A More Human Look Into The HUMSS Course List

Will you find a Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) course list here? Yes, but if you’re reading this article, you’ve probably seen your fair share of HUMSS course lists available out there.

Despite all that information, however, I’m sure you have a lot of questions: How would these courses benefit me? My community? In a world that’s growing increasingly cold and uncaring, how can I, a HUMSS student, make lives better? How do I leave my mark?

With a field so expansive, covering all the knowledge outside of the natural sciences, information technology, and business, it’s hard to capture all the possible courses that fall under the strand. So instead, we’ll explain HUMSS beyond just another course list. Who knows? You might even figure out your dream career!

Let’s begin by defining the disciplines.

What are the Humanities?

Put simply, the humanities could be described as the way that we, as a race, understand and document the human experience. Courses that study culture, religion, philosophy, and history fall under the humanities.

In the film Dead Poets Society, Mr. Keating said:

We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

If you find yourself agreeing with this statement, surely, you’re looking at the right strand.

Some schools would also include the fine arts under the humanities since art acts like stamps of culture. To illustrate, if geologists have carbon dating (a method of calculating the age of extremely old objects by measuring the amount of a particular type of carbon in them), the humanities have fine arts.

There’s a reason why at some point, we were all quoting Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next.” We could relate to it! Any given work of art — be it a theatrical performance, a painting, a film, or a song, among others — serve as reflections or commentary on the society we live in or our experiences.

With that, here are (some) of the Humanities courses available in the Philippines! Click the links to see where you can find them:

 

HUMSS Course List: Humanities

1. AB Creative Writing: There is an art to articulation. Creative writing is not limited to fiction, rather covers how you would tell a story, be it real or otherwise.
2. BA Film: What better way to immortalize the human experience than through film? Learn the techniques of effective visual storytelling through this course.
3. AB History: History is more than just names, dates, and places. It also covers the context and implications of what has happened, and what it could learn from it today. Take this up, and you’ll see just how history does repeat itself.
4. BA Humanities: Develop a deeper passion for history, philosophy, literature, and the arts, and examine why these disciplines are what make us human.
5. AB Literature: This course aims to develop deeper critical thinking and give all the right tools for proper literary analysis. In this era of fake news, we need more of that.
6. Bachelor of Music: Music has several different tracks under it, from composition all the way to the theory behind it. You’ll never listen to k-pop or rap the same way again.
7. AB Philosophy: In Greek, philia means “love,” and –sophos means “wisdom.” However, this course goes beyond just loving wisdom. It also tackles how to apply these in our lives.
8. BFA Theater Arts: More than just playing pretend, theater is a vehicle for social commentary and conversation. It has tracks like acting, directing, and production design meant to equip you with the means to tell the most gripping stories of humanity.
9. AB Theology: Also derived from Greek, Theos means “God” and –logia means “sayings.” Theology is the study of God. There are different ways to interpret scripture after all.
10. AB Interdisciplinary Studies: This course is as unique as every student who chooses it. It allows you to take courses from different programs of your choice — allowing you to bring out your true potential!

What are the Social Sciences?

The social sciences have a misleading moniker — the “soft” sciences. Unlike the natural, or “hard” sciences — such as physics, chemistry, and biology to name a few — which aim to explain the physical world, the social sciences explore how we move in that world.

However, don’t be fooled by the nickname. As a matter of fact, there is nothing soft about it. Everything is driven by data. How else could you make an objective analysis of populations and groupthink behavior? From that data, social scientists make recommendations on how a community can take action and improve their way of life.

Do you want to know why Thanos’ plan was flawed? Why the Roman Empire fell? Maybe you want to look into the art of war?

On a more serious note, maybe you want to play a part in rebuilding distressed communities — addressing their vulnerabilities and empowering them to rise from the ashes of calamity? Maybe you want to give hope to those living with mental illness?

If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you may want to consider looking at these social science courses available in the Philippines!

