Introduction to the Humanities Program (IHUM)

IHUM Program

Introduction to the Humanities Program offers students a diverse range of courses that engage the study of human thought, values, beliefs, creativity and culture. It promotes students' skills in oral and written analysis, reasoning and argumentation. IHUM courses help build the intellectual foundations that prepare students for advanced work in the humanities, the sciences, social sciences and engineering.

All IHUM courses are designed and taught by Stanford faculty members from many different fields of study. Their lectures provide the basis for small discussion seminars led by IHUM Fellows.

Seminar-style sections enhance effective lecture-based learning by offering students opportunities to engage in sustained intellectual discussion. Students also learn to approach problems from multiple perspectives and hone critical, analytical skills at the college level.

Course of Study

Fall quarter IHUM courses are interdisciplinary courses taught by a team of Stanford faculty from different disciplines or fields of study. Their lectures provide lively interaction with varying points of view and form the basis for discussion sections. Fall courses emphasize close analysis of a small number of carefully selected works.

Winter / Spring sequences build on and complement the Fall interdisciplinary approach. In a challenging, fast-paced approach concentrated in a specific field, these two-quarter sequences expand on significant themes and ideas about human identity and existence.

Students pair a Fall course with a Winter / Spring sequence to complete their three-quarter requirement.

University legislation mandates the amount of required reading, writing and general assignment parameters for IHUM courses. Faculty determine the assignments most appropriate for their particular courses, advised by governing bodies that oversee IHUM curricula, grading guidelines and other policies.

The best student essays from IHUM and PWR (Writing and Rhetoric) courses are published in the Boothe Essay Prize volume. Contributors are honored at the annual Boothe ceremony celebrating excellence in freshman writing.

Enrolling in IHUM

IHUM offers students several different choices for Fall quarter courses and Winter / Spring sequences, totaling approximately 20 courses each year. Students submit their course preferences online and IHUM administers all enrollment as detailed on the IHUM Enrollment and Petition Information page.

For further information, see the following resources:

People

Approximately 40 Stanford faculty members and 50 IHUM Fellows teach IHUM courses each year. In conjunction with the IHUM governing board, IHUM Central Administrative staff facilitate all aspects of program operations, from coordinating teaching teams to student enrollment. View more information on people associated with IHUM.

Additional Information

Additional information about the IHUM program is available on the IHUM Program website.