If you’re curious about how people, cultures, history, languages, literature, and philosophy shape the world, a humanities program can be an excellent way to explore those interests beyond the classroom. Designed for high school students, these programs introduce you to college-level academics through seminars, discussions, research projects, writing assignments, and interdisciplinary coursework. Depending on the program, you may explore topics such as history, political science, ethics, creative writing, sociology, or cultural studies while strengthening skills in critical thinking, research, communication, and analysis.
Many humanities programs also offer opportunities to learn from university faculty, collaborate with peers, and gain a better understanding of what studying the humanities in college is like. For students considering majors or careers in law, public policy, journalism, international relations, education, or the social sciences, humanities programs provide a structured way to explore these fields, while building academic skills that are valuable across a wide range of disciplines.
Why should you choose a humanities program in Colorado?
Colorado offers a strong environment for humanities education through its universities, museums, cultural institutions, and public history organizations. You can engage with subjects such as history, literature, political science, philosophy, and the arts while learning from experienced scholars and benefiting from academic resources available across the state.
Beyond the classroom, Colorado’s rich cultural heritage, diverse communities, and a strong tradition of civic engagement provide meaningful opportunities to connect classroom learning with real-world issues. Whether your interests lie in history, public policy, writing, or social sciences, Colorado offers an academically enriching environment to explore the humanities while preparing for future college study.
To help you find the best opportunities, we’ve curated a list of 15 Humanities Programs for high school students in Colorado, selected for their academic challenges, mentorship, experiential learning, and overall educational value.
Key Takeaways
- 15 humanities programs in Colorado range from free residential leadership programs like the Black Issues Forum, to intensive college credit courses like Colorado College’s Pre-College Block, to creative writing intensives through the Lighthouse Writers Workshop.
- Colorado’s universities host several distinctive credit-bearing humanities courses. Colorado College’s Pre-College Block History course examines the history of roller derby as a lens for broader social change related to gender, race, and culture, while earning students actual college credit.
- Creative writing opportunities are especially well represented in this list. The Lighthouse Writers’ Young Writers Summer Camp, the Lighthouse Writers Workshop Summer Writing Intensive, the CSU Writing Project, and the Denver Writing Project Young Writers Camps all offer workshops led by published authors or licensed teachers.
- Civic engagement and leadership programs give students hands-on exposure to policy and government processes. The National Hispanic Institute’s LDZ Legislative Session has students draft and defend policy proposals in a model government format over an eight-day residential session.
- Cost varies enormously across this list, from free options like the Black Issues Forum and the Denver Writing Project Young Writers Camps, up to $7,250 for Colorado College’s Pre-College Block History program.
- Several programs connect humanities study to virtual and flexible formats outside Colorado’s physical campuses. Brandeis University’s Intellectual History of Black Women course and William & Mary’s Constitutional Law course are both fully online and open to a broader eligibility range.
- Colorado’s humanities programs are a strong way to build critical thinking and research skills through structured coursework, but they are not the only path for a student interested in independent research. Those who want to go beyond a structured course might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a selective virtual research program with 600+ specializations across subjects like political theory, data science, and biology.
1. Black Issues Forum
Location: Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 9 – 13
Application Deadline: April 19
Eligibility: High school juniors/rising seniors
The Black Issues Forum (BIF) is a five-day residential summer program at Colorado State University for rising high school seniors interested in leadership and community engagement. You’ll explore issues affecting African Diasporic communities through discussions, research activities, and personal development workshops while living on campus. Throughout the program, you’ll learn from and connect with Colorado State University faculty, staff, and current students, who’ll provide mentorship and guidance. You’ll also earn one free Colorado State University credit hour and may become eligible for the Partnership Award scholarship if you later enroll at CSU.
2. LYNX National Arts & Media Camps at the University of Colorado Denver
Location: University of Colorado, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: Varies based on the course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort size
Dates: One- and two-week programs in June and July
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: March 15; Final deadline: May 15
Eligibility: High school students
The LYNX National Arts & Media Camps are summer immersion programs that introduce high school students to college-level study in creative fields such as animation, filmmaking, illustration, photography, audio production, and other arts and media disciplines. You’ll receive hands-on instruction from university faculty and industry professionals while building practical artistic and technical skills through studio-based projects. The program also includes guest speakers, mentorship, and career exploration sessions that provide insights into creative professions and higher education pathways. Students from across the United States and abroad participate in the program, creating a collaborative environment where you can exchange ideas and connect with peers who share similar interests. Throughout the experience, you gain exposure to university life while strengthening your portfolio, expanding your professional network, and exploring future careers in the arts and media.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Financial aid available.
Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts. |
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th- or 11th-graders! A few tracks require prerequisites; see here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback you can use to improve future projects. Apply here!
