Institute for Human Science and Culture (IHSC)

An exploration of arts and culture on The University of Akron campus. Students visit arts and cultural institutions and attend arts and culture events, speak to practitioners and faculty about current topics and practices, critically assess their experiences in light of principles from the field of Public Humanities, and communicate their conclusions using methods that embody the field’s principles for effectively reaching broad audiences.

Professionals in museums and archives design exhibitions and displays. Doing so requires working knowledge of visitors/researchers, educational initiatives, design approaches, institutional collections, policies and procedures, budgets, and cultural considerations, which this course addresses. Exhibition Curators may have backgrounds in art, anthropology, libraries, history, or other related fields.

This course provides students with a basic set of skills that prepares them for work in the museum and archives professions. Topics covered include the role of museums and archives, handling and preservation, museum exhibit design and assessment, organizing and describing materials, policies and procedures, the relations, education and assessment, the research purposes museums and archives, and cultural considerations. (Formerly 1900:301)

Prerequisite: IHSC 301. Provides basic skills for working in museum and archives professions. (Formerly 1900:302)

Practical experience or independent reading/research in museums/archives, or related to human science and culture under the supervision and evaluation of a selected faculty member. (Formerly 1900:425)

This project-based course is for upper-level undergraduate students designed so practitioners, instructors, and community experts can design and teach classes in special topics related to the human condition and rooted in Institute collections. Special Topics represented in this content are professional discussions and hands-on applications of content that builds on general and entry level education from the IHSC and/or the student's home department. This course is used to explore issues and culture in human science and culture and to explore what it means to be human. Topics could include restoration of cultural artifacts, paper conservation, rapid mass digitization projects, research, education and outreach to local schools, traveling exhibitions, historic and modern sound and imaging techniques, and other topics that explore and expose the human condition. This course has particular emphasis on community needs and emerging trends that students, instructors, and experts work on experientially and collaboratively. (Formerly 1900:445)