The departments and programs of the Humanities Division are committed to the study of human meaning as it is expressed in diverse languages, explained in diverse literatures, and reflected upon from diverse philosophical and religious perspectives. Students seek to understand the values and purposes that make practices and systems worthwhile. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to critically consider how individuals and communities make sense of their world is an essential skill. Explore majors, minors, concentrations, and academic programs in the humanities.
American English Institute
Arabic Studies
Chinese
Chinese Flagship Program
Cinema Studies
Classical Civilization
Classics
Comparative Literature
Creative Writing
Comics and Cartoon Studies
Digital Humanities
Disability Studies
English
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We Love Our Supporters
Gifts to the College of Arts and Sciences can help our students make the most of their college careers. To do this, CAS needs your support. Your contributions help us ensure that teaching, research, advising, mentoring, and support services are fully available to every student. Thank you!
World-Class Faculty in the Humanities
Leah Middlebrook
Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Spanish
Leah Middlebrook is an academic expert in the early modern literature of Spain, France, and England. A former Fulbright Scholar and Mellon Fellow, Leah has published and taught on subjects ranging from Petrarchism to the art of the sonnet to Cervantes.
More recently, she has begun to divide her time between a book on lyric poetry and classical myth and a new area of interest: Twenty-first century Spanish writing in the wake of the European economic crisis.
In addition to her primary research fields, Leah finds real joy in reading literature with UO students. She received the Herman Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Oregon in 2016. She received the Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching at the junior faculty level in 2007.
Mat Johnson
Professor and Philip H. Knight Chair of English and Creative Writing, Comics and Cartoon Studies Program
Mat Johnson’s writing “addresses comtemporary race and social issues with wicked humor,” as described by the United States Artists organization, which awarded Johnson its James Baldwin Fellowship in 2007.
Mat's novel Loving Day (2015) graced the cover of the New York Times Book Review and won the American Book award, and 2022’s Invisible Things, his fifth, won praise from the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and NPR’s Fresh Air, where he’s become a regular contributor.
Along with teaching creative writing to undergrads and graduate students, Johnson's published five graphic novels and is a faculty member in the Comics and Cartoon Studies program. When he’s not on campus, Johnson’s at work on scripts for Apple TV+ and Netflix, among other producers.
Colin Koopman
Professor of Philosophy
Colin Koopman's research and teaching focuses on the politics of information and data, in particular on issues of privacy and surveillance. Colin is interested in the ethical and political problems that arise out of information collection, data analytics and the vast distribution mechanisms they enable. His research looks at the history of how information has come to track, define and constitute us—how it's become so important to who we are.
From a metaphilosophical perspective, Colin always attempts to challenge himself (and his collaborators and students) to practice philosophy through a style of pluralism that draws widely on diverse figures, traditions, disciplines, and themes.
Read his interview in The New York Times Magazine with David Marchese about data politics and related topics discussed in his latest book, How We Became Our Data.
School of Global Studies and Languages
At the School of Global Studies and Languages (GSL), UO students engage with diverse cultures, languages, histories, and lifeways across the world. Students of the humanities, from Cinema Studies to Religious Studies, will broaden and deepen their education in their field by viewing it—and experiencing it—through a global lens. GSL prepares our graduates for life after college with an interdisciplinary curriculum, innovative language teaching, abundant learning opportunities outside the classroom, and paths of study that lead to many options for real-world careers.
Research in the Humanities
Inquiry in humanities fields centers around our collective human experience. Our stories are told in many forms, be it a script, a screenplay, a religious text, in literature or in folktales. Researchers in the humanities employ tools of analysis to explore the long history and rapidly changing landscape of ideas, values and beliefs that coalesce in a different sort of knowledge about reality and human life.
Explore Other Majors and Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences
Meet our Dean
The departments and programs of the Humanities Division share a commitment to the study of human experience as it is expressed in diverse languages and cultures throughout history and across the world. A Humanities education encourages students to think creatively, independently, and critically about the human past, present, and future. Whether they choose to focus on cinema, classical languages, or philosophical ideas, Humanities students learn to reason, to build arguments, to write and communicate with confidence and conviction, and to view the world and its challenges from multiple perspectives.