4. National Hispanic Institute (NHI) Colorado Lorenzo De Zavala Youth (LDZ) Legislative Session
Location: Colorado State University Campus, Fort Collins, CO
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee. Students may be eligible to receive the Partnership Award
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 20 – 27
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Students finishing their sophomore or junior years in high school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher
The National Hispanic Institute’s Colorado Lorenzo de Zavala (LDZ) Youth Legislative Session is an eight-day residential leadership program that uses a model government format to help rising high school juniors and seniors develop leadership and civic engagement skills. While living on the Colorado State University campus, you’ll research current social and political issues, draft and defend proposals, participate in debates, and collaborate with peers to make policy decisions. Throughout the program, you’ll strengthen your public speaking, critical thinking, meeting management, and decision-making skills while learning about organizational leadership and legislative procedures. You’ll also interact with students from across the United States and Latin America.
5. Colorado College’s Pre-College Block– History
Location:
Cost/Stipend: $7,250; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort
Dates: July 13 – 29
Application Deadline: Typically closes in June
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Colorado College’s Pre-College Block History program gives rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credit while experiencing the college’s intensive Block Plan over two and a half weeks. In this history course, you’ll explore the evolution of roller derby from its origins in the 1930s to the present, examining how the sport has reflected broader social changes related to gender, race, and culture. Through historical readings, archival and contemporary roller derby footage, and oral history research with leaders of modern roller derby organizations, you’ll strengthen your research, critical thinking and source analysis skills. Outside the classroom, you’ll live on campus, experience college life, and explore the Rocky Mountain region while learning from Colorado College faculty.
6. CU Camp Shakespeare
Location: CU Boulder Campus, Boulder, CO
Cost/Stipend: $1,220, earlybird and other discounts available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class size
Dates: July 13 – August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students ages 9 – 18 years
CU Camp Shakespeare is a summer theatre program that gives kids and teens the opportunity to explore Shakespeare through acting, rehearsal, and performance in a fun, supportive environment. Working in small groups, you’ll rehearse, stage, and perform a shortened Shakespeare play while learning about the playwright’s language, characters, and storytelling techniques. The program combines theatre training with interactive activities such as Renaissance songs, Elizabethan costumes, period insults, and pool-noodle sword fights to make Shakespeare engaging and accessible. Held on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, the camp helps you build your acting, collaboration, and stage performance skills under the guidance of experienced instructors. The experience concludes with a free public performance in the Roe Green Theatre, where you’ll showcase what you’ve learned throughout the program.
7. Kent Denver Emerging Filmmakers Workshop: Creating Comedy and Drama
Location: Kent Denver School campus, Englewood, CO
Cost/Stipend: $485 + Materials Fee: $55
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information
Dates: July 20 – 24
Application Deadline: No fixed deadline
Eligibility: Students aged 13–17 years
The Kent Denver Emerging Filmmakers Workshop: Creating Comedy and Drama is a one-week storytelling and filmmaking program for teens interested in bringing their own stories to the screen. Working in teams, you’ll develop an original story, write a screenplay, film, and produce a short comedy or drama while learning the fundamentals of visual storytelling and filmmaking. Led by professional filmmaker and educator Neil Truglio, the workshop encourages personal expression and helps you develop your creative voice through hands-on production. Along the way, you also study film techniques and collaborate with peers at different stages of filmmaking experience. The program concludes with a red-carpet screening, where your completed films are showcased to an audience of family, friends and fellow participants.
8. Art Garage Courses
Location: The Art Garage, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: Varies based on the course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class size
Dates: Varies based on the course
Application Deadline: Varies based on the course
Eligibility: Courses are available for various age groups
The Art Garage offers a wide selection of summer art classes, workshops, and camps for teens, all taught by local practicing artists. You can explore a variety of creative mediums, including drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, and other studio arts, while building both your technical and artistic skills. Through hands-on projects, you’ll experiment with different materials, learn essential art techniques, and create original works inspired by diverse artistic styles and movements. The curriculum also introduces you to fundamental design principles, art vocabulary, and the work of influential artists, helping you strengthen both your practical and conceptual understanding of visual art. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced young artist, the program’s flexible course options allow you to develop your creativity in a supportive studio environment.
9. Summer@Brown Online: Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $5,554; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Dates: June 22 – July 27
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 – 12, ages 14 – 18 years
The Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction course at Brown University introduces high school students to how economists study decision-making, strategic interaction, and human behavior. You begin by learning the fundamentals of game theory, using concepts such as simultaneous and sequential games to analyze situations ranging from everyday decisions to international conflicts. The course then turns to behavioral economics, where you’ll examine why people often make predictable irrational decisions through cognitive biases such as overconfidence, herd behavior, and the gambler’s fallacy. Through experiments and real-world case studies, you learn how economists test theories on human behavior and apply their findings to improve policies in areas such as retirement savings and public decision-making.
10. Lighthouse Writers Workshop – Summer Writing Intensive
Location: Lighthouse Literary Centre, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: $575; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort
Dates: July 20 – 24
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
The Lighthouse Writers Workshop – Summer Writing Intensive is a week-long creative writing program for middle and high school students led by published and award-winning authors. You’ll explore multiple genres while participating in writing workshops that emphasize creativity, self-expression, and the craft of writing. Throughout the week, you’ll work closely with professional writers, receive feedback on your work, and develop at least one polished piece of writing. The program welcomes writers of all experience levels and encourages collaboration within a supportive community of peers who share a passion for writing. At the end of the intensive, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a public reading where you can share your work with fellow participants, family and the broader community.
