Classics, Humanities and Italian Studies (CHI)

https://cola.unh.edu/classics-humanities-italian-studies

The Department of Classics, Humanities and Italian Studies (CHI) unites three interdisciplinary programs and leverages the knowledge, research and teaching of additional faculty from around the College of Liberal Arts to provide a uniquely comprehensive curriculum in the humanities. Courses allow students to explore fundamental questions of human life and discover how these have been answered by thinkers, artists and writers from the ancient world to the present day. The classics and Italian studies programs concentrate on the Mediterranean world and its cultures, while the humanities program broadens the focus with critical inquiry into not only the reception of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations but also the ways in which comparative studies across time, space and cultures can illuminate the human condition. The programs offer an explicitly comparative and interdisciplinary training that nourishes expertise across arts, cultures, geographies and languages, and develops cultural fluency and critical thinking skills that form the basis for lifelong learning.

The faculty of CHI is committed to combining these theoretical considerations with practical concerns in order to help the University's students become productive, responsible, and involved citizens and leaders of their communities, businesses and political institutions. Students thus gain both fundamental disciplinary knowledge, such as competency in a foreign language, and also explore perspectives that allow them to appreciate and critique the values, ideals, and intellectual and artistic accomplishments of individuals and societies both present and past.

For those students who wish to study abroad, the department is also home to four programs. Students of any major can take part in the January-term program in Rome (UNH-in-Rome), a summer program in Athens (UNH-in-Greece), a summer program in Bologna, Italy, or a spring semester program in Budapest (UNH Budapest Spring Program).

The Department offers three different undergraduate majors (classics, humanities and Italian studies) and five minors (classics, Latin, Greek, humanities and Italian studies). The curriculum includes a variety of courses in English in interdisciplinary humanities, classical civilization and Italian studies and also provides extensive language coursework in Ancient and Modern Greek, Italian and Latin, as well as additional offerings in Hittite and Sanskrit.

On This Page

Classics (CLAS)
Humanities (HUMA)
Italian (ITAL)

Classics (CLAS)

CLAS 400 - Exploring and Experiencing the Ancient World and its Legacy

Credits: 2

Covers aspects of the ancient world and its subsequent importance not found in the rest of the Classics curriculum or dealt with only briefly. Topics are chosen to be timely by connecting antiquity to current events, including pop culture, or to be enduring but under-appreciated. Emphasis on active and engaged learning and, where possible, experiential activities. May be repeated on different topics. Does not satisfy major requirements.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 16 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 401 - Classical Mythology

Credits: 4

Survey of myths and sagas of ancient Greece and Rome. No classical preparation necessary. Background course for majors in English, the arts, music, history, modern languages, classics.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 401H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 403 - Introduction to Greek Civilization

Credits: 4

A broad historical exploration of Greek civilization. Topics include: architecture, art, law, literature, philosophy, poetry, politics, religion, society, warfare, and the Greeks’ legacy to the modern world. Open to all students. No prior knowledge of the ancient world assumed; all readings are in English. Ideal background for students of English, philosophy, history, Latin, Greek, the arts, music, modern languages.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 405, HIST 403

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 404 - Introduction to Roman Civilization

Credits: 4

A broad historical exploration of Roman civilization. Topics include: architecture, art, law, literature, philosophy, poetry, politics, religion, society, warfare, and the Romans’ legacy to the modern world. Open to all students. No prior knowledge of the ancient world assumed; all readings are in English. Ideal background for students of English, philosophy, history, Latin, Greek, the arts, music, modern languages.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 406, HIST 404

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 444 - Individual and Society in the Ancient World

Credits: 4

This class examines one of the major issues faced by people throughout history, whether and under what circumstances an individual should act against the wishes of society. The great philosophical and historical works of the ancient world shed light not only on how the Greeks and Romans approached the idea of personal responsibility but also on the assumptions we today make about human nature and the relationships on which society depends. No prior knowledge of the ancient world required. All readings are in English.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 444D - Athens, Rome, and the Birth of the United States

Credits: 4

What did Washington, Jefferson, Adams (John and Abigail), Madison and Paine have in common? They were all instrumental in shaping the US political system, but they were also educated in the classics. When building the framework of our democratic republic, they continually looked to Athens and Rome as models, inspirations and warnings. The course examines ancient political systems and how they helped fashion our founder's notion of the ideal government and continue to do so.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 501 - Introduction to Mediterranean Archaeology

Credits: 4

Survey of representative archaeological sites, architecture, and objects produced by the cultures surrounding the Ancient Mediterranean. The course will focus on the structure, form, and symbolic content, or sanctuaries, cities, tombs, housing, as well as material culture such as pottery and sculpture. In addition to the overarching narrative of the history of classical archaeology, further topics include cross-cultural influences, materials and building technologies, archaeological theory and practice, and aesthetic principles.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Equivalent(s): ARTH 501

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS #510 - Building Rome

Credits: 4

An introduction to the buildings and structures for which the Romans remain famous, such as the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and the aqueducts that allowed Rome to become a metropolis. A major focus is the connection between the changes in Roman society and the development of Roman architecture. Looks at both Rome and other important cities in the Roman Empire. All readings are in English. No prior knowledge of the ancient world required.

Co-requisite: INCO 589

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

CLAS 511 - Special Studies in Greek History

Credits: 4

The course uses historical and literary sources in conjunction with the city of Athens itself and its archaeological remains to explore the history of a particular theme, cultural practice or institution in ancient Greek civilization. The topics changes with different instructors but always takes a fundamentally historical orientation to the material and the city, even if interdisciplinary approaches are incorporated into the coursework. CLAS 511 is offered only as part of a study abroad program.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 520A - Classical Society, Politics and Ethics: Democracies and Republics

Credits: 4

We frequently use the terms "democracy" and "republic" to describe our own political system, but where did these words and ideas originally come from? This course examines the historical development of the original democracies in Greece (primarily Athens) and the Roman Republic, as well as the particular institutions and practices that were associated with each. Course will also cover the development of democratic and republican institutions in the modern world.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 520B - Classical Society, Politics and Ethics: Happiness and Ancient Views of the Good Life

Credits: 4

How did the Greeks and Romans define happiness and was happiness considered an essential component of the "good life"? How do ancient concepts of the "good life" influence later views of human flourishing and how do specific historical circumstances alter utopian visions of a life well lived? This course traces the concept of the "good life" from ancient Greece to today and challenges students to create their own vision of a "good life".

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 520C - Classical Society, Politics and Ethics: Sports, Spectacle and Competition

Credits: 4

This course treats the details of athletic training and competition, but its primary focus is on investigating the importance of athletics to society and how athletics reflected the broader cultural values of the Greeks and Romans. Open to all students. All readings in English.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 520D - Classical Society, Politics and Ethics: Greek and Roman Religion

Credits: 4

This course traces the historical development of ancient Greek and Roman religion from its antecedents in Near Eastern, Minoan, and Mycenaean culture to the rise of Christianity in Rome's early imperial period. This course also introduces students to the methods and materials of historians of religion. Topics covered in this course include: changing conceptions of divinity, animal sacrifice, sanctuaries, festivals, death and the afterlife, divination, magic, and mystery cults.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 520

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 525 - Greek and Latin Origins of Medical Terms

Credits: 4

Study of medical terminology. Exercises in etymology and the development of vocabulary in a context at once scientific, historical, and cultural. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is required. Useful to premedical, pre-dental, pre-veterinary, nursing, medical technology, and other students in the biological and physical sciences. Open to all students.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 530A - Classical Literary Performance Genres: War and Adventure in Ancient Epic

Credits: 4

Storytelling has long been one of the primary means to preserve and transmit cultural ideas and traditions. In this course students read and analyze the earliest epic tales from the Greek and Roman period with a view toward understanding the roots and nature of epic, the myths it told, and the influence it has had on subsequent literature. No credit earned if credit received for CLAS 444B.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): CLAS 444B

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 530B - Classical Literary and Performance Genres: Tragedy and Comedy on the Ancient Stage

Credits: 4

Investigations into the dramatic works of the Greek and Romans, the power of performance, and the cultural importance of stage productions. Readings include the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, and the comedies of Aristophanes, Menander, and Plautus. Ideal background for students of all theatrical and performance traditions. Open to all students. All readings in English.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 530

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 540A - Environment, Technology and Ancient Society: Sustaining Ancient Rome Ecology and Empire

Credits: 4

This course examines the interplay between the ancient Roman environment, Roman technological innovations, and the values of Roman imperial society. Examining Roman innovations in water supply, building technology, mining, and more, this course explores the ethical questions that arise through the use of ancient Roman technology, evaluates the effects of these technologies on the environment and Roman society, and determines whether Roman values encouraged or discouraged a responsible approach to technology and the environment.

