Humanities Courses

CTY offers the Steven Muller Humanities Program in honor of Dr. Steven Muller, President Emeritus of Johns Hopkins University, who established CTY in 1979. In so doing, he committed the University to advancing academic talent among pre-collegiate students both in the US and abroad.

Given the nature of certain humanities courses, students occasionally confront controversial topics in class. These topics are approached from an academic standpoint with the support and guidance of instructors.

Beginning Ancient Greek
This course covers the fundamentals of ancient Greek and provides a basic introduction to the history and culture of ancient Greek civilization. As students learn introductory vocabulary, syntax, and grammar, they develop the translation skills needed to read excerpts from authors such as Homer and Plato. Exercises in prose composition help students translate ancient Greek phrases and passages into polished English and vice versa. Lectures, readings in English, discussions, and simulations provide students with insight into the aesthetics and ideals of the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods of Greek history.

This fast-paced course covers the equivalent of one year of high school or one semester of college ancient Greek. Students memorize large amounts of material in a short time, read works of prose and poetry, and learn about the contributions of ancient Greece to Western civilization. Prior knowledge of ancient Greek is not assumed.

Note: Students who have taken CTY’s Ancient Greek should not enroll in this course.

Sample texts: Athenaze: An Introduction to Ancient Greek, Book I, Balme; The Odyssey, Homer; Homeric Greek, Pharr.

Session 1: Carlisle, Lancaster
Session 2: Carlisle, Lancaster

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Intermediate Ancient Greek
Designed as a follow-up to CTY’s Beginning Ancient Greek, this course provides students with more advanced interaction with the language and its grammar. In this course, each student develops the ability to read ancient Greek texts, increase vocabulary, and master grammatical constructions at his or her own pace. By practicing sight translation of ancient Greek texts as a class, students gain broad exposure to different works of epic poetry, drama, historiography, and philosophy. They leave the course having improved their translation skills by reading excerpts from authors such as Homer, Plato, and Euripides in the original ancient Greek. This course covers the equivalent of a second-year high school ancient Greek course or the second semester of an introductory college ancient Greek course. The class will be modified for students who have taken more advanced work in Ancient Greek.

Note: Students who have previously taken CTY’s Ancient Greek or Ancient Greek 2 may register for this course.

Sample texts: Greek: An Intensive Course, Hansen and Quinn; The Iliad, Homer; Symposium, Plato.

Prerequisite: CTY’s Beginning Ancient Greek or at least a “B” in first-year high school Ancient Greek.

Session 1: Lancaster
Session 2: Not offered

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Latin I
This course covers the fundamentals of Latin and provides a basic introduction to Roman culture. As students learn introductory Latin vocabulary, syntax, and grammar, they develop the translation skills needed to read excerpts from the works of Virgil, Livy, Horace, and Cicero. Exercises in prose composition help students translate Latin phrases and passages into polished English and vice versa. Lectures, readings in English, discussions, and simulations provide students with insight into the aesthetics and ideals of ancient Rome.

This fast-paced course covers the equivalent of one year of high school or one semester of college Latin. Students memorize large amounts of material in a short time, read works of prose and poetry, and learn about the contributions of ancient Rome to Western civilization. Prior knowledge of Latin is not assumed.

Sample texts: Oxford Latin Course, Part I and Part II, Balme and Morwood; The Metamorphoses, Ovid.

Session 1: Carlisle, Lancaster, Los Angeles
Session 2: Carlisle, Los Angeles

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Etymologies
Emerson wrote that “language is fossil poetry.” This course explores how two “dead” languages, Latin and ancient Greek, are a vibrant and dynamic presence in the ongoing development of the English language. Students learn Latin and Greek prefixes, bases, and suffixes. Equipped with this basic knowledge, they explore the evolution of language: changes to word meanings, the relation of language to society, and the revival of ancient words in medical and other technical vocabularies. Students also use literature to chart the development of modern English from its Indo-European beginnings with particular attention to excerpts from, for example, Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Lewis Carroll.

Through lectures, group and independent study, readings, and exercises, students increase their vocabularies and reading comprehension, and they gain a more nuanced understanding of language. Students develop the skills necessary to memorize large amounts of material quickly and build a strong foundation for learning classical and Romance languages. No prior knowledge of Greek or Latin is assumed.

