Student walks in front of MOCA
Case Western Reserve University students thrive in the country's most resource-rich environment for the humanities.

Learn from a faculty that includes MacArthur Genius Grant honorees, Pulitzer-Prize winners, bestselling authors and scholars of the highest caliber. As a humanities student, you'll draw from the university’s vast resources, and those of nearby institutions, to add a tangible element to your education.

Facts
3 in 4

humanities classes have fewer than 20 students

91%

of recent humanities grads participated in research or creative endeavors

38%

of humanities students studied abroad

50+

museums and cultural institutions adjacent to campus

30

first-year students invited into the prestigious Baker-Nord Scholars program annually

$3k

in funding available for an unpaid internship

Case Western Reserve University students in a humanities class inside a museum

Research and internships

Hundreds of student internships and research projects are funded every year, such as:

JP Peralta

  • An art history and theater major and French minor, JP was selected as an educator and interpreter at the American Pavilion of the 2019 Venice Biennale, where he worked with acclaimed sculptor Martin Puryear. He also served as the Warshawsky Fellow, awarded to only two undergraduate art history majors nationally each year, at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Jillian White

  • A classics and cognitive science major, Jill spent a summer researching sexuality and gender in ancient Rome. She took part in a study abroad course while there with her mentor, Evelyn Adkins, PhD, assistant director of classics, and pursued her research project “The Real Housewives of Pompeii.”

Jasmine Cuenca

  • A history and sociology major, Jasmine interned on Capitol Hill for Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. She drafted constituent letters and summarized briefing sessions she attended, including the impact of social media on the mental health of Black youth and college students affected by homelessness.

Agustín Torres 

  • Spanish major Agustín spent part of the summer in Mexico researching the contributions of Africans in the colonialism of Veracruz during the early 16th century and how their descendants are keeping their culture alive.
Our students

Each Case Western Reserve University student brings their own background and interests to our campus, creating a culture that’s dynamic, diverse and inclusive.

Let them tell you more about themselves. 

Our culture-packed neighborhood

Our campus is in the heart of University Circle, the nation’s #1 arts district (USA Today), where you’ll have daily opportunities to interact with our nationally recognized neighbors. 

Cleveland Museum of Art

  • Widely recognized as having one of the best collections in the world 

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

  • Home to the Hamann-Todd Collection of 900 monkey and ape skeletons and 3,100+ human skeletons—including Lucy, the hominin skeleton that upended of our understanding of the process of evolution

Cleveland Institute of Art

  • Where our students take classes and collaborate on innovative projects

Severance Music Center

  • Home to the Cleveland Orchestra, one of the most celebrated in the country

Cleveland Institute of Music

  • Our partner in providing top-tier conservatory training

Cleveland Botanical Garden

  • Features the 18,000-square-foot Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse

Cleveland Clinic

  • Ranked a top-5 hospital in the country  (U.S. News & World Report)

Playhouse Square

  • The country’s largest performing arts district outside of New York City is just 4 miles from campus

Outcomes

91% of recent humanities grads are employed, in grad school or pursuing their goals within six months of graduation.

Some recent job placements

  • AmeriCorps
  • City Year
  • Cleveland Clinic
  • Cleveland Museum of Art
  • EY
  • General Electric
  • Keithley Instruments
  • ScribeAmerica
  • Teach for America

Some recent grad school acceptances 

  • Case Western Reserve University
  • George Washington University
  • New York Film Academy
  • The Ohio State University
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • University of Virginia

Events humanities students love

THINK Forum

  • Free to students, this lecture series brings preeminent writers, scholars and experts from around the world to the university’s Maltz Performing Arts Center. Recent speakers include Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner for his novel The Sympathizer, and activist Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement.

Classics Day

  • Enjoy a scavenger hunt and insightful tours of the Greek and Roman collections in the Cleveland Museum of Art; catch a reading of a classic like The Iliad in the museum’s Armor Court; and make your own toga in a hands-on Roman clothing workshop.

36-hour Sci-Fi Marathon

  • For more than 40 years, CWRU students have watched back-to-back sci-fi movies for 30+ hours. Viewing starts at 8 p.m. the first Friday of Spring semester. Snacks and free surprises are part of the fun!

Cleveland Humanities Festival

  • Sponsored by the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities, this collaborative event celebrates the cultural institutions of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio and engages the public in addressing challenging societal issues and concerns. Past themes have included Nature, Truth and Identity.
Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities

The Baker-Nord Center is the hub of humanities activities at CWRU—from events and lectures to internships and creative endeavors.

See what's happening in the humanities.