Major and Minor Requirements
Comparative Humanities
Humanities (HUMN)
Interdisciplinary courses in the humanities have been created to foster the growth of a general, liberal education outside the confines of particular disciplines or departments. These courses, which cut across conventional disciplinary boundaries, are taught by faculty from different departments, and are designed to introduce students to major writers, thinkers, and artists of various cultural traditions. Classes are limited in size so that students may share through discussion their reactions to the works studied, relate them to their own lives, and attempt to judge their relevance to the contemporary world.
Comparative Humanities Major
Program Director: Katherine M. Faull; Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Chair in Comparative Humanities: John C. Hunter
Coordinating Committee: Katherine M. Faull, Susan L. Fischer, Glyne Griffith, John C. Hunter, Janet D. Jones, James P. Rice, Harold Schweizer, Alf K. Siewers, Carol W. White, Slava I. Yastremski
The program in comparative humanities approaches Western traditions of ideas, history, literature, and art in an interdisciplinary fashion. Designed to reflect contemporary trends in humanistic scholarship, it examines issues and perspectives that conventional undergraduate disciplinary boundaries often preclude. These include the various ways in which the "Western tradition" has been constructed and represented, and the historical shifts in the way knowledge has been classified. Inasmuch as language and culture are central to this interdisciplinary project, students who declare a major in the comparative humanities are required to satisfy a language requirement.
The major consists of eight courses plus a demonstration of reading proficiency in a foreign language. The courses include:
• three period courses in humanities (HUMN 98 or 128, 150, and 250), which ground students in the broad outlines of the Western intellectual tradition.
• two interdisciplinary humanities seminars (selected from HUMN 301, 302, 303, 304, and 450), which encourage comparative studies across cultural, historical, and formal boundaries.
• two courses in related humanities disciplines (approved by the student’s major adviser or the program director), one of which is in a non-European tradition, which allows students to benefit from comparative work being done elsewhere at Bucknell
• an independent study for a senior thesis (HUMN 350 or HUMN 351), which gives students a chance to pursue focused research on a subject of particular interest to them.
Discussion of the thesis topic must begin in the spring of the student’s junior year (via email, if the student is abroad) and the topic must have attained final approval by the end of September of the senior year. The faculty adviser and the director of the comparative humanities major must approve the project. The thesis project may be submitted to the Honors Council for consideration as an honors thesis but this is not required in order to complete the major.
In keeping with the program’s goal of exposing student to different modes of thought, the program asks students to demonstrate work in a foreign language in addition to the eight courses required for the major. Such competency can be attained by passing a one-credit course at the level of the fourth course or higher in a particular language sequence. Students also are encouraged to develop language competency elsewhere, as in summer school or abroad; however, all such programs must first be approved by the comparative humanities program director. Students whose native language is not English, or who are bilingual, are exempted from the language requirement.
The program integrates parts of the Humanities Residential College (described under Residential Colleges on page 195) and the Humanistic Scholars Program (described under Extended Academic Programs on page 275). Members of these programs may find the major in comparative humanities particularly appropriate. The major also is especially suitable for students interested in broad study of the humanities and comparative studies, e.g., individuals otherwise focusing their education in the sciences and other non-humanities disciplines or students interested in advanced study of the humanities in graduate programs and seeking a balance of disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies for this purpose.
Students interested in the major are encouraged to contact the program director listed above as soon as possible to begin the advising process.
98. Myth, Reason, Faith (I or II; 4, 0)
This course is designed to introduce students to some of the most significant works in the Western intellectual tradition. Works by major writers from Homer to Dante will be studied. Satisfies the Foundation Seminar requirement.
128. Myth, Reason, Faith (I; 3, 0)
This course follows the syllabus of HUMN 98, except that the course does not function as a Foundation Seminar. Primarily intended for sophomores who may have an interest in the Scholars Program and/or the comparative humanities major. Not open to students who have completed HUMN 98 or a crosslisted equivalent.
150. Art, Nature, and Knowledge (I or II; 4, 0)
An interdisciplinary study of selected works in art, music, literature, science and philosophy from the Renaissance through the 19th century. No prerequisite. Crosslisted as ENGL 150, PHIL 150, and RESC 150.
250. Nihilism, Modernism, Uncertainty (I; 3, 0)
Presents major texts, figures, and concepts of the 20th century with examples from painting, music, literature, philosophy, and science. Designed as the third course in the chronological and thematic sequence of HUMN 098 and HUMN 150. Crosslisted as ENGL 230 and PHIL 250.
301. Humanistic Disciplines (I; R; 3, 0)
A seminar featuring study of subjects from two (or more) disciplinary approaches with emphasis on their points of intersection and convergence.
302. Historical Periods (II; R; 3, 0)
A seminar featuring comparative material from two distinct historical epochs.
303. Cultures and Traditions (I; R; 3, 0)
A seminar featuring materials from two distinct cultural expressions each possessing distinct political, social, and religious ideas and ideologies.
304. Narrative and Media (II; R; 3, 0)
A seminar featuring narrative in several forms and contexts of representation.
350. Senior Thesis (I and II; R; 3, 0)
Independent study and research leading to the writing of a thesis.
351. Honors Tutorial and Senior Thesis (I and II; 3, 0)
Independent study and research leading to the writing of a thesis as approved by the Honors Council.
450. Reality, Identity, Postmodernity (I and II; 3, 0)
A Capstone seminar that examines contemporary culture through a variety of artistic, socio-economic, and critical discourses. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