Sample texts: English Words from Latin and Greek Elements, Ayers and Worthen; the accompanying workbook by Dettmer; 1984, Orwell.

Session 1: Baltimore, Lancaster, Los Angeles
Session 2: Baltimore, Lancaster, Los Angeles

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Logic: Principles of Reasoning
Too often in today’s society, solid argumentation gives way to appeals to majority opinion and personal attacks. This course introduces students to logic as a tool for evaluating arguments in modern discourse. The course encompasses informal logic—the process of analyzing language-based arguments—and, to a lesser extent, formal logic—the method of analyzing and validating arguments by means of symbolic notation.

Students learn to produce sound arguments and to differentiate valid from fallacious reasoning. They apply these skills to texts such as Plato’s writings about the trial and death of Socrates, presidential speeches, and newspaper editorials. Students participate in discussions, work problem sets, and construct arguments relevant to current topics in both philosophy and modern society, substantially strengthening their reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Sample texts: A Concise Introduction to Logic, Hurley; a philosophical work such as Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous, Berkeley.

Session 1: Baltimore, Lancaster, Los Angeles, Loudonville, Saratoga Springs
Session 2: Baltimore, Lancaster, Los Angeles, Loudonville, Saratoga Springs

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Ethics
We all face ethical choices in our lives. How do we know what is “good” and “bad,” or “right” and “wrong”? For that matter, are there objective standards of ethics by which we can judge individuals or their actions?

Students address these issues by reflecting upon their common sense intuitions about how we ought to live our lives. They revisit their initial thoughts by applying analytical reasoning to their own insights. In so doing, students investigate the debate between moral relativism, which denies ethical distinctions such as right and wrong, and moral realism, which upholds them. They then examine major attempts to develop coherent theories capable of guiding moral decisions. Among these are views like utilitarianism, in which moral choices are evaluated based upon their results; approaches inspired by Kant’s claim that moral actions derive from a “supreme principle of morality” that is objective and rational; and virtue ethics, which focuses on the cultivation of morally worthwhile traits in each individual instead of the intentions or consequences of given actions.

Throughout the course, students investigate how different ethical theories affect judgments on current ethical dilemmas such as capital punishment, animal rights, and war. As they wrestle with ethical issues, students critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample texts: Mortal Questions, Nagel; primary source material from philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant, and Mill.

Session 1: Baltimore, Carlisle, Los Angeles, Loudonville
Session 2: Baltimore, Carlisle, Los Angeles, Loudonville

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Existentialism
When attempting to define existentialism, the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said, “A simple formula would be to say that life taught me la force des choses—the power of circumstances.” In this course, students approach the school of existentialist philosophy as a way of understanding broader philosophical themes. Students begin by examining questions arising out of ancient philosophy, reading selections from Plato, in which he argues that the highest ethical good is universal. Next, they study the work of philosophers who anticipated existentialism’s major concerns.

Students consider ideas proposed by nineteenth- and twentieth-century existentialists: that each human being creates his or her own nature through freedom of choice; that people affect the world around them through the choices they make; and that there is not a universal set of rules or values one should follow. While these issues are complex, they give students a solid introduction to the study of existentialist philosophy.

Philosophers to be studied include Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, and Simone de Beauvoir. Students also examine the writings of Jean-Paul Sartre and Franz Kafka. As they explore existentialist thought and its effect on broader issues in philosophy, students critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample texts: Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes; No Exit and Three Other Plays, Sartre; The Stranger, Camus; Existentialism From Dostoevsky to Sartre, Kaufmann.

Session 1: Carlisle, Loudonville
Session 2: Carlisle

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Philosophy of Mind
What is the nature of mind? How is the mind related to the brain? What is consciousness? What is pain? How can we be certain that others have minds and conscious experiences? Can a computer have a mind?

In this course, students explore questions such as these as they analyze both historical and contemporary philosophical attempts to explain the mind. Beginning with philosophers such as René Descartes, students investigate traditional dualist attempts to characterize the mind as a non-physical entity existing independently of our bodies. Students then move to an analysis of various versions of materialism, which purport that the mind and mental phenomena are purely physical entities. Among the materialist formulations that students examine are the mind-brain identity thesis, behaviorism, and materialist functionalism. With a foundational understanding of the central philosophical positions on the mind-body problem, students contemplate to what extent animals and machines can be said to possess minds.

