Humanities faculty and alumni introduce new Intersession courses

Humanities faculty and alumni are introducing four new courses this Spring as part of McMaster’s Intersession Learning, a four-week semester that runs from May 6 to May 25, 2025. 

Open to undergraduate students from all levels, Intersession courses are designed with a focus on interdisciplinary, experiential and community-based learning. Students are able to earn either six or three units during the Intersession term, depending on their course load. 

“Intersession provides space for flexible and creative approaches to undergraduate teaching and learning,” says Michael Egan, history professor and academic director at the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning. 

“Intersession courses put special emphasis on interdisciplinary topics that invite students to open new doors in their learning journeys, while bringing with them their various training and backgrounds to contribute to a robust classroom environment.” 

Among the variety of Intersession courses on offer, those with connections to the Faculty of Humanities include:

INSPIRE 3II3 C01 – Digitizing Migration: From Netflix to TikTok

Instructor: Natasha Martinez

Digitizing Migration will explore how digital media influences conversations about migrants and refugees. Students will analyze case studies from digital platforms and engage with guest speakers to gain a unique perspective on the powerful role of digital media as a space for storytelling, community building, resistance and activism.

INSPIRE 3EL3 C03 – Narratives of War

Instructors: Myron Groover, Victor Kuperman, Ekaterina Neklyudova

Narratives of War will explore the impact of war through testimonies gathered from those affected by the Russia-Ukraine War. Students will work with an interdisciplinary team of historians, linguists, psychologists and archival scientists from Canada and Ukraine. Students engage with primary documents, participate in discussion with experts, and gain experience with digital archiving.

HISTORY 3TU3 / INSPIRE 3TU3 – The History of You

Instructor: Michael Egan 

The History of You will challenge students to reflect on their own place in history by working through archive, genealogy, and memoir as tools for storytelling and historical analysis. This course offers students an opportunity to see themselves in history and reflect on the challenges associated with putting the self in a historical context.

INSPIRE 3EL3 C02 – Gardening for Growth: Cultivating Resiliency, Putting Down Roots, and Developing Green Thumbs

Instructors: Sam Clarke, Sarah Whitwell 

Gardening for Growth introduces students to gardening as a mindfulness practice for daily life. Students will engage with subject-matter experts on topics ranging from Indigenous botany to greenhouse growing, canning and food preservation, container growing, and pollinator support. Students will also explore campus and surrounding areas to reflect and gain experience with gardening.