Do you wonder how civilization evolved as it did, how great thinkers have shaped our world, and how you as an individual connect with your own and other cultural traditions? Do you enjoy the arts, literature, history, language, womens studies, and philosophy? 

Humanities refers to the study of human culture in all its aspects. Humanists - whatever their particular area of study - share the view that all knowledge is interconnected. Courses in humanities, therefore, explore such fundamental issues as how we use language, how we determine value, or how we define beauty. Humanities examines how we construct our aesthetic, intellectual, religious, social, and political worlds, and it looks comparatively at the differences in such constructions in different times and places, or for different people. 

At Scarborough, through the study of the humanities, you will have the opportunity to explore these connections, develop your critical skills, and discover what it means to be human. 

As one of the College's six academic Departments, Humanities comprises several distinct disciplines, such as the Visual and Performing Arts, Classical Studies, English, History, Philosophy, Journalism, Women's Studies and Linguistics. Each of them offers a range of courses in its own area and its own programme(s) of study. 

In addition, the Department offers, under the rubric HUM, courses which fall outside the purview of the traditional disciplines. These are concerned mainly with culture, civilization, and literature; and all have readings and instruction in English. These courses help establish an intellectual context in which staff and students can explore new approaches to learning and benefit from a more comparative and interdisciplinary approach to knowledge.