Free Online Humanities Courses

Humanities is the study of human culture and historical development of humanity. More specifically, humanities may cover topics such as ancient and modern literature, philosophy, religion, as well as various forms of art which impacted the growth of human culture throughout history. Studying humanities is often helpful in understanding what is right or wrong, or what is true to our heritage and history. Courses released by universities and institutions around the nation typically cover topics such as Sociology and Classic Literature. Academically, humanities courses emphasize ideas and theory rather than a study of factual history.

Why Take Free Online Humanities Courses?

Humanities form a foundation for many different types of education and are applicable to all facets of life. Humanities courses:

  • Demonstrate how people try to make sense of the world intellectually and spiritually.
  • Teach empathy, engender social justice and foster equality.
  • Inspire critical and creative thinking and skepticism when necessary.

Find Free Online Humanities Courses

If you are interested in online courses in humanities, the resources below consist of lecture-based courses, videos, exam outlines, and other materials that can help determine your interest in college humanities programs. These courses usually do not offer the benefit of interaction with a professor.

Subjects

Humanities (9)

African American Studies 40A: African American StudiesUniversity of California, Irvine

Open Courseware

Culture Studies, Creative Studies

Monarchs, People, and HistoryUMass Boston

Open Courseware

History, Organizational Leadership, Institutional Leadership

New Media LiteraciesMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Open Courseware

Literacy, New Media, History

Understanding Records and Archives: Principles and PracticesUniversity of Michigan

Open Courseware

History, Sociology, Archival Science

Forms of Democracy in Nineteenth-Century U.S. LiteratureUniversity of Notre Dame

Open Courseware

Language Arts, Literature, Political Science

Reinventing the Fairy TaleUniversity of Notre Dame

Open Courseware

Reading, Language Arts, Literature

Women's Narrative in the Southern ConeUniversity of Notre Dame

Open Courseware

Reading, Language Arts, Literature, Sociology, Spanish

Cultural AnthropologyVirtual University

Video

Anthropology, Cultural Studies

Introduction to SociologyVirtual University

Video

Sociology, Social Science