The Human Experience
Being • Learning • Becoming
Welcome
The Department of Public and Applied Humanities (PAH) at The University of Arizona is for people who want their education to matter beyond their diploma. Our graduates do not just imagine a better future; they help create it!
The Applied Humanities major gives students the opportunity to connect the dots across disciplines and infuse their interests into work that puts knowledge into action in their communities and professional industries. The program offers a trandisciplinary degree that combines the approaches and techniques from the humanities with at least one of 11 partner areas of study.
In Applied Humanities courses, students work side-by-side with faculty and community partners on hands-on projects to describe, share, and improve the human experience. We emphasize humanistic themes of curiosity, storytelling, and community-building to help students bring their unique perspective to solving problems that matter to them.
Current societal challenges and entrepreneurial opportunities require talent with intersecting skillsets who can collaborate across disciplines and settings. It is not surprising then that employers across fields and industries are seeking college graduates with the transferable skills that are at the core of the BA in Applied Humanities curriculum. An innovative set of career readiness courses support students in pursuing opportunities across community and industry setting is required.
Applied Humanities graduates complete their degrees with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to successfully navigate their careers in the ever-changing world of community and work.
Meet Madison
Madison wants to make a difference in the world. She is balancing her career plans with a degree in Applied Humanities/Public Health and Law.
Recent News
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Friday
The Department of Public and Applied Humanities was featured in a recent story published Forbes.com! The story can be found here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisachambers/2026/09/21/move-over-stem-humanities-degrees-are-poised-for-a-…
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Friday
Drs. Ken McAllister and Judd Ruggill are featured in a recent article published in the National Center for Business Journalism. The article is titled "Video games are getting harder, sometimes impossible, to preserve, academics say" and can be…
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Sept. 22, 2026
Dr. Harris Kornstein and their colleagues have been recognized by the British Sociological Association with the Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness Book Prize for their co-edited volume, How to Be Disabled in a Pandemic. OpenSquare…
Upcoming Events
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Alumni News & Directory
Our majors have gone on to exciting careers around the world in a wide variety of industries.
See what you can do with your degree.
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B.A.
Applied Humanities
2021
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B.A.
Applied Humanities
2023
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B.A.
Applied Humanities
2025