First-year Humanities Scholars attend seminars (HUM 120H and HUM 121H) co-taught by two UMBC faculty members from different departments. The seminar helps build a sense of community between the freshmen as they share ideas and discuss topics in an interactive and interdisciplinary environment.
Seminars taught in the Humanities seminar have included:
- Food, People, and Place in the Americas (Fall 2021) by Tania Lizarazo (Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication) and Sarah Fouts (American Studies)
- Storytelling (Spring 2021) by Timothy Phin (Director, Humanities Scholars Program, Ancient Studies)
- Secret Life of Books (Fall 2020) by Dr. Craig Saper (Language, Literacy, and Culture Doctoral Program) and Dr. Lindsay DiCuirci (English)
- Threads (Spring 2020) by Dr. Tanya Olson (English) and Dr. Molly Jones-Lewis (Ancient Studies)
- Storytelling (Spring 2019, Fall 2019) by Timothy Phin (Director, Humanities Scholars Program, Ancient Studies)
- Cultural Productions in Japan’s WWII Colonies (Fall 2018) by Dr. Julie Oakes (Director, Asian Studies Program) and Dr. Kyung-Eun Yoon (Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication)
- Sites of Surveillance (Spring 18) by Dr. Rebecca Adelman (Media and Communication Studies) and Dr. Kate Drabinski (Gender + Women Studies)
- Political Childhood and Children’s Citizenship in Western Culture (Fall 17) by Dr. Joby Taylor (Director, Shriver Center) and Dr. Beverly Bickle (Language, Literacy and Culture)
- Re-Orienting Culture (Spring 17) by Dr. Tamara Bhalla (American Studies) and Dr. Fan Yang (Media and Communication Studies)
- Political Childhood and Children’s Citizenship in Western Culture (Fall 16) by Dr. Erin Hogan (MLLI) and Dr. Timothy Phin (Ancient Studies)
- Markets, Morality, and the State: Adam Smith’s Legacy in Europe and America (Spring 16) by Dr. Lisa Pace Vetter (Political Science) and Dr. Michael Nance (Philosophy)
- Documenting Culture in Baltimore (Fall 15) by Dr. Michelle Stefano (American Studies) and Dr. Bill Shewbridge (Media & Communication Studies)
- Cinema and the City (Spring 15) by Dr. Nicoleta Bazgan (MLLI) and Dr. John Rennie Short (Public Policy)
- Place and Public History in Baltimore (Fall 14) by Dr. Kate Drabrinski (Gender + Women Studies) and Dr. Nicole King (American Studies)
- Friends and Lovers in the Medieval World (Spring 14) by Dr. Susan McDonough (History) and Dr. Anna Shields (MLLI)
- On Collectors and Collecting (Fall 13) by Dr. Jody Shipka (English) and Dr. Donald Snyder (Media & Communication Studies)
- Childhood across time and space (Spring 13) by Dr. Timothy Phin (Ancient Studies) and Dr. Bambi Chapin (Anthropology)
- Avant-Garde Performance (Fall 12) by Dr. Linda Dusman (Music) and Dr. Susan McCully (Theater)
- New Orleans Sounds… (Spring 12) by Dr. Kimberly R. Moffitt (American Studies) and Dr. Steve Bradley (Visual Arts)
- Mathematics and What it Means to Be Human (Fall 11) by Dr. Michele Osherow (English) and Dr. Manil Suri (Mathematics)
As part of the program, first-year Humanities scholars participate in one off-campus excursion that is closely tied to a Humanities seminar topic. The sites are as diverse as the seminar topics and include such venues as the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) or the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC.