The Humanities exam tests general knowledge of literature, art, and music and the other performing arts. It is broad in its coverage, with questions on all periods from classical to contemporary and in many different fields: poetry, prose, philosophy, art, architecture, music, dance, theater, and film. The examination requires test-takers to demonstrate their understanding of the humanities through recollection of specific information, comprehension and application of concepts, and analysis and interpretation of various works of art. The exam contains approximately 140 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Any time test takers spend on tutorials or providing personal information is in addition to the actual testing time.
For test-takers with satisfactory scores on the exam, colleges may grant credit toward fulfillment of a distribution requirement. Some may grant credit for a particular course that matches the exam in content.
Questions on the Humanities exam require test takers to demonstrate the abilities listed below. Some questions may require more than one of the abilities.
• Knowledge of factual information (authors, works, etc.)
• Recognition of techniques such as rhyme scheme, medium, and matters of style, and the ability to identify them as characteristics of certain writers, artists, schools, or periods
• Understanding and interpretation of literary passages and art reproductions that are likely to be unfamiliar to most test-takers
The subject matter of the exam is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the topics indicate the approximate percentages of exam questions on those topics.
Literature (50%)
• 10% Drama
• 10%–15% Poetry
• 15%–20% Fiction
• 10% Nonfiction (including philosophy)
The Arts (50%)
• 20% Visual arts: painting, sculpture, etc.
• 5% Visual arts: architecture
• 15% Performing arts: music
• 10% Performing arts: film, dance, etc
The exam questions, drawn from the entire history of art and culture, are fairly evenly divided among the following periods: Classical, Medieval and Renaissance, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, nineteenth century, and twentieth and twenty-first century. At least 5–10% of the questions draw on other cultures, such as African, Asian, and Latin American. Some of the questions cross disciplines and/or chronological periods, and a substantial number test knowledge of terminology, genre, and style.