Online courses in culture and Humanities

The asynchronous courses in culture and the humanities offered by the Humanities Lab at the University of San Sebastián constitute an innovative educational initiative within the Comprehensive Education program. Designed as elective courses, these courses complement the required general education courses (such as Anthropology, Ethics, and Person and Society) with an interdisciplinary approach that covers topics in culture, history, art, philosophy, and literature.

Delivered entirely online via the Blackboard platform, each course incorporates video lectures, multimedia resources, and interactive materials, promoting self-directed learning and flexible access from any device with an internet connection. The course structure is organized into units that combine visual and textual content to facilitate a deep and active understanding of cultural topics.

This initiative has involved the collaboration of more than twenty faculty members from various university departments, as well as staff from various academic and technological support units, in an effort to enrich the educational experience beyond the traditional classroom.

José Manuel Cerda, director of the Lab, explains that the goal of these courses is “for students to appreciate the beauty and wisdom found in the humanities and to value the great milestones of Western civilization in a way that is sophisticated, engaging, and modern. The best of culture will be available on their computers, tablets, or phones to inspire, excite, and amaze them every day with what human beings have been able to create over the centuries.” Professor Cerda notes that writing the scripts and filming the classes “has been a tremendous experience for the teachers because it transports them to a new dimension of teaching that is both challenging and stimulating.”

According to Klaus Droste, dean of the School of Psychology and Humanities, “the Humanities Laboratory seeks to expand this space for engagement with the humanities and culture, incorporating diverse approaches and leveraging the advantages of technology—which bring a dynamism and scope that are particularly valuable in these times—while fostering creativity, innovation, originality, the rigor of a job well done, and a new way of presenting the cultural heritage accumulated over the centuries.”

María Luisa Salazar is the coordinator of the Humanities Lab and has been involved in managing all aspects of this project. She notes that “since this is an innovative project for the university—not only in terms of content but also in its format—it has been a challenge to combine the traditional with the new, often forcing us to push the boundaries of what is established to ensure the courses run smoothly, but above all, to enrich students’ experience with history, art, and beauty.”

Students will be able to take these courses anywhere with internet access and on any device. The courses will be available to the university’s undergraduate students starting in the second semester of 2024, and students must select a total of three of these courses over the course of their studies.

The main goal of these courses is to foster an appreciation for the humanities and the great milestones of human cultural heritage, offering students the opportunity to explore classical and contemporary knowledge in an engaging, modern, and self-directed way. Browse the catalog, choose the courses that inspire you most, and discover how the humanities can transform your view of the world through dynamic and accessible digital learning.