Arts and humanities courses
Arts and humanities courses. We don’t just teach, we inspire.
Exploring the depths of culture, philosophy and history has never been so accessible. Learn from experts in the field and create an everlasting bond with some of the world’s most impactful reading material. Our comprehensive arts and humanities courses offered at the University of Sydney provide students with unending knowledge that touches our roots while building towards the future.
Don’t be intimidated by our knowledgeable faculty – they know their stuff but they also understand that everyone starts somewhere, which is why we welcome inquiring minds without prejudice. Step up to unleash your inner scholar and get energised by mind-stimulating discourse amongst like-minded peers. Meet friends, form opinions and come out of it with a cultural experience you won’t soon forget!
Sign up now for your very own inspiring experience. We offer groundbreaking opportunities to unlock your intellectual potential, turning everyday people into more thoughtful citizens able to appreciate their pasts and consider their futures more deeply. So say farewell to mundane education and open your world through art and humanities today! Learn arts and humanities in Sydney with arts and humanities courses from the University of Sydney – your premier provider of short courses in Sydney and online.
Featured courses
Meet your facilitators
Brian Brennan
Brian Brennan hold a Master’s degree with honours in Classical Studies and a Ph.D in Ancient History. He has specialised in the religious and cultural history of the Later Roman World,...
Robert Gay
After gaining a BA, Dip. Ed. from the University of Sydney, Robert trained as a lyric baritone in London and Munich before turning to the field of music education. He has taught music history...
Kerry Sanders
Dr Kerry Sanders gained her PhD in Philosophy at the University of Sydney. She has taught topics including the philosophy of mind; ethics; critical thinking; political philosophy; contemporary...
Featured Articles
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. Hannah Arendt wrote some of the most profound philosophy of the twentieth century. Her work is rich and subtle and she engaged critically with the key intellectual ideas of philosophical history, including: What makes humans ‘human’? What makes an ethical life? The nature of evil; How do we forgive the unforgivable? What does it mean to have ‘common sense’? What is the nature of ‘story telling’? Hannah... View Philosophy Course: Hannah Arendt.
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. Shakespeare’s plays speak directly to us because of his depth of human understanding and his insights into the human condition. We will explore themes including love, power, revenge, ambition, evil, nobility, truth, and tragedy, through an analysis of Shakespeare’s major characters and themes. We’ll also discuss Shakespeare in the context of his time. His plays reflect the ferment of post reformation... View Philosophy Course: Introduction to Shakespeare.
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. Aims This course aims to provide a broad introduction to the most important issues of our age, through the works of some of the best contemporary philosophers and thinkers. We will cover a range of contemporary issues including the latest works on ecology, genetics, religion, law, language, science and the human condition. Some of the philosophers and their works we will discuss include Timothy Morton’s... View Philosophy in the 21st Century Course: Ten Great Contemporary Thinkers.
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History. See the future. It’s in the past. This course explores the Emerald Isle from its Celtic, Viking and Norman history to its geography, language and culture. Learn about the pivotal figures that shaped Ireland’s history, the influence of the Irish diaspora on the world, and the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger. Outcomes By the end of this course, you should be able to: demonstrate a general understanding of the history and geography of Ireland discuss the geo-political... View Ireland Course: The Celts to the Celtic Tiger.
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. "That which is done out of love always takes place beyond Good and Evil." - Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (1886). Nietzsche is famous for his theories of Nihilism; the eternal return; will to power; master/slave morality; God is dead; and free spirits. We will read selections from Nietzsche’s early, middle, and late works, and discuss the development of his ideas and his complex,... View Philosophy Course: Introduction to Nietzsche.
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Psychology. Explore the human mind. Explore Jung’s conception of the collective unconscious, the archetypes which comprise it and their relationship to dreams and myths. Specific attention will be paid to the archetypes of the Self, Shadow, Anima/Animus, Great Mother, Father, puer aeternus, Divine Child, Hero, Wise Old Woman/Man and the coniunctio. Through awareness of these constellated figures, one is brought into contact with essential human experiences which can offer practical... View Jung and Archetypes Course.
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. Machiavelli’s influence on modern political theory cannot be overstated. The Prince, his most famous work, provides an interesting lens for examining modern politics and is perhaps more relevant than ever. The term ‘Machiavellian intelligence’ refers to the principles of his political philosophy and the idea that success in politics can be secured by manging behaviours and manipulating social groups. In... View Philosophy Course: Machiavelli and Political Philosophy.
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. Improve your understanding of the philosophy of time and learn to discuss key concepts relating to time with confidence. In this course we consider many approaches to understanding the issue of time and what it means for us in our everyday existence. We use philosophy, chronobiology, psychology, neurobiology and the arts in our investigations. During the course, we will discuss: objective and subjective... View Philosophy Course: Philosophy of Time.
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Music. Learn, enjoy, appreciate. This new course begins in the Austrian capital of Vienna, where we explore the astonishing array of masterpieces produced by Franz Schubert in the final year of his short life. We then move on to Prussian Berlin and Saxon Leipzig, tracing the career of the gifted prodigy Felix Mendelssohn. In Leipzig, we also meet the talented young pianist Robert Schumann who slowly transforms himself into one of the most original of the new Romantic composers.... View Music in the German Lands Course: 1828-1843.
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Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. In this course, we will consider the literature of Dante and the role of sex and sin in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (1387–1400). Together, we will enter into the strange world of the medieval mind, walking with angels and beasts. We will also consider the contribution of Islamic and Jewish philosophy; much of the science done in the Middle Ages comes from non-Christian thinkers. In the area of political... View Philosophy Course: The Late Middle Ages and Renaissance.