Transformative Living

The Humanities program shapes students into people who are strong in faith, able to wrestle with the core questions of life, and ready to succeed in their ministry, profession, or further education. It engages the whole person spiritually, morally, and intellectually.

Humanities students develop essential skills to help them excel in every area of their lives. Skills they gain include the following:

• clear communication
• precise thinking
• imaginative approaches
• adaptability
• continuous learning
• productive relationships with others

Learn to Learn

Education can be a source of permanent delight. We believe that if students learn to love what is good and pursue it wholeheartedly, they will, by God's grace, find themselves with the characteristics, motivations, and ways of living that will enable them to serve well in our society and in our Lord's kingdom.

Humanities at Briercrest

Briercrest College and Seminary provides a rich theological context in which to engage in life-changing studies. The Humanities program is supported by strong biblical studies and language courses as well as many opportunities to apply these studies to Christian service and ministry.

Our professors have specialized training in their fields and are keenly interested in the larger theological and personal development aspects of their teaching. Our most experienced professors teach the majority of our introductory courses.

Students appreciate that our faculty members are students of the humanities themselves and are continually reshaped by this rich tradition. It is not simply something they teach; it is something they aspire to be in their own lives.

This program lays a solid foundation for further study at the graduate or undergraduate level, particularly in the areas of humanities, biblical studies, and/or social sciences.

Requirements

The BA Humanities requires 69 credit hours of disciplinary study, largely in English Literature, History, and Philosophy, complemented by courses that present a distinctly interdisciplinary methodology. In addition, this degree requires 3 credit hours of cognate requirements in the fine arts. Like most Briercrest programs, the BA Humanities requires a minimum of 39 credit hours of 300+ course work within the context of a 126 credit hour degree.

Students will complete the four-year BA degree Core Curriculum, as well as 6 semesters of Service and Experiential Learning. As part of their graduation requirements, all four-year BA students will also complete the Senior Portfolio (PRT 400).

New students:  apply to the college now  and our admissions advisors will work closely with you throughout the rest of the process.

Current students: contact Academic Services to change programs and/or to be connected with a faculty adviser.

Degree Requirements

(126 credit hours: minimum 39 at 300+ level)

BA Core Curriculum

(66 credit hours)

Required Courses

(30 credit hours)

Area of Concentration

(18 credit hours)

• Students must take 18 credit hours (including at least 9 credit hours at the 300+ level) in either English, History, or Philosophy.

Breadth Requirements

(21 credit hours [9 + 9 +3])

• In the two remaining Humanities disciplines, students must complete 9 credit hours for each including 6 credit hours at the 300+ level. Students must also complete 3 credit hours of any one 200+ English, History, or Philosophy course

Cognate Requirements

(3 credit hours)

"The Humanities program at Briercrest has prepared me to think broadly, deeply, and sensitively about the world around me, the needs of those in my midst, and the call on my life to be a follower of Christ. It has also fostered a curiosity that has fundamentally produced in me a desire toward and engagement in continuous learning activities and characteristics that have enabled me to stand out to my current employer."
Lindsey McComb
BA Humanities

"Briercrest offers a unique setting for exploring the nature of faith and thought-one that is safe for questioning and investigation, anticipating that graduates will go with that knowledge and change the world."
Leah Good
BA Humanities

Joel From

jfrom@briercrest.ca
View Joel's CV

Joel was born and raised in Saskatchewan and spent most of his youth in Caronport. He was converted to Christ at a very early age. During his school years, he excelled at academics and sports and learned a variety of trade skills (including carpentry, plumbing, and mechanics) from his father. For several summers, he drove trucks in the oil patch in Alberta.

Joel married Rebecca Zender in 1988, and they have three children: Olivia, Aaron, and Rachel. He spent seven years in pastoral ministry in Buffalo, New York, and he has been a professor and part-time administrator at Briercrest College and Seminary for thirteen years. He currently enjoys watching his children play sports, reading, doing home repair/construction projects, and teaching.