For high school students with a deep interest in storytelling, culture, identity, or the arts, the humanities offer a compelling and often transformative pathway. Whether you’re drawn to the rhythm of poetry, the choreography of movement, the power of investigative journalism, or the visual impact of design, the humanities invite students to explore what it means to be human—while sharpening critical skills that are vital in every profession.
In an increasingly interdisciplinary world, the ability to analyze complex ideas, communicate persuasively, and think ethically is more important than ever. Summer humanities programs allow high school students to nurture these abilities through guided exploration, rigorous academic work, and mentorship from accomplished artists, writers, and scholars. They’re also one of the best ways to build a compelling college portfolio and gain clarity on future academic or creative pursuits.
This guide features a curated list of 10 outstanding humanities-focused summer programs for high school students, organized by application deadline. Each offers a unique opportunity to dive into a specific creative or academic discipline—ranging from architecture and fiction writing to journalism, theater, and the fine arts.
Why Pursue Humanities Research in High School?
Develop Critical Thinking and Creative Expression
Unlike rigid, formula-driven problem sets, the humanities encourage students to engage with ambiguity, context, and interpretation. Whether you're dissecting a Shakespearean soliloquy, choreographing a contemporary dance piece, or designing a city map based on sustainability principles, these fields foster an active engagement with ideas and emotions.
Humanities programs challenge students to:
- Analyze texts and artifacts through historical, cultural, or philosophical lenses
- Think critically about ethical dilemmas, social issues, and human behavior
- Create original work—such as stories, plays, designs, or multimedia pieces—that communicates meaning with depth and nuance
This balance of analysis and expression is foundational not only for careers in media, arts, education, or law—but also for developing empathy, resilience, and leadership.
Strengthen Your College and Career Readiness
Participating in a rigorous summer humanities program signals to college admissions officers that you're a self-driven learner with intellectual curiosity and a capacity for complex thinking. Many of these programs provide opportunities to:
- Produce publishable or portfolio-quality work
- Present research or creative projects publicly
- Collaborate with talented peers and mentors from diverse backgrounds
This kind of experience—especially when supported by feedback and revision—helps students clarify their academic and career goals. Whether you're considering a major in English, philosophy, architecture, or arts education, summer programs offer a way to “test drive” a field before college.
Moreover, these programs often emphasize skills that are critical for success in college and beyond, such as research design, time management, persuasive communication, and interdisciplinary thinking.
Access Mentorship and Personalized Feedback
One of the most valuable elements of humanities summer programs is mentorship. Students are often paired with university professors, professional artists, editors, or practitioners who guide their growth with expert feedback and real-world insights.
For example:
- In a writing program, you might receive line-by-line critiques from published authors or MFA candidates.
- In a journalism intensive, you may develop your voice while learning from experienced reporters covering major social and political stories.
- In a performing arts conservatory, you’ll learn the discipline of rehearsal, the nuances of performance, and the artistry of interpretation from accomplished professionals.
This kind of personalized guidance not only accelerates artistic and intellectual development, but also helps students learn how to give and receive feedback—an essential academic and professional skill.
A Foundation for Lifelong Impact
Ultimately, the humanities do more than teach students how to write essays or analyze novels. They invite students to ask important questions: Who are we? How do we connect? What does it mean to create meaning?
Whether you're exploring cultural heritage, shaping new narratives, or designing solutions to social challenges, the humanities give you tools to lead with creativity, purpose, and insight. And for high school students, summer is one of the best times to pursue these questions through immersive, enriching programs.
The following list highlights 10 of the most respected and rewarding humanities summer research opportunities in the U.S. for high school students. These programs blend artistic practice with academic rigor, often culminating in final projects, public presentations, or portfolio pieces—each an important step in your intellectual and creative journey.
Top 10 Humanities Summer Research Programs for High School Students
1. Summer Dance Intensive – Juilliard School
Location: New York, NY
Cost: $3,950
Format: In-person
This prestigious three-week program gives dancers the chance to train with Juilliard faculty while experiencing life as a student in New York City. Participants take daily classes in ballet and modern dance, attend yoga sessions, and rehearse original choreography for a final showcase. The program provides rigorous instruction while nurturing artistic voice and physical expression.
2. Summer Arts Camp – Interlochen Center for the Arts
Location: Interlochen, MI
Cost: $1,750–$9,980 (varies by length)
Format: In-person
Located in Michigan’s scenic woods, Interlochen’s summer arts camp offers 1–6 week sessions in disciplines such as creative writing, dance, music, film, and visual arts. Students live in cabins, participate in outdoor activities, and engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration. Final projects across all tracks emphasize original work, encouraging creative risk-taking and portfolio development.
3. RISD Pre-College – Rhode Island School of Design
Location: Providence, RI
Cost: $8,100–$10,700
Format: In-person
Designed for young visual artists, RISD Pre-College replicates the experience of a first-year RISD student. Over six weeks, students take foundational and elective studio courses, participate in critiques, and access world-class resources like the Nature Lab and RISD Museum. It’s ideal for students preparing art portfolios or considering a design-related college path.
4. Tisch Summer High School Program – NYU
Location: New York, NY
Cost: $9,780–$13,600
Format: In-person
This four-week conservatory-style program immerses students in disciplines such as drama, dance, game design, and film. Students live on campus and work intensively on personal projects under professional supervision. They earn college credit and end the program with a final presentation of their creative work—an invaluable asset for college applications.
5. Creative Journalism Summer Program – Columbia University
Location: New York, NY
Cost: $2,825–$12,449
Format: In-person
In this journalism boot camp, students explore the fundamentals of reporting, interviewing, and narrative storytelling. Participants write op-eds, profiles, and feature pieces with guidance from Columbia professors and professional journalists. They also learn to think critically about media ethics and engage with current events through a journalistic lens.