HUMSS Course List: Social Sciences

1. AB Anthropology: Anthropos (also Greek), means “human.” With that, anthropology is the study of human behavior and societies. It puts context in the norms and values we have as a society today.
2. AB Communication Arts: Communication as a course that teaches its students how to use the media we have today (including social media!) effectively and responsibly.
3. BS Community Development: This course is tricky because some universities categorize it under management. Understandable, given how much of it is planning and execution, but to do that effectively, students have to learn how to interpret data and talk to communities to properly address their needs.
4. AB Economics: Economics is also sometimes categorized under business and management, but on top of all the accounting and the numbers, you’d also be studying a lot of economic theory to understand what makes what move in economies.
5. Bachelor of Elementary Education: Or any education degree for that matter usually comes with a major in a particular subject. Remember your favorite teacher? You could have the same impact on future students’ lives.
6. BS Geography: A common misconception is that geography is all about maps. That’s cartography, and it’s just one aspect of the whole thing. Put very crudely, geography studies how the physical features of the Earth and the atmosphere, and how it affects and is affected by humans.
7. BS Human Capital Development: Do you like bringing out the best in people? This course teaches its students how to design, conduct, and manage programs and activities that will help people improve their performance, productivity, and employability.
8. AB International Studies: If you’re after an illustrious career in foreign service (UN, Embassies, DFA, etc.) then this is the course for you. Typically, on top of your major subjects, you’d be taking electives on the language, culture, history, and politics of the country you want to specialize in.
9. BA Linguistics: Remember those elementary English classes where we were taught about nouns, verbs, and adjectives? Now imagine a hardcore version of that where you break down every word to its very sound and learn the nuances of language based on how these words are used.
10. AB Political Science: Political science focuses on the theory and practice of government and politics at the local, national, and international levels. Game of Thrones can be real. We have to play it even smarter.
11. BS/BA Psychology: Psychology is the study of mental states, processes, and behavior. The difference between a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology is usually the number of science or lab units you’ll be taking. The Bachelor of Science in Psychology can usually qualify as a pre-med course.
12. AB Sociology: Sociology, similar to anthropology, also studies the behavior of humans within societies, their key difference being that sociology focuses on society, and anthropology focuses on culture.

Okay, but where do I go after graduation?

Practically speaking, you could go into the following fields, just to name a few:

1. Law
2. Education
3. Advertising
4. Public Relations
5. Publishing
6. Museum Curation
7. Journalism
8. Government
9. Human Resources
10. International Relations

If you don’t see the field you were hoping for, don’t fear. Graduates of HUMSS courses tend to be very flexible. The disciplines develop mindsets and principles that would make you a very desirable hire. For example, your ability to communicate and think on the fly would be invaluable to any company or organization you approach. It’s all a matter of getting creative with your first interview.

Alternatively, you could carve your own path — as an artist, a thinker, a REAL influencer (*wink wink*). You could be a visionary, larger than life in the body of work you leave for future students of the humanities and social sciences to dissect, critique, and be inspired by. Write books, uplift communities, make meaningful art, do whatever the fire in your heart burns for, and your story will write itself.

Beyond just another course list

In conclusion, the HUMSS course list and the possibilities after graduation are inexhaustible. Granted that while we’ve listed quite a number, there are more out there waiting for you to discover them. At least now, you have a better idea of what the disciplines entail, what you should look for, and the power you’d be carrying into the world with you after you graduate college.

There is no one way to go about the rest of your life. College is just the beginning. It’s the point where you start making decisions for yourself and exploring on your own. While, yes, your course will help land you a job after, it’s how you take responsibility for your actions that will spell the difference between another employee and a visionary.

As a graduate of the humanities, my advice is that you don’t limit yourself. Your course in college would be the lens through which you make sense of your course in life, and most importantly, the good you can do is limited only by how much you admit you do not know. You probably already knew that though. You are, after all, a Humanista.

In everything, be brave, honest, and kind. My mentor always told me to practice these three things: Candor, for the things that must be said; kindness, in being honest; and courage, to take on the responsibility of integrity. After all, in this cold and uncaring world, there is a growing need for empathy, warmth, and hope — let it come from you.

 

This is just a short HUMSS course list. If you’re still unsure of what course you want to take, check out our massive database of schools and the courses they offer! Look through hundreds of schools and courses and find the one that’s for you.

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