Program Features

The Humanities Scholars Program complements, rather than replaces, a major or minor course of study. While most HSP scholars have majors within one of the four humanities departments at Carnegie Mellon (English, History, Philosophy, and Modern Languages), they are free to pursue majors elsewhere in the university.

For the first two years of the program, scholars take one HSP seminar per semester (four in total) with other scholars in the program. The courses may be used to fulfill General Education requirements, including the freshman seminar. (Click here to go to the General Education program's website to find out more about these requirements.)

During the third year of the program there are no required seminars for the scholars, but most begin research proposals for their fourth year research-based capstone project. This break in the program gives scholars a freedom to fulfill their major or minor requirements and to participate in other opportunities available throughout the university, such as studying abroad. (Click here to find out more about the university's study abroad programs.)

In the fourth and final year of the program, scholars complete research for their capstone project under the direction of a faculty advisor. In the spring of their fourth year, scholars also meet in a research seminar lead by the program director. This final seminar develops and showcases the scholars' abilities in addressing their topic of choice from multiple interdisciplinary standpoints.