At its very core, the study of the Humanities is an attempt to answer the question: “What makes us uniquely human.” How would you answer that question? First, you might look at art or music as an expression of our humanity. You would, of course, look at the history of the human race. You would examine the literature that humans have produced for clues. A deep understanding of philosophical thought would be required.

What are the Humanities?

Ultimately, you’d need to craft a logical defense of your conclusions so coursework in rhetoric and logic would be necessary. Taken together, the interwoven study of these diverse disciplines is what it means to study the Humanities.

Why study the Humanities?

The Humanities are the basis of all knowledge. Engineering, Math, and Medicine have all grown out of the work of those first Greek philosophers and scholars. In years past, the word “education” had no meaning outside of the humanities. To be educated meant to have a working knowledge of literature, art, history and philosophy. The 20th century brought about the advent of post-modernism. With it came the educational philosophy that education should be focused on preparing people for careers. That philosophy has now become the driving force behind higher education. Before long, we reached our current state where training is mistaken for education. While this may be acceptable and even appropriate for some fields and some people, as the problems our world faces become even more complex, having people trained in the Humanities becomes even more critical. Training in the Humanities gives students a basis for decision making, negotiation and problem solving. A degree in the Humanities provides the skills of critical thinking, creativity and an understanding of human nature. Instead of job preparation, it is life preparation.

Why study the Humanities at Grace?

If one is trying to answer the question of what makes us uniquely human, one must, in the Christian worldview, start with God, the creator of humanity. Secular universities cannot answer the question of what makes us uniquely human, because they don’t believe we are unique. The advantage of studying the Humanities at Grace University is that we start with the premise that humanity was created uniquely by God in his image. Throughout your four years at Grace, you will learn how the divine elements of humanity are displayed in our art, music, literature and history. Of course, all of that will be reinforced by the double major in Bible that all Grace graduates receive.

Who should consider studying the Humanities?

If you want to be a doctor or an engineer, the study of the Humanities is not right for you. If you enjoy studying a wide range of topics; if you see the interconnectedness of the world, how history affects literature for instance; if you like to know how things work, then the Humanities department is the right place for you. If you want go on to advanced study in English, History, Law, or Political Science, the Humanities department is the right place for you. If you want a solid foundation from which to explore and affect the world around you, the Humanities department is the right place for you.