Courses

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

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

An overview of divination systems, ranging from ancient Chinese bone burning to modern astrology.

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

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

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

Join Harvard faculty in this online course to discover the physical history of the Jewish bible.

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

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

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

Learn about the forces in American politics that seek to influence the electorate and shift the political landscape.

Explore the ethical controversies of financial markets.

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.

Learn about Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, one of the first operas ever written.

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

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.

Learn about the Qin and Han dynasties, and how Buddhism and ideas of self-realization influenced the medieval period.