About the Departments

The Department of Arts and Letters
The Master's University School of Humanities in Italty

The Department of Arts and Letters at 91̽ gives a broader designation, encompassing the three degrees within the department: Classical Liberal Arts, English, and Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as its summer intensive study abroad program situated in Florence, Italy. The degrees and programs under this department have a shared mission, in which students are taught to:

  • “Pursue the studia humanitatis (“study of the human things”) through a fully articulated theological framework,” as applied in the practice of socratic pedagogy in Classical Liberal Arts, through the intertwining of various course of studies in Interdisciplinary Studies, and through the engagement with various ideologies in literature and the arts.
  • “Extend the range of students’ intellectual, moral, and spiritual vision” as they explore works and courses of study from various points of view and “to be to be equipped to recognize truth expressed in multiple sources, discerning it from partial truth and error, testing all by the biblical standard.”
  • “Engage in personal, spiritual, and professional growth with the understanding that there exists no dichotomy between the secular and the sacred, as “all things” can be done “for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31)

91̽ in Italy Program

Led by Dr. Grant Horner, Dr. Bob Dickson and Prof. Esther Chua, 91̽ Italy is a study-abroad program based in incomparably beautiful Italy. Students, upon acceptance to the program, will spend six weeks in the summer to earn 9 undergraduate credits in a variety of courses while deeply immersed in Italian culture. The entire program will be based on exploring the question “quid est homo?” (“what is Man?”) asked by the Italian Renaissance Christian Humanist scholars, and the related biblical question “what is man that Thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8).

Department of History & Political Studies

The Department of History & Political Studies is designed to help all students develop an understanding of the complex factors that have produced the civilizations of the present and also aid students in becoming responsible Christian citizens. Especially because of our emphasis on systematic research and analysis, the history and political studies majors receive instruction in preparing for careers in law, education, business, government service, public relations, or library work, as well as graduate study in law, theology, history, or political science.

The department acknowledges that God is sovereign in human affairs of the past, present, and future. With that foundational truth, students are aided in developing Christian philosophies of history and politics as parts of an overarching biblical worldview. Every course should help students integrate Christian faith and the academic fields. The department offers four Bachelor of Arts degrees. Students desiring a major in political studies may choose from three available emphases: American Politics, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, or Political Theory. Although a capable person can get into law school with almost any major, the Constitutional Law emphasis provides excellent preparation for law school.