Department of Humanities

Department of
Humanities

humanities teacher is having a discussion with students on why it is important

Vision

Equipping students to become writers,
educators, and historians.

The study of the humanities unites a breadth of disciplines, encompassing history, literature, cultural studies, modern languages, and creative writing. The Department of Humanities within the College of Arts & Media at Southeastern University strives to instill within students a passion for lifelong learning by promoting academic excellence, faith integration, and positive interpersonal relationships through the rigor of its programs.

Through the study of the humanities, our graduates are well-equipped to thrive within the fields of communication, business, politics, and education with proficiency in written and oral communication and a keen understanding of other cultures and languages.

In the College of Arts & Media, we believe that servant leaders can be world-changers. We’ll help you develop your talents in ways you never knew were possible. Through practical experience, both on campus and in the community, you’ll discover how your creativity intersects with God’s divine plan for your life.

a young girl is standing up in front of crowd storytelling in a yellow room

Faculty within the department are credentialed through the following universities:

American University
Duquesne University
East Carolina University
King’s College

University of Aberdeen Scotland
Miami University
Queens College
City University of New York

Southern New Hampshire University
St. John’s University
The University of Central Florida
The University of South Florida

The University of Utah
The University of West Florida

Requesting Additional Information

To request additional information regarding the Department of Humanities, please contact the department offices at 863.667.5113.

Any Additional Questions

For questions regarding the College of Arts & Media (CAM) or to request information about other departments within CAM, please contact the college’s main office at 863.667.5657.

About Competitive Scholarships

The College of Arts & Media offers competitive scholarships in all majors based on academic or performance qualifications and program involvement. For more information on scholarships, please contact the department office at 863.667.5113. For more information on financial aid, click here.

humanities degree has a student raising his hand during a class discussion

humanities opportunities has a teacher standing up talking into microphone to class

humanities facility Buena Vida East entrance

Degree Programs

Majors

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B.F.A. in Creative Writing

Over the past 40 years, creative writing has been one of the fastest-growing degree programs in America and shows no sign of slowing down. The purpose of the program is to challenge students to become effective storytellers. All communication is creative. A Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing trains students to communicate ideas and stories––whether factual or fictional in nature––in an effective, memorable way. Creative writing students also study the great storytellers from world, British, American, and Ethnic literature, while perfecting their ability to write their own poetry, short stories, novels, and drama. Creative writers are valuable professionals operating in every industry and serving a myriad of professional functions, such as authors, editors, publicists, politicians, entrepreneurs, and communication professionals. They use their refined skills in research, writing, and presentations—the very abilities that will pave the way for success in any career, business, or ministry.

B.A. in English

The Bachelor of Arts in English program equips students through advanced training in the English language and literature, challenging them in compositional writing and critical thinking. These skills are explored through courses in creative, expository, and compositional writing, as well as courses in literature and literary theory. Together, they are designed to help students expand their abilities in literary interpretation, theoretical analysis, and academic writing. With a wide range of writing courses examining expository and creative writing, and literature courses focusing on various unique aspects of world, British, American, African-American, Native American, Latin American, adolescent, and women’s literature, the English major is submerged in the world of the written masterpiece. That enables these scholars to enter the workforce in a variety of careers, including authors, editors, educators, politicians, entrepreneurs, and communication professionals.

B.A./B.S. in English and Intercultural Studies

Southeastern University’s English and Intercultural Studies program equips students to have an impact on other cultures academically and spiritually. This program is comprised of three areas: English, TESOL education, and missions. Students within the English and Intercultural Studies program will take a wide variety of courses, ranging from English literature and grammar, missiological studies and strategies, and educational models on how to teach English as a foreign language teacher. In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in one of SEU’s study-abroad opportunities in order to complete their capstone internship, combining all of the academic areas studied. Students who complete the English and Intercultural Studies program also receive a TESOL certificate upon graduation.

B.A./B.S. in General Studies

The BS and BA in General Studies degrees are designed to allow students autonomy and choice as to their preferred areas of academic focus. Especially created for students who want a solid foundation in the liberal arts, these programs allow for a student-centered approach to degree completion. Since students must take at least eighteen hours of upper-level courses in two distinct program tracks, the General Studies programs offer a customizable and flexible approach to degree completion.

B.A./B.S. in History

Choosing to dedicate oneself to the study of history is to open the textbook of humanity, examine its contents, and use that knowledge to better equip oneself for the present. Upon graduation from the program, history students are skilled in analytical learning and reporting––vital skills in any industry. The history program teaches participants to seek answers to important questions from a Christian perspective: Why are things the way they are? How does the past impact the present and the future? And how have people interacted over time? We believe that interweaving discussions of current historical scholarship with the timeless principles of faith benefit the relentless pursuit of truth.

