Humanities for Public Service Major
Prepare for careers in public service through our major that allows you to tailor your coursework. You will study approaches to serving communities across the world while questioning value, meaning, conflict, and change. Humanities courses will help you shape your understanding of people and experiences.
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ONLY PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD
8
DISCIPLINES COVERED BY OUR FACULTY
22
AVERAGE UPPER-LEVEL CLASS SIZE
36
TOTAL NUMBER OF CREDITS FOR THE MAJOR
Total Credit Hours: 120
Humanities for Public Service
(45 hours)
General Education (45 hours)
Free Electives (30 hours)
What You'll Study
Requirements for the humanities for public service major include:
120 credit hours for a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Culture, including Virginia Tech's Pathways
36 humanities for public service courses, including:
- Intro to Appalachian Studies
- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
- Religion in the Modern World
- The Creative Process
- Race and Gender in Religion & Culture
- Multicultural Communication
- Theories of Popular Culture
- Internship or Service-Learning
Through these courses, you’ll learn the key concepts behind – and the practical aspects of – public service. In other words, the major explores the meaning of Ut Prosim as it relates to other human beings both locally and globally.
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What Is a Major in Humanities for Public Service?
The major puts the Virginia Tech motto Ut Prosim (“That I may serve”) into action. It reflects the many ways students and alumni pursue careers in service to communities and the world. The courses provide knowledge to approach the religious and cultural issues confronting modern society while also allowing the flexibility to work with faculty on specialized topics from environmental issues in Appalachia to the impact of artificial intelligence on humans. The major also includes an internship to give you experience that will benefit your future career.
Why Study Humanities for Public Service Here?
Virginia Tech is the only university in the world with a major in Humanities for Public Service. And that makes sense, with a student body and faculty dedicated to the motto Ut Prosim (“That I may serve”) and a commitment to its land-grant mission. The major combines the best of both worlds – rigorous academics and real-world experience through an internship or service-learning experience.
Beyond the Classroom
Theta Alpha Kappa, a national honor society, is housed within our department. This prestigious opportunity provides access to scholarships, publications, and networking.
In a competitive job market, experience is valuable. Internships provide you with practical skills and real-world perspective regarding your chosen career field while giving you the opportunity to explore the possibilities for the future.
Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to connect with a different culture, experience new ways of thinking, and explore new places, all while gaining unique understanding and perspectives. Check out programs by visiting the study abroad page below or by searching the Global Education Office's programs.
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What Our Students Are Saying
"This department is incredible to me because its one where professors really intentionally try to develop productive mentorship relationships with undergraduates, and I think this is what makes its students so successful."
- Timothy Miles, '19
"Today I'm a management consultant at a boutique federal consulting firm in Washington D.C. I love my experience here, and often connect my professional experience to my undergraduate studies. For example, religion and culture taught me how to think critically in how history shaped modern day: religious traditions from thousands of years ago continue to impact the modern world. The same analysis applies to management consulting -- you have to think beyond the tactical work and evaluate how current processes will effect future outcomes."
- Sama Goldstein, '13
Careers and Further Study
Timothy Miles, '19
Mentorship with faculty in religion and culture and Arabic shaped Timothy’s Virginia Tech experience. His participation in undergraduate research and a study abroad trip to Oman provided transformative opportunities leading him to serve with the Peace Corps as a youth-in-development specialist in Morocco, where he will work with women-empowerment initiatives through education and community outreach. (Photo by Christina Franusich/Virginia Tech)
What do I do with a humanities for public service major?
· Tech/ Software Development
· Nonprofit Management
· Public Planning and Policy
· Law
· Medicine
· Sustainable development
· Diplomacy/ Foreign Service
· Education/ Teaching
· Journalism
· Military
· Law/ Politics
· Public Relations
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