Free Humanities Courses

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

This introduction to moral and political philosophy is one of the most popular courses taught at Harvard College.

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Learn how to better understand the rich and complex ways that religions function in historic and contemporary contexts.

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.

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.

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

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

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

An overview of modern Chinese history, including the fall of the Qing and the end of imperial China.

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.

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