Humanities & Arts

Integral to the WPI Plan, the university’s signature approach to undergraduate education, the Humanities & Arts Department plays a considerable role in each student’s journey here.   

The aim is to educate well-rounded, globally aware graduates with exceptional analytical skills and sensitivity to culture and context. The way is to offer a major, minors, concentrations, courses, and a required immersive experience. The result is that all WPI undergraduates get a chance to embrace their inner musician, thespian, poet, artist, linguist, or philosopher.

 
WPI Orchestra
CONTACT
Location: Salisbury Laboratories
Phone: 508-831-5246
Fax: 508-831-5932
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Humanities & Arts Requirement

All WPI students complete the Humanities & Arts requirement by choosing a depth area of focus in an area (music, art, history, etc.) as well as a breadth area in a different HUA discipline; at least three 1/3 unit courses should be taken in the depth area of focus plus an additional 1/3 unit capstone course (Practicum or Seminar) in that same area. 

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WPI's Choral Groups Unite

Current and former members of two of WPI's choral groups—Glee Club and Alden Voices—came together virtually during the spring to unite on a moving rendition of To My Old Brown Earth, led by Professor Joshua Rohde.

Banding Together

Members of the WPI Concert Band reconnected in D-Term in a virtual concert that involved each member recording their own parts from home. Together they bridged the distance and performed three numbers: Machine Awakes by Steve Bryant, Loch Lomond by Frank Ticheli, and First Suite in Eb by Gustav Holst.

Q&A with Erica Brozovsky

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The assistant teaching professor of Humanities & Arts discusses the backstory of common tech words. 

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From WPI's University Magazine

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Global Impact: Cultural Buddy System Connects Students in Taiwan

Taiwan is ideal for a WPI project center, where students tackle Interactive Qualifying Projects connecting society and technology.

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Media Coverage

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Worcester Magazine
In 'Dreaming in Ensemble,' WPI professor explores how Black artists helped transform opera

“It's really meaningful to see it out there in the world for people to get to know." Lucy Caplan, assistant professor in the Department of Humanities & Arts spoke to Worcester Magazine about her newly published book, Dreaming in Ensemble: How Black Artists Transformed American Opera. The book offers an often-untold account of the Black composers, performers, critics, teachers, and students who helped shape the genre in the early 1900s. 

Worcester Magazine
Kate Moncrief and Brendon Fox: A marriage of true minds, true love

Worcester Magazine featured Kathryn Moncrief, Paris Fletcher Distinguished Professor of Humanities and head of the Department of Humanities and Arts. The article highlights Moncrief’s work as an associate director and dramaturg; and the projects she's worked on in partnership with her husband Brendon Fox, a theater director.

The Mozilla Blog
IYKYK: The secret language of memes

Erica Brozovsky, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Humanities & Arts, authored a piece for The Mozilla Blog which helps tell the history of internet memes. In the piece, Brozovsky outlines how memes represent shared online experiences and human connection.

Announcements

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