As they attempt to shed light on the nature of the mind, students critique primary philosophical works, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays.

Sample text: Mind and Cognition: An Anthology, Lycan.

Session 1: Carlisle, Lancaster, Los Angeles, Saratoga Springs
Session 2: Carlisle, Lancaster, Los Angeles, Saratoga Springs

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History of Western Art
History of Western Art introduces students to the study of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms in their social, cultural, and historical contexts by surveying pieces from the ancient world through the present. This course teaches four basic perspectives from which to consider works of art: style; iconography; patronage; and production, including artistic training and techniques. Students learn about each of these through readings, discussions, and lectures which incorporate viewing important works. Additionally, they learn about production techniques through hands-on projects such as creating a mosaic using the methods and materials available to Byzantine artists.

The Baltimore site offers a rich environment for the study of art. The Baltimore Museum of Art, home to a renowned twentieth-century art collection, is adjacent to campus. The Walters Art Museum, which houses collections of ancient and medieval art as well as Renaissance and nineteenth-century paintings, is also in Baltimore.

Using the theoretical models they explore in class, students respond to works they see in these museums through critical essays, class discussions, and independent research projects. By the course’s end, students learn to articulate broad comparisons among works produced in a variety of contexts, providing a strong foundation for an AP course in art history.

Sample text: A History of Western Art, Adams.

Field Trip Fee: $65

Session 1: Baltimore
Session 2: Not offered

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Twentieth-Century Art
This course investigates European and American works of the twentieth century, including paintings, sculpture, architecture, and multimedia works. Within these genres, students contemplate pieces such as Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Marcel Duchamp’s Bicycle Wheel, or Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych that represent pivotal moments, either in technique or philosophy, and that demonstrate the close relationship of art to social history. For example, when looking at Bicycle Wheel, Duchamp’s first “ready-made,” students examine the ways World War I sparked the Dada movement. When looking at Marilyn Diptych, students consider how post-World War II prosperity, mass media images, and an American fascination with fame affected New York Pop artists.

In order to understand the theoretical dialogue surrounding twentieth-century art, students read statements by artists, critical texts, and primary sources such as the Realist and the Surrealist Manifestoes. Students also look at artists who reacted to events in social history and developed discrete styles. Periods including the Harlem Renaissance and the global depression receive particular attention.

Students learn the vocabulary and approaches of art historians and write critical responses to works they see on field trips to the Baltimore Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, or other local galleries.

Sample text: History of Modern Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and Photography, Arnason and Prather.

Field Trip Fee: $65

Session 1: Not offered
Session 2: Baltimore

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Music Theory
Music Theory explores the relationship between what we hear and what is written in the score: between an aural understanding of a phrase of music and the ability to analyze its chord progression. In this course, students master the fundamentals of Western music: rhythm, meter, modes, major and minor scales, intervallic relationships, and triadic and seventh-chord harmonies. Students learn to listen critically, identifying basic musical elements in complex, textured works.

Students sing, play keyboards, practice musical notation, and study scores, broadening their musical vocabularies and skills so that by the end of the course they can compose their own short works. The course also provides students with a solid foundation for further study towards the AP Music Theory Exam.

Note: Ear training (the ability to distinguish and recreate pitches) is important in this college-level music theory class.

Sample texts: Music in Theory and Practice, Volume I, Benward and White; the accompanying workbook.

Prerequisites: 1) Written recommendation from a music instructor confirming that the student thoroughly understands musical notation in treble and bass clefs; and 2) performing experience in a school music program, or at least three years of private study—instrumental or vocal.

Session 1: Carlisle
Session 2: Carlisle

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Islam
Since September 11, 2001, Islam has figured more prominently in American popular consciousness than ever before. Despite the attention it has received in the media and its predominance in discussions of domestic and foreign policy, Islam often remains poorly understood. Sound bites and news clips inadequately portray a religion and cultures that span the globe and have rich, diverse histories.