Attributes: Environment,TechSociety(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 515

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 540B - Environment, Technology and Ancient Society: Roman Houses, Domestic Space and Public Life

Credits: 4

The Romans used the house as a communication technology for defining and expressing their identities in society and in the natural world. In this course, we examine literary and visual sources for Roman houses, apartments, villas, and palaces, and we compare and contrast the role of the house in the ancient world and in American society. We pay special attention to how domestic space shapes and is shaped by environment, politics, and culture.

Attributes: Environment,TechSociety(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 540C - Environment, Technology and Ancient Society: Tech, Tools and Engineering in the Ancient World

Credits: 4

This course examines positive and negative impacts of ancient technological advances: engineering (fire, metallurgy), writing technology (scripts, including the alphabet, the emergence of papyrus and vellum), military technology (shipbuilding, defensive and offensive technologies, and navigation), artistic (invention of dyes, lost-wax methods of bronze casting), infrastructure (roads, bridges, and aqueducts), and monumentality (Stonehenge, Greek temples, and the Roman Colosseum). Focus on the ways in which societal and environmental factors influenced technological development and vice versa.

Attributes: Environment,TechSociety(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 550A - Identities and Difference in the Ancient World: Greek and Roman Women

Credits: 4

The impact of women on society in Greece and Rome throughout Antiquity. The role of women in public, religious, and private life as well as their legal status through law codes. Men's views of women in different literary texts. Especially concentrating on the few existing texts written by women. All readings are in English.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): CLAS 550

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 550B - Identities and Difference in the Ancient World: Slaves and Masters

Credits: 4

Students explore the different ways slavery developed in the Greek and Roman worlds with an emphasis on the connections to other historical developments such as the practice of warfare, changes in political systems, and ancient views about human rights. To better understand the development of Greek and Roman slavery, we look at how the ancient systems compare to slavery in the American South and modern human trafficking.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 550C - Identities and Difference in the Ancient World: Sex and Desire in Greece and Rome

Credits: 4

This course provides an introduction to ancient Greek and Roman conceptions of desire and sexuality, to how these conceptions developed and changed over time, and how they differ from modern ways of understanding sex, desire, and sexuality. Topics discussed include "romantic" love, attitudes towards homosexual practices, man-boy love, lesbianism, ancient views of "cross-dressing," and attitudes towards prostitution, among others.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 551 - Race, Ethnicity, Class & Classics

Credits: 4

Examines race, ethnicity, and class, and the ways in which they intersect with the study of the ancient world. The approach will use critical lenses alert to the impact of power imbalances both on how we view these subjects in the ancient world and how the ancients have been used to create and reinforce hierarchies in the modern world. The exact focus will vary by semester (students may repeat once if on a different topic).

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 575 - Ancient Near East

Credits: 4

From the Neolithic revolution to the time of Alexander the Great. Rise of civilization; nature of human artistic and intellectual development in the earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt; Judaism in its historical setting. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Equivalent(s): HIST 575

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 601 - Classical Myth II: The Power and Persistence of Myth

Credits: 4

An in-depth look at the myths of the Greeks and Romans, at the power of myth as a cultural force, and at the importance of myth both in the ancient period as well as the modern era. The focal point is on the myths of the Greeks and Romans, but the myths of other cultures are addressed. All readings are in English.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 675 - History of Ancient Greece

Credits: 4

Discover the exciting, turbulent, and innovative world of the Greeks through their history, from the emergence of small cities in the archaic period to the empire of Alexander the Great. Special focus will be on the political, economic and social developments in the rise of the polis (city), the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the rise of Macedon and Alexander the Great’s conquests. CLAS 403/HIST 403 is encouraged but not necessary.

Equivalent(s): HIST 675

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 676 - Topics in Ancient Greek History

Credits: 4

Advanced historical study of a particular period or theme in ancient Greek history. May be repeated barring duplication of subject.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): HIST 676

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 677 - History of Ancient Rome

Credits: 4

Discover the fascinating and tumultuous history of the ancient Roman world, from its small beginnings in the early Republic to the high Empire, when Rome controlled the whole Mediterranean basin. Special focus will be on the political and economic conflicts between social classes, the Punic Wars, the fall of the Republic, its transformation into a monarchy, and the golden age of imperial rule. CLAS 404/HIST 404 is encouraged but not necessary.

Equivalent(s): HIST 677

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 678 - Topics in Ancient Roman History

Credits: 4

Advanced historical study of a particular period or theme in ancient Roman history. May be repeated barring duplication of subject.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): HIST #678

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 686 - UNH in Greece Study Abroad

Credits: 0-6

Study abroad in Greece. Interested students should consult a Classics advisor. Students should be advised they must meet program and university requirements for study abroad. (IA grade will be assigned until official transcript is received from the foreign institution.)

