- Course Type CLEP
- Subject Composition and Literature
- Level Introductory
- Length 6 Modules
- Video Length 5h 26m
- Reading Pages 4612
- Institution Modern States
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Humanities reviews material intended to build a broad knowledge of literature, philosophy, art, music, and the performing arts. The course spans classical through contemporary periods and includes poetry, prose, philosophy, art, architecture, music, dance, theater, and film.
This is a free, self-paced Modern States course with no prerequisites. It is aligned to the CLEP® Humanities exam and is designed to prepare you to succeed on the test and earn college credit at no cost.
Modern States originally developed this course in collaboration with Dr. José Antonio Mazzotti. Professor Stephanie Holyfield supported course enhancements published in 2025.
Course Overview
Humanities Course Overview - Modern States
| Module | Topic | Video Length | Total pages of required reading |
| Module 1: The Classical Period 01:14:00 total video length 1254 total reading pages |
1: The Classical Period | 0:03:56 | – |
| 1.1.1: Origins and General Characteristics of Ancient Greece | 0:04:43 | 91 | |
| 1.1.2: Homer | 0:09:44 | 215 | |
| 1.1.2.1: Homer (continued) | 0:07:09 | 215 | |
| 1.1.3: The Argonauts | 0:03:42 | 6 | |
| 1.1.4: Democracy | 0:04:18 | 7 | |
| 1.1.5: Philosophy | 0:10:12 | 7 | |
| 1.1.6: History and Tragedy | 0:09:31 | 52 | |
| 1.2.1: Origins and General Characteristics of Ancient Rome | 0:06:52 | 36 | |
| 1.2.2: Virgil | 0:05:28 | 33 | |
| 1.2.3: Horace | 0:02:12 | 329 | |
| 1.2.4: Ovid | 0:02:40 | 18 | |
| 1.2.5: Lucan | 0:03:33 | 245 | |
| 1: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 2: The Middle Ages 00:58:53 total video length 855 total reading pages |
2: The Middle Ages | 0:06:10 | – |
| 2.1: Between Antiquity and Modernity | 0:05:55 | – | |
| 2.2: Estates of the Realm – Feudal Lords, Clergy, Peasants | 0:11:41 | – | |
| 2.3: The Crusades | 0:06:26 | 210 | |
| 2.4: The Preservation of Knowledge and the Role of Jews and Muslims | 0:05:08 | 147 | |
| 2.5: Theology and Philosophy — Neoplatonism, Scholasticism, and Thomism | 0:07:39 | 31 | |
| 2.6: Dante Alighieri — The Metaphysical View of the Afterlife | 0:07:36 | 388 | |
| 2.7: The Invention of Printing and the Beginning of Transoceanic Explorations | 0:08:18 | 79 | |
| 2: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 3: The Renaissance 00:48:17 total video length 1159 total reading pages |
3: The Renaissance | 0:03:09 | – |
| 3.1: The Renaissance — A Return to the Classics | 0:03:15 | 93 | |
| 3.2: Main Figures | 0:11:56 | – | |
| 3.3: Poetry and Drama — Petrarch, Garcilaso, Shakespeare | 0:09:59 | 832 | |
| 3.4: Philosophy — Neo-Platonism and Neo-Scholasticism | 0:07:12 | 59 | |
| 3.5: Political Thought — Luther, Erasmus, and Machiavelli | 0:05:58 | 83 | |
| 3.6: The European Expansion — Amerindian Cultures, Asian Cultures, African Slavery | 0:06:48 | 92 | |
| 3: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 4: The Baroque and the Enlightenment 00:50:33 total video length 218 total reading pages |
4: The Baroque and the Enlightenment | 0:06:48 | – |
| 4.1: What is the Baroque? What is the Enlightenment? | 0:07:23 | 48 | |
| 4.2: Rationalism vs. Empiricism | 0:05:54 | 6 | |
| 4.3: Baroque and Enlightened Art | 0:09:09 | 123 | |
| 4.4: Baroque and Enlightened Music | 0:05:16 | 10 | |
| 4.5: Baroque and Enlightened Literature | 0:06:06 | 4 | |
| 4.6: The Enlightenment and the New Ideas of Modernity | 0:09:57 | 27 | |
| 4: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 5: Romanticism and Realism 00:35:46 total video length 603 total reading pages |
5: Romanticism and Realism | 0:01:23 | – |
| 5.1: What is Romanticism? What is Realism? | 0:06:12 | 9 | |
| 5.2: Romantic Literature | 0:13:36 | 208 | |
| 5.3: Romantic Music | 0:05:27 | 147 | |
| 5.4: Romantic Art | 0:03:12 | 231 | |
| 5.5: The Realist Reaction | 0:05:56 | 8 | |
| 5.6: Realism in the Visual Arts | – | – | |
| 5: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 6: Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries 00:57:17 total video length 523 total reading pages |
6: Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries | 0:03:20 | – |
| 6.1: Revolution and Avant-Garde | 0:09:18 | 182 | |
| 6.2: Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Futurism, Dadaism, Cubism, Imagism | 0:15:34 | 39 | |
| 6.3: Surrealism and Modern Art | 0:08:15 | 78 | |
| 6.4: Fiction | 0:07:36 | 35 | |
| 6.5: Poetry and Theater | 0:05:35 | 26 | |
| 6.6: Modern Music | 0:02:51 | 30 | |
| 6.7: Film | 0:05:48 | 133 | |
| 6: Summary | – | – | |
| Course Conclusion | – | – |
