Humanities courses are essential to the development of scientists who can communicate across academic disciplines and understand the cultural and political conditions that affect their work. Students explore concepts from the philosophy of science to the behaviors of individuals within economic and political institutions. Techers refine the communication and analytical skills that will compliment the knowledge they gain within the scientific curriculum.
For more information on options, faculty and research please visit the website of the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences.
A Sample of Fun Humanities and Social Science courses:
Auctions (Economics): This course covers basic topics in auction theory and discusses more advanced theory such as mechanism design, multi-unit auctions, and interdependent valuations. The course will also discuss practical considerations that arise when designing auctions to sell licenses in a particular industry
Women on the Edge (English): This class considers how women's writing in the 20th century often flouts the conventional portrayal of woman as ministering angel preoccupied with the needs of family without much regard to her own. Writers to be read include Kate Chopin, Colette, Marguerite Duras, Sylvia Plath, Angela Carter, Jeanette Winterson, Toni Morrison, Elfriede Jelinek.
The Science Fiction Film (History/Film): This course introduces students to some of the classic works of the science fiction film from the earliest days of cinema until the present.
Science, Ethics, & Public Policy (Philosophy):This course discusses some moral and social issues concerning research in the sciences (chiefly, biomedicine, with special attention to stem-cell research.)
Forbidden Knowledge (History & Philosophy of Science): When and how has the notion of freedom of knowledge and teaching in science emerged? What kinds of restrictions have been placed on scientists, their publications and institutions?
Humanities and Social Science core courses:
- two terms emphasizing writing
- two terms of introductory social-science courses
- two terms of advanced humanities courses
- two terms of advanced social-science courses
- the remaining four courses may be chosen from any of the humanities or social science offerings
Languages offered:
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Spanish
- Japanese
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, Caltech's neighbor and counterpart research institution in the humanities offers undergraduate students at Caltech an opportunity to do research and explore holdings in British and American literature, art history, and the history of science and medicine. The library's rare book and manuscripts constitute one of the world's largest and most extensive used collections in America outside of the Library of Congress. With the addition of the Burndy Library, in 2006, the Huntington is now among the world's most important repositories for the history of science and technology.