Co-requisite: CLAS 511, INCO 589

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

Special Fee: Yes

CLAS 694 - Supervised Practicum

Credits: 2 or 4

Participants earn credit for suitable pre-professional activities, including high school outreach, assisting in undergraduate courses and work with professional organizations, museum work. Enrollment limited to juniors and seniors who are Classics, Latin, or Greek majors or minors and have above-average G.P.A.s. Writing assignments are required. Course does not count toward Classics, Latin, or Greek major or minor requirements.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

CLAS 695 - Special Studies

Credits: 2 or 4

Advanced work in classics. Research paper. Not open to freshmen and sophomores.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

CLAS 696 - Special Studies

Credits: 2 or 4

Advanced work in classics. Research paper. Not open to freshmen and sophomores.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Humanities (HUMA)

HUMA 401 - Introduction to the Humanities

Credits: 4

Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of the humanities. Taking as its entry point a significant work, the course is organized by topics related to that work, selected and arranged to invoke lively intellectual debate among faculty and students alike. Group lectures by the four core humanities faculty members. The instructors teaching the course will provide material for smaller weekly discussion sections led by each of those faculty members. Requirements include lively discussions, papers, and examinations. Not repeatable.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HUMA 401W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 401W - Introduction to Humanities

Credits: 4

Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of the humanities. Taking as its entry point a significant work, the course is organized by topics related to that work, selected and arranged to invoke lively intellectual debate among faculty and students alike. Group lectures by the three core humanities faculty members. The instructors teaching the course will provide material for smaller weekly discussion sections led by each of those faculty members. Requirements include lively discussions, papers, and examinations.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 401

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 411 - Humanities I

Credits: 4

Introduction to the humanities and Western culture through literature, history, philosophy, music, art, and architecture. Examination of selected historical periods from classical Greece through the Renaissance through readings, films, slides, and field trips.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

HUMA 412 - Humanities II

Credits: 4

Introduction to the humanities and Western culture through literature, history, philosophy, music, art, and architecture. Examination of selected historical periods from the Enlightenment to the present through the use of readings, films, slides, and field trips.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 413 - Dramatic Art and Social Reality: The Many Meanings of Performance

Credits: 4

This course illuminates connections between the performed stories of drama and real aspects of our lives. It considers performances on stages, screen, and in everyday life—like social rituals, “scripted” because performers are expected to follow certain social roles. It examines those rituals, investigating how they were authored and whether participants have been appropriately cast. No credit if student has taken HUMA 412: Humanities II: Dramatic Art & Social Reality: The Many Meanings of Performance.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 440A - Honors/Hooked: Narratives of Addiction, Recovery, and Redemption

Credits: 4

This course explores literature about addiction through both literary an psychological lenses. It focuses on the redemption narrative that structures the understanding of addiction for writers and readers alike. Readings include stories of religious redemption, short fiction, memoirs, self-help texts, and narrative and psychological theory. This course is part of the Honors Symposium "Engaging Addiction". The courses in the Symposium join several times during the semester for common meetings where perspectives can be compared and explored.

Attributes: Honors course; Humanities(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 440B - Honors/That Belongs in a Museum! Museums and the Ownership of Antiquities

Credits: 4

Suppose you stumbled upon an artifact from an Indigenous Native American people in your backyard. Do you own it? Or do the heirs of those who produced it? Or does it belong in a museum for all to see? In a series of controversial case studies we will examine what it means to “own” the past, how it should be protected and preserved, and what role museums have had–-and should have—in safeguarding that past.

Attributes: Honors course; Humanities(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 444D - Plague/Literary Histories of Epidemics

Credits: 4

Explores the meanings of epidemics as represented in literature. Topics include mysterious ancient disasters, the Black Death, AIDS, and hypothetical diseases used as thought experiments, as well as current controversies about the spread and prevention of disease. How do disease and its control shape state and social structures? How have the meanings of disease, health, medicine, and the body changed over time? What kind of art does disease give rise to?.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 444E - What is a Criminal?

