Overview of the Program
Comparative Humanities at Habib University offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate program that trains you to draw on resources in the arts and humanities degree to come to terms with the biggest challenges in the human sphere, such as, crises in the intersecting spheres of knowledge, ethics, and the ecology. While you learn to move flexibly across disciplinary boundaries, this is an education in forms, that is, in forms of inquiry, concept, and affect in the humanities disciplines, history, literature, philosophy, and religion.
Curriculum Details
Comparative Humanities Major students are required to take at least 37 courses and 124 credit-hours throughout their 4-year (8-semester) program. Each student must complete a Primary and a Secondary Concentration from the following four concentration areas.
Main Thrusts
The following thrusts are designed to introduce students to transdisciplinary approaches in BA humanities degree and to reflect on the methods, aims, and styles of inquiry practiced in the humanities disciplines.
Literature
Explore mystical poetry within South Asian folk and vernacular traditions through critical and historical lenses. Compulsory courses include ‘What is World Literature?’ and ‘Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism.’
Philosophy
Broaden your perspectives by learning about philosophy as the art of concept creation. Some compulsory courses for this concentration include ‘What is Philosophy?’ and ‘Introduction to Western Philosophy.’
History
Discover an interpretative approach to historical study and derive meaning from diverse sources—diaries, letters, arts, novels, and more. Mandatory courses include Global Histories & Historical Methods, along with electives on narrative exploration.
Religion
Learn fundamental concepts within the fusion of Islamic Sufi philosophy. Required courses include ‘What is World Religion?’ and ‘Introduction to World Religion,’ along with electives on the sacred, encompassing devotional music and visual culture from the Islamic World.
Journey
The students of CH Major are required to complete a minimum of 37 courses and 124 credit-hours over their 4-year journey (8 semesters). Each student is required to complete a Primary Concentration and a Secondary Concentration from the 4 available Concentration areas – 1) Religious Studies, 2) History, 3) Literature, and 4) Philosophy. A set of recommended courses (semester-wise) fall under the following course categories:
Category 1 – Habib Liberal Core (HLC), also known as the University Core, is a common curriculum designed for all Habib University students as a mandatory requirement. A total of 10 courses are included in the HLC/University Core.
Category 2 – CH Program Core entails a set of mandatory courses for the CH Majors. A total of 07 courses are included in the CH Program Core.
Category 3 – Primary Concentration. Each student has to complete a total of 06 courses within their selected Primary Concentration.
Category 4 – Secondary Concentration. Each student has to complete a total of 04 courses within their Secondary Concentration.
Category 5 – CH Electives. Each student has to complete a total of 02 CH Electives of any level from any of the 4 Concentration areas.
Category 6 – Free Electives. Each student has to complete at least 08 Free Elective courses (with a minimum of 24 credit-hours). Students may take 1 Cr and 2 Cr courses to fulfill but must complete 24 credit-hours in Free Elective category.
| Courses to complete | Credit hours | Course Category | Comments | |
| First Semester (5 courses) | ||||
| CORE 101 – Rhetoric and Communication | 4 | University Core (1 of 10) | ||
| A course in Philosophical Form of Thought | Min 3 | University Core (2 of 10) | All PHIL course codes (3 credit-hour and above) fall in this category. | |
| A course in Formal Reasoning Form of Thought (CS 101 – Algorithmic Problem Solving or CORE 111 – Logical Problem Solving) | 4 | University Core (3 of 10) | ||
| HUM 101 – Critical Inquiry and the Humanities | 4 | CH Program Core (1 of 7) | ||
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (1 of 8) | ||
| Second Semester (5 courses) | ||||
| CORE 102 – What is Modernity | 4 | University Core (4 of 10) | ||
| RELS 1xx – Introduction to World Religions/What is World Religion? | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 2) | For Primary Concentration in Religious Studies | A 2 course sequence within the Primary Concentration  |
| RELS 223 – Comparative approaches, methods and key issues in the study of religion | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 2 of 2) | For Primary Concentration in Religious Studies | |
| OR | ||||
| HIST 1xx/2xx – Global Histories | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 2) | For Primary Concentration in History | |
| HIST 227 – Understanding Histories: Historiography and Historical Methods | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 2 of 2) | For Primary Concentration in History | |
| OR | ||||
| LIT 1xx/2xx What is World Literature? | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 2) | For Primary Concentration in Literature | |
| LIT 225 – Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 2 of 2) | For Primary Concentration in Literature | |
| OR | ||||
| PHIL 200 – What is Philosophy?** or PHIL 122 – Introduction to Western Philosophy**” | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 1) | For Primary Concentration in Philosophy | |
| Philosophy Concentration Elective | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 1 of 5) | This Elective is from the declared Primary Concentration area | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (2 & 3 of 8) | ||
| Third Semester (5 courses) | ||||
| CORE 201 – Pakistan and Modern South Asia | 4 | University Core (5 of 10) | ||
