Division of Humanities
Departments
Art and Art History
Our courses form a strong foundation for historical analysis and learning current studio practice. Blossoming artists perfect their latest craft in the workrooms of the Constance Stuart Larrabee Fine Arts Center and display their creations at the highly anticipated Student Art Show held each spring. For those wishing to get a behind-the-scenes view of the art world, vigorous internships at the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum place students under the wing of leading art professionals. Professors also accompany students on regular departmental field trips to galleries and museums in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and DC, where it’s not unusual to find a security guard or museum visitor captivated by the professor and students’ discussion.
Drama
Students take the starring role in a curriculum that provides a firm knowledge of dramatic theory, stage history, and the varied components of theatrical presentation. From lighting design to dramaturgical study, students learn all the theatre ins-and-outs, often interning at one of the leading theatres throughout the nation. Thespians and stage-hands unite in several student-organized groups including Fakespeare, which offers lively spins on the bard’s classics, as well as the Riverside Players and the Writers Theatre. The Senior Capstone Experience, required of all majors, consists of a unique opportunity to direct, perform, or design a play; write and stage a personal creation; or investigate an area of theatrical criticism, theory, or history.
English
Our courses encourage students not only to sharpen their critical analysis skills but to gain an overall appreciation of the historical development of English and American literature. An endowment fund created by Eastern Shore writer Sophie Kerr supports the largest undergraduate prize in the nation, scholarships for promising writers, and frequent campus visitors. The cozy ambience of the Rose O’Neill Literary House invites young writers to curl up with one of their favorite novels or to strike up a conversation about their latest poem with a fellow writer. Each summer, students connect literature with landscape as they traverse the moors of England and bogs of Ireland during the Kiplin Hall Program in English Literature. Sigma Tau Delta, the.international English honor society, recognizes distinction among students of English language and literature.
Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Our curriculum prepares students to live and work in the global community of the twenty-first century with intense programs in French, German, and Hispanic studies as well as International Literature and Culture. Intimate classes allow for an invaluable environment to perfect language proficiency, and professors often host dinner parties where students engage in casual conversation in the foreign language of their expertise. Pi Delta Phi, the national French honor society, and Sigma Delta Pi, a national Hispanic honorary society, offer scholarship opportunities for its members. Students spend at least one semester studying abroad—choosing from more than 40 programs.
Music
With small classes and private lessons, students find their inner-Beethoven with guidance from the trained ears of our faculty. Musical ensembles, including the Jazz Band, Concert Band, String Band, Early Music Consort, and Vocal Consort, entertain the campus and Chestertown community. Each holiday season, student musicians play the part of minstrels at the Renaissance Christmas Dinner. Seated on the outskirts of D.C., Philadelphia, and Annapolis, Washington College offers students numerous opportunities to experience national operas, symphonies, and concerts, but they don’t have to travel far from home to see an exciting array of talent at performances sponsored by The Concert Series held right on campus.
Philosophy and Religion
Students explore the core of the liberal arts in our courses designed to probe the most challenging questions about human existence and the nature of the universe. Field trips complement readings and frequently take students away from their comfort zones to places such as the Delaware State Penitentiary. Members of the Philosophy Club ponder abstract theories during movie nights and group discussions, and those in the upper 35 percent of their class can join Phi Sigma Tau, the national honor society in philosophy. Every April, undergrads look forward to seeing their name in print in Apeiron, the journal of philosophy and religion.
The Creative Writing Minor
A carefully planned curriculum and a nurturing creative writing community foster our young writers’ creative expression. Esteemed professors guide our students through writing workshops in fiction, poetry, playwriting and nonfiction creative writing. In our Contemporary American Writers course, students study the work of distinguished writers who visit the campus during the semester to discuss their work and the creative process. Student publications, often printed from our antique letterpress, feature the talent of our creative writers and, in their final year, senior writers vie for the notable Sophie Kerr Prize, the largest undergraduate literary prize in the nation.
300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 | 410-778-2800 | 800-422-1782