Students in this course begin their examination of Islam by learning core doctrines, such as the Five Pillars of Islam. They explore Islam’s historical roots, examining Mohammed’s role in establishing the religion, the development of the religion into its varied historical divisions, and its connections to Judaism and Christianity. Students examine the spread of Islam across the world through trade and conquest, including the Mongol, Mogul, and Ottoman empires. They trace the influence of Islam in the arts, literature, and philosophy through the modern age. Students use this knowledge to deconstruct popular portrayals of Islam in a variety of media. They end with a close look at the intersections of Islam and American society, past and present. For example, students consider its role in Malcolm Little’s assumption of the identity of Malcolm X in the 1940s and Muhammad Ali’s faith-based objections to the Vietnam War in the 1960s, along with the influence of Islam in contemporary political discourse.

Through readings, discussions, and essay assignments, students develop a more nuanced understanding of Islam and its place in the current cultural and political landscape of the US and the world.

Sample texts: The Straight Path, Esposito; Shattering Stereotypes: Muslim Women Speak Out Since 9/11, Afzal-Khan ed.

Session 1: Baltimore, Saratoga Springs
Session 2: Baltimore, Saratoga Springs

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Russian History
This course is a survey of the history of modern Russia from the time of Peter the Great (1682) to the present. Students explore the old Romanov Empire; Russian political events and revolutions; Russia’s role in the two world wars; and Russian art, music, and literature. Throughout this historical survey, students examine major personalities such as Catherine the Great; czars Alexander I, Alexander II (the Czar Liberator), and Nicholas II; as well as Lenin, Stalin, and Gorbachev from the soviet era. Special attention is devoted to the implosion of the Soviet Empire and the emergence of a Russia in transition under Yeltsin and Putin. Students work with original documents in research assignments, hone their writing skills in weekly exercises, and develop their speaking capabilities in daily discussions and final research projects.

Sample text: New course.

Session 1: Carlisle
Session 2: Not offered

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Dissent
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet The Crisis and Allen Ginsburg’s poem “Howl” could not be more different on the surface. Yet both are documents that not only gave voice to the outrage of their generations, but also helped propel political and cultural events far beyond the time in which they were written. Taken together, they are proof that politics often produces some of the great works of art and that some of the great works of art are inherently political.

In this course, students explore the rich history of dissent in the United States, making broad, but not always obvious, connections among important writings and the movements they inspired. They read and analyze articles, speeches, poems, and even song lyrics by such varied figures as Samuel Adams, Sojourner Truth, Barry Goldwater, Malcolm X, Bob Dylan, and Gloria Steinem. By writing historically grounded critical essays, students explore a wide variety of topics, including the growth of the labor movement and the conservative backlash against a Democratic party that had been in power for much of the twentieth century. Throughout, students examine how the forces of discontent in every generation turn a minority into a force not to be ignored.

Note: This course includes some controversial material; it is recommended for students who have completed 9th grade or higher.

Sample text: Dissent in America, Young.

Session 1: Carlisle
Session 2: Carlisle, Loudonville

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Law and Politics in US History
In the 1830s, French observer Alexis de Tocqueville stated, “Scarcely any political question arises in the United States that is not resolved, sooner or later, into a judicial question.” What unifies this class are the questions students repeatedly pose about legal actions: What social or political forces culminated in this trial? What constitutional issues were at stake? How did different people and communities respond to similar issues at different times?

In this history class, students consider some of the most famous (and sometimes infamous) trials in the United States, placing each in its own historical, political, and social context. For example, Marbury v. Madison is explored within the framework of the early Federalist period, while Brown v. Board of Education is examined through the lens of the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. As students consider the many complex issues raised by court decisions and make connections between the cases they study and broader trends in US history, they scrutinize primary documents, participate in discussions and debates, and write analytical essays. 

Sample texts: Major Problems in American Constitutional History, Hall; A History of the Supreme Court, Schwartz.

Session 1: Los Angeles, Loudonville
Session 2: Los Angeles, Loudonville

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International Politics
In recent years, the face of international politics has changed dramatically. Pictures of students facing down their own government’s tanks in Tiananmen Square have been replaced by images of refugees fleeing Darfur and insurgents attacking soldiers in Baghdad. Such images raise any number of critical questions: What are the historical and political causes of regional instability, and what can they tell us about our changing world? What is the role of the nation state, the traditional power center of the international system, in a world increasingly affected by globalization and humanitarian crises? How does the transnational flow of goods and ideas shape some of the most pressing issues of today, such as state security and sovereignty? Students address these and other questions as they examine various geopolitical theories and established approaches and methodologies used to understand and analyze world events.