Credits: 4

Criminals are people who break the law -- In theory. How do people become criminals (with regard to biological, cultural, and economic influences)? What happens to them in the criminal justice system, and how does the system shape the definition of "criminal"? We will also discuss "criminals of conscience" from Thoreau and Gandhi to Edward Snowden. The course will emphasize reading but will also engage with other media, including films, podcasts, and visual art.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 444F - Travelers in the Premodern World

Credits: 4

Travel is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. This course explores the human experience of travel using materials originating from across premodern world. Students investigate materials ranging from maps and pilgrimage accounts, to poetry and stories to understand what has compelled people to undertake the often perilous road. In the process, they consider the role of travel in cultural contact, communication, exchange, and the generation an spread of knowledge.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 500 - Critical Methods in the Humanities

Credits: 4

Critical analysis of works in the humanities. Focuses on major texts, evaluation of secondary literature, research writing, criticism. Required of all HUMA majors.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): ECS 550

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 505 - Introduction to Religion

Credits: 4

This course provides an introduction to religion, exploring the various ways that this phenomenon has been understood, approached, practiced, and studied across human history. The course will examine the different ways that religion can be defined, drawing from a variety of humanities and other disciplines. Foundational theories explaining the origins, persistence, and continued relevance of religion will be compared and applied to different traditions. Topics include concepts of divinity, rituals, myth, mysticism and spirituality, pilgrimage, death and the afterlife, and ultimate reality.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Equivalent(s): RS 505

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 510A - Ancient Humanities: Cultures and Empires

Credits: 4

Humans are social animals and, from an early period, they organized into cities and empires. How did peoples like the ancient Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Indians, Greeks, Chinese, or Romans view themselves? How did they conceive of the world? Why was power distributed to some and not others? This co-taught course examines art, philosophy, history, and cultures from the ancient world to offer an introduction to the human experience from approximately 3000 BCE to 700 CE.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 510B, HUMA 510C, HUMA 510D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 510B - Ancient Humanities: Cultures and Empires

Credits: 4

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 510A, HUMA 510C, HUMA 510D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 510C - Ancient Humanities: Cultures and Empires

Credits: 4

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 510A, HUMA 510B, HUMA 510D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 510D - Ancient Humanities: Cultures and Empires

Credits: 4

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 510A, HUMA 510B, HUMA 510C

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 511A - Medieval Humanities: Rise of Global Empires

Credits: 4

The medieval period saw a dynamic explosion in cultural connections. From the Islamic caliphates to the Mongols to the European empires in the Americas and Asia, the origins of global interconnectivity can be found in the period between 700 and 1700 CE. In this co-taught course, we explore the art, philosophy, history, and cultures of the medieval world to see how global connectivity shaped the human experience.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 511B, HUMA 511C, HUMA 511D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 511B - Medieval Humanities: Rise of Global Empires

Credits: 4

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 511A, HUMA 511C, HUMA 511D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 511C - Medieval Humanities: Rise of Global Empires

Credits: 4

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 511A, HUMA 511B, HUMA 511D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 512A - Modern Humanities: Colonies, Constitutions, and Capital

Credits: 4

The world we know took shape since the 1600s as European empires conquered much of the world; industrialization and capitalism expanded and redistributed power and wealth; and science opened new ways of viewing and changing the world. Humans forged new ideas to justify or challenge these changes. This co-taught course explores the art, philosophy, history, and cultures of the modern world to understand how it came to be.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 512B, HUMA 512C, HUMA #512D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 512B - Modern Humanities: Colonies, Constitutions, and Capital

Credits: 4

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 512A, HUMA 512C, HUMA #512D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 512C - Modern Humanities: Colonies, Constitutions, and Capital

Credits: 4

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 512A, HUMA 512B, HUMA #512D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA #512D - Modern Humanities: Colonies, Constitutions, and Capital

Credits: 4

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 512A, HUMA 512B, HUMA 512C

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 513A - Global Humanities

Credits: 4

In this co-taught topics course, students will study art, philosophy, history, and cultures of a particular region of the globe, most often one underrepresented in the traditional study of Western Humanities. Students will consider internal diversity, change over time, and interactions with other regions. Topics may include Africa, the Indian Ocean, Latin America, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, South or East Asia, or associated diasporas. May be repeated if specific topic is different.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Equivalent(s): HUMA 513B, HUMA 513C, HUMA #513D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 513B - Global Humanities

Credits: 4

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Equivalent(s): HUMA 513A, HUMA 513C, HUMA #513D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 513C - Global Humanities

Credits: 4

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Equivalent(s): HUMA 513A, HUMA 513B, HUMA #513D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA #513D - Global Humanities

Credits: 4

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Equivalent(s): HUMA 513A, HUMA 513B, HUMA 513C

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 514A - Space, Place, & the Environment

