At a Glance
I’m interested in this field of study. Can you tell me more about it?
In the Humanities Major Studies in Culture (HMSC), you pursue critical approaches to topics in the humanities, social sciences, and natural/physical sciences through a rigorous training in interdisciplinary inquiry. You’ll be encouraged to scale the walls that separate academic disciplines and pursue topics from multiple vantage points that cut across diverse fields of study.
What are some courses appropriate for first-year students interested in exploring this field of study?
We recommend that you explore some of the following courses during your first year at Scripps.
- HMSC 123: Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Culture
- HMSC 139: The Essay Film, History, and Theory
- HMSC/HIST 129: Rousseau, Tocqueville, Rousseau
- HMSC/SPAN 163: Pais Vasco or Euskal Herria: Una Intro
- HMSC 138: Genet
- HMSC 133: Modernity and the Unconscious
If I decide to major or minor in this field, are there certain courses that need to be taken in a specific sequence?
While it is not required, we encourage you to fulfill the two-course theory and method requirement before your junior year.
Can students who major or minor in this field complete a second major or minor (as a double major or a major/minor combination)? If so, what are some common pairings?
We strongly recommend that you select a dual or double major as the foundation for interdisciplinary inquiry. Students often major in HMSC in conjunction with English, neuroscience, psychology, politics, French, education, history, classics, art, media studies, or religious studies.
What other useful information should I know about this field of study?
HMSC is ideal if you want to design your own course of study through a strong and productive relationship with your academic adviser(s).
The Humanities Major in Interdisciplinary Studies in Culture (HMSC) is designed to offer students a foundation in the Humanities, with particular reference to theories of culture and cultural practice. Its aim is to give students an interdisciplinary training across the breadth of the Humanities that will equip them to analyze and engage with the local, national and international aspects of our globalized world. The major is structured in such a way as to facilitate an introduction to theoretical and methodological approaches to the field; to encourage familiarity with topics in the study of culture in different disciplines; to provide more specialized knowledge which will relate to the student’s interdisciplinary thesis topic. The choice of courses in this major is left to the individual student; in consultation with their adviser, students will opt for those courses which will enable them to pursue their own interests within the general rubric of the degree.