Provide higher education faculty across the nation the opportunity to broaden and deepen their engagement with the humanities. The one- to four-week professional development programs allow participants (NEH Summer Scholars) to explore recent developments in scholarship, teaching, and/or curriculum through study of a variety of humanities topics.
 
Seminars:
A Seminar provides a focused environment in which sixteen participants study a humanities topic under the guidance of one or two established scholars. Seminars have few, if any, visiting faculty. Seminars emphasize close interaction among the participants and director(s) through discussion of common readings and conversations about scholarship and teaching. Substantial time is made available for reflection, work on independent or collaborative projects, and related advising.
 
Institutes:
An Institute allows twenty-five to thirty-six participants to study a humanities topic with a team of experienced scholars. Because this larger format emphasizes the range of perspectives that can be brought to a topic, an institute typically has more and longer meetings per week than a seminar. Project leaders and participants mutually explore connections between scholarship and teaching, and some time is provided for work on individual or collaborative projects.