Programs in the humanities can be a good way to explore disciplines such as literature, history, philosophy, political theory, and cultural studies outside the traditional high school classroom. If these subjects interest you, consider a structured program in the spring!
Why choose a spring humanities program?
Spring programs focused on the humanities are worth exploring for a few reasons:
- It’s a differentiating factor: Unlike summer intensives, spring programs run concurrently with your school year, requiring you to balance deep engagement in research, discussion-based learning, and critical writing with your regular coursework. Participating in these programs can also boost your profile by demonstrating the ability to manage complex intellectual projects alongside daily responsibilities—a skill highly valued in higher education. Completing rigorous work during the academic year signals a genuine commitment to the humanities, distinguishing you from students who only engage during breaks.
- Access to sustained engagement: Spanning several months, these programs allow for the gradual development of research projects and the assimilation of complex theoretical frameworks.
- A solid introduction to research skills: As a participant, you will work directly with mentors to produce citation-heavy research papers, learning methodologies like ethnographic interviewing, archival analysis, or comparative literature reviews.
To help you with your search, here is a list of 15 humanities spring programs for high school students:
1. NYU Tisch’s Future Artists Programs
Dates: Saturdays from January/February to May; dates vary by program
Application deadline: November 10
Cost: None!
Location: New York University Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors
NYU Tisch runs free arts workshops throughout Saturdays in the spring. You can attend workshops focusing on writing, dance, acting, or filmmaking to learn from NYU faculty and build new skills. Each track offers undergraduate-level exposure to the chosen art form, allowing you to explore the underlying theory and use what you learn to develop and present your own work. For example, if you choose the writing workshops, you will explore the fundamentals of dramatic structure within playwriting, screenwriting, and television/episodic writing and use them to develop scripts in each medium.
2. Civics Unplugged Civic Innovators Fellowship
Dates: February 23 – April 12
Application deadline: January 31
Cost: None
Location: Online
Eligibility: High school students
The Civic Innovators Fellowship is an eight-week online program that allows you to join a cohort of diverse peers to tackle real issues in different sectors of society. Focused on systems thinking and democratic theory, this program moves beyond basic civics to offer a deep dive into case studies on critical sectors such as environmental justice, digital citizenship, and education. Here, you will engage in a “Solvathon,” a collaborative problem-solving sprint to directly tackle real-world issues. The curriculum culminates in a professional Case Brief that allows you to apply design thinking principles to a specific local policy issue, guided by mentors and industry experts.
3. New York University’s Pre-College Program
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $50 application fee + tuition for three-credit course: $6,006
Dates: January 20 – May 5
Application deadline: January 5
Eligibility: Current 11th and 12th-grade high school students with a minimum 3.0 GPA
NYU offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to engage in credit-bearing college-level humanities coursework during the academic year through spring and fall courses. You can choose from humanities courses, including options in anthropology and sociology. As a participant, you will attend lectures and engage in discussions to build critical thinking skills and explore social problems and cultural evolution. The program also allows you to enroll in the College 101 workshop series, which can help you prepare for college, navigate the admissions and financial aid processes, and write application essays.
4. Columbia University Pre-College Programs
Dates: Academic Year Weekend: January 23 – March 29 | College Edge: January 20 – May 15
Application deadline: Early January
Cost: Varies by course
Location: Remote or in-person at Columbia University, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school students
Columbia offers high schoolers the opportunity to explore college-level coursework during the academic year. You can choose from social science, law, and creative writing courses. As a participant, you will explore primary texts and college-level syllabi while analyzing the social and political performance in Hispanic worlds or the expressive culture of Soviet Georgia. The focus is on developing the ability to formulate original arguments and defend them in a seminar setting.
5. UPenn’s Young Scholars High School Program: Spring Track
Dates: January 14 – May 12
Application deadline: Typically, early December
Cost: $4,542/course unit; scholarships available for students enrolled in the School District of Philadelphia public or charter high schools
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Eligibility: High school juniors enrolled in local high schools within commuting distance of UPenn
UPenn’s Young Scholars High School Program allows high schoolers to enroll in undergraduate-level courses during the school year and earn credit. You can choose from a variety of humanities courses, including options in anthropology, philosophy, and sociology. You will attend classes on the UPenn campus two to five times a week and complete assignments and take exams during the semester. The program also offers access to the university’s libraries, assistance from faculty instructors, and academic support from various teaching departments.
6. The School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL)
Dates: January – May (Spring Semester)
Application Deadline: February 15
Cost: $39,990; financial aid available, with nearly 50% of SEGL students typically receiving some amount of need-based financial assistance.
Location: Washington, D.C., Johannesburg, or London
Eligibility: High school juniors
SEGL is a semester-long intensive program designed to provide an education in leadership to high schoolers. You will take a core “Ethics & Leadership” course that utilizes the Harvard Kennedy School case study method. You will also dissect complex geopolitical events—such as the Rwandan Genocide or current cyber-warfare protocols—to understand ethical decision-making frameworks. Assignments include drafting a Collaborative Policy Document (requiring consensus-building) and a personal Ethical Credo. Additionally, you will participate in “Situation Room” crisis simulations where you must react to evolving intelligence in real-time. You will also take other core courses, like history and language.
7. Lighthouse Writers Workshops
Dates: Vary by specific workshop
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Cost: Varies by program, ranging from $80 to $550.
