About

Stanford Summer Humanities Institute allows participants to dive deep into the humanities, exploring rich fields of inquiry that are rarely taught at the high school level.
Students laugh during a presentation at the Stanford Humanities Center.

Humanities Enrichment

Not for credit or grade, Stanford Summer Humanities Institute encourages participants to tap into Stanford University's excellence in the humanities and social sciences—exploring texts and ideas at a profound level, writing college-level papers, and communicating complex arguments in their academic writing and discussion sections.
Intensive Exploration
Participants investigate topics in the humanities that teach them to understand the past, question the present, and imagine the future.
Profound Conversations
From breakfast to evening activities, participants have the chance to discuss powerful ideas that they are exposed to in lectures, readings, and discussion sections.
Global Citizenship
Participants from around the world come together as a community of curious, independent thinkers from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
Independent Research
During their third week, participants work closely with Stanford professors, graduate students, and writing mentors to produce original research projects.

An Immersive Academic Environment

Courses meet each weekday from 9:30am to 11:30am PST for faculty-led sessions that include lecture, small group discussions, and individual work.
A participant works with a graduate teaching assistant.

College-Level Workload

Similar to what they would experience in a college course, students can expect a heavy workload of assignments to complete outside of class meeting times. Coursework will include assigned readings, group work, lectures, and more.
After class, students work together at a picnic table.

Student Engagement

Active participation in class discussions and organized activities is key to creating a community of engaged learners, and students are expected to participate and collaborate with their peers, professors, and teaching assistants.
Participants visit the Cantor museum

Campus Resources

Stanford’s art museums allow participants to see everything from ancient to contemporary art at the Cantor Center for Visual Arts and Anderson Collection.

Impact of the Humanities

Professor Christopher Bobonich speaking about the program.

Philosophy and the Humanities

With numerous courses offered in philosophy, Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is a unique summer experience for students passionate about the humanities.

I’ve become a better writer throughout this process, I’ve been able to learn how to articulate my ideas both, actually, in writing and in speech.

Stanford Summer Humanities Institute Participant

On the Value of the Humanities

Expert Stanford Faculty

Scholars in the field of humanities, Stanford University professors lead all Stanford Summer Humanities Institute courses.
Portrait of Allyson Hobbs

Associate Professor Allyson Hobbs

Racial Identity in the American Imagination

Portrait of Hector Hoyos

Associate Professor Héctor Hoyos

Magical Realism: One Hundred Years of Solitude

Instructor, Revolutions

Professor Dan Edelstein

Revolutions

Portrait of Caroline Winterer

Professor Caroline Winterer

The American Enlightenment

Portrait of Christopher Krebs

Associate Professor Christopher Krebs

Ancient Rome and Its Legacies

Portrait of Christopher Bubonic

Professor Christopher Bobonich

The Greeks and Beyond

Joshua Landy

Professor Joshua Landy

Film and Philosophy

Jorah Dannenberg

Assistant Professor Jorah Dannenberg

Film and Philosophy

joel cabrita

Assistant Professor Joel Cabrita

Who Owns the Past? African Museum Collections in the Bay Area

Engaging Intellectual Life

Stanford Summer Humanities Institute provides not only enriching academic experiences, but also engaging learning communities that foster critical thinking, promote personal growth, and inspire lifelong learning outside of the classroom. Outside of the academic coursework, students will have opportunities to engage and build community with their peers through a variety of workshops and recreational activities.
Participants do yoga together outside.

Participate in Workshops and Fun Activities After Classes

During the week, Stanford Summer Humanities Institute residential staff plan a variety of workshops and fun activities. Workshop topics may include: equity and inclusion, a faculty career path panel, a discussion with the Stanford Office of Undergraduate Admission, and wellness coaching. Recreational activities may include board games, pick-up sports, and walks around campus.

One of our hopes was to expose students to big ideas, enduring ideas, ideas about democracy, revolution, social change, to the tools that the humanities have to help us think through those sorts of questions.

Professor Debra Satz

Department of Philosophy, Stanford University