Humanities Archives

Area of Study: Humanities

Art History

Find your future by studying art history.

As a UTulsa art history student, you’ll encounter artworks and objects from around the world and across time. You’ll ask questions and conduct research that will prepare you to guide the future of the arts world. Your classes will go beyond questions of content and style to consider the issues that motivate artists and viewers, and how art reveals the past, communicates in the present, and creates the future. You’ll study iconic works alongside objects you’ve never seen before, and craft projects that illuminate the histories of objects and peoples. Our small class size and commitment to mentoring mean that you’ll have opportunities for travel, gain experiences through internships, and pursue a meaningful career after graduation.

Historical Trauma and Transformation

Explore how collective trauma and its responses shape societal structures and historical narratives in the U.S. and around the world.

The Historical Trauma and Transformation (H2T) minor uses place-based learning to deepen understanding of Tulsa, American, and world history by exploring how collective trauma and responses to it have shaped society and culture. H2T engages students in meaningful class discussions, hands-on research with archival materials, and field trips to museums and historic sites. Courses examine contemporary social structures and belief systems within the context of their historical roots, including racism, colonization, forced migration, and genocide. Students learn how people and cultures survive, adapt, and transform trauma while driving societal change.

Judaic & Near Eastern Studies

Explore the vibrant intersection of history, religion, and culture through UTulsa’s Judaic & Near Eastern Studies program.

This interdisciplinary minor delves into the rich traditions, historical narratives, and cultural dynamics of Judaism and the broader Near East. Students will engage with diverse perspectives across multiple disciplines, fostering a deeper understanding of this pivotal region’s influence on global heritage. Tailored to individual academic interests, the program offers the flexibility to explore a wide array of topics under the guidance of expert faculty. Whether you’re drawn to religious studies, anthropology, or historical analysis, this interdisciplinary minor provides a comprehensive framework to expand your knowledge and appreciation of these interconnected fields.

Pre-Law

Lay the groundwork for an exceptional future in law at The University of Tulsa.

If you’re considering law school, you don’t need to declare a pre-law major at The University of Tulsa. Instead, you can choose a major that aligns with your interests while working closely with our pre-law adviser. UTulsa undergraduates who achieve a 3.5 cumulative GPA and score 156 or higher on the LSAT will receive automatic admission to the law school, provided they meet other requirements.

Humane Letters

The University of Tulsa’s Humane Letters program invites students to join a centuries-old conversation about what makes for a meaningful and well-lived life.

Through participation in our Socratic-style seminars, students will become exceptional in the arts of communication and dialectic, learn to respectfully challenge themselves and others, and become more discerning with respect to the most important intellectual and ethical issues that confront us as human beings and citizens today.

Humane Letters majors are automatically in the Honors Program. The major is for those who want an especially deep engagement with classic texts and the perennial questions that matter most to us as individuals and members of a greater community, including those that inform the greatest scientific discoveries and artistic creations of our inherited tradition.

Philosophy & Religion

Deepen your understanding of human existence – animated by critical thinking grounded in research.

Our program is designed to deepen your understanding of human existence on a philosophical level while mastering corresponding methods of inquiry. Offering an introduction to the key aspects of the philosophy and religion areas such as the Bible and literature, ethics and society, and philosophy and religion, the study pathway encourages a critical approach to the theoretical nature of the curriculum.

Spanning millennia and numerous cultures, the philosophy and religion program enables you to cultivate respectful dialogue, logical precision, alternative thought, and specialized writing skills. Under the guidance of our expert faculty, you will further be encouraged to articulate your thoughts freely, reason with clarity, and draw connections among the many ideas that abound.

World Languages

Engage the world and gain a competitive edge in the global market by refining your intercultural communication skills.

Our programs allow you to develop proficiency in a world language of choice and gain an essential understanding of its linguistic structure. The curriculum is designed to broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of other cultures by delving into a comparative textual analysis of various literary genres, styles, and periods. You’ll study in a stimulating environment and opt for your language degree in French, Spanish, German, or Chinese.

UTulsa’s small student-centered classes are led by expert faculty and expanded upon with study abroad experiences and additional advanced-level courses. With fluency in a foreign language a modern-day must, we prepare you to be an aware and successful citizen of a globalized world with a wide range of international career opportunities.

Political Science

Explore themes of justice, rights, and the relationship between the state and the individual by connecting perennial ideas to contemporary challenges.

Delving into domestic and foreign politics by examining ideas and analyzing governments and political trends, our comprehensive programs focus on three core areas of strength: American politics, international studies, and legal theory. Under the mentorship of our expert faculty, through challenging courses and hands-on research, you will probe political problems and governance from all angles, leading you to develop creative, policy-based solutions. Combining theory and methods to study institutions, systems, and policies that make up public life, UTulsa encourages responsible and active citizenship with a wide range of professional opportunities and career paths to opt for.

Organizational Studies

Master the art and science of organizational behavior to implement effective change that makes a societal impact on a micro and macro level.

