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Humanities are academic disciplines that examine, study, review, ponder, process, debate, and discuss what it means to be human—especially within a larger society. Students explore voices from the past and present in areas such as history, literature, philosophy, religion, and foreign languages. Along the way, students learn how to process information, solve problems, and communicate with others. The humanities are essential for encouraging creative and collaborative thinking while providing a strong foundation for careers in the performing arts, community service, and other areas.
English
Tools Of Expression
The study of literature and language might be the ultimate interdisciplinary curriculum. Understanding literary texts demands that students come to terms with the linguistic, historical, philosophical, psychological, social, scientific, spiritual, and moral conditions in which those texts were created. English graduates will have more fully developed their communication and critical thinking skills, well-prepared for careers beyond.
Available Majors, Minors and Concentrations
Major:
English
English with Secondary Education concentration
Minors:
English
Creative Writing
Career Possibilities
- Advertising Manager
- Business Writer
- Computer Manager
- Curriculum Developer
- Editor
- Grant Writer
- Insurance Agent
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Lobbyist
- Marketing Director
- Professor
- Real Estate Broker
- Stockbroker
- Strategic Planning Consultant
- Teacher
- Technical Writer
- Web Manager
Overview
English majors and minors include not only those preparing to teach English, but also students interested in careers emphasizing written communication and students who wish to use English as the liberal arts foundation for other pre-professional education. The Creative Writing minor fosters exploration and development of written creative expression and increases students’ awareness and knowledge of contemporary creative writing.
Requirements
English Major (48 hours)
English majors study literature from different periods, genres, and national traditions. All English majors complete introductory courses in American, British, and world literature before choosing upper-level electives that allow students to consider specific authors, genres, movements and cultures. Course requirements for the English major includes 48 credit hours, divided among English core classes, electives, six hours of French, German, or Spanish, and six hours of history electives.
English Major with Secondary Education concentration (60 hours)
To become certified for teaching English in a high school setting, students must complete all requirements for the Department of Teacher Education. English majors with the Secondary Education concentration have an additional set of English core and electives, six hours of Spanish, and courses in the fine arts, history, and personal and community health.
English Minor (18 hours)
English minors complete introductory courses in American, British and world literature as well as two upper-level literature courses and an elective course of the student’s choice.
Creative Writing Minor (18 hours)
The Creative Writing minor is distinct from the English major and minor, as it may be taken with any other major in the College. Students complete an introductory course in creative writing before choosing to concentrate in either fiction or poetry writing. Creative Writing minors also complete two upper-level literature courses.
Celebrated Mystery Author Lawrence Block Joins Newberry for Fall 2019
Lawrence Block, America’s foremost mystery writer, will join the Newberry College faculty as the Gerding Writer-in-Residence for fall 2019. Block’s courses will include a limited-enrollment writing workshop and a survey course of American crime fiction. A public lecture event also will be scheduled during the semester.
Moore’s New Work Noted in New York Times Book Review
Professor of English Dr. Warren Moore’s latest work will be reviewed in this weekend’s New York Times Book Review. Moore is one of 17 contributors to the anthology “Alive in Shape and Color: 17 Paintings by Great Artists and the Stories They Inspired,” which was compiled and edited by former Gerding author Lawrence Block and released by Pegasus Books. Moore based his submission on Salvador Dali’s “The Pharmacist of Ampurdan Seeking Absolutely Nothing.”
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Amanda Hodges
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Associate Professor of English, Summerland Honors Program Director
Office: McClurg 108
Office Phone: 803-321-3318
Email:
amanda.hodges@newberry.eduBio:
Born and raised near Atlanta, Georgia, Amanda Hodges has been at Newberry College since 2011. After teaching high school English for a number of years, Hodges earned her Ph.D. in English Education at the University of Georgia, where… Read More
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Jennifer L. Martinsen
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Associate Professor of English
Office: McClurg 112
Office Phone: 803-321-5374
Email:
jennifer.martinsen@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Jennifer Martinsen specializes in 19th and 20th Century British Literature, and she joined the Newberry College faculty in 2012. She received her PhD from the University of South Carolina, her MA from the University of North… Read More
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Jonathan McGregor
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Assistant Professor of English
Office: LMC 117
Office Phone: 803.321.5251
Email:
jonathan.mcgregor@newberry.eduBio:
Jonathan McGregor teaches courses in American and African-American literature. His academic interests include religion and politics, modernism, poetry and poetics, and writing pedagogy. He is working on an academic book, Communion… Read More
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Warren S. Moore, III
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Professor of English
Office: McClurg 122
Office Phone: 803-321-5192
Email:
warren.moore@newberry.eduBio:
Born in Nashville and raised in the suburbs of Nashville and Cincinnati, Warren Moore has been at Newberry College since 2003. A medievalist by training, Moore’s dissertation is on the Seven Deadly Sins in pre-Shakespearean… Read More
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David Rachels
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Chair, Department of Humanities, Professor of English
Office: McClurg 105
Office Phone: 803-321-5189
Email:
david.rachels@newberry.eduBio:
David Rachels grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, before attending college at Emory University and graduate school at the University of Illinois.
