An antique map of the world, circa 1570. Image courtesy of Changhua Coast Conservation Action on flickr.
In this section we have provided a collection of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science courses and resources from across MIT. Some are materials that were used to teach MIT undergraduates, while others were designed specifically for high school students.
Although normally associated with science and engineering, the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) are a thriving and vital part of MIT. All undergraduates are required to complete eight courses in HASS departments by the time they graduate.
Learn more about MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
We have selected relevant history courses, but the list below represents only a fraction of what is available on OCW. See a complete list of History courses on OCW.
| » The Ancient World: Greece (21H.301) | Prof. William Broadhead |
| » The Ancient World: Rome (21H.302) | Prof. William Broadhead |
| » The City of Athens in the Age of Pericles (21H.237) | Prof. William Broadhead |
| » American History to 1865 (21H.101) | Prof. Pauline Maier |
| » The Emergence of Modern America 1865-Present (21H.102) | History Department Faculty |
| » The American Revolution (21H.112) | Prof. Pauline Maier |
| » The Civil War and Reconstruction (21H.116J) | Prof. Merritt Roe Smith |
| » The Civil War and the Emergence of Modern America, 1861-1890 (STS.427) | Prof. Merritt Roe Smith |
| » The Places of Migration in United States History (21H.221) | Prof. Christopher Capozzola |
| » America in Depression and War (21H.209) | Prof. Meg Jacobs |
| » War and American Society (21H.223) | Prof. Christopher Capozzola |
| » The Emergence of Europe: 500-1300 (21H.306) | Prof. Anne McCants |
| » Renaissance To Revolution, 1300-1800 (21H.141) | Prof. Jeffrey S. Ravel |
| » History of Western Thought, 500-1300 (21H.411) | Prof. Anne McCants |
| » The Age of Reason: Europe from the 17th to the Early 19th Centuries (21H.433) | Prof. Jeffrey S. Ravel |
| » The Middle East in the 20th Century (21H.161) | Prof. Abigail Jacobson |
We have selected relevant literature courses, but the list below represents only a fraction of what is available on OCW. See a complete list of Literature courses on OCW.
We have picked relevant courses from OCW. The first course listed below, Introduction to Psychology (9.00SC), is in our OCW Scholar format. OCW Scholar courses are designed for study at your own pace. They contain substantially more material than typical OCW courses, blending new content with existing material used in MIT classes.
Learn more about OCW Scholar.
| » Accelerated Introductory Portuguese for Spanish Speakers (21G.880/21G.855) | Dr. Nilma Dominique |
| » Speak Italian with Your Mouth Full (ES.S41) | Dr. Paola Rebusco |
| » Spanish I (21G.701) | Margarita Ribas Groeger, Solivia Márquez |
| » Spanish II (21G.702) | Margarita Ribas Groeger, José A. Ramos, Solivia Márquez |
| » Portuguese I (21G.801) | Dr. Nilma Dominique |
| » Portuguese II (21G.802) | Dr. Nilma Dominique |
| » French I (21G.301) | Cathy Culot, Gilberte Furstenberg, Johann Sadock, Laura Ceia-Minjares, Prof. Sabine Levet |
| » French II (21G.302) | Laura Ceia-Minjares, Cathy Culot, Gilberte Furstenberg, Johann Sadock |
| » German I (21G.401) | Peter Weise |
| » German II (21G.402) | Ellen Crocker |
| » Kana | Ikue Shingu, Yoshimi Nagaya, Masami Ikeda-Lamm, Tomoko Graham, Prof. Shigeru Miyagawa |
| » Learning Chinese: A Foundation Course in Mandarin | Dr. Julian K. Wheatley |
| » Chinese I (Regular) (21G.101) | Dr. Julian K. Wheatley |
| » Chinese II (Regular) (21G.102) | Dr. Julian K. Wheatley |
| » Japanese I (21G.501) | Masami Ikeda-Lamm, Yoshimi Nagaya |
| » Japanese II (21G.502) | Masami Ikeda-Lamm, Dr. Emiko Okayasu |
| » East Asian Culture: From Zen to K Pop (21G.030) | Prof. Emma Teng |
| » Democracy in America (17.267) | Prof. Christopher Warshaw |
| » Constitutional Law: Structures of Power and Individual Rights (17.245) | Prof. Christopher Warshaw |
| » Introduction to the American Political Process (17.20) | Prof. Adam Berinsky |
| » Congress and the American Political System I (17.251) | Prof. Charles Stewart, III |
| » Congress and the American Political System II (17.261) | Prof. Charles Stewart, III |
| » Libertarianism in History (21H.181) | Prof. Malick Ghachem |
| » Introduction to Western Music (21M.011) | Prof. Ellen Harris |