Credits: 4

In this co-taught topics course, students will explore the relationship between people and the spaces they inhabit. How do ideas shape environments, and how do environments shape ideas? How does "place" differ from "space"? Studied through an interdisciplinary lens, topics may include sustainability, environmental humanities, the built environment, and urbanism. Topics may also cover how communities shape and interact with their environments. May be repeated if specific topic is different.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 514B - Space, Place, & the Environment

Credits: 4

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 514C - Space, Place, & the Environment

Credits: 4

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 1 time.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 519 - Classical Greece

Credits: 4

Examination of the culture of classical Greece through the history, drama, philosophy, and art of the period. Open to all students. Recommended for students in the humanities major.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 525 - Humanities and the Law

Credits: 4

This multidisciplinary course examines the nature of justice, legal systems and law in various historical contexts, including how these have been conceived, how they originated and the role of the professional judiciary, as well as the relationship between law and ethics. Consideration of how legal ideas have changed over time and built upon each other. May be repeated once if specific topic is different.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 526 - Humanities and Science

Credits: 4

In this interdisciplinary course, students examine the ways in which scientific and technological understanding affects the development of cultural expression. Scientific, technological and environmental factors are sometimes discussed as if they are separate from human beings, but in this course we will consider the myriad direct, complex, and surprising ways that they drive cultural shifts and are then understood in evolving ways by cultures. Topics vary with instructor. May be repeated once if topics is different.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): HUMA 651

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 527 - Humanities and Religion

Credits: 4

This course examines the role of religion, religious ideas and religious practice in world cultures using a combination of methodologies drawn from different humanities disciplines, with a particular emphasis on comparative approaches and investigating how religion is used to create and express cultural identity around the globe.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 550 - Budapest Spring Semester: Special Studies in Comparative Ideas

Credits: 4

This course involves periodic offerings in literature, art, history, philosophy and political science designed to stimulate reflection on ideas and issues in Hungarian and Central European history and culture in a larger global context. Topics vary depending upon the expertise of the resident faculty.

Co-requisite: INCO 588

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

HUMA 551 - Budapest Spring Semester: Field Studies in Art and Culture

Credits: 6

This course is designed to provide students with first-hand experience of art, history, culture, folklore, and traditions of Hungary and Central Europe. The course combines preparatory readings with guided field trips to museums, historical sites, and culturally significant events and locations. Students maintain a weekly blog reflecting on field trip experiences.

Co-requisite: INCO 588

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 563 - Introduction to Russian Culture and Civilization

Credits: 4

Interdisciplinary course on the development of Russian culture from its origins through the end of the 19th century. Historical documents, literary works, ethnographic materials, films, slides of Russian art, and music.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Equivalent(s): HIST 563

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA #592 - Special Topics in the Humanities

Credits: 2-8

Special topics; offered occasionally.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.

Equivalent(s): HUMA 592W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 698 - Independent Study

Credits: 4

Independent study open only to highly qualified juniors and seniors who have completed at least four humanities courses above the 400 level. Requires original research and substantial writing projects under the direction of a member of the core faculty of the humanities.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 700 - Seminar

Credits: 4

Provides an opportunity for in-depth reading, viewing, and/or listening to texts and artifacts. Emphasis on the multiple perspectives and methodologies that can be brought to bear upon these works from several humanistic disciplines.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 730 - Special Studies

Credits: 4

Selected topics not covered by existing courses, with subjects to vary.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): HIST 679, HUMA 690, HUMA 695, JUST 695

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 795 - Study of Creativity

Credits: 4

A study of human creativity through representative lives and works of such figures as daVinci, Einstein, Kathe Kollwitz, Bach, Dickens, and Freud. Lectures, class discussions, films, and slides supplemented by gallery tours plays, and concerts. Open to students with a background in humanities or by permission of the instructor. (Normally offered every other year.)

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HUMA 690, HUMA 695

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

HUMA 796 - Study of Contemporary Issues

Credits: 4

Current social and political issues with focus on recent developments in public policy, science, and business, and their impact of social values.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 798 - Research Seminar

Credits: 1-2

Provides a context within which students may discuss and receive direction in the course of completing a major research paper. At the end of the seminar, students present their research to the faculty and their fellow students.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): HUMA 500 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HUMA 799 - Research Seminar

Credits: 3-4

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): HUMA 500 with a minimum grade of D- and HUMA 798 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Italian (ITAL)

ITAL 401 - Elementary Italian I

Credits: 4

For students without previous training in Italian. Aural comprehension, speaking, writing, reading, (No credit for students who have had two or more years of Italian in secondary school; however, any such students whose studies of Italian have been interrupted for seven years should consult the Program Coordinator about possibly receiving credit).