11. CSU Writing Project: Young Writers Workshop
Location: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Cost/Stipend: $175–$200; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size:
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: June 2
Eligibility: Students from elementary to high school students
The CSU Writing Project: Young Writers Workshop is an immersive summer program that helps high school students strengthen their writing skills through creative exploration across multiple genres. You’ll experiment with different writing techniques, participate in small writing groups, and receive feedback from peers and experienced instructors as you develop your ideas. The workshop also includes sessions with published authors, giving you insights into the writing process and opportunities to learn directly from professional writers. Throughout the program, you’ll build confidence in expressing your ideas while developing stronger storytelling, revision, and communication skills in a supportive environment. At the end of the workshop, you’ll receive a free program T-shirt, and daily snacks are provided throughout the workshop.
12. Brandeis University: Intellectual History of Black Women
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $3,825; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: High school students
The Brandeis University Intellectual History of Black Women course examines major events in U.S. history through the perspectives and intellectual contributions of Black women. Over the course, you’ll explore topics such as slavery, emancipation, the Civil Rights Movement, Black feminism, and LGBTQ movements, while studying how these events shaped Black women’s scholarship and activism. Through close reading and discussion, you’ll analyze influential texts and learn theoretical frameworks, including critical fabulation, resistance, the afterlife of slavery, and Black gender and sexuality. You’ll also compare diverse viewpoints, evaluate historical contexts, and complete a final project that applies the concepts and methodologies covered throughout the course.
13. Art Students League of Denver Summer Camp
Location: Art Students League of Denver, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: Varies based on the course. Check details here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class size
Dates: Varies based on the course. Check details here
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Opportunities are available for students aged 6–17
The Art Students League of Denver Summer Camp offers a variety of studio-based courses that give teens the opportunity to explore different forms of visual art in a supportive, hands-on environment. You can choose from creative disciplines such as ceramics, painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber arts, multimedia, textiles, and Teen Studio Night, depending on your interests. Each class is taught by experienced teaching artists who guide you through artistic techniques while encouraging creativity and experimentation. Through individual and group projects, you’ll build technical skills, expand your portfolio, and gain confidence working with a range of artistic materials.
14. Denver Writing Project Young Writers Camps
Location: Various locations in Colorado
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by location, multiple camps in June
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Opportunities available for 3–12 grade students
The Denver Writing Project Young Writers Camps are one-week creative writing programs for high school students entering grades 3–12, with multiple camp options including bilingual and location-specific sessions. You’ll explore genres such as poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction while developing your own writing style in workshops led by licensed teachers from the Denver Writing Project. Throughout the week, published guest writers conduct special sessions that provide insights into the writing process and creative techniques. You’ll also have opportunities to share your work, collaborate with fellow young writers, and strengthen your communication and storytelling skills in a supportive environment. The program concludes with a public celebration, where you’ll present selected pieces of your writing to friends and family.
15. William & Mary Pre-College Online Program – Constitutional Law: We The People
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,595; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: 1 week before the course start date
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
The Constitutional Law: We The People course in William & Mary’s Pre-College Online Program introduces high school students to the foundations of U.S. constitutional law through the lens of landmark legal debates and Supreme Court cases. You’ll explore topics such as the creation of the Constitution, constitutional interpretation, judicial review, federalism, the Bill of Rights, and the relationship between state and federal governments. The course is taught by constitutional scholars and law professors through case studies and discussions that mirror the analytical approach used in legal education. The course concludes with a final project that demonstrates your understanding of constitutional principles and their application to contemporary legal issues. Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll earn a William & Mary Certificate of Completion while building a strong foundation for future studies in law, government, or political science.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these programs are free to attend?
The Black Issues Forum and the Denver Writing Project Young Writers Camps are both free. Several others, like LYNX National Arts & Media Camps and the Art Garage Courses, vary in cost depending on the specific course selected.
Do any of these programs let me earn college credit?
Yes. The Black Issues Forum offers one free Colorado State University credit hour, and Colorado College’s Pre-College Block History program lets students earn college credit through its intensive Block Plan format over two and a half weeks.
Which programs focus specifically on creative writing?
The Lighthouse Writers’ Young Writers Summer Camp, the Lighthouse Writers Workshop Summer Writing Intensive, the CSU Writing Project Young Writers Workshop, and the Denver Writing Project Young Writers Camps all center on creative writing instruction led by published authors or experienced teachers.
Are any of these programs focused on law, government, or civic engagement?
Yes. The National Hispanic Institute’s LDZ Legislative Session uses a model government format to teach policy drafting and debate, and William & Mary’s Constitutional Law: We The People course introduces students to constitutional law through landmark Supreme Court cases.
What if I want to conduct my own original research rather than take a structured humanities course?
These programs are built around structured coursework, workshops, and mentorship, but students who want to develop and defend an original research project might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a selective virtual research program that pairs students with a mentor to develop an original research paper across subjects like political theory, data science, and biology.
Image source: Colorado State University