Prior to his arrival at Newberry College, he was an English professor… Read More
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Download the 2018-2019 Academic Catalog
Download the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the Addendum to the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the 2016-2017 Academic Catalog
Download the 2015-2016 Academic Catalog
History
Civilization’s Roots
The History Program offers courses designed to give students a broader understanding of other cultures, as well as a basis for thoughtful evaluation of the trends and developments in the contemporary world. The department also provides training in the methods of careful research and critical analysis. History courses offered at Newberry College emphasize the development of written and oral communication skills and critical thinking.
Available Majors, Minors and Concentrations
Majors:
History
History with Secondary Education concentration
Minors:
History
Career Possibilities
- High School Teacher
- College Professor
- Church Professional
- Entrepreneur
- Lawyer
- Politician
- Historian
- Librarian
- U.S. Military
Overview
The Midlands area is complete with sites of historical significance, including battle fields of the Revolutionary and Civil wars. The battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens are considered by many historians to be turning points in the Revolutionary War. Columbia, located just 40 minutes from Newberry, has a number of museums of history including the Mann-Simons Museum of African-American Culture, the Confederate Relic Room and Museum, the South Carolina State Museum, Historic Columbia Foundation and the State Archives.
Where Success is Found
The International Studies major offered by the department is an interdisciplinary program which includes courses in business administration, economics, political science, history and foreign language. Recognizing the realities of today’s global economy, it provides good preparation for careers in international business and banking, government, and work with public and private foundations.
The Pre-Law program at Newberry College is designed around the curricular recommendations of the South Carolina Supreme Court and the Association of American Law Schools. The latter organization advocates a general liberal arts education for pre-law students because “many of the goals of legal education are also goals of liberal education.” Most pre-law students at Newberry major in either History or Political Science. Majors in the department include History, History with Teacher Certification, and International Studies. The department offers minors in History and the Pre-Law program.
Study Abroad
Newberry College believes in the educational benefits one can derive from cross-cultural contact and travel. Opportunities for study abroad are offered to students in a number of programs. Students spend a summer, semester or an entire calendar year in a foreign country for full academic credit. Newberry has access to many Study Abroad Consortiums. These consortiums offer both English language and foreign language programs at several universities in Europe and Asia.
Requirements
History major (B.A. Degree) (42 hours)
The History major consists of 42 credit hours, including history core and electives, and two semesters of a foreign language (which can also be met through placement tests or AP credit), along with the option of taking Constitutional Law and/or one of three Church History classes toward the major.
History major with Secondary Education concentration. Requirements for Social Studies Certification in South Carolina
Students who plan to teach history or social studies at the secondary level must satisfy all of the requirements for the history major, and for any student in the Teacher Education department. The South Carolina Department of Education requires that History teachers be certified in the more broadly-based field of Social Studies, to include cousework in economics, American government, psychology, geography and sociology. Students should note that to complete a degree in History and the South Carolina certification mandates now requires a minimum of 132 credit hours in specified courses over the College career. All education candidates, regardless of major, must complete a minimum of 108 hours of field experience in a public school prior to student teaching.
History Minor (18 hours)
The History minor requires 18 credit hours, with at least nine hours of courses numbered 211 or higher.
Newberry College Professor Elected to Old Exchange Building Commission
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dr. J. Tracy Power, assistant professor of history and director of the Newberry College Archives, has been elected by the General Assembly to serve on the Old Exchange Building Commission, overseeing the preservation and operation of the historic Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in Charleston. Read the full story.
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Timothy Elston, Ph.D.
