What are some of the specializations within this degree program?

• English offers the writing, editing, and communications needed to become a writer, editor, journalist, or teacher.
• Mathematics teaches math and analytic skills required for a career in engineering or business.
• Criminal justice majors are introduced to the rules and laws used by law enforcement, lawyers, and judges.
• Communications bolsters public speaking skills, as well as those needed for mass and interpersonal communication.  These are skills needed to become a public speaker, a teacher, or a manager.
• Computer science is similar to mathematics in that it teaches math and analytical skills.  However, it also introduces the expertise needed to work on computers in such jobs as a computer programmer or technician.
• Theater courses provide the acting and drama skills needed for a career in theater and dramatic interpretation, as well as for becoming a playwright.
• Science offers an array of interesting subjects including biology, physics, astronomy, and chemistry. Students looking for a degree that's hand-on will appreciate all of the science experiments they are likely to conduct.

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What degree levels are available?

• Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree: 1 to 2 years to complete
• Doctoral Degree: 3 to 5 years to complete

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What are the educational and certification requirements?

As with most college majors, anyone who is working towards a degree in humanities & sciences must take what is known as core academic courses.  These core courses include language arts or reading, English, science, mathematics, civics and government, a foreign language, geography, history, art, and economics. For those whose major falls under the category of humanities, expect to take courses in religion, philosophy, theater, and music. Mathematics and natural sciences majors will need to take computer science, natural science, and mathematics classes, while those working toward a social sciences degree will need to take courses in communications, criminal justice, and anthropology.

Considering the variety of career choices within humanities & sciences, there are many that will require certifications and also just as many that won't.  Each specialty will require its own set of criteria in order to gain certification, although you can be sure that the completion of core college courses will be expected. One such career that requires certification is teaching. In order to obtain a teaching certification, qualified applicants must have completed a the required coursework in a college teaching program. This includes haven taken classes in humanities, literature, English, mathematics, social sciences, the arts, and either physical or natural sciences.  All coursework required for the specific field of teaching must also be completed, as well as a minimum of 20 semester hours that have been completed in both direct teaching and professional education courses.

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What kinds of classes will I be expected to take?

Students in humanities & sciences programs are considered interdisciplinary students, and as such they usually have significantly more choice in determining their course schedule. However, there are some classes that will likely be required of all humanities & sciences students. Composition classes, for example, which train students to write effective essays, will probably be some of the first classes that freshmen take. Writing papers is an important part of all humanities programs, so students are usually taught right away how to do so in a creative, academically compelling manner. They will then apply these skills in liberal arts courses such as history. History classes encourage research, which is a critical component of humanities & sciences studies. 

Psychology classes are some of the most popular courses in college, and are often mandated by humanities & sciences departments. Psychology is the study of human behavior and thinking, and many students choose to minor in this discipline. Philosophy is another popular course option for humanities & sciences students, involving the study of various ways of thinking, with special focus on the different philosophical movements.  Because sciences are also included in this degree, most students are required to take at least one (usually more) basic science course, such as one in physics. A physics class will explore the nature of matter and energy, and students can, at some schools, choose to specialize in such an area of science.

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If I pursue this program online, will I be required to complete any on-site training?

Humanities & science degree programs are comprised mainly of lecture, discussion, reading, and writing assignments, all of which can take place online. Some classes, particularly lab-based science classes, may have requirements that are difficult to complete in an online format, but for the most part a humanities & sciences degree can be completed entirely over the internet.

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What are some other degrees that are related to this program?

Humanities & sciences is so broad that almost any degree could be related to it somehow. A degree in liberal arts is very similar. Humanities encompass such disciplines as history, sociology, psychology, and literature, all of which are included in liberal arts studies. Both degrees also emphasize critical thinking and communication skills. Ambitious and motivated graduates of humanities & sciences programs can be good candidates for enrollment in law school, also. Pre-law degrees train students for law careers, and, like humanities & sciences majors, emphasize the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

Philosophy classes are popular options in nearly any humanities & sciences degree program, and philosophy is a popular minor option for interdisciplinary students as well. Philosophy classes involve significant reading, debate, and discussion, helping students learn to develop their own opinions and arguments. Two other related disciplines that creep their way in to many humanities & sciences degree programs often are sociology and psychology. A sociology major will learn about people, studying how people develop personalities and how they interact with one another. The study of people is the central theme of humanities & sciences programs, and psychology is similarly related. Psychology is a mixture of humanities, in that it aims to understand people, and science, in that it uses biology to study people's behaviors

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