Seminars & Events
The College faculty voted during the spring semester of the 2009-2010 academic year to discontinue the major in Human Studies. Students who were enrolled in the College by September, 2009 may still complete this major; the required research methods course and the senior seminar will both be offered once a year (methods in fall and seminar in spring) through the 2012-2013 academic year. Students who enter SMCM under a catalogue after 2009 will not be able to declare this major.
New students interested in the concept of "human studies" should meet with one of the committee members to explore options that will serve them well given their academic and career goals.
About the Major
The human studies major is a multi-disciplinary major that focuses on the study of the individual in social context. The objectives of the human studies major are to enable students to understand the psychological, social, and cultural forces that affect the lives of individuals, and to encourage integration of this knowledge through interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary study.
The major consists of three components. First, there is a required core of six courses which introduces students to the disciplines of psychology, anthropology/sociology, and philosophy, and to the methods of study employed by these disciplines. The capstone experience in this component can consist of either the senior seminar course or the St. Mary's Project, either of which provides the opportunity for students to explore a topic of interest in greater depth.
In addition to the required core courses, majors select at least one course from a group of upper-level offerings emphasizing the nature of developmental processes. Finally, each student chooses a set of upper-level courses from one of two concentrations: social relations or childhood and society.
