The Humanities Department maintains a unique position within our college of technology. The department offers courses in art history, communication, world languages, music and theatre, providing students with laboratories for creative expression, cultural and historical understanding, and practical tool sets for work and living. These enriching competencies help students appreciate multiple perspectives and synthesize ideas, ultimately laying the groundwork for a sense of possibility and a clearer recognition of an individual's place in society.

Our courses complement the study of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and human services. The integration of the arts and communication studies into a general education curriculum produces demonstrably positive results in academic performance. By engaging with the humanities, students become more deeply invested in learning, cultivate a sensitivity to cultural diversity, think more critically and develop superior problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills.

Beyond the classroom, our courses prepare students for a diverse and fast-changing job market, where multilingualism, effective communications skills and advocacy of human and environmental concerns have become preeminent. The practice and appreciation of the visual and performing arts nd concrete applications not only in the STEM disciplines but also in a range of real-world careers.

Our courses fulll general education requirements and, in some cases, degree requirements as well.

Art History

Art History is a discipline within the Humanities Department that examines the history of artistic production in a rich variety of contexts. Study involves the investigation of the world's monuments and images from a number of perspectives, including visual analyses of the art works, inquiries into the lives of artists, and examinations of the social, political and cultural contexts in which works of art are made. Works of art in all media (painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, architecture, the decorative arts, and photography, film, and video) are considered.

Communication

The communication curriculum explores the process of human interaction in social, political, cultural, and global contexts. Our courses contribute to liberal arts education and promote communication research and development. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative methods, teaching and scholarship in the discipline include international and intercultural communication, oral performance, public speaking, and communication in group and business settings. Grounded in the social sciences and professional approaches to human interaction, our courses prepare students for a variety of careers demanding leadership and the ability to confront emerging local and global communication challenges. Courses engage theory, research, and practice. In doing so, our curriculum promotes competencies required for various modes of mediated and unmediated messaging, while developing skills for analyzing, interpreting, and solving communication problems.

World Languages

World Languages courses at City Tech are designed to develop communicative and cross-cultural competencies. The acquisition of linguistic, cognitive, and cultural skills will enable students to interact productively in diverse and globalized societies where multilingualism and intercultural skills are in demand. The World Languages Program includes courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish. Language courses are part of the core curriculum requirement for students in the Arts in Liberal Arts Program and are offered as electives in the Science in Liberal Arts Program, as well as in other college degree programs and divisions (School of Professional Studies, School of Technology and Design). Students planning to enroll in a world language course at City Tech for the first time take a placement test to measure their degree of proficiency. The Program offers three levels of language instruction in Arabic, Chinese and French. Spanish courses include four levels of language instruction, including two upper-level courses in Spanish literature.

Department permission for World Languages classes

Music

Courses in music history, musicology, performance, and theory are designed to cultivate conceptual, analytical, and creative learning. Complementing classroom and studio instruction, the music curriculum engages with the vital music scene of New York City. Our courses enhance artistic sensitivity, develop critical thinking skills, and enrich the cultural lives of City Tech students.

Theatre

The theatre courses offered in the Humanities Department are a good starting point for students curious about live performance. Performance is examined in light of theatre history and literature, as well as practical considerations made by theatre artists for producing live events. Theatre courses give interested students an overview of the preparations for, and methods of, acting, designing, playwriting, and directing, as well as insights into the historical development of stage technologies and performance spaces. These courses provide students with a solid foundation to enrich their experiences as theatre audience members. Theatre courses support the Entertainment Technology major and complement courses in Architectural Technology, English, and the Social Sciences. Courses carrying the THE designation (Introduction to Theatre, History of Theatre: Stages and Technology, and Play Analysis: Texts and Contexts) are academic courses that meet Liberal Arts requirements. Courses labeled PERF (Drama Workshop) are practical workshops in performance.