| A course in Quantitative Reasoning Form of Thought | Min 3 | University Core (6 of 10) | ||
| CORE 200 – Scientific Methods | 3 | University Core (7 of 10) | ||
| HUM 201 – Conceptual Genealogies | 4 | CH Program Core (2 of 7) | ||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In RELS, HIST and LIT) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 1 of 4) | This Elective is from the declared Primary Concentration area | Elective within Primary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In PHIL**) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 2 of 5) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| Fourth Semester (5 courses) | ||||
| CORE 202 – Hikma I | 4 | University Core (8 of 10) | ||
| HUM 200 – World Historical Figures: Leadership, Judgment, and Authority | 4 | CH Program Core (3 of 7) | ||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In RELS, HIST and LIT) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 2 of 4) | This Elective is from the declared Primary Concentration area | Elective within Primary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In PHIL**) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 3 of 5) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| RELS 1xx – Introduction to World Religions/What is World Religion? | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 2) | For Secondary Concentration in Religious Studies | 1st course within Secondary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| HIST 1xx/2xx – Global Histories | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 2) | For Secondary Concentration in History | |
| OR | ||||
| LIT 1xx/2xx What is World Literature? | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 2) | For Secondary Concentration in Literature | |
| OR | ||||
| PHIL 200 – What is Philosophy?** or PHIL 122 – Introduction to Western Philosophy**” | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 1 of 1) | For Secondary Concentration in Philosophy | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (4 of 8) | ||
| Fifth Semester (5 courses) | ||||
| CORE 121 – Jehan-e-Urdu | 4 | University Core (9 of 10) | ||
| HUM 301 – Comparative Hermeneutics I (Major Works and Traditions Seminar) | 4 | CH Program Core (4 of 7) | ||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In RELS, HIST and LIT at Upper-level) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 3 of 4) | This Elective is from the declared Primary Concentration area. | Elective within Primary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In PHIL** at Upper-level) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 4 of 5) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| RELS 223 – Comparative approaches, methods and key issues in the study of religion | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 2 of 2) | For Secondary Concentration in Religious Studies | 2nd course within Secondary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| HIST 227 – Understanding Histories: Historiography and Historical Methods | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 2 of 2) | For Secondary Concentration in History | |
| OR | ||||
| LIT 225 – Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Requirement 2 of 2) | For Secondary Concentration in Literature | |
| OR | ||||
| Philosophy Concentration Elective** | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Elective 1 of 3) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (5 of 8) | ||
| Sixth Semester (4 courses) | ||||
| A course in Creative Practice Form of Thought | Min 3 | University Core (10 of 10) | ||
| HUM 401 – Comparative Hermeneutics II (A Major Work in Dialogue with its Tradition Seminar) | 4 | CH Program Core (5 of 7) | ||
| HUM 300 – Criticism Dissent and the Ethics of Disagreement | 4 | CH Program Core (6 of 7) | ||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In RELS, HIST and LIT at Upper-level) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 4 of 4) | This Elective is from the declared Primary Concentration area | Elective within Primary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| Primary Concentration Elective (In PHIL** at Upper-level) | Min 3 | Primary Concentration – (Elective 5 of 5) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| Seventh Semester (4 courses) | ||||
| Elective | Min 3 | CH Electives (1 of 2) | Any level Elective course in HIST, LIT, PHIL, RELS | |
| HUM 402 – Capstone Research Seminar | 4 | CH Program Core (7 of 7) | ||
| Secondary Concentration Elective (In RELS, HIST and LIT) | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Elective 1 of 2) | This Elective is from the declared Secondary Concentration area | Elective within Primary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| Secondary Concentration Elective (In PHIL**) | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Elective 2 of 3) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (6 of 8) | ||
| Eighth Semester (4 courses) | ||||
| Elective | Min 3 | CH Electives (2 of 2) | Any level Elective course in HIST, LIT, PHIL, RELS | |
| Secondary Concentration Elective (In RELS, HIST and LIT at Upper-level) | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Elective 2 of 2) | This Elective is from the declared Secondary Concentration area | Elective within Primary Concentration  |
| OR | ||||
| Secondary Concentration Elective (In PHIL** at Upper-level) | Min 3 | Secondary Concentration – (Elective 3 of 3) | This Elective is from Philosophy Concentration | |
| Free Elective* | 3 | Free Elective (7 of 8) | ||
| Free Elective*** | Min 3 | Free Elective (8 of 8) | Students pursuing Thesis option are to take an Independent Study (min 3 credit-hours) in lieu of free elective 8 of 8 | |
Note –
*Electives (program/free) need to be taken so that over all total credit hours are 124.
