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College of Arts and Humanities, Philosophy, The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

UMD to Launch 2 Bachelor’s Degrees to Explore Technical, Human Dimensions of AI

New majors aim to ethically advance AI tech, prepare students to address its societal impact.

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American Studies

After a Life-Changing Accident, Brian Cooperman ’26 Found a New Path Through American Studies

The graduating senior focused his honors thesis on disability access and is planning for a future in advocacy law.

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College of Arts and Humanities, English

Sydney Mitchell ’26 Reflects on Her Storytelling Journey at Maryland

From reading poetry on stage to researching the region’s jazz scene, the English major explored storytelling through writing, music and research.

Read More about Sydney Mitchell ’26 Reflects on Her Storytelling Journey at Maryland

Whatever your interests and aspirations, ARHU is committed to providing the knowledge, skills and opportunities all our students need to write their own stories and chart their own paths.

"In ARHU, you’re learning about how people interact with the world and each other. My goal is to build things that people are going to use. Just technology knowledge can only go so far. You have to understand how people are going to use them to be truly successful."

Ozzie Fallick '14, Software Engineer, Google
Linguistics

"Cross-cultural communication is one of the most important skills that I learned at ARHU, and I use it to engage and inform the community in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean about our events, exchanges and any other information that supports our key policy priorities in the region. ARHU gave me the tools to understand why in diplomacy, it’s as much about what you say as how you say it."

Krystle Norman '08, Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State
Spanish and Portuguese

"I had always loved art, but I never knew you could make a career out of it until I studied abroad in Rome. There, I took a full course load of art courses and learned all about the factors of being an art professional. It was life-changing. Now I feel lucky that I’m doing something that I’m so passionate about."

Laura Sheridan Raiffe '09, Regional Account Manager, Christie's Fine Arts
Art History and Archaeology

"One of the most important things I got out of my ARHU experience is my ability to parse arguments, think critically and see multiple sides of an issue. Being in law school, it’s important to do that—it’s a skill I use every day. Not a class goes by, not a case gets read that this skill doesn’t come into play."

AJ Clayborne '13, Student, Harvard Law School
English

GRAND CHALLENGES

DEMAND FEARLESS IDEAS

The research and creative works of our faculty, students and alumni are setting the agenda for transformative dialogue about the value of the arts and the humanities in the world today.

Research Highlights

New Scholarship from The College of Arts and Humanities

Explore Our Research

Happening at ARHU

The Frederick Douglass Center For Leadership Through The Humanities has a new space! We're so excited for all the future gatherings and conversations that will take place here.
Watch as "Brighter Future" comes to life on the walls of the Herbert Rabin Technology Advancement Building. Painted by Maria Soboleva, a 2023 graduate of UMD's Studio Art program, the mural follows a budding engineer's journey to commencement and beyond, framed by McKeldin Library and a ribbon of red and gold light. The mural was commissioned through a competitive process led by undergraduate students in Professor Abigail McEwen's "Public Art" class, with support from xFoundry, the College of Arts and Humanities, and the Department of Art History and Archaeology. 📍 Join us for the official unveiling Monday, Sept. 14, at 4 p.m. at the Herbert Rabin Technology Advancement Building, Room 1100, part of NextNOW Fest. Free and open to all. 🔗 Link in profile to register.
2026 ARHU Dean’s Lecture Series with Angélique Kidjo Monday, October 5, 2026 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center Five-time Grammy Award winner and humanitarian Angélique Kidjo sits down with College of Arts and Humanities Dean Stephanie Shonekan for a poignant conversation about music, cultural fluency and global advocacy. Named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and “Africa’s premier diva,” Kidjo hails from Benin and blends musical traditions from West Africa and around the globe while incorporating multiple languages, including her own personal musical language. During this special evening, Dean Shonekan and Kidjo will explore the artist’s music and how the singer has used her fame as a platform for humanitarian work as an ambassador for both Oxfam and UNICEF and a founder of the Batonga Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing girls’ education across Africa. This event will feature performances by UMD students. Free, get your tickets today! Link in Profile.

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