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Associate Vice President for Academic Administration
Office: Holland Hall Second Floor
Office Phone: 803-321-5110
Email:
Timothy.Elston@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Timothy Elston joined Newberry College in 2004 as an Assistant Professor of History and was advanced in rank to Associate Professor in 2009. He was appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College in… Read More
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J. Tracy Power, Ph.D.
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Associate Professor of History and College Archivist
Office: Holland Hall 201
Office Phone: 803-321-5217
Email:
tracy.power@newberry.eduBio:
A native of the Atlanta area who has lived in Columbia since 1981, Dr. Power has served at Newberry College since January 2014. From 1986 to December 2013, he was a historian in the State Historic Preservation Office at the… Read More
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Jesse L. Scott, Ph.D
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Professor of History
Office: McClurg 205
Office Phone: 803.321.5208
Email:
Jesse.scott@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Scott studied Second Empire French History and specifically the operettas of Jacques Offenbach to earn his M.A. degree. At the University of South Carolina, he specialized in French Revolutionary/Napoleonic Studies and Nazi Germany… Read More
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Download the 2018-2019 Academic Catalog
Download the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the Addendum to the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the 2016-2017 Academic Catalog
Download the 2015-2016 Academic Catalog
Religion
Life's Greatest Questions
Why are we here? Why do bad things happen to good people? What constitutes the good life? Since ancient times, human beings have asked these and similar “Big Questions” about life and the world. Religion and Philosophy are the classical avenues by which we explore answers to these questions.
Available Majors, Minors and Concentrations
Majors:
Religion
Religion with Biblical Theology concentration
Religion with Church Leadership concentration
Religion with Philosophical Theology concentration
Minors:
Religion
Career Possibilities
- Pastor
- Youth Minister
- Counselor
- Camp Program Leader
- Camp Program Director
- Social Worker
- Church Musician
- Lawyer
- Foreign Diplomat
- Armed Forces Chaplain
- Writer / Editor
- Public Service
- Politician
- Non-profit Leadership
Overview
The Religion program at Newberry College benefits students by offering opportunities for both personal and professional growth. Students who study religion and philosophy explore life’s most important and challenging questions. Practical and professional skills include the ability to create and analyze arguments, interpret texts, and develop valuable skills in written and verbal communication. In addition to these opportunities for growth, students in religion and philosophy are admitted into law school, medical school, seminary and other graduate programs and consistently score in the highest percentiles on professional and graduate school exams.
Requirements
Religion Major (42 hours)
Foundations (12 hours) -- Foundations courses are comprised of 12 credit hours in core curriculum requirements in Religion, including courses in public speaking and research methods. Majors are also required to take 18 hours divided in different areas of study, depending on their interests:
- Biblical studies
- World religions
- Church history
- Ethics
- Historical philosophy
- Philosophical topics
Religion majors must also have six hours of a foreign language, and three hours in courses designed to prepare students for the realities of a digital age.
Religion Minor (24 hours)
Foundational courses for a Religion minor include six credit hours, along with 18 hours divided in different areas of study, depending on their interests:
- Biblical studies
- World religions
- Church history
- Ethics
- Historical philosophy
- Philosophical topics
Featured Courses
Three new courses were developed in 2014 to fulfill new core curriculum requirements. “The Bible as Literature” (REL 123) explores the Bible as the foundation for Western life and culture. “The Bible and the Courts” (REL 122) engages students in discussion of contemporary court cases and their relationship to biblical ideas and values. “Sex in the Bible” (REL 121) underscores biblical perspectives on current debates related to sex, such as rape, divorce, and same-sex marriage.
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Mike Beggs
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Professor of Religion, Faculty Council Chair, Faculty Representative to Board of Trustees
Office: Keller 102
Office Phone: 803-321-5198
Email:
mike.beggs@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Mike Beggs earned his Ph.D. in Theology (Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity) from the University of Notre Dame. His Ph.D. work explored the first Christian history and Christian identity formation in Greco-Roman antiquity… Read More
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Terry Dohm
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Assistant Professor of Religion and German
Office: McClurg 110
Office Phone: 803.321.5200
Email:
terry.dohm@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Dohm’s Ph.D. work involved a study of the origins of apocalypticism and its impact on the historical Jesus and his message, historical Jesus research in the 19th century, the rediscovery of eschatology in the message of… Read More
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Krista Hughes
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Director of Muller Center
Office: Keller 204
Office Phone: 803-321-5215
Email:
Krista.hughes@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Hughes received her B.A. from Wofford College with a double major in Spanish and Humanities, her M.A. from Vanderbilt University and her Ph.D. in Theological and Philosophical Studies from Drew University. Dr. Hughes's scholarship… Read More
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Wayne Kannaday
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Professor of Religion
Office: Keller 101
Office Phone: 803-321-3322
Email:
wayne.kannaday@newberry.eduBio:
A member of the faculty since 1999, Alumnus Wayne Kannaday (B.A., English, ’75) currently serves Newberry College as Professor of Religion.
