Academics

Hartford’s humanities program introduces students to the stories, ideas, and institutions that have shaped our civilisation and our common life. Through a carefully chosen sequence of history, literature, and philosophy, students study the ancient and modern worlds, Australia’s national story, and enduring questions about justice, virtue, freedom, and responsibility.

Our study of literature is integrated with history and the wider humanities. Students begin with foundational stories from the ancient world (such as Homeric epic), then move through classic and modern works that help them imagine other times and places—from early English children’s literature and medieval retellings to Shakespeare and the great novelists of the modern age. In the senior years, students read widely, including Australian literature. Reading and writing go hand in hand: across subjects, students learn to write with clarity and coherence, building toward mastery of the essay.

The history classes at Hartford College form the backbone of our curriculum. The four-year history sequence covers ancient history through the Greek and Roman civilizations, early Church history, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation and Counter-reformation. In senior year, students study the modern era, including the American and French Revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, the Communist Revolution, and the Sexual Revolution. Each history course is tailored to provide a colorful backdrop for literature, art, and science classes.

Philosophy, “the love of wisdom,” exercises the brain while it elevates the soul. The ability to understand abstract concepts leads to clear and systematic thinking in all things. We use philosophy to connect the humanities, but also to show its obvious connection to logic and mathematics. We study the development of philosophy from its classical roots focusing on Plato and Aristotle, its dramatic encounter with the early Church, its christening by St. Thomas Aquinas, and its deterioration in the modern era.

Theology, “the study of God,” is the context by which all other texts are studied. The principal theological texts studied are the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. We also read selections from the Church Fathers, Documents of the Church Councils, and Papal Encyclicals.

Latin is a cornerstone of Hartford’s liberal arts program. Studied from Years 7–10, it trains students in careful attention to language—grammar, logic, and precision—while opening a window onto the literature, history, and ideas of the classical world. Through translation and close reading, students strengthen English vocabulary and expression and gain a deeper understanding of the foundations of Western civilisation.

Students also study a modern language, choosing between French and Spanish. Where students arrive with prior language study, we aim to place each student in the most appropriate level from the outset, regardless of year group.