IHUM FAQS

Click here if you have questions about IHUM enrollment or IHUM's petition process.

Questions about selecting an IHUM course

How should I choose my IHUM course? You might think about challenging yourself with an unfamiliar topic and texts or deepening your knowledge about a favorite topic from different perspectives. After reading course descriptions and reading lists, look up the professors on the Stanford website and find out about their scholarly interests and other teaching. You might read reviews and summaries of the five required texts. When you find a personal connection, trust your instincts and choose.

Which IHUM course is the most interesting (or has the best faculty and best Fellows)? They are all great! Lecturers are selected with teaching skills in mind, and Fellows are hired through a highly selective international search.

Which is the easiest IHUM course with the lightest reading load? IHUM course topics and approaches are different, but workload equity across courses is ensured by a variety of means. A Faculty Governance Board appointed by the Vice Provost oversees the courses for equity in the length and quantity of required readings and for consistent grading. A Teaching Fellow Coordinating Committee monitors the writing assignments so that all students face equitable academic demands. Structured Liberal Education (SLE) courses carry more units and satisfy additional requirements in correspondence with its additional reading, assignments, and class time. See Structured Liberal Education (SLE).

Where do I find the IHUM course preference form for Fall quarter? How do I return it?  Rank your preferences for Autumn IHUM courses by filling out Form 4 in the online Approaching Stanford application. Make sure you’ve submitted this form, as well as the remainder of your reply forms online by the June deadline. See Approaching Stanford.

Will I be assigned to my first choice of IHUM course? The vast majority of IHUM students are assigned to their first choice course. We would like to give ALL students their first choices, but to keep the discussion sections small (15 students on average), we must impose enrollment limits. This is why we ask you to rank all the IHUM / SLE courses on the Approaching Stanford online preference form for Fall quarter. We do not handle the preference forms on a first-come-first served basis, but rather process all of them at once after the June deadline. We will do our best to assign one of your top choices to you. See also IHUM Current Quarter Info page. Just know that if your assignment doesn't work for you, you are able to submit online requests to change your course and/or section, beginning just before the quarter begins.

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Questions about IHUM scheduling and course sequences

Do I have to take IHUM in my freshman year?  Yes. IHUM courses are designed as a foundation for further university-level studies, so you are expected to complete this requirement in your first year at Stanford. It is to your benefit to have this experience as early as possible in your undergraduate career.

After I am assigned to an Autumn quarter IHUM course, how do I complete the three-quarter requirement? You complete the requirement by taking any of the two-quarter IHUM course sequences offered in the Winter / Spring. During Autumn quarter, you will have an opportunity to express your preferences from among Winter / Spring course sequences offered. Information on submitting Winter / Spring sequence preferences is available in the Fall quarter on the IHUM Current Quarter Info page.

There’s one class that looks really interesting, but it’s only offered in the Winter / Spring. Can I sign up to take it now? As long as you are not enrolled in the Structured Liberal Education (SLE) program(encompassing three quarters), you are eligible to take any Winter /Spring IHUM sequence. You’ll be asked to state your preferences for Winter / Spring sequences during Autumn quarter and receive your assignment before Winter break. Students assigned to a Winter quarter course commit to taking Spring quarter in the same course sequence; course changes are not permitted between Winter and Spring.

How can I plan my other courses around the IHUM course requirement? The University publishes the Time Schedule containing course meeting times and locations. This information is available online through Axess and will help you plan your schedule. The IHUM Current quarter page provides up-to-date course conflict summaries to help you plan as well.

I’m a varsity athlete and have to attend practice every day, and my roommate is in ROTC and needs to spend some time off campus every week. How can students like us fit an IHUM course into our schedules? IHUM lectures are offered either Monday /  Wednesday or Tuesday / Thursday. You should be able to enroll in one that accommodates your obligations. The discussion sections accompanying the IHUM courses are scheduled at a range of different times, including evenings. Please note that the assignment process does take into account the scheduled practices for varsity athletes. If you still have a schedule conflict, you can petition to change your course and / or section assignment via the IHUM Current Quarter Info page.

I'm a sophomore, junior or senior who hasn't finished the Area One requirement yet. Can I sign up for placement on the web? No. All students interested in taking IHUM who are not freshman will need to see IHUM Program Officer on the second floor of Sweet Hall for counseling first.

How will I know the location and time for my course lecture and discussion section? The University Time Schedule shows the locations and times for all courses and sections. For the most current information (which is updated daily) consult the online version through Axess

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Questions about IHUM course assignments and enrollment

Once I arrive on campus and receive my IHUM course assignment, can I change it? Because each IHUM course has a specific allotment of spaces, it may be difficult to change your assignment. However, we do our best to accommodate students who have a pressing need to change. During New Student Orientation you’ll receive  information about online petitioning  to request a change in IHUM assignment via the IHUM Current Quarter Info page.

Where can I get additional help with enrolling and / or changing my IHUM assignment? Stop by to consult with IHUM's Assistant Director on the second floor of Sweet Hall anytime during business hours. The following online resources are available for enrolling in or petitioning to change IHUM courses / sections:

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How do I get help with my IHUM writing assignments?

For help with writing assignments, use the following resources:

  • Office hours. Students are encouraged to make office hour appointments to consult with their section instructors as a first step.
  • Hume Writing Center. The Hume Writing Center in building 460 offers both drop-in tutoring and one-on-one tutoring appointments.
  • Get Help with a Writing Project. Browse this webpage for useful resources related to Stanford writing projects.
  • Boothe Prize essays. Read award-winning IHUM essays from past classes for models of excellence for your own writing.

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Questions about SLE and PWR

How do I find out about my PWR assignment?
Not here. To find answers to your questions about PWR assignments, visit the Writing and Rhetoric Courses and Registration page.

I have a question about Structured Liberal Education (SLE).
For questions related to SLE, contact the SLE coordinator, Suzanne Greenberg at 650-725-0102 or suzanneg@stanford.edu or visit the SLE pages.

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