B.A. in Language, Culture, and Trade

As more and more companies and people work on a global scale, we must ensure we are preparing the workforce of tomorrow to fully understand other cultures, their languages, their histories, their religions, and more. The Department of Humanities in the College of Arts & Media offers a bachelor’s of arts program to prime students to enter the international job market with the highest-level skills, knowledge, and professional competencies to make a global impact. The skill-based interdisciplinary Language, Culture, and Trade program will offer concentrations in six areas beginning in Fall 2020: Business, Tourism and Hospitality, Developmental Services, Linguistics, Political Science, and Cultural Interface. Students will also have the option to customize a concentration to suit their needs.

Minors

Applied Linguistics
Creative Writing
English
History
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Political History
Spanish
Certificates
TESOL Certificate (Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages)

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Opportunities

Southeastern University CAM Fire English

Fire English (TESOL classes led by EIS majors)

Fire English is a TESOL field experience program that allows students to teach beginning, intermediate, and advanced English language classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights during the semester. Fire English classes are offered free of charge to Lakeland’s non-native English-speaking community at Southeastern University every semester.

For more information, contact Dr. Annette Graves at nagraves@seu.edu

Southeastern University CAM audience listening to a speaker in the Southeastern University Zisblatt Room

Herodotus Society

The Herodotus Society is an on-campus, student-run history club. Each semester, students develop and participate in several history-related events on and off campus that are designed to increase the awareness of the past among the student body and demonstrate the various ways that history and historical study are applied in a variety of settings. Past events include day trips to NASA and St. Augustine; a guest lecture from Holocaust survivor, Irene Zisblatt; and tours of the Polk County History Center.

For more information, contact Dr. Rustin Lloyd at rblloyd@seu.edu

Southeastern University CAM Daphne Tarango and Paul Linzey

Original: Creative Writing Club

“Original” is a student-led club that encourages creative writers to gather weekly to practice their craft. The first and third meetings of the month include a presentation on one or more writing tools, as well as time to practice the tool discussed with the use of fun writing exercises. The second and fourth meetings of the month are writing workshops where students bring in something they have been working on throughout the month, read a couple pages to a group, and get feedback from each other for improvements.

For more information, contact Professor Hannah Benefield at hebenefield@seu.edu

The Oracle

The Oracle, the journal of the Department of Humanities, encourages students to express their creative abilities in various spheres, including prose, poetry, literature, and history. The main objective of the Oracle centers around drawing members of the Southeastern University community into service and worship through the fine arts.

For more information, contact Professor Marlon Dempster at mmdempster@seu.edu

Phi Alpha Theta

Founded on March 17, 1921, at the University of Arkansas, Phi Alpha Theta is a national history honor society. At Southeastern University, the Department of Humanities houses the Alpha Pi Lambda chapter of the society. Phi Alpha Theta is open to all students who have completed at least 12 credit hours of history while maintaining at least a 3.1 GPA.

For more information, contact Dr. Rustin Lloyd at rblloyd@seu.edu

Southeastern University CAM students study abroad Cuba

Study Abroad: Cuba (with History of Cuba course integration)

In conjunction with the “History of Cuba: 1898 to the present” course, students can participate in the fall break or spring break trip to Cuba to experience firsthand the material studied during the course. The trip is led by Professor Jason Old who specializes in Spanish and Latin American Studies.

For more information, contact Professor Jason Old at jrold@seu.edu

Study Abroad: Cuba (summer program)

Study abroad in Cuba while earning ten credits over the summer! Students will take a one-week intensive Intermediate Spanish A course at Southeastern, then spend three weeks in Cuba earning credit for Intermediate Spanish B and a course on Cuban history and culture. While in Cuba, students will visit Havana, Viñales, Trinidad, and Santa Clara.

For more information, contact Professor Jason Old at jrold@seu.edu

Study Abroad: England

The England Study Abroad tour gives Southeastern undergraduate students the option of fulfilling general education requirements for English and humanities by experiencing firsthand the landscapes, historical landmarks, and culture that birthed British art, literature, and music.

For more information, contact Dr. Annette Graves at nagraves@seu.edu

Agriculture Asia with houses in background

Study Abroad: Nepal

EIS students in the department of humanities have the opportunity to travel to Nepal. Students gain hands-on experience teaching and developing TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) curriculum.

For more information, contact Dr. Annette Graves at nagraves@seu.edu

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Our Facilities

The College of Arts & Media is committed to excellence in every aspect of the student experience. A vital element of this experience is the educational environment. Our facilities are an extension of that commitment in the provision of application-based educational opportunities to every student––no matter their field of study.

Buena Vida

Our programs utilize multiple learning environments on and off campus, as well as the opportunities to study abroad. Pictured left, the Buena Vida facility houses our faculty and the majority of our on-campus classroom space.

For more information about the educational environments used by the Department of Humanities, contact us at 863.667.5113.

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Contact Us

College of Arts & Media
863.667.5657

Southeastern University
863.667.5000

Address

1000 Longfellow Boulevard
Lakeland, Florida 33801

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