Humanities Institute > Programs > Humanities Blast Courses

We’re now inviting JHU grad students in the humanities and social sciences to propose a course on a topic of your choice. If your course is selected, you’ll receive dedicated training and support starting in March and a stipend of $2,500. Courses will run across five weeks in July–Aug. 2025. Questions? Email Milan Terlunen (mterlun1@jh.edu). Grad students click here for more information on how to apply by February 10th!

What are Blast Courses?

Blast Courses in the Humanities are interactive, free summer courses offered by AGHI since July 2020. All members of the public are welcome to join an online, flexible, and fun group as you dive into five weeks of ideas, questions, and skills centered on a special topic. Early-career instructors lead these gatherings and offer interactive opportunities so that any student, especially those without any prior experience in that subject, can learn, discuss, ask, wonder, gather, and find a community of fellow curious folks just like you.

In short, every Blast Course is:

  • Free to all students—truly, everyone! Adults ages 16 to 116+ are welcome.
  • Interactive—so you can ask questions and get feedback from the instructor, plus join a new community of fellow learners and discuss important ideas with them.
  • Online + Flexible—only about 2 hours/week, divided into 2+ videos (and for some courses, live Zoom sessions) that you can watch/listen to while you work, drive, garden, work out, or whatever else you need to do.
  • Entry-level—no homework, prior experience, or outside pre-reqs needed.
  • Question-focused—asking big, thought-provoking questions about a range of topics, so that no matter what the subject (from ancient myths to current events to timeless art), you’ll find yourself looking at the world around you a little differently.

To learn more about our past courses, scroll down and find out full class list archive.

Banner stating "Thank you for joining us for our fifth year of... Blast Courses in the Humanities". Below are 7 tiles with images of various historical, cultural, and imaginative artifacts.