In this course which combines the study of international relations with geography, students learn how different populations, regions, and global organizations relate to and affect one another. In addition, they examine issues such as culture, religion, and technology alongside traditional international relations topics such as history, government, and economics. By exploring the interaction of these variables, students think critically about the complex forces that shape our world.

Note: Students who have taken CTY’s Geopolitics should not enroll in this course.

Sample texts: World Politics in the 21st Century, Duncan; Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Politics, Rourke; a major newspaper; an atlas chosen by the instructor.

Session 1: Baltimore, Carlisle, Los Angeles, Saratoga Springs
Session 2: Baltimore, Carlisle, Los Angeles, Saratoga Springs

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The Asian Pacific Rim
What would happen if China consumed energy and resources at the per capita consumption rate of the United States? Is Japan’s economy still a powerhouse, or is it struggling in the face of increased competition in the region? What challenges will South Korea confront having entered into a free trade agreement with the US? Beyond economic and trade cooperation, how might East Asian countries tackle issues of security, the environment, and health with a multilateral approach? All these questions and more have turned the world’s attention more critically towards the Asian Pacific Rim. Such questions underscore the global significance of the economics and politics of the Asian Pacific Rim.

In this course, students address the current status of and future outlook for Asian Pacific Rim countries. By examining complex issues like economic development, immigration and population growth, colonialism and wartime history, security, and relationships with the US, they learn what connects these countries and what keeps them apart. Through simulations and debates, research, and analytical essays, students examine the political perspectives and developments that have affected and continue to influence Asian nations. In addition, students gain knowledge about regional organizations such as APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). By the end of the course, students are equipped to think critically about the political and economic issues that shape this part of the world. 

Sample text: The Asian Pacific, Simone.

Session 1: Baltimore
Session 2: Baltimore

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Cognitive Psychology

Are we beings that act solely in response to external stimuli or can the wealth of ideas and thoughts we possess spring from a yet unknown corner of the mind? Cognitive psychology is often referred to as the science of the mind. By exploring how we organize and process the abundance of information we receive from our environment, cognitive psychologists reveal what is going on behind the scenes of mental processes.

Taking a theoretical approach, students examine cognitive processes such as perception, attention, learning and memory, language, and intelligence and creativity.  They gain a greater understanding of this innovative field by exploring the progression of ideas that led to the Cognitive Revolution, core research methodologies within the discipline, and fundamental neurological structures involved in cognitive processes. Through observational studies, group discussions, and contemporary readings and laboratory findings, students begin to perceive human beings as information processors.

Students leave this course with a richer understanding of how people make sense of the complex world around them. For eaplxme, how is it taht rdaeres are albe to usrtadennd tihs setnecne wuhtoit mcuh dcuifflity eevn tgouhh olny the fsrit and lsat lrettes of mnay wrods are in the pperor pclae?

Sample text: Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research and Everyday Experience, Goldstein.

Session 1: Lancaster, Los Angeles, Saratoga Springs
Session 2: Lancaster, Los Angeles, Saratoga Springs

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Youth and Society: Service Learning
What is the role of a young person in today’s society? What responsibilities and opportunities do young people have to affect their communities? Offered through a partnership with the Center for Talent Development’s award-winning Civic Education Project, this course provides students the opportunity to integrate academic study with meaningful community service. 

Through writing, reading, discussion, and experiential learning, students examine the structure of communities and the different factors—social, political, economic—that affect them. Focus topics correspond to students’ volunteer assignments and include issues such as homelessness and urban poverty. Students spend time on both classroom work and supervised volunteer work with community organizations ranging from homeless shelters to Head Start programs to top political offices. For example, they may spend a morning volunteering in a soup kitchen and meet in the afternoon with a representative from the mayor’s office to discuss welfare reform.

By carrying academic rigor outside the classroom, this highly interactive course allows students not only to apply what they gain in the classroom but also to learn from the people most directly confronted by a given issue: the social workers and clients, the politicians and constituents. Through academic research, small group work, and facilitated reflection, students gain a deeper understanding of complex social issues and learn how young people can make a difference in communities. They emerge as more active scholars, leaders, and citizens.

Sample texts: Active Citizenship Today, Degelman and Hayes; Free the Children, Kielburger.

Field Trip Fee: $65

Session 1: Baltimore
Session 2: Baltimore 

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