After college, he earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Lutheran… Read More
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Jimmy Montgomery
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Adjunct Professor of Religion
Office: Keller 104
Office Phone: 803-321-3320
Email:
jimmy.montgomery@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Montgomery received his B. S. in Chemistry from Allen University, his M. Div. in biblical studies from the Interdenominational Theological Center, and his D. Min. in Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) from Emory University. His master’s… Read More
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Christina Wendland
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Associate Dean of the College
Office: Keller 103
Office Phone: 803-321-5193
Email:
christina.wendland@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Wendland received her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from The Ohio State University, her M.Div. from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, and her Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Luther Seminary.… Read More
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Download the 2018-2019 Academic Catalog
Download the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the Addendum to the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the 2016-2017 Academic Catalog
Download the 2015-2016 Academic Catalog
Spanish
Cross-Cultural Fluency
The program provides students with the skills and opportunities to achieve ever-greater fluency along with knowledge to make cross-cultural comparisons through the study of the Spanish-speaking world.
Available Majors, Minors and Concentrations
Major
Spanish
Minor
Spanish
Career Possibilities
- Civil Service Worker
- Cultural Advisor
- Diplomat
- Foreign Correspondent
- Foreign Service Officer
- Teacher of English as a Foreign Language
- Intelligence Officer
- Historian
- ProfessorDevelopment Consultant
- Language Researcher
- Travel Writer
- International Development Consultant
- Teacher
- Librarian
- Translator / Interpreter
- Travel Agent
- World Health Org Officer
- International Business Consultant
Overview
Introductory courses focus on language acquisition along with an introduction to Hispanic cultures. Intermediate courses provide a thorough review of grammatical components and place much more emphasis on listening and speaking skills. Advanced courses continue to develop writing and conversational skills and expand knowledge of the Latin world through the study of culture and literature. The program allows students to study abroad and provides civic engagement projects within the Newberry community and surrounding areas.
Requirements
Spanish Major (38 hours)
Requirements for a major in Spanish require 38 credit hours:
- 20 hours: Spanish fundamental courses
- 18 hours: Spanish electives level 303 and above
Spanish majors who exempt Spanish 101, and/or 102, through placement tests, AP credit, or CLEP scores, will exempt 3-6 hours in the major.
Spanish Minor (19 hours)
Requirements for a minor in Spanish require 19 credit hours:
- 13 hours: Spanish fundamental courses
- 6 hours: Select Spanish electives level 301 and above
Spanish minors who exempt Spanish 101, and/or 102, through placement tests, AP credit, or CLEP scores, will exempt 3-6 hours in the minor.
Professor’s Work Included in Prestigious Poets House Collection
Poet and Spanish professor Dr. Gregory K. Cole’s books of poetry are now part of the library collection at Poets House in New York City. With more than 60,000 volumes of poetry, Poets House is one of the most important poetry libraries in the United States. Cole’s books include Pausal Sighs, The Moodier Could of Being, frases to or, and his newest collection, else as soons. published in May.
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Gregory Cole
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Professor of Spanish
Office: McClurg 119
Office Phone: 803.321.5244
Email:
gregory.cole@newberry.eduBio:
Dr. Cole received his B.A. in Spanish from the University of Toledo, his M.A. in Spanish from Miami University of Ohio, and his Ph.D. with a specialization in Hispanic poetry from the University of Kentucky. His Ph.D. work focused… Read More
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Mary J. Shepherd
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Assistant Professor of Spanish, Study Abroad Coordinator
Office: Keller Hall, 104
Office Phone: 803.321.5270
Email:
mary.shepherd@newberry.edu
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Download the 2018-2019 Academic Catalog
Download the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the Addendum to the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog
Download the 2016-2017 Academic Catalog
Download the 2015-2016 Academic Catalog
