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Develop cross-cultural understanding and independent thinking.
History, literature, languages, and world religions offer us stories of beauty, suffering, citizenship, and revolution. Inquiry-based classes explore the interconnections of human thought and expression, inviting us to empathize with others and tell our own stories.
Highly integrated and complementary, Marymount’s humanities program encompasses reading, writing, literary study, and social studies. From the earliest grades, the power of story is emphasized: students listen and read, create and interpret, analyze and synthesize stories from their contemporary world to ancient civilizations. A cornerstone of the Upper School program is Integrated Humanities, a team-taught program uniting the study of world literature, history of ancient cultures, and art history. The study of literature and writing are entwined; students read a wide variety of complex texts and develop their craft of writing creatively and critically. As a culminating activity, seniors submit an interdisciplinary writing portfolio of selected work from their last three years of high school, vying for the Margaret Murray Portfolio Prize.



World Languages

Beginning in Kindergarten, students study Spanish language and culture, building their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. In Class V, students rotate through trimesters of Spanish, French, and Latin in order to make an informed decision when selecting a language to study in Classes VI-XII.

Original Presentations

Drawing together language arts and social studies units, each class in the Lower Middle School prepares an original presentation for their parents and peers. Class III offers a unique take on classic folktales, Class IV presents original monologues as heroes from the American Revolution, and Class V dramatizes ancient Greek myths. These cross-curricular performances incorporate research, writing, speech, song, dance, and art as students practice the creative skill of the spoken word.

New Heights Program

Created in collaboration with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA), the New Heights program introduces Class VIII students to the principles of architectural composition and design through classroom-based lessons, field studies, and hands-on art lessons. New Heights also encourages students to consider exploring professional paths in architecture, design, and related fields by giving them space to present their ideas and discuss their perspectives with established professionals. Read about this robust program in an article by House Beautiful.

World Civilizations Festival

The World Civilizations Festival is a centerpiece of the Integrated Humanities curriculum. Class IX students research a topic in history and create a live, multimedia presentation for their classmates and teachers. This interdisciplinary celebration weaves together the study of literature, history, art history, religion, visual arts, and performing arts. Among recent topics presented: poetry in Ancient Rome, the Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China, and unwrapping the secrets to mummification in Ancient Egypt. See a highlight reel here.