Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is suitable for anyone looking to develop their understanding of humanism. It will particularly appeal to those with a passion for exploring life’s big questions. It will also be of value to teachers and other educators wanting to develop their subject knowledge about non-religious beliefs, and to sixth-form students looking to prepare themselves for a degree in the humanities. If you are interested in human stories, you might also be interested in our other online course Humanist Lives , in which you’ll have the opportunity to meet humanists from around the world and learn about what it means to be a humanist in the 21st century. You can use the hashtag #FLhumanism to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

• The humanist understanding of human beings: our nature, capacities, and responsibilities
• How humanists answer questions about the world (science, reason, scepticism) and the consequences for a humanist understanding of reality
• A humanist approach to making life meaningful and the value of individual freedom
• The origins and evolution of morality and a humanist perspective on how to be good
• The humanist vision for society (secularism, freedoms, and human rights) and the motivations behind their goals
• Different definitions of humanism, its history, and its diversity