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 402 - Elementary Italian II

Credits: 4

For students who have completed ITAL 401 or an equivalent. Aural comprehension, speaking, writing, reading. (No credit for students who have had two or more years of Italian in secondary school; however, any such students whose studies of Italian have been interrupted for seven years should consult the Program Coordinator about possibly receiving credit).

Attributes: Foreign Language Requirement

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 425 - Introduction to Italian Studies

Credits: 4

This course explores Italian culture and society and examines the role of Italian art, cuisine, literature and history via readings, films, music, and lectures. What makes Italy Italy? What does it mean to be Italian? How do phenomena such as regionalism, the Mafia, and the European Union shape our understanding of contemporary Italy? The course analyzes the interactions among culture, politics, history, and society as a means of defining national identity.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Equivalent(s): ITAL 425H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 444A - Italians Come to America: Representing Emigration and Immigration on Both Sides of the Atlantic

Credits: 4

Course is designed around the phenomenon of emigration from Italy to the United States over the last century or so, with particular attention to the time period between the end of the nineteenth century and the mid-twentieth century. While core media under examination are literature and film, we also draw on historical, anthropological, political and sociological readings to help us consider the many issues involved.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 444B - Mamma Mia! Italian Motherhood from the Virgin Mary to Carmela Soprano

Credits: 4

This course examines motherhood and the special role of the Italian mother - la mamma italiana - in past and present italian society. Through readings from a wide variety of disciplines - theology, history, medicine, and literature - as well as an examination of art and film, we will analyze the origins and conflicted nature of Italian attitudes toward motherhood. Topics include: maternal love and self-sacrifice, beliefs about generation and their influence on maternal and paternal roles, Italian family structure. Mussolini's promotion of motherhood, the phenomenon of mammismo or "Mama's boys", and Italian-American mothers, including Carmela Soprano.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 444C - Feelings: A Cultural History

Credits: 4

How do we understand emotions? What is their relationship to our daily life, and to the larger world? They seem personal, but they are also universal, shaping not just individuals, but communities, politics, and society at large. This course charts the history of emotions through literature, visual art, and film, with a particular focus on Italy and the United States, and explores how feelings inform our political and cultural understanding of the world around us.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 503 - Intermediate Italian I

Credits: 4

For students who have completed ITAL 402 or an equivalent. A complete review of the fundamentals of grammar and syntax. Selected readings as a general introduction to Italian civilization and culture. Films and activities.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 504 - Intermediate Italian II

Credits: 4

For students who have completed ITAL 503 or an equivalent. A review of the fundamentals of grammar and syntax. Selected readings as a general introduction to Italian civilization and culture. Films and activities.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL #510J - Rome: The Eternal City in Italian Culture

Credits: 4

This course offers an interdisciplinary introduction to the Eternal City and its role in Italian culture from the Middle Ages to the present. Together, the online and on-site components of the course allow students to compare their theoretical historical, social and artistic knowledge of Italian culture (acquired through readings, films and online lectures) with experiential knowledge gained through first-hand exposure to contemporary Rome. All readings in English. Fulfills the World Cultures Discovery requirement.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

ITAL 521 - Medieval and Renaissance Italian Culture

Credits: 4

This course explores the culture and society of Medieval and Early Modern Italy through major works of fiction and non-fiction. The East met the West and the North met the South in the Italian peninsula making it one of the most diverse, wealthy, creative, powerful, and influential regions in Europe. In examining this period, the course asks such questions as: What was the Renaissance? Why were the Muslims and Vikings in Sicily? What is the Bonfire of the Vanities? Why did Shakespeare set so many plays in Italy? No prerequisites and all work is in English.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 522 - Modern and Contemporary Italian Culture

Credits: 4

This course explores the culture and society of modern and contemporary Italy through major works of fiction and non-fiction. In examining the emergence of the new nation-state, the course poses such questions as: What does "We have made Italy; now we need to make the Italians" mean? What is Fascism? What is "la dolce vita?" How have climate change and the refugee crisis changed Italy and Italians? The unification of Italy, colonialism, Fascism, Made in Italy, La Dolce Vita, domestic terrorism, North vs South are some of the topics examined. No prerequisites and all work is in English.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 525 - Italian Cinema

Credits: 4

Italian Cinema is a survey of the development of the film industry in Italy and of major Italian films. Through film, the course explores the culture, society, history, and politics of Italy, as well as the aesthetics, technology, economics, and theory of cinema. No prerequisites and all work is in English.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 526 - The Art of Cinema in Italy

