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• DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

  Bachelor of Arts
  Major in Humanities

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DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Deloris M. Wanguri, PhD, Chair

Room 1047-South, 713-221-8104

Faculty

Professor:		Newsum
Associate Professors:		Czarlinsky, DeWitt, Hagen, Kendall, Lyttle, Mosier, Parham, Roubicek, Shelley, Wanguri
Assistant Professors:		S. Baker, Westerfelhaus
Lecturers:		Padilla, Trask
Emeritus:		Wathen
Academic Areas:		Art, drama, humanities, music, Spanish, speech communication

Programs of Study

Bachelor of Arts with major in Humanities
Bachelor of Science with major in Interdisciplinary Studies

Mission and Objectives

The Department of Arts and Humanities aims at developing a student’s potential for appreciation of life. The department’s course offerings support all degree programs at the University of Houston–Downtown. Students who wish to pursue a general liberal course of studies may enroll in the program leading to either the Bachelor of Science with a major in Interdisciplinary Studies (see information concerning B.S.I.S. under College of Humanities and Social Sciences) or the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Humanities.

Bachelor of Arts
Major in Humanities

Deloris M. Wanguri, PhD, Coordinator

Room 1047-South, 713-221-8104

The study of the humanities is an investigation of human institutions and artistic achievement, the values embodied in those institutions and works, and the range of esthetic and philosophic response to the human condition. The Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program gives a student experience with literature, philosophic writings, the history of human culture, and the performing and visual arts, as well as a framework for critical consideration of cultural values and their expression in institutions, literature and the fine arts. Because this is an interdisciplinary degree, no more than 18 hours of upper-level work in a single discipline may be applied to the major, and no more than 27 total hours in a single discipline (excluding course work required to fulfill Common Core Requirements) may be used to satisfy degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts in Humanities requires a minimum of 125 hours. For degree completion, at least 25 percent of the semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by UH– Downtown. The last 30 of the total hours and 18 of the upper-level hours applied to the degree must be successfully completed in residence at UH–Downtown. An overall minimum grade point average of 2.0 at UH–Downtown is required for graduation, and a minimum average of 2.0 must be maintained in the 36 upper-level hours in the major. In addition to the requirements listed below, every student’s program must include a nonverbal analytical reasoning course, either as an elective or in fulfillment of a requirement.

Common Core Requirements (42 hours)

See listing under General Education Requirements in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Preparatory Requirements (32 hours)
Philosophy: 6 hours Fine arts: 6 hours (at least 3 hours in history or appreciation) Written communication: 3 hours Speech communication: 3 hours Language and culture: 14 hours. At least 11 hours of a single foreign language through 2301 and 3 hours of either 2302 or a course focusing on a specific culture, such as:
	HIST 2309		Ethnic Minorities in American History
	SPCH 2307		27 Intercultural Communication
	ENG 3322		Mexican-American Literature
	HUM 3304		American Ethnic Heritage
	HUM 3320		Foreign Literature in Translation
	HUM 3321		Hispanic Culture and Civilization
For students placing out of any foreign language courses, other courses in English, humanities or social sciences may be substituted.

Upper-Level Requirements (36 hours)
HUM 3310			Cultural Criticism (3 hours)
HUM 4350			Senior Seminar (3 hours)
30 hours upper-level courses from the following disciplines:
	Art Communication Drama English French History Humanities Music Philosophy Spanish Speech Communication Social Sciences: Political Science: POLS 4304, American Political Thought and POLS 4306, Women and Politics only Psychology: PSY 4301: History of Psychology only

Electives (15 hours)

From any department at any level, with the following restrictions: Developmental courses (ENG 1300, MATH 0300, MATH 1300 and RDG 1300) may not apply to graduation requirements. No more than 25 percent of the hours presented for graduation may be credits in business. Electives are an important part of the degree program and should be selected in consultation with an academic advisor.

Minor in Spanish
Minimum requirements:
	A grade point average of 2.0 A grade of at least C in all Spanish courses A total of 9 upper-division hours in Spanish at UHD

Minor in Speech Communication
Minimum requirements:
	A grade point average of 2.0 A grade of at least C in all speech courses A total of 18 hours in speech (including SPCH 1304 and at least 9 upper-division hours in speech at UHD

Minor in Theatre
Minimum requirements:
	A grade point average of 2.0 A grade of at least C in all drama courses A total of 18 hours in drama (including at least 9 upper-division hours in drama at UHD)