Overview
Humanities Programs at Trinity
Student Opportunities
When You Graduate
Next Steps

Overview

The humanities at Trinity break down barriers and create new connections between disciplines. Combining research and experiential learning with an interdisciplinary perspective, we create curious, critical thinkers and innovators who apply themselves beyond the classroom.

Fast Facts
  • 18 humanities majors and 31 humanities minors
  • No. 55 in the nation - U.S. News and World Report (USNWR)
  • No. 53 in Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects - USNWR
  • No. 1 Best Liberal Arts College in Texas - Niche 
Campus Initiatives
  • Humanities Collective
    The Humanities Collective promotes student and faculty research in the humanities and coordinates humanities events and programming both at Trinity University and in the larger San Antonio community.
  • Mellon Initiative
    The Mellon Initiative promotes undergraduate research in the arts and humanities at Trinity University. 
photo of artist Sasha Faust standing in front of some of her works

 

Humanities Programs at Trinity

What are the humanities departments, majors, and minors at Trinity?

The humanities comprise nine academic departments with a wide range of majors and minors, in addition to several interdisciplinary programs.

Art & Art History department
Art History (major and minor)
Architectural Studies (minor)

Music department
Music (major and minor)

Human Communication & Theatre department
Theatre (major and minor)

Classical Studies department
Ancient Mediterranean Studies (major and minor)
Classical Languages (major)
Greek (major and minor)
Latin (major and minor)

English department
English (major and minor)
Creative Writing (minor)

History department
History (major and minor)

Religion department
Religion (major and minor)

Modern Languages and Literature department
Chinese (major and minor)
French (major and minor)
German Studies (major)
Global Latinx Studies (major)
Russian (major and minor)
Spanish (major and minor)
German (minor)
Comparative Literature (minor)

Philosophy department
Philosophy (major and minor)
Ethics (minor)
History of Philosophy (minor)
Logic and Philosophy of Cognition (minor)
Philosophy of Art (minor)

Environmental Studies (major and minor)
Urban Studies (major and minor)
African American Studies (minor)
East Asian Studies (minor)
Film Studies (minor)

Linguistics (minor)
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (minor)
Museum Studies (minor)
Women and Gender Studies (minor)

Student Opportunities

Scholarships and Awards

Trinity awards financial aid and scholarships specifically for fine arts and humanities students as well as humanities department scholarships and financial awards.

Fine Arts and Humanities Scholarships
 

Research Opportunities

Mellon Initiative Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Mellon SURF is a 10-week summer program during which students work on a project directly related to their faculty mentor’s research. Participants receive:

  • A $4,200 stipend
  • Free dormitory housing for the summer research period
  • A travel and supplies budget
  • One credit hour on their transcript

Participants present their research at the end of the summer at the Trinity Summer Research Colloquium. 

Previous SURF Projects

Apply for 2023

 

Mellon Initiative Mini-Grants
Mellon Initiative Mini-Grants provide funding opportunities for student-directed projects guided by faculty mentors in independent study work or as a supplement to coursework.

There are two types of mini-grants:

  • Traditional Arts/Humanities projects
  • Innovative Arts/Humanities projects
     

Humanities Lab Courses

    Service-Learning

    Two Interns smiling in a doorway at Rivard Report Office

    Student Organizations

    Publications and Writing


    Performing Arts

    Humanities Clubs
     

    Study Abroad

    Studying the humanities opens Trinity students up to cross-cultural learning. By crossing borders, they seek to understand the differences and recognize the commonalities between cultures across the world and throughout time.

    Humanities Study Abroad
     

    Spaces and Facilities

     

    Events

    Humanities Collective Events 

    • Humanitea 
    • Humanities Day 
    • Douglass Day
    • Spring Resume Workshop


    Humanities Lecture Series

    • Lennox Seminar Series
    • Mexico, the Americas, and Spain (MAS) Álvarez Seminar
    • Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture 
    • Reading TUgether Lecture Series 
    • Southwest Texas Archaeological Society Lecture Series 
    • Stieren Arts Enrichment Series 
    • Women’s History Month 

    Upcoming Events

    When You Graduate

    Skilled, Versatile, and In-demand

    Trinity’s humanities alumni are sought-after for their problem-solving, creative vision, and well-roundedness, all of which give them the ability to thrive across multiple career fields.

    Humanities Skills and Careers

     

    Meet Khaniya Russell ’19

    She may have a weakness for a particular confection, but there’s nothing weak or candy-coated about the strength of Khaniya Russell’s convictions about faith, family, and education. 

    Meet Mengyu Liu ’19

    When you think of art, you probably imagine paintings, sculpture, or even music. Art doesn’t only have to be observed through your eyes and ears, though. Mengyu Liu ’19 is dedicated to producing art that appeals to the nose. 

    Meet the alumni panelists from Humanities Day 2022

    Trinity University’s annual Humanities Day Panel is the perfect opportunity for current students to explore different pathways they can pursue with their humanities degree after graduation.

    How Can the Humanities Work for You

    Faculty members interview alumni about how their humanities degrees helped them navigate their paths after graduation.