Humanities
An Interdisciplinary Major
Art, music, literature—even as they're distinguished by different languages and historical periods, they're all interrelated. So why should you have to choose just one to study?
The Humanities major at Washington College lets you explore all of them, combining courses from history, art, music, drama, philosophy, foreign languages, English, and world literature into one interdisciplinary major. You can choose classes that reflect your interests, and write a thesis on something you're passionate about.
Whether you want to compare different forms of art or examine history from multiple perspectives, the Humanities major exemplifies the true liberal arts experience, by giving you a strong background in a wide range of subjects and the freedom to investigate your own interests.
Our Grads
Humanities Major Pushes Green Initiatives
As the College's sustainability intern, Shannon Holste '07 is promoting a more energy-efficient campus.
As a famous frog once said, "It's not easy being green."
Still, Shannon Holste '07, Washington College's sustainability intern employed by the College's Center for the Environment and Society, believes it's a worthy ambition. Last spring, she and the Student Environmental Alliance orchestrated a "George Goes Green" campaign to reduce energy consumption on campus, with residence halls competing to win a picnic at Hynson Pavilion on the Chester River. During a three-week period, students saved the College nearly $4,000 by reducing electricity use by 39,000 kilowatt hours.
"We asked students to take small steps, such as turning off the lights and computers when not in use, and not using the air conditioning as much," Shannon recalls. "Queen Anne's and East Hall were the biggest energy savers; we found out later nobody in East had done laundry. In Queen Anne's, students were walking down the halls with flashlights. They tried really hard to save those kilowatts."
A humanities major interested in a career in environmental policy, Shannon is backing green initiatives on campus that don't require students to forego clean shirts-including a composting program and the consumption of more local foods in the dining hall.
"My long-term goal is to create a committee of sustainability, made up of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members, who can envision how the College can become more sustainable," Shannon says. "The biggest issue is growth. All new state buildings in Maryland have to meet certain energy-efficiency criteria. Washington College is a steward of this place that defines us. This is an opportunity for us to embrace sustainability by creating green buildings."
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