Humanities and Arts

Explore creativity, culture, and communication through NAU’s Humanities and Arts programs, where your passion can become your profession.

Humanities and Arts explores how people make meaning, tell stories, and connect across cultures and generations. Whether you write, perform, create, or analyze, NAU gives you the platform and tools to bring your ideas to life.

An N A U student uses a palette knife to apply paint on canvas.

What are Humanities and Arts?

Humanities and Arts is where curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking come together. You’ll explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and express yourself through writing, performance, design, and more.

What you'll study

In Humanities and Arts, you’ll explore how people think, create, and communicate. Depending on your focus, you might study:

  • Creative writing and storytelling
  • Music theory, performance and composition
  • Theater, performance, and stagecraft
  • Studio art, digital media, and visual design
  • Philosophy, literature, and ethics
  • Film studies and cultural analysis

You’ll build a strong portfolio through hands-on work: exhibitions, concerts, performances, publications, and collaborative projects.

Career possibilities

Humanities and Arts graduates are creators, communicators, and changemakers. They pursue careers in arts, media, education, tech, publishing, design, nonprofit leadership, and beyond, wherever ideas, storytelling, and innovation are needed. Graduates with degrees in Humanities and Arts pursue job titles like:

  • Art director
  • Interior designer
  • Graphic designer
  • Journalist
  • Photographer
  • Screenwriter
  • Curator

Humanities and Arts degrees at NAU

Whether you imagine yourself on stage, in a studio, or behind the scenes, NAU’s programs help you turn your passion into purpose.

Find your Humanities and Arts degree

FAQs: Humanities and Arts degrees

What’s the difference between humanities and arts?

The humanities focus on thinking and interpretation, like literature, history, and philosophy. The arts focus on creative expression, like music, theater, and visual design. Many programs blend both.

Can I find a job with a degree in Humanities and Arts?

Yes! Employers value the creative thinking, communication, and problem-solving that Humanities and Arts graduates bring. These are transferable skills across industries.

Can I combine this with another area of interest?

Definitely! Many students pair humanities or arts with business, education, sciences, or media to broaden their career options.

Are scholarships available to students studying Humanities and Arts?

Yes! Many NAU programs offer scholarships based on auditions, portfolios, or academic achievement in Humanities and Arts fields.

Will I get practical experience?

Yes! From staging plays and exhibiting art to composing music or interning at museums or media outlets, you’ll gain real-world experience throughout your program.