In our students’ words…

Current Bachelor of Arts in Humanities student answers the following questions:

(Student is studying the following Great Ideas: custom and convention, democracy, virtue and vice)

What have you learned so far?

"By far the most valuable thing I've learned until now is how to ask questions. It is an easy mistake to read a text and think: 'I understand' and move on. Questioning the text and looking for answers from within it engages the mind, granting one real understanding. Asking questions of the text and discussing those questions with a tutor keeps the work on one's mind and leads to reflection, just as reflection leads to wisdom."

"At a previous university I attended, often we did not read original works but summaries of them. This distance prohibits one from engaging the ideas, does not produce reflection, and the goal of such 'study' is only to answer questions on a test. But true study prepared one for the tests of life, not college exams, and the wisdom gained lasts beyond a semester."

How did you like designing your own program of study?

"By creating my program of study, I accept responsibility of my learning. It is tempting to see learning as the responsibility of the teacher to impart education on the student, as if the student is a passive vessel into which knowledge can be poured. The student who chooses what to study denies passivity, actively pursuing knowledge. He seeks it. All of this is to say that designing my own course of study is of the greatest benefit and pleasure."

Do you feel that HMU's educational approach is beneficial?

"The best learning I've done in my life has been at Harrison Middleton University. The discussions are of immense benefit and contrast greatly with a lecture. In a lecture, learning can be done, but it is of a limited nature. The passive role of the student in a lecture does not prohibit further reflection, but neither does it promote it. But when a student is involved in a conversation, his mind is active. His questions are the thrust of the conversation. By the nature of the questioning and discussion process, he is likely to reflect between reading sessions on the text and seeking answers to his own questions. It is my experience as well, that after a discussion, I still think about what I've read and the thoughts of my tutor as well."

"Importantly, the tutor does not bring answers so much as insights. The tutor does not tell one what the text means or how to understand it. He (the Tutor) helps the student understand it for himself. He brings to light passages that address a question, but does not hand over a direct answer as an authority. He too is trying to understand the text, and the student and tutor work together in a partnership to increase both their understanding. This is truly a remarkable method of study. It promotes reflection and clarity of thought."

Current Doctor of Arts in Humanities student answers the following questions:

(Student is studying the following Great Ideas: art and language)

What have you learned through your degree program so far?

"The program has been instrumental in teaching me the methods of critical thinking and the use of dialog to examine the validity of truth claims. By reading and analyzing the works of scores of authors from Plato to Wittgenstein, I have developed a firmer grasp of the creative process as well as unexpected insights into the internal dynamics of spoken and written language."

How did you like designing your own program of study?

"Particularly for an older student, a self-designed program offers the opportunity to build upon learning that has gone before. My concentration on the great ideas of art and language allowed me to construct a challenging and rewarding program which capitalized on the work that I had already completed for my Masters degree. It was a real thrill to see that all of my efforts in this new program would enhance my own critical thinking in my favored topics."

How have your studies enhanced your professional/personal life?

"The program has sharpened my critical thinking and improved my mastery of the written language. Both skills are essential not only to my career as a writer but to my development as a human being."

Do you feel that HMU's educational approach is beneficial? In what way?

"HMU's concentration on the great books, texts which were selected by a committee of experienced educators, assures that time is not wasted on less than challenging works. The great books are demanding in terms of the reader's personal involvement and mental capacity. Every course seems to push me further along the path to critical understanding."

Do you enjoy learning using one-to-one discussions with tutors? Do you feel you are able to gain further insight into your studies?

"Before I began this program I was a little dubious about the benefits of hour-long telephone discussions. What could really be gained by this kind of chatter, I wondered? I discovered though, that such discussions were far better than classroom work, where dialog is diffused because of the large number of students, and also better than web-based message boards, where students too often slide by with copy and pasted comments. One-to-one telephone discussions with knowledgeable educators forced me to engage with the challenging texts in a mature and productive way."