Do you love reading? Did you just put on a play?
Do you dream of being a writer?
Do you think about the future alongside the past?
Do you think about the meaning of life?
Do you wonder what university might be like?
If so, HYP may be for you!
Humanities for Young People (HYP) is a residential summer program for bright and highly motivated youth ages 15 to 17. It takes place at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for one week each summer in early July. Secondary school students from across the country and the world have the unique opportunity to work closely with scholars from a variety of disciplines.
Theme for 2027
Love and Friendship
July 3-10, 2027
Applications open Jan 15
Love and friendship are two of life’s most cherished experiences. Yet, while western culture has reflected on their meaning from the ancient world to the present, their ultimate significance remains an open question. This year in Humanities for Young People, we will trace reflections on love and friendship in Sappho and Plato through the medieval world, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen to the present, asking: Are love and friendship merely human realities or do they connect us to something bigger? Are they matters of feeling, or virtue? And what, finally, do love and friendship share in common?
Academic Director: Matthew Vanderkwaak
What is HYP?
The HYP program is an opportunity to experience a slice of life in King’s Foundation Year Program (FYP), Canada’s pre-eminent great books program.
FYP students spend their first year of university on a chronological odyssey through the ages, from ancient civilizations to the modern era, reading the works that have shaped our world. Students grapple directly with primary texts from ancient epics and religious texts to the most seminal works of philosophy, literature and politics, as well as tracing developments in art, music, architecture and science. Students build a comprehensive cultural map by becoming acquainted with the traditions of thought that have helped set our present horizons.
For eight days in July, high school students are invited to experience what it would be like to be part of such a program, immersed in a world of big ideas, with peers from across Canada who are passionate about the same things. Each year, the HYP program will pick up on a thread in the FYP curriculum such as love, truth, beauty, power or justice.
Just like King’s students, HYP participants live in residence, eat together in Prince Hall, attend morning lectures by a cast of experts on the subject matter and participate in small group discussions to deepen understanding. In the afternoons and evenings students take part in co-curricular workshops and activities and visit local sites. For participants coming from outside the region, it’s a chance to see what their life in Halifax could be like and build confidence about going away to university. The group is led by an academic and a team of upper year King’s students working as peer mentors.
Why do the humanities matter today?
The humanities ask—and answer—the big questions about our lives. Studying the humanities will help you develop the critical thinking and communication skills that are crucial to meaningful employment, active citizenship and healthy relationships.
Research backs us up on this: it shows that young people who pursue studies in the humanities have a broad and flexible skill set, allowing them to confront the unpredictable future with creativity, ingenuity and resilience.
The humanities encourage us to examine works of art, literature, philosophy and political science (among others!) to assist us as we try to understand and improve our world and ourselves.
“You will meet so many people with different perspectives/lenses. You WILL cry at the end because of how wonderful the program is. If you love the humanities and are interested in a taste of university life, this program is for you.”
Application process
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until all program seats are filled.
- We do our best to communicate with you as soon as possible after the submission of your application.
- Please note that spots in HYP are limited, so we strongly encourage you to apply early. You do not pay anything upon application. Admission responses (at a later date) will direct you on how to submit your program deposit to formally accept your seat in the program.
Program Fees
The $1,750 program fee includes accommodation, all meals, academic activities and materials, field trips and evening events. However, travel costs are the full responsibility of the student, including fees to and from the airport.
All HYP participants live on campus in residence, even if they are local to the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). This helps us build a highly engaged learning community.
Needs-based bursaries are available.
Any student who takes HYP and then enrols at King’s after high school will automatically earn a $1,500 entrance award!
Want to know more? We’re happy to help! Email hyp@ukings.ca.