Location: Virtual or at Lighthouse Writers Workshop, Denver, CO
Eligibility: Students of different age groups, with many options open to high schoolers
Each year, Lighthouse Writers Workshop offers a variety of sessions for young writers who want to explore genres such as fiction, poetry, and playwriting. As a participant, you will spend a few hours to weeks, depending on the workshop you choose, refining creativity and self-expression through small, interactive sessions led by published authors across a variety of genres. Each workshop features writing exercises, feedback sessions, and peer interaction. Remote, after-school, and homeschool formats are typically available, making these workshops accessible options to explore.
8. Northwestern Center for Talent Development (CTD) Online
Dates: Spring: March – May | Semester: January – May (dates vary each year)
Application deadline: Spring: Late February | Semester: Early January
Cost: $865 for 1-credit | $1,445 for two-credit courses
Location: Remote
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12; application requires qualifying test scores or portfolio.
Northwestern’s CTD program offers various courses within the Honors and AP tracks that go far beyond standard high school curricula. You can choose courses in sociology, politics, history, etc. Within your chosen track, you will engage in asynchronous seminar-style learning while also sharing substantive and evidence-based critiques of peer arguments in discussion forums. In courses like Philosophy or AP Comparative Government, you will explore the Schoology or Canvas LMS environments and develop the ability to synthesize primary source documents into document-based question essays, which can help you with advanced collegiate research in the future.
9. Syracuse University Accelerated Semester Online
Dates: Session 1: January 12 – March 5 | Session 2: March 9 – April 30
Application deadline: Session 1: December 15 | Session 2: February 3
Cost: $750/credit + $35 non-refundable application fee
Location: Remote
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0; some courses may have additional requirements.
Syracuse University offers high school students the opportunity to take undergraduate courses during the school year. You can choose from humanities courses such as Foundations of Human Behavior or Practices of Academic Writing. The program utilizes Blackboard for asynchronous modules where you will post evidence-based responses to peer discussion boards. You will navigate the university library databases to synthesize primary sources for final papers and earn transferable college credit upon completion. You can choose a subject and set your own pace and timeline as per your convenience.
10. Close Up Washington D.C. High School Program
Dates: Weekly sessions (February – June)
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: ~$2,000 – $2,500
Location: Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: High school students
Close Up is a six-day excursion designed to help high school students witness their government in action and dive into political science. You will not just tour monuments but also engage in issue-centered education workshops. You will participate in a mock congress to debate actual bills currently on the floor and question D.C. lobbyists and journalists about the influence of special interest groups. The focus is on understanding the granular mechanics of the legislative process and the iron triangle of policy-making.
11. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Programs
Dates: Vary by session, with options available around the year, including in the spring
Application deadline: Varies by course
Cost: Tuition varies by course; financial aid available
Location: Online or at various university campuses in the U.S.
Eligibility: Students in grades 2 – 12 who meet the course-specific requirements
Johns Hopkins CTY offers students the opportunity to enroll in rigorous courses across disciplines, including diverse options in the humanities, from philosophy and ethics to cultural studies. As a participant, you will engage in video/synchronous lessons, complete assignments, and receive feedback from instructors while collaborating with peers. The courses are designed to challenge you academically and help you develop your critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. The experience can also help you add to your classroom learning and prepare for future academics.
12. Stanford Continuing Studies
Dates: Courses available across quarters, including spring (April – May)
Application deadline: Varies by quarter
Cost: ~$800 to $1,200/course
Location: Remote
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
This program allows advanced high school students to enroll in undergraduate-level courses taught by Stanford faculty. Here, you can choose from courses like The American Novel or Ethics and the Ancient Greek World. While academics vary by course, you will typically engage in seminar-style discussions and produce collegiate-level essays. This experience is different from summer pre-college programs as it allows you to learn alongside adult matriculated students and professionals.
13. Gotham Writers Workshop Classes
Dates: Multiple 6- and 10-week workshops throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: Varies by duration and format; you can check individual courses for details.
Location: Online and in-person (in NYC) options available
Eligibility: High school students, ages 13 to 17
Gotham offers six-week and 10-week courses for teens that focus on craft without the pressure of grades. Tracks like Scriptwriting or Creative Nonfiction Creative Writing 101 break down the mechanics of scene construction and dialogue. Each class combines lectures and exercises to help you dive into theory and practice. You will also use the online interface to critique peer work and receive detailed feedback from professional writers on your narrative arc and character development.
14. Georgetown University Pre-College Online: Humanities Courses
Dates: Sessions of varying lengths available throughout the year, including in the spring
Application deadline: Varies by session
Cost: $1,895 for enrichment courses | $3,995 for college credit courses.
Location: Remote
Eligibility: High school students, ages 13 and up
Georgetown University offers dozens of online courses spanning one to six weeks and covering a variety of subjects. One of its offerings is the International Relations track, in which you will analyze the global system as a strategic game and examine the roles of the UN, NATO, and NGOs. You will study the evolution of Human Rights law and the distinction between terrorism and state-sanctioned force. The capstone is a Simulated Crisis where you act as the U.S. President and draft a Policy Paper that outlines goals, actions, and success metrics. You can also choose from other humanities courses, such as Psychology, Creative Writing, and U.S. Politics and Government.
15. The Loft Literary Center Youth Offerings
Dates: Multiple programs between January and May
Application deadline: Rolling
Cost: Varies by course
Location: Remote or in Minneapolis, MN
Eligibility: High school students
The Loft runs specialized spring courses, allowing high schoolers to build skills in Fantasy Novel Writing or Playwriting. Here, you will learn the techniques of creative nonfiction, including how to conduct ethical interviews and structure real-life narratives using fiction techniques. Other courses like Worldbuilding in Sci-Fi focus on the internal logic of speculative worlds and require you to create consistent rules for magic or technology systems. The courses cater to beginners as well as advanced learners.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like global politics, geography, or history, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source – Columbia University