**Philosophy Concentration at Primary and Secondary level has only 1 required course. Rest are all electives.
*** Students, pursuing thesis option, are to take an IS (min 3 Cr Hrs) in lieu of free elective 8 of 8.
“Note 1 – Students can double count free electives in the grid towards completion of requirements for declared concentrations in HIST, LIT, PHIL, or RELS. This is applicable for students pursuing beyond the minimally required one primary and one secondary concentration.
Note 2 – Regarding “Free Electives”, students have the option to take 1 and 2 credit hour courses, with the understanding that they’ll have to complete the total of 124 credit hours coursework (and a minimum of 37 courses) minimally required for graduation. The “”Free Electives”” descriptor refers to a category of course, rather than a specific course.
Note 3 – Two electives within Primary Concentration and one elective within Secondary Concentration must be upper-level electives.
Our Faculty and Fellows
Our faculty of humanities degree program is committed to fostering teaching excellence and shares the University's belief in the importance of an interdisciplinary undergraduate experience characterized by collaboration between faculty and students.
Experiential Learning
Experiential learning integrates the classroom and the real world. The Comparative Humanities program engages students with the world through professional work, research, and service around the world, especially in the South Asian context. Students learn how to transform ideas into impact and become critically conscious citizens with successful careers.
Future Prospects
Habib University's Comparative Humanities degree program cultivates a unique mindset for tackling real-world challenges with a broader perspective. Students gain a versatile skill set, including critical thinking and effective collaboration, shaping them into well-rounded thinkers. This interdisciplinary journey encourages profound reflections on life's crucial questions, complemented by growth opportunities like minors, workshops, and tailored career/grad school programs.
The interdisciplinary skill set prepares you for a broad spectrum of professions such as advertising, banking, education, entrepreneurship, journalism, law and politics, media and communications, and many more.
Discover how your unique perspectives from arts and humanities degree can drive success in solving real-world problems with creative, innovative, sustainable, and impactful ventures.
The interdisciplinary nature of the humanities degree instills critical thinking and a strong grasp of global dynamics, setting our graduates apart in graduate education and facilitating admissions to leading institutions worldwide.
Success Stories
Explore the rich insights about the success of our current Comparative Humanities students and graduates across various fields:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Comparative Humanities (CH)?
The BA (Honors) Comparative Humanities program offers students a unique and exciting opportunity to study several disciplines in the arts and humanities including Literature, History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies, both critically and comparatively. Humanities degree cultivates an intellectual mindset attuned to the complex shared problems we face today as global citizens.
What thrusts does the Comparative Humanities program have?
The Comparative Humanities degree has four key thrusts. These are:
- Literature
- History
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
What is the eligibility criteria for Habib University’s Humanities degree program?
To apply for Humanities degree program, you must have:
- O Levels: 8 principal subjects (not including Additional Mathematics and General Paper) - Average grade B
- A Levels: 3 principal subjects - Average grade C
- SSC/Matriculation: At least 70% or above overall
- HSSC/Intermediate: At least 70% or above overall
- There is no subject requirement.
What kind of skills will I acquire after studying Comparative Humanities?
Throughout the course of this program, CH students acquire a broad range of skills, including the ability to think and understand critically, assess different frameworks, and express ideas with greater clarity and eloquence. These incredibly valuable skills form the foundations for developing wisdom, insight, and understanding, and are transferable to multiple careers and domains.
What kind of jobs can I get after studying Comparative Humanities?
Habib University ensures that all students have a seamless transition from the classroom to the outside world. Our alumni are either successfully employed, pursuing graduate studies, or working on their start-ups. Potential career pathways for humanities degree holders include:
- Research
- Writing
- Journalism
- Editing and publishing
- Teaching
- Public Relations
- Human Resources
- Social Services
- Archival work
- Community development
- Entrepreneurship
- Graduate School
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