Humanities Courses

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

Use the case study method to study China from the rise of Deng Xiaoping to the present.

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

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

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.

Reimagine global health problems with some of the leading global health thinkers and actors through a case-based biosocial framework.

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

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.

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.

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.

Learn how to read William Shakespeare's plays through his biography, Elizabethan and Jacobean history, and modern performance.

Buddhist Literacy for Mental Health and Wellness Professionals

Build a foundational understanding of AI concepts with this course from Harvard Business School (HBS) Online.

Explore the ethical controversies of financial markets.

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.

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

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

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

Examine how cultures of the ancient world defined themselves through literature and how their vision of literature contributes to our understanding of civilization, culture, and literature today.

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

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

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

Explore the birth of modern China with a focus on the time between the fall of the Qing and the end of World War II.

Combine literary research with data science to find answers in unexpected ways. Learn basic coding tools to help save time and draw insights from thousands of digital documents at once.

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.

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

Explore China’s imperial period, with a focus on the Song dynasty and the role of the exam system in government.

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

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

Why should we care about Confucius? Explore ancient Chinese philosophy, ethics, and political theory to challenge your assumptions of what it means to be happy, live a meaningful life, and change the world.