The interdisciplinary Organizational Studies major, offered jointly by the Kendall College of Arts & Sciences and the Collins College of Business, consists of a wide range of courses from fields such as psychology, sociology, communications/media studies, economics, management, and marketing. It is ideal for students interested in both liberal arts and professional studies, providing a broad background in various disciplines for a nuanced understanding of how organizations work. This major prepares students for entry-level jobs in businesses, non-profits, and government agencies and has been popular and successful in equipping students with knowledge and skills applicable to diverse career paths.

What is Organizational Studies?
Organizational Studies is an interdisciplinary program focusing on administrative, economic, political, psychological, and sociological factors influencing cooperative human systems. A major in Organizational Studies provides students with an understanding of how organizations operate, how they affect society, and how they change.

Psychology

Become a conduit for social change by gaining invaluable insight into human behavior and the relationships we form, enhancing well-being and personal growth.

Psychology explores human nature’s social and biological aspects, stressing theoretical command and reasoning skills pivotal to processing and evaluating data, claims, and hypotheses that can benefit people in multiple ways. Our undergraduate programs offer a comprehensive introduction to this broad field.

Examining human behavior and brain function to detect emotional patterns and identify disorders, we teach the application of scientific methods to verify collaborative study results. Working in small groups, you will learn to conduct wide-ranging research in our state-of-the-art laboratories and interdisciplinary institutes. Under the supervision of our expert faculty, you will get hands-on training in differential community settings, enjoy student travel grants, and invaluable peer-to-peer networking opportunities that foster knowledge exchange and professional advancements.

Women’s & Gender Studies

Examine how gender, race, class, culture, sexuality, and age have shaped the life experiences of women and people of all genders.

Our interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to provide you with the frameworks and tools to better understand human interactions, life experiences, and the economic and social institutions that impact people of different genders.

Through your UTulsa coursework, you’ll cover a wide range of subjects, allowing you to think more critically about gender, power and inequality. You’ll adopt new perspectives and analytical approaches that can be applied to any field or career you pursue. Our programs provide you with rich knowledge of the history of gender, women’s rights, sexuality, and gender sexuality in different cultures, propelling you forward to make an impact in your life and career.

Sociology

Understand the social forces that shape our world, and make an impact through your future career or personal contributions.

As a student of TU’s sociology program, you’ll explore the social institutions that shape our lives and develop analytical skills to solve complex social issues. You’ll also develop a wide range of skills that are valuable in the workplace and community organizations, including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

You’re encouraged to map out your own program of study that satisfies the department’s requirements while providing the flexibility and foundation for your future career aspirations. Students who major in sociology at TU often choose to study abroad or combine their studies with minors or second majors.

History

Embark on the systematic study of the human past to attain crucial knowledge that benefits our future.

Exposing you to a range of historical issues and problems, our programs promote an appreciation of the complexity of human affairs and their interpretation. From comprehensive study of historical materials to extensive research, our curriculum encourages a comparative approach to learning – focusing on ancient, modern, and non-Western history.

In close-knit teams and under the guidance of our expert faculty, you will choose from an innovative list of specialized and thematic courses within a geographical area of your interest. Challenging your intellect and further developing critical thinking and imagination, our Williams A. Settle and the Bessie McAlpine Sullins awards are given out to UTulsa’s outstanding history majors every year.

Classical Studies

Explore the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome and their medieval and modern legacies, and see the present era in a new light.

One of the only programs of its kind in Oklahoma, this interdisciplinary certificate can be earned in addition to a major or as a standalone degree. It offers the opportunity to study the ancient Greco-Roman world and its legacies through original texts, art, and more. Work closely with experts in various disciplines, including History, Philosophy, and Literature, and deepen your understanding of Classical Antiquity as you thrive in a stimulating environment and develop crucial analytical and critical thinking skills. The program’s flexible curriculum has two options: the civilization track or the civilization and languages track, which offers Greek and Latin. In either track, students can elect courses from multiple disciplines or concentrate on a specific field, like History or Latin.

Anthropology

Shape the future of social sciences by studying cultures, bridging gaps, and acknowledging cross-cultural diversity.

Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. Our interdisciplinary programs are devised around four traditional areas of anthropology: archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological (physical) anthropology, and linguistics. This allows you to grasp the complexity of cultures across history fully.

Developing your ability to comprehend and analyze theories, human cultures, and social groups will be at the core of your educational and personal development. Our expert faculty will support you on innovative research projects in UTulsa’s state-of-the-art laboratories and across field sites worldwide. You will have access to our world-class collections and archives, including the most extensive lithic raw material collection in the U.S., while learning to apply theory and methods to real-world problems.

African American Studies

Our interdisciplinary African American Studies minor provides valuable insight into the numerous ways Africans and African Americans have shaped the history and culture of the Americas.

UTulsa’s African American Studies minor provides a breadth of courses from a wide variety of disciplines that help students explore the rich history and culture of African-descended peoples. Students can complement any major with classes like African film, African politics, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the economics of Black Wall Street, the sociology of inequality in American society, the history of jazz, and many more.

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