analysis and appreciation of film as a uniquely modern art form.

HUM 3324. Cultural Imperialism (3). An analysis of the significant works of literature and the other arts created under the dominant "imperial" cultures. The course focuses upon themes relating to colonial subjugation. Works will be analyzed from the perspective of the dominating culture and from the contrasting vision of the subjugated colonial cultures.

HUM 3413. Humanities: South Asian (3). This course offers an introduction to the religion, philosophy, literature, and arts of Indian and Islamic culture in their classical and modern expressions. Not offered every semester.

HUM 3416. East Asian Humanities (3). This course offers an introduction to the religion, philosophy, literature, and arts of Chinese and Japanese culture in their classical and modern expressions. Not offered every semester.

HUM 3800. Humanities: Principles of Criticism and Appreciation (3). This course offers an introduction to the principles of criticism and appreciation of arts and humanities.

HUM 3930r. Humanities: Special Topics (1–3). May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

HUM 4906r. Directed Individual Study (3). Prerequisite: Major status. A student registered for an individual study course must schedule at least one conference a week on campus. The student should bear in mind that the DIS requirements are the same as if he or she were attending a class for three hours a week for 10 weeks. The minimum length of the paper will be 30 pages excluding footnotes and bibliography. HUM 4906r cannot count toward major course work. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

HUM 4907r. Honors Work (1–6). Prerequisite: Admission to the honors program. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

HUM 4924. Freshman Interest Group Peer Instruction (1). Spring term only. This course develops the knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to be a Peer Instructor for the FIGS Colloquium. Instruction covers general information needed to support the values of this unique liberal studies educational endeavor. 

HUM 4931r. Topics in the Civilization of Britain or Italy (3). May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

HUM 4934r. Interdisciplinary Topics (3). This course provides students from any discipline with an integrated interdisciplinary learning experience. The course is taught by instructors from at least two different departments and/or colleges. Topics vary. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours..

HUM 4935r. Seminar in the Humanities (3). Prerequisite: Major status. The seminar "Principles of Criticism and Interpretation of Humanities" examines a series of perspectives for approaching and applying the kind of knowledge gained from a study in the humanities. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

Graduate Courses

HUM 5227. The Humanistic Tradition: Greek and Roman (3).

HUM 5245. The Humanistic Tradition: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque (3).

HUM 5253. The Humanistic Tradition: The Modern World (3).

HUM 5909r. Directed Individual Study (3). (S/U grade only.)

HUM 5915r. Supervised Research (1–5). (S/U grade only.)

HUM 5938r. Interdisciplinary Topics (3). (S/U grade only.)

HUM 5940r. Supervised Teaching (0–5). (S/U grade only.)

HUM 6904r. Readings for Examination (1–12). (S/U grade only.)

HUM 6939r. Seminar Topics (3).

For listings relating to graduate course work for thesis, dissertation, and master's and doctoral examinations and defense, consult the Graduate Bulletin.

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