Enrollment

2025 Fall Semester

Humanist Aesthetics & Practices

Class will be Zoom Connect and Canvas Platform

Instructor: Vanessa Gomez Brake ((she/her/sĩya), B.A., M.Sc., M.Div., Ph.D & Certificate in Humanist Studies.  Senior Associate Dean of Religious & Spiritual Life, University of Southern California.

Spring term:  Starts September 5 – December 12, 2025

In-class sessions via zoom:  Fridays

1:00 pm ET/12:00 am CT, 11:00 am MT/10:00 am PT

Course Description:  

This course will focus on axiology, how we ‘do’ Humanism, through an exploration of aesthetics, meaning-making, and practices. Building on work from the Humanist Worldviews course, students will be invited to align Humanist values with action, making concrete articulated beliefs. This class will consider the variety of ways in which Humanist leadership takes shape from caretaking, social justice initiatives, group management, ritual making, and spiritual practices. Students will also be introduced to methods of conflict transformation, spiritual assessments, and visioning. Course materials are drawn from a variety of secular and religious humanist authors and communities. This class also will require students to reflect on their positionalities, through a process of reflection & self-inventories; determining the gifts their past experiences may bear for the Humanist movement and communities.

 

HSP Certificate Program

Students pursuing a certificate in Humanist Studies need to enroll in the program.  Each course requires a separate registration.

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Course Registration

Registration is required for each course offered

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Scholarship Application

The AHA Center for Education offers need-based scholarships for students enrolled in the HSP certificate program.  Each year, AHA Center for Education may award scholarships based on demand and annual budget.

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Discounted Rate 

The program offers a 75% discounted rate for Humanist Chaplains endorsed by the Humanist Society.  AHA members in good standing are eligible for a 25% discount.