Credits: 4

While studying in Italy students explore the relationship between cinema as art, the reception and distribution of films cinema historiography (including archives), and technology. Students read about movements, directors, and expectations of genre, and identify connections between artistic concerns and the technology involved in making, preserving and restoring films. Students visit the Cineteca di Bologna and attend the annual Cinema Ritrovato film festival.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

ITAL 540 - Making Italian Americans: Migration and Identity Formation

Credits: 4

This course examines historical, social, economic, political, cultural, religious, and folkloric structures that shape how Italian Americans identify themselves as a distinct ethnicity. Through study of Italian American identity, the course analyzes the Italian state in the late nineteenth century, immigration policies in the United States, the challenges of assimilation, the demise of traditional Italian American communities (i.e., "Little Italy"), and the role of ethnic identity in contemporary American society.

Attributes: Social Science (Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 595 - Practicum

Credits: 2

Practical use of Italian language and culture through special projects outside the classroom.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 4 credits.

Equivalent(s): ITAL 595A

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

ITAL 631 - Advanced Conversation and Composition I

Credits: 4

Rapid review of basic grammatical structures and in-depth study of more complex linguistic patterns. Vocabulary building. Frequent written compositions and oral presentations using materials on contemporary culture taken from the various media. Phonetics and oral/aural skills development.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 504 with a minimum grade of C.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 632 - Advanced Conversation and Composition II

Credits: 4

Advanced spoken and written Italian to attain aural-oral fluency. Advanced reading and composition.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 504 with a minimum grade of C.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 635 - Italian Food Studies

Credits: 4

Italian Food Studies acquaints students with the principles of aesthetics as they pertain to our understanding of and relationship to food. The philosophical aspects of the course are complemented by experiential components that emphasize the particularity as well as the diversity of the Italian regions.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 651 - Introduction to Italian Culture and Civilization I: Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque

Credits: 4

Survey of major representative writers and artists, studied against the backdrop of social and cultural history. Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Marino. (Not offered every year).

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 631 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 652 - Introduction to Italian Culture and Civilization II: Age of Enlightenment, Romanticism, Modernism

Credits: 4

Survey of major representative writers and artists, studied against a backdrop of social and cultural history. Parini, Goldoni, Leopardi, Manzoni, Pavese, Calvino. (Not offered every year).

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 631 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 675 - Special Topics in Italian Studies

Credits: 4

Topics drawn from all aspects and periods of Italian Studies. May be repeated for credit barring duplication of materials.

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 631 with a minimum grade of D-.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to unlimited times.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 681A - Ancient and Medieval Italy

Credits: 4

Taking an interdisciplinary, but historically centered perspective, this course examines the construction of Italy as both a nation and culture from the pre-Roman period to the fifteenth century.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): ITAL 681B

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 681B - Ancient and Medieval Italy

Credits: 4

Taking an interdisciplinary, but historically centered perspective, this course examines the construction of Italy as both a nation and culture from the pre-Roman period to the fifteenth century.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Equivalent(s): ITAL 681A

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 682B - Italian Culture: Early Modern, Modern and Contemporary

Credits: 4

Taking an interdisciplinary, but humanistically-centered perspective, this course examines the construction of Italy as both a nation and culture from the fifteenth century to the contemporary era.

Attributes: Humanities(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 683 - UNH in Bologna Summer Program

Credits: 0-8

This is an administrative placeholder course for the UNH in Bologna summer program. Students can be registered for both this administrative course number and the course number(s) of course(s) being offered on site.

Co-requisite: INCO 589

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

Special Fee: Yes

ITAL 733 - History and Development of the Italian Language

Credits: 4

Development of the Italian language from Roman times to the present. Examines the comparative method and internal reconstruction as well as processes of changes in phonology, syntax and lexicon. The course introduces issues in dialect geography, the basic features of paleography and surveys the evolution of scripts.

Prerequisite(s): ITAL 631 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 775 - Topics in Literary & Cultural Studies

Credits: 4

Advanced course on a literary/cultural topic. Possible topics include African Italian Literature, Dante, Poetry, Theatre, Italy and the European Union, Social & Political Movements, Environment, Sustainability, Film. Barring duplication of subject, the course may be repeated for credit.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to unlimited times.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 795 - Independent Study in Italian Language and Literature

Credits: 1-4

Individual guided study.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

ITAL 796 - Independent Study in Italian Language and Literature

Credits: 1-4

Individual guided study.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

https://cola.unh.edu/classics-humanities-italian-studies/faculty-staff-directory