Department of Humanities

About

If you like to use both sides of your brain—integrating a creative, human-centered approach with an understanding of science and technology—our degree programs may be right for you.

The humanities explore the nature and communication of the values that guide not only science and technology but all parts of the human experience. You may study art and architectural history, communication, a foreign language, history, linguistics, literature, and philosophy in the Department of Humanities. You will learn critical thinking and communication skills, gain ethical awareness, and understand the global and historical perspectives on culture, science, and technology.

What Programs Are Available for Me at the Undergraduate Level?

  • The Bachelor of Science in Humanities lets you construct a broad-based program with courses from across the humanities, or to specialize in one area such as history or philosophy. You may also want to explore the Honors Law Program.
  • The Bachelor of Science in Communication with a specialization in Professional and Technical Communication prepares you to communicate effectively in businesses and organizations. You will gain practice across media, genres, and situations, through studies in document and web design, editing, writing, linguistics, and verbal and visual communication.
  • The Bachelor of Science in Communication with a specialization in either Journalism of Science or Journalism of Technology and Business, two of the few programs of their kind in the country, help you develop content-area knowledge, communication skills, and practical experience through field projects.

What Programs Are Available for Me at the Graduate Level?

At the graduate level, our certificates and non-degree programs in technical communication and information architecture prepare you for research, teaching, and working in corporate settings. Coursework combines theory, application, and practice in areas like document design, editing, information architecture, linguistics, knowledge management, project management, usability testing, and web design.

You are encouraged to work on collaborative projects with Chicago-area businesses, government agencies, and community organizations. Our alumni work in a variety of academic and corporate settings: Deloitte, 37 Signals, Facebook, Grainger, Mantra, Navistar, Morgan Stanley, and others.

What Can I Do After Graduation?

After graduation, you are ready for positions that require strong communication skills, and you will have a solid foundation for graduate work in the humanities, social sciences, law, business, and other professional schools. And, on a practical note, Money magazine recently ranked technical writing as #13 of the best 50 jobs in the United States, based on salary and job prospects.

Careers are available to you in fields such as:

  • Web design
  • Technical writing
  • Communications (including social media)
  • User experience and interface design
  • PR and marketing

How Is a Humanities Degree at Illinois Tech Unique?

Throughout our curricula, we offer you:

  • Small classes, which allow for daily opportunities to learn through dialogue with your colleagues
  • Quality instruction and personal attention from our faculty members
  • Practical learning experiences that build upon the strengths of our faculty, the Illinois Tech community, and the rich opportunities offered in Chicago and beyond

How Can I Learn More?

Explore this site or contact one of the following:

Featured Faculty

The faculty in the Department of Humanities are experts in a diverse range of fields, including art and architectural history, communication, digital humanities, history, linguistics, philosophy, and more.

Matt Bauer
Assoc. Chair Undergrad Studies Teaching Professor Director, Speech Analysis Lab
James Dabbert
Associate Teaching Professor of Applied Linguistics and Humanities
Mohamed El Marzouki
Assistant Professor of Communication
Erin Hazard
Assistant Professor
Margaret Power
Professor Emeritus
Gregory Pulliam
Associate Teaching Professor of Communications, Rhetoric, and Linguistics Director of Undergraduate Programs

“I greatly enjoyed my time at Illinois Tech. The digital humanities courses and curriculum were both challenging and fun, and I learned a lot about the dynamic relationship between modern technology and human culture. Students and faculty were always warm and cooperative, and even the group projects were surprisingly productive. I feel like I had a ton of unique opportunities, and I’m thankful for my wonderful adviser, Dr. Carly Kocurek, and others for helping me along the way.”

—Amy Kamin (DHUM ’18)

Amy Kamin

“I love the faculty in my college. The majority of my time in classrooms is mind-bending and eye-opening. For an applied research class, I did a program evaluation of a not-for-profit on the South Side that I really admire. Illinois Tech gave me the opportunity to do real-world work in my field with working professionals. It was so much fun and so rewarding.”

—Andrew Adams (Communication 4th Year)

Andrew Adams

“I’m specializing in history. I find a lot of the classes very interesting. One benefit of the program is its size; it's small, so all my professors know my name. Also, the humanities program has a lot of room for electives, so you're free to choose the classes you want. Last semester I took Middle Earth I: Lord of the Rings. It was different from most classes, and Dr. Green was great!”

—Brandon Holifield (Humanities 2nd Year)

Brandon Holifield