Humanities 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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Gain a foundational knowledge of American constitutional democracy while crafting your own civic voice and identity.

Prepare your student for college-level writing now.

Learn how early American politics informed the U.S. Constitution and why its promise of liberty and equality has yet to be fully realized.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.