Humanities Courses

Learn about the rich diversity of Hindu sacred texts – hymns, narratives, philosophical thought – and their interpretations.

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

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

Build a viable, valuable tech venture that can profitably scale in this course from Harvard Business School (HBS) Online.

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

Explore the ethical controversies of financial markets.

Buddhist Literacy for Mental Health and Wellness Professionals

Learn how businesses thrive and grow while simultaneously solving some of the world's biggest challenges in this course from Harvard Business School (HBS) Online.

Learn the fascinating history of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, one of the most challenging and rewarding ballets ever written.

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

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.

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

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

Explore the fundamental principles that guide ethical decision-making within health care environments: patient autonomy, the obligation to do good, the obligation to avoid harm, and justice.

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

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

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

Learn how American women created, confronted, and embraced change in the 20th century while exploring ten objects from Radcliffe’s Schlesinger Library.

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

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

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

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

Gain critical communication skills in writing and public speaking with this introduction to American political rhetoric.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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