Our College of Arts and Sciences is committed to providing students with a genuine liberal arts education, which means that we strive to expose students to more than one way of knowing. We want our students to appreciate the profound differences—and the no-less profound similarities—in the way a philosopher, a biologist, and a political scientist approach the same questions about the human condition. The unique lens provided by the Humanities departments and programs at UO is an essential part of that liberal arts education, which we believe prepares students to live meaningful lives in the world.
Harry Wonham
Divisional Associate Dean, Humanities
Happening at CAS
Congratulations to UO English Professor Emeritus Bill Rossi for winning the Thoreau Society Medal, a prestigious lifetime award from the Thoreau Society! 🎉 #UOCAS #UOEnglish pic.twitter.com/ynY95DEm67
— UO College of Arts and Sciences (@uocas) March 8, 2024
Did you hold a student organization officer/leadership position? Are you graduating Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Summer 2024, Fall 2024? If so, you are eligible to receive a FREE Student Organization Leader Cord. To receive your cord, fill out this form https://oregon.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1zRIfukUZUz1EGO before July 1, 2024.
To be eligible for a Student Organization Leadership Cord a student must:
be graduating Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Summer 2024, Fall 2024, be in a UO Student Club that is officially registered or recognized and verified through the Engage system, hold a Student Leadership position and that position should be indicated in the Engage system, fill out the form completely, submit it by July 1, 2024, and have not been given a student organization leadership cord in a previous year.Cords can be picked up or mailed to you, your choice. Questions about cords should be directed to Center for Student Involvement csi@uoregon.edu, 541-346-2631
Presented by the Center for Art Research
Adam DeSorbo: Ablaze (With Destruction and Abundance)
March 1- May 19, 2024 CFAR billboard project at 510 Oak Street, Eugene, OR 97403
Ablaze (With Destruction and Abundance) depicts ochre-tinted maple leaves nailed to wood planks that have been strengthened through a traditional Japanese charring process known as the Yakisugi method. The burned boards and maple leaves allude to transitional states, both benign and seasonal, and the more destructive forces of increasing wildfire activity. The embedded relationship between preservation and destruction as it relates to the Anthropocene brings our paradoxical tendencies as a species into full relief. The image is activated through original text by the artist, making explicit the process of grieving a burning world. The interaction between the image and the text proposes an embrace of our ecological cracking, the necessity to witness, the urge to preserve, and the radical act of finding joy while existing in the cracks.
This CFAR billboard project is supported by the University of Oregon Department of ARt’s Center for Art Research in conjunction with the exhibition series Embrace Fearlessly the Burning World.
The Craft Center is excited to welcome our spring 2024 visiting artist, Frank Gosar. Frank has been creating pottery for over 30 years as Off Center Ceramics. His work will be on view in the Craft Center Gallery from April 1 - June 7.
Frank will also be teaching two workshops with the Craft Center this term, "Brush Making and Ceramic Painting" and "Potter's Tool Kit." For more information or to register, please visit https://craftcenter.uoregon.edu/workshops.
(The Craft Center Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Erb Memorial Union just past the Adell McMillan Gallery. Please check the Erb Memorial Union website for site hours.)
Find daily ways to engage your career curiosity with workshops, local industry tours, alumni panels, casual career chats, the Career & Internship Expo (4/18), and Practice Interview Day (4/19) that will help you develop skills and connections on the road to career readiness. For a full list of workshops, career tours, networking events, resume reviews, alumni panels, and more, visit career.uoregon.edu/events or register for events in Handshake. Why wait?! Stop by the University Career Center in Tykeson Hall-Garden Level ASAP to get drop-in resume reviews and other career guidance to make the most of your Career Readiness Week!
Special thanks to our Spring 2024 Career Readiness Week sponsors: Enterprise Holdings and Sherwin Williams
FULL SCHEDULE
Resume Extravaganza (Drop-In Resume Reviews)
Tuesday, April 9, 11am-4pm, Tykeson Hall 1st Floor Commons
Did you know you can have a career readiness coach or a peer coach review your resume before the Spring Career & Internship Expo? Drop-in any time to get feedback on your resume. Don’t have a resume? Come learn how to make one!
