Faculty of Humanities
Dr. James Dopp teaches Canadian literature and University 101 classes. He finds poetry a powerful way for students to tap into their emotions. "University 101 students are so excited and grateful to discover the world of knowledge available to them."
Understanding our world
The humanities foster a critical understanding of ourselves, our heritage and our place in the world in the context of human history and cultural diversity. Students of the humanities develop the skills and knowledge they need to become informed citizens and lifelong learners. Research shows that humanities graduates thrive in the workplace and rise to positions of leadership in virtually every area of human endeavour.
The Faculty of Humanities at UVic has close to 11,000 graduates worldwide. Students can choose from specializations in languages, literature, classical studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, women’s studies or a variety of interdisciplinary programs. The faculty is known for its innovative approaches to world history, Asian area studies, and digital humanities, an emerging field that integrates technology with textual analysis.
The breadth of research underway in the faculty reflects the evolving nature of our global society – researchers explore subjects from the revitalization of the Salish language to land policy in the Middle East, the history of the Canadian family and the unique sounds babies make in different language environments.
One of the faculty’s successful new programs is University 101, a 10-week introductory course in humanities offered free of charge to adults in Victoria who face economic and social obstacles. Students who usually consider university education beyond their reach have the opportunity to attend university lectures in a downtown setting, where they study Shakespeare, Plato, Eliot and Atwood, tackle homework assignments – and blossom. The Faculty of Humanities wishes to establish an endowment to generate a secure source of funding for this pioneering program, enabling more disadvantaged adults to benefit from University 101.
The faculty is also seeking support for scholarships and bursaries at the graduate and undergraduate levels as well as chairs and professorships in areas such as religious studies, digital humanities and medieval studies.
For more information, visit the Faculty of Humanities or contact Ms. Karen Whyte, Development Officer, at 250-721-853-3893, email kwhyte@uvic.ca.
To make a donation now, please visit our secure online giving page. You may give to a fund of your choice or select a Humanities fund from the menu.
