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Newberry Seminar in the Humanities

Chicago, Illinois

On the ACM Newberry Seminar in the Humanities, students conduct independent research and writing at one of the world's great libraries in the exciting city of Chicago.

Our program at the Newberry Library is a tremendous opportunity to do independent study and work closely with professors in one of the world's great cities. It's designed for mature and motivated students who want to do independent research in the humanities.

Fall semester participants write a substantial paper on a topic of their choice, based on research in the rich primary collections of the Newberry Library.  They work closely with faculty members and a select group of colleagues in a seminar that provides context and guidance for their research.

In some cases, the paper qualifies as a senior or honors thesis.  In all cases, the fall seminar gives participants significant research experience that prepares them for graduate study, professional education (such as law school), or other careers.

Short-term seminars offered in the winter and spring include class meetings and a shorter paper, providing a similar experience of independent research and writing.

Application deadlines

March 15, 2009

Fall 2009 semester

While preference will be given to students who have met the application deadline, late applications may be accepted on a space-available basis.

If the application deadline has passed and you are still interested in applying for a program, please submit your application immediately and contact the ACM Office.

Program contacts

Emily Gaul
Program Associate
205 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 220
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312.263.5000
egaul@acm.edu

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Newberry Seminar in the Humanities

Jennie Morrison The Newberry is an ideal environment to challenge one's intellectual limits. The first time we met as a group, our professors emphasized the strength and quirkiness of the Newberry's “community of scholars." During the course of the semester I was continually amazed by the amount of partnership and collaboration that took place not only within our seminar, but also within the library as a whole. As I got more and more involved in my research, I found myself bouncing ideas off of a variety of individuals: from classmates to professors to librarians. Moreover, scholars within the library are unbelievably accessible. It’s also impossible to overemphasize the amazing location of the program- I still glow when I talk about my semester in Chicago.

—Jennie Morrison, Newberry Seminar in the Humanities 2007

The ACM Newberry program was an excellent preparation for making the transition from undergraduate to graduate scholar. Not only were the seminar discussions excellent, the intimate training from archivists and work opportunities in Newberry departments introduced us to the broader academic network of professional scholars and gave us an advantage in applying to graduate schools. Even now, as a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Arizona, I am using skills learned at the Newberry Library to facilitate research at national repositories. Any ACM student considering graduate study should definitely seek the opportunity to participate in the Newberry Seminar in the Humanities.

—Katrina Jagodinsky, Newberry Seminar in the Humanities, 2001

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