Curious about Job & Internship Search Strategies? (Workshop)
Wednesday, April 10, 11am-12pm, Tykeson 50P (UCC Conference Room)
Looking for a job or internship and need help getting started?! Learn how to utilize Handshake and networking strategies to find opportunities that align with your interests; and how to get university credit for an internship (UGST404).
Curious About Interviewing? (Workshop)
Friday, April 12, 10am-11am, Tykeson 50P (UCC Conference Room)
Come learn about the basics of interviewing and how to stand out as a candidate!
Black Business in Oregon: A Journey to Excellence Reception
Friday, April 12, 5pm-6:30pm, Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center
Meet Black alumni from different stages of their careers who will share experiences, insights, and success stories. Dinner and refreshments from Philyaw’s Cookout and Catering will be served. Space is limited, so register by April 9 to secure your spot!
Curious About the Spring Career & Internship Expo? (Virtual Info-Session)
Monday, April 15, 12pm-1pm, Register in Handshake for Zoom link
Learn the ins and outs of navigating the in-person Career and Internship Expo, updating your Handshake profile, researching employers, and how to present yourself authentically during the Expo.
Monday, April 15, 3pm-4 pm, Tykeson Hall 1st Floor Commons
Serve at home or abroad. Join us for a panel discussion featuring representatives from the Peace Corps and UO's RARE AmeriCorps program to learn about Volunteer experiences, ask questions about service, and gain knowledge about the application processes for both programs.
Curious about Resumes? (Workshop)
Tuesday, April 16, 12pm-1pm, Tykeson 50P (UCC Conference Room)
Come learn about the basics of resume writing and have the opportunity to ask questions on formatting, structure, and bring your own resume for tailoring and more!
Your Future in Tech + Connect (Panel+Networking)
Tuesday, April 16, 4pm-6:30pm, Tykeson Hall 1st Floor Commons
4pm-5pm-Industry Insights Panel, followed by 5:15-6:30pm Connect with Tech Employers
Join us for a special industry-connection night dedicated to helping you get career ready for your future in Tech. Hear from a panel of industry leaders &/or participate in small group networking with tech employers to get advice on career-building opportunities and connections.
Industry Bites: Make it in Marketing!
Tuesday, April 16, 4pm-4:45pm, Lillis 440
Interested in exploring a career in marketing? Want to learn more about marketing industry from corporate to agency work, strategy, design, and campaigns? Join us for PIZZA, panel, and conversation with marketing leaders.
Ducks in Finance: Navigating the Corporate Financial Landscape
Tuesday, April 16, 5:30pm-6:30pm, Register in Handshake for Zoom link
Join the UO Alumni Association for an insightful journey into the world of corporate finance with our esteemed panel of alumni, each carving their paths to success.
Wednesday, April 17, 4pm-6pm, Crater Lake Rooms
Network with a variety of public agencies, non-profit organizations, and businesses in a casual, fun “speed dating”-style event. Over the course of the event, you’ll have a chance to meet a new employer every 10 minutes!
Spring Career & Internship Expo
Thursday, April 18, 12pm-4pm, EMU Ballrooms
Get curious about your future and make connections with cool employers! Find your career fit with over 70+ employers comprised of private industry; public, educational, and non-profit organizations; local government, the federal government, law enforcement, and military--all on-campus and excited to share more with you about their organization and early career talent opportunities.
First Career & Internship Expo? Or just a little nervous? Come early and get a low-stress, behind-the-scenes Expo Preview & Tour (11:15am-noon, EMU Ballrooms) and learn how to navigate the expo and make a good first impression with employers. Take part in the Expo Scavenger Hunt to win prizes and have fun conversation starters with employers. Bring your resume to impress employers! Get a FREE Professional Headshot taken to add to your LinkedIn!
Friday, April 19, 12pm-4pm (30-45 minutes each), Tykeson Hall 1st Floor Commons
Come practice commonly asked interview questions and get active feedback on your communication style, professionalism, and more. interviewing skills, get feedback from experienced professionals and career coaches.