| » Introduction to World Music (21M.030) | Prof. George Ruckert |
| » Fundamentals of Music (21M.051) | Ms. Pamela Wood |
| » Introduction to Music Composition (21M.065) | Prof. Brian Robison |
| » Composing with Computers I (21M.361) | Peter Whincop |
| » Music and Technology: Recording Techniques and Audio Production (21M.380) | Prof. Christopher Ariza |
| » Playwriting I (21M.604) | Laura Harrington |
| » Introduction to Stagecraft (21M.606) | Karen Perlow, Leslie Cocuzzo Held, Michael Katz, Sara Brown |
| » Foundations of Theater Practice (21M.611) | Prof. Janet Sonenberg |
| » Introduction to Media Studies (CMS.100) | Prof. Mia Consalvo |
| » Documentary Photography and Photojournalism: Still Images of a World in Motion (21W.749) | Prof. B. D. Colen |
| » Topics in Comparative Media: American Pro Wrestling (CMS.997) | Sam Ford |
| » Understanding Television (21L.432) | Prof. David Thorburn |
| » Media in Cultural Context: Popular Readerships (21L.715) | Prof. Sarah Brouillette |
| » Studies in Film (21L.706) | Prof. Alvin Kibel |
| » French Film Classics (21G.052) | Catherine Clark |
| » The Film Experience (21L.011) | Prof. David Thorburn |
| » Becoming the Next Bill Nye: Writing and Hosting the Educational Show (20.219) | Elizabeth Choe, Jaime Goldstein |
| » Producing Educational Videos (ES.333) | David Custer, Graham Gordon Ramsay |
| » Introduction to Videogame Studies (CMS.300) | Clara Fernandez-Vara |
| » Computer Games and Simulations for Investigation and Education (11.127J) | Prof. Eric Klopfer |
| » Game Design (CMS.608) | Clara Fernandez-Vara, Doris Rusch, Jesper Juul, Philip Tan |
| » The Mathematics in Toys and Games (ES.268) | Jing Li, Prof. Erik Demaine, Melissa Gymrek |
| » Interactive and Non-Linear Narrative: Theory and Practice (21W.765J) | Prof. Beth Coleman |
| » Videogame Theory and Analysis (CMS.600) | Dr. Alice Robison |
| » Creating Video Games (CMS.611J) | Philip B. Tan, Richard Eberhardt, Sara Verrilli, Andrew Grant |
| » Games for Social Change (CMS.615) | Scot Osterweil |
| » Games and Culture (CMS.616J) | Prof. T.L. Taylor |
| » Writing and Rhetoric: Writing about Sports (21W.015) | Dr. Karen Boiko |
| » Writing Workshop (ES.292) | Jessica Young |
| » Writing About Literature (21L.000J) | Dr. Wyn Kelley |
| » Writing with Shakespeare (21L.010) | Prof. Diana Henderson |
| » Writing and Experience (21W.731-4) | Dr. Elizabeth Fox |
| » Science Writing and New Media (21W.732) | David Custer, Elizabeth A. Page |
| » Composing Your Life: Exploration of Self Through Visual Arts and Writing (ES.240) | Graham Gordon Ramsay, Dr. Holly Sweet |
| » The Science Essay (21W.777) | Dr. Karen Boiko |
| » Digital Poetry (21W.772) | Dr. Edward C. Barrett |
| » Writing and Reading Short Stories (21W.755) | Shariann Lewitt |
| » Writing and Reading Poems (21W.756) | William Corbett |
| » Writing on Contemporary Issues: Culture Shock! Writing, Editing, and Publishing in Cyberspace (21W.730-5) | Dr. Rebecca Blevins Faery |
| » » Writing and Rhetoric: Rhetoric and Contemporary Issues (21W.011) | Dr. Andrea Walsh |
| » Guide to Writing an “A” Paper Or…Overcoming the ‘Blank-Screen Syndrome’” (PDF) | Professor Meg Jacobs |
| » Study Materials section from the course Contemporary Literature (21L.488) Look For: Developing a Thesis; Criteria for a Good Paper: Analyzing a Text; and Paraphrasing | Prof. John Hildebidle |
| » Related Resources section from the course Causes and Prevention of War (17.42) Look For: Writing Resources | Prof. Stephen Van Evera |
| » Study Materials section from the course Rhetoric (21W.747-1) Look for: Argument Requirements | Dr. Steven Strang |
| » Reports section for the course Project Laboratory (2.672) | Prof. Douglas Hart, Prof. Wai Cheng |
| » Writing Advice section for the course Challenge of World Poverty (14.73) Look for: Written Reports | Prof. Esther Duflo, Prof. Abhijit Banerjee |
| » Angles: First Year Writing Students’ Magazine | Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies |
This course was offered through the High School Studies Program (HSSP), a project of the MIT Educational Studies Program. HSSP offers non-credit enrichment courses to 7th-12th grade students on weekends at MIT.
| » Gödel, Escher, Bach - Summer 2007 | Justin Curry, Curran Kelleher |
| » Europe in Crisis: The World Wars in Europe - Summer 2008 | Michelle Bentivegna |
| » Leadership Training Institute - Summer 2008 | Lauren Rodda, Amanda Mok |