6. Medill Cherubs – Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, IL
Cost: $5,000
Format: In-person
Known for its rigorous curriculum, Medill Cherubs is a five-week journalism institute focused on both print and multimedia storytelling. Students learn investigative skills, build media literacy, and produce content for real audiences. The program also includes field trips, guest speakers, and opportunities for one-on-one mentorship with Medill faculty and industry professionals.
7. Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI)
Location: Lenox, MA
Cost: $3,700 plus room and board
Format: In-person
BUTI provides two- and six-week tracks for young musicians and composers. Participants study intensively with BU faculty and attend performances by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The program offers tracks in voice, piano, percussion, harp, and more, encouraging students to refine their technical skills while exploring the emotional and cultural impact of music.
8. The Conservatory for Actors – Yale University
Location: New Haven, CT
Cost: $9,475 plus housing
Format: In-person
Students choose between a 5-week acting conservatory and a 10-day directing workshop. Coursework includes acting technique, scene study, and voice work, with a focus on performance and character development. Students work in small groups to build collaborative skills and benefit from Yale’s deep connections in the world of theater.
9. embARC Summer Design Academy – UC Berkeley
Location: Berkeley, CA
Cost: $9,675
Format: In-person
This program is ideal for students interested in architecture, urban planning, and environmental design. Participants explore sustainable design, use industry-standard tools, and complete a hands-on community build project. Access to Cal’s design studios and expert-led workshops provide a robust introduction to architecture and civic impact.
10. Iowa Young Writers' Studio – University of Iowa
Location: Iowa City, IA or Online
Cost: $575–$2,500
Format: In-person or virtual
Students choose one writing genre—poetry, fiction, TV writing, playwriting, or creative writing—to explore in small-group workshops. With seminar and critique components, the program helps students build literary technique, revise deeply, and read as writers. It’s an excellent choice for aspiring authors looking to publish or prepare for creative writing programs.
Customizing Your Humanities Research Path: Independent Projects with Expert Mentorship
While traditional summer programs provide valuable structure, immersive learning, and peer engagement, they may not align with every student’s schedule, creative vision, or intellectual interests. For students seeking a more individualized approach to humanities research, structured mentorship programs offer an equally powerful alternative—especially when flexibility, depth, and originality are priorities.
Programs like Nova Research and Nova Patent allow students to design and pursue self-directed projects across a wide range of humanities disciplines. These experiences are guided by mentors from top-tier universities—Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and MIT—who help students shape compelling research questions, build methodological rigor, and refine their ideas into polished, portfolio-worthy work.
Flexible, Student-Driven Inquiry
Through mentorship-based research, students can move beyond pre-set curricula and explore topics that resonate personally or intellectually. Some examples of student-driven humanities research topics include:
- Comparative Literature: Analyze global narratives, literary archetypes, or translations of major works.
- Public Humanities: Explore how art, history, and culture intersect with civic life and community engagement.
- Theatre History: Study dramatic movements, performance theory, or the evolution of stagecraft across cultures.
- Visual Storytelling: Combine writing, photography, or digital media to tell stories about identity, justice, or tradition.
- Linguistics: Investigate language acquisition, dialects, or the relationship between language and power.
- Art Criticism or Theory: Examine visual culture, aesthetics, or the role of art in social and political commentary.
These topics can take the form of literature reviews, narrative essays, critical analyses, curated exhibitions, or even multimedia presentations—depending on the student’s interests and goals.
Real-World Impact and Academic Preparation
Mentorship-based research in the humanities offers high school students the chance to:
- Gain advanced research and writing experience that prepares them for college-level work
- Develop a body of work that can be submitted to high school journals, humanities competitions, or as part of a college portfolio
- Explore intersections between creative and analytical thinking, such as integrating performance with historical inquiry or visual design with cultural critique
Students who complete programs like Nova Research or Nova Patent often leave with a deeper sense of purpose, enhanced academic confidence, and clarity about future areas of study.
Personalized Support and Long-Term Growth
Working closely with a mentor enables students to receive regular feedback, discuss complex ideas in depth, and refine their craft in a way that few group-based programs allow. Whether it’s outlining a research methodology, selecting source material, or workshopping an original screenplay or podcast series, students benefit from expert guidance every step of the way.
This personalized experience is especially valuable for students who are:
- Pursuing a niche area of interest not offered by traditional programs
- Balancing summer commitments and need a flexible timeline
- Looking to build a competitive edge for selective college admissions or scholarship applications
By investing in a customized research experience, students don’t just “complete a project”—they grow as thinkers, creators, and scholars.
Final Thoughts: The Power of Humanities Education
Humanities summer programs do more than teach skills—they foster perspective, cultivate empathy, and develop a student’s ability to interpret, critique, and create with purpose. Through disciplines like literature, dance, visual arts, philosophy, journalism, and design, students learn to see the world through multiple lenses, challenge dominant narratives, and communicate complex ideas with clarity and conviction.
In a world increasingly shaped by technology and rapid change, the humanities ground us in the human experience. They remind us to ask not just what we can do—but why it matters. Whether it’s writing a poem that speaks to social justice, designing a sustainable cityscape, or choreographing a piece that expresses personal identity, students engaged in humanities research are learning to lead with creativity and integrity.
These programs are also deeply practical. They hone writing and public speaking skills, improve critical reading and analysis, and prepare students for college majors and careers in media, law, education, public policy, and beyond. The projects and portfolios built in these programs often become centerpiece components of college applications, competitive scholarships, or submissions to national competitions.
If you’re a high school student looking for a transformative summer experience—one that fuels your curiosity, builds academic depth, and helps you discover how your creative voice can shape culture—then a humanities research or enrichment program is an ideal place to start.
.png){kind=small}
.png)
