Humanities

Discover how the Humanities department nurtures curious, globally aware students through inquiry-based learning, real-world experiences, and competitions.

Last updated 11 May 2026

Vision

A caring community of thinkers, innovators and leaders who inspire and serve.

Mission

To nurture responsible global citizens who are rooted in Singapore and passionate about the humanities.

Subjects offered by Department

Geography
History
Combined Humanities: Social Studies / Geography (Elective)
Combined Humanities: Social Studies / History (Elective)

Key Programmes of Department

The Humanities department continues to use inquiry-based learning as the key pedagogical approach to develop students’ knowledge, skills and values through the various humanities subjects. Students also develop their critical thinking skills through authentic learning experiences, collaborative research and interactions with relevant stakeholders. Through these multiple approaches, the department aims to provide a forward-looking and vibrant learner-centered humanities education in a volatile and changing world.

In line with the school’s direction to foster critical thinking and enhance global awareness, the department’s Current Affairs Reading Programme aims to help students better understand the interconnectedness of Singapore and the world they live in, and to appreciate the complexities of the human experience. Students are engaged in a fortnightly reading activity through selected articles on some of the latest developments around the world and in Singapore. The annual Humanities Week also invites students to reflect on their learning through exposure of the various Humanities disciplines.

Two presenters raise their arms on a stage before a large crowd of uniformed students at a blue school building.

H is for Humanities – teachers announcing the start of the Humanities Week 2024

Two students present at a display table, one in a detective costume and one in a martial arts uniform.

students sharing their research as part of Humanities Week 2024 fringe activities

The department also provides opportunities for students to develop a deeper understanding of the subjects’ discipline by organizing learning journeys (LJ) to collect evidence in support of their investigative projects. At lower secondary, learning journeys are designed for breadth and exposure to the Humanities, such as the Sec 1 LJ to the Singapore River. At upper secondary, the learning experiences are designed to build disciplinary perspectives and skills. The Geography unit has conducted learning journeys to collect geographical and spatial data to learn about everyday geographies, while the History unit has facilitated learning journeys to various historical sites to gain authentic experiences of pre-independence Singapore. In addition, the Social Studies unit has guided students to analyze social issues in depth through Issue Investigation tasks conducted through interviews and research studies. All these efforts strive to promote collaborative and self-directed learning through authentic performance tasks.

Students in yellow shirts gather around a round interactive touchscreen display at a museum exhibit.

Sec 2 Geography LJ to URA City Gallery

Our students also have had the opportunity to participate in competitions such as the NUS Geography Challenge and MOE History Challenge. We are delighted to share that the team for the NUS Geography Challenge 2024 successfully made it to the Grand Finals and emerged Top 5. The department will strive to groom more humanities talents and enrich their experiences in learning more about the humanities in different contexts!

Entry from the Anderson Sec team for the NUS Geography Challenge Creative Component 2024: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DG497dPxZWvycKX3iREzoLeVXPdGUTdK/view?usp=sharing

Four students in uniform hold trophies on stage under a slide reading Anderson Secondary School 4th Runner Up.

Our Andersonians emerged Top 5 for the NUS Geography Challenge 2024!