Courses

Explore the underlying structures of everyday arguments and develop the tools to communicate effectively.

Traces Albert Einstein’s engagement with relativity, quantum mechanics, Nazism, nuclear weapons, philosophy, the arts, and technology.

Explore the impact of the conquest dynasties and the world of the Ming.

Learn about China’s origins, its integral early thinkers, and competing states and schools of thought.

Develop skills in digital research and visualization techniques across subjects and fields within the humanities.

Explore the Maoist period of China, from the Communist Party to the death of Mao and the reopening of China.

Learn about Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, an iconic Romantic symphony that ushered in an era of narrative “program music.”

An exploration of the haunting figure at the heart of one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays.

An exploration of the magnetic and ambivalent character of Shylock in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.

Learn about Beethoven’s monumental 9th Symphony and forms of orchestral music.

Learn about the Quran, the central sacred text of Islam, through an exploration of the rich diversity of roles and interpretations in Muslim societies.

Led by Harvard Instructors and historians, you will discover China’s return to power through political, social, and economic growth in relation to other countries.

Explore what makes cities energizing, amazing, challenging, and perhaps humanity’s greatest invention.

Learn how the Manchus conquered the Qing and established the last of the imperial dynasties.

Gain an understanding of history, museum studies, and curation by looking at, organizing, and interpreting art, artifacts, scientific curiosities, and the stuff of everyday life.

Examine how great modern writers capture the intricacies of our globalized world and how their works circulate within that world to find their own audiences.

Embark on a global journey to explore the past, present, and future of world literature.

Explore the archaeology, history, art, and hieroglyphs surrounding the famous Egyptian Pyramids at Giza. Learn about Old Kingdom pharaohs and elites, tombs, temples, the Sphinx, and how new technology is unlocking their secrets.

Power and Influence for Positive Impact, a Harvard Business School (HBS) Online course, helps individuals develop their own power to gain influence and make an impact.

Discover Handel’s Messiah in this installment of First Nights, which will explore five masterpieces of western music.

This course examines the Sikh scripture from a doctrinal and historical perspective by providing an overview of Sikh teachings as well as the historical context within which the scripture evolved and became canonized.

Study Japanese scroll art as text and as "little movies" that immerse the viewer through visual narration. 

Learn how global warming impacts human health, and the ways we can diminish those impacts.

Learn about Christianity through a study of its sacred scriptures. We will explore how diverse Christians have interpreted these writings and practiced their teachings over a 2000 year, global history.

Explore acts of storytelling in Shakespeare’s Othello alongside world-class artists who interpret Othello’s story in new forms and contexts today.

Explore the reunification of China under the Tang with a focus on aristocratic culture — from poetry to calligraphy to literature.

Learn about the rich and diverse beliefs and practices of Buddhists across time and place. Experience Buddhism through its scriptures, both relationally as well as academically.

Learn about the key beliefs and practices of Judaism through an examination of its sacred texts and their interpretation.

An in-depth look at the 1854 London cholera epidemic in Soho and its importance for the field of epidemiology.

Learn the music and cultural impact of three canonical operas from the 1800s: Les Huguenots, Das Rheingold, and Otello.