The Humanities examination tests general knowledge of literature, art, music, and other performing arts. It includes 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. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored. Any time test takers spend on tutorials or providing personal information is in addition to the actual testing time.
The Humanities examination requires candidates to demonstrate the following 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; and an understanding and interpretation of literary passages and art reproductions that are likely to be unfamiliar to most test-takers. The skills measured include literature (50 percent): drama (10 percent); poetry (10-15 percent); fiction (15-20 percent); and nonfiction including philosophy (10 percent) and arts (50 percent): visual arts - painting, sculpture, etc. (20 percent); visual arts - architecture (5 percent); performing arts - music (15 percent); and performing arts - film, dance, etc. (10 percent).The exam questions, drawn from the entire history of art and culture, are evenly divided among the following periods: Classical, Medieval and Renaissance, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, nineteenth century, and twentieth century. At least 5-10 percent 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.