Humanities and Engineering (Course 21E)

Department of Humanities

Bachelor of Science in Humanities and Engineering

As a matter of general Course 21 policy, subjects used to meet the General Institute Science Requirement, the REST Requirement, and the Laboratory Requirement may not be included in the six-subject Engineering component of 21E degrees. Up to six subjects (72 units) may be used for both the major and the GIRs, but the units from those subjects may not count toward the 180 units required beyond the GIRs. In addition, no more than one subject that counts toward the distribution component of the HASS Requirement may also be counted toward this major. At least eight of the subjects required for the chosen program cannot also count toward another major or a minor. 

Students must designate two CI-M subjects by petitioning the Subcommittee on the Communication Requirement. Normally, students are expected to complete one CI-M from each area of study, usually chosen from the subjects designated as CI-M for each major.

General Institute Requirements (GIRs)

The General Institute Requirements include a Communication Requirement that is integrated into both the HASS Requirement and the requirements of each major; see details below.

Summary of Subject Requirements Subjects
Science Requirement 6
Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) Requirement [up to six subjects can be from the Departmental Program. Only one subject being used to meet the distribution component of the HASS Requirement may be counted toward the degree program.]; at least two of these subjects must be designated as communication-intensive (CI-H) to fulfill the Communication Requirement. 8
Restricted Electives in Science and Technology (REST) Requirement 2
Laboratory Requirement (12 units) 1
Total GIR Subjects Required for SB Degree 17
Physical Education Requirement
Swimming requirement, plus four physical education courses for eight points.

Departmental Program

Choose at least two subjects in the major that are designated as communication-intensive (CI-M) to fulfill the Communication Requirement.

Restricted ElectivesUnits
For the humanities component, choose one of the following (further details may be obtained from the descriptions of programs in specific fields and the relevant field office):81-114
African and African Diaspora Studies 1
American Studies 1
Ancient and Medieval Studies 1
Anthropology
Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies 1
Comparative Media Studies
Global Studies and Languages (in French, German, or Spanish)
History
Latin American and Latino/a Studies 1
Literature
Music
Russian and Eurasian Studies 1
Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
Theater Arts
Women's and Gender Studies 1
Writing
For the engineering component, select six elective subjects restricted to one of the engineering curricula and approved by a faculty member in the field.54-72
Units in Major135-186
Unrestricted Electives 248-117
Units in Major That Also Satisfy the GIRs(36-72)
Total Units Beyond the GIRs Required for SB Degree180

The units for any subject that counts as one of the 17 GIR subjects cannot also be counted as units required beyond the GIRs.

1

African and African Diaspora Studies, American Studies, Ancient and Medieval Studies, Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies, Latin American and Latino/a Studies, Russian and Eurasian Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies are also available as options within the Course 21 degree program, by special arrangement with the Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

2

This chart has been calculated based on an overlap of 36 units (three subjects) between the HASS General Institute Requirement and the departmental requirements. Students who develop a program of study with more overlap will be able to select more unrestricted electives to meet the number of total units beyond the GIRs required for an SB degree.

Restricted Electives: Humanities Component (by area of study)

African and African Diaspora Studies

Select seven elective subjects that follow the general structure of the Minor 163-84
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial6
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units81-102
1

See the minor in African and African Diaspora Studies for a list of available subjects and a description of the structure of the program.

American Studies

Select seven elective subjects that follow the structure of the Minor 163-84
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial 26
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units81-102
1

See the minor in American Studies for a list of available subjects and a description of the structure of the program.

2

With the consent of the faculty advisor, a student may substitute two subjects for 21.THT and 21.THU

Ancient and Medieval Studies

Select seven elective subjects that follow the general structure of the Minor 163-84
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial6
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units81-102
1

See the minor in Ancient and Medieval Studies for a list of available subjects and a description of the structure of the program.

Anthropology

Select two of the following:24
Introduction to Anthropology: Comparing Human Cultures
How Culture Works
The Meaning of Life
Select one of the following CI-Ms:12
Food, Culture, and Politics (CI-M)
Seminar in Ethnography and Fieldwork (CI-M)
Select six elective subjects in consultation with the major advisor. 169-72
Total Units105-108
1

See the Anthropology subject listing for a list of available subjects. An honors thesis may be done at the invitation and approval of faculty. 

Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies

Select seven elective subjects that follow the general structure of the Minor 163-84
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial6
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units81-102
1

See the minor in Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies for a list of available subjects and a description of the structure of the program.

Comparative Media Studies

CMS.100Introduction to Media Studies12
CMS.701Current Debates in Media12
Select one of the following Practice and Production subjects:12
Short Attention Span Documentary
Civic Media Collaborative Design Studio
Design and Development of Games for Learning
The Word Made Digital
Digital Humanities: Topics, Techniques, and Technologies
Designing Interactions
Making Documentary: Audio, Video, and More
Select five CMS electives 145-60
Total Units81-96
1

A pre-thesis tutorial (CMS.THT) and thesis (CMS.THU), totaling 18 units of credit, may be substituted for one CMS elective.

Global Studies and Languages (in French, German, or Spanish)

Select nine elective subjects, which may include a pre-thesis tutorial and thesis (21G.THT and 21G.THU), subject to faculty approval81-108
Total Units81-108

History

Select five elective subjects 154-60
Select one 21H seminar subject (excluding 21H.390) 29-12
21H.390Theories and Methods in the Study of History12
21H.THTHistory Pre-Thesis Tutorial12
21H.THUHistory Thesis12
Total Units99-108
1

The five 21H subjects must include one pre-modern subject (before 1700).

2

Select from among 21H subjects for which the first digit after the decimal point is 3. See the History website for additional information.

Latin American and Latino/a Studies

17.55[J]Introduction to Latin American Studies12
Select six elective subjects, including study in at least two disciplines and subjects in either Spanish or Portuguese54-72
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial6
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units84-102

Literature

Select eight elective subjects, including two seminars and subjects in three historical periods or thematic complexes96
Total Units96

Music

21M.301Harmony and Counterpoint I 112
Select two terms of performance subjects (6 units each)12
Select one of the following:12
Medieval and Renaissance Music
Baroque and Classical Music
Music since 1900
Select one of the following:12
Music of India
Musics in Bali
Music of Africa
Popular Musics of the World
Cultures of Popular Music in East Asia: Japan, Korea, China
Studies in Global Musics
Restricted Electives
A coherent program of four subjects from the music curriculum chosen in consultation with faculty advisor(s)48
Total Units96
1

Students who enter with additional training in music theory should take 21M.302 or an upper-level course as a substitute for 21M.301.

Russian and Eurasian Studies

Select seven elective subjects, two of which must satisfy the language requirement 163-84
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial6
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units81-102
1

See the minor in Russian Studies for a list of available subjects and a description of the structure of the program.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

Select six elective subjects 154-72
STS.004Intersections: Science, Technology, and the World12
STS.THTUndergraduate Thesis Tutorial6
STS.THUUndergraduate Thesis12
Total Units84-102
1

Must include at least one Tier I subject in addition to STS.004 and one Tier II subject.

Theater Arts

Select 12 units of the following:12
Introduction to Acting
Physical Improvisation: Bodies in Motion
Fundamentals of Theater Design
Performance Media
Script Analysis
Playwriting Fundamentals
Select eight elective subjects in consultation with the major advisor. 178-96
Total Units90-108
1

See the Theater Arts subject listing for a list of available subjects. Qualified students may, with departmental approval, substitute a thesis (21T.THU) for one of these 12-unit electives.

Women's and Gender Studies

WGS.101Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies12
WGS.301[J]Feminist Thought12
Select five elective subjects60
21.THTHumanities Pre-Thesis Tutorial 16
21.THUUndergraduate Thesis in Humanities12
Total Units102
1

With the permission of the director of the program, students may substitute two 12-unit subjects for 21.THT and 21.THU.

Writing

Select seven subjects in Writing 184
21W.THTWriting Pre-Thesis Tutorial6
21W.THUWriting Program Thesis12
Total Units102
1

One of these subjects is normally at the introductory level; one may be selected from a related field.