In order to achieve depth and intellectual development in the humanities and social sciences beyond the introductory level, each student must complete a concentration of at least four courses within a single discipline chosen from the distinct areas of liberal arts study offered at the Claremont Colleges (below).

The concentration represents progress in a field of study, and even though that field might be interdisciplinary, the concentration should typically advance beyond introductory level courses. A concentration in the fine or performing arts must include at least two courses that focus on theory, criticism or historical analysis. Students who intend to concentrate in areas not covered by the department's faculty should plan their HSA program carefully in order to be able to fulfill all requirements. Courses that form the concentration may also satisfy other departmental requirements.

HSA concentrations must be chosen from the following list, though advisors have the discretion to add a "concentration detail" to a student's record, indicating a more specific sub-field within one of the following areas. For example, a concentrator in Religious Studies may have a concentration detail which shows that their courses were in the sub-field of Asian Religious Traditions. Concentrators in Foreign Languages will typically have a concentration detail which shows the language they have studied.

If a student is forced to take all concentration courses off campus because a concentration area is not regularly represented in the HSA Department course offerings, that student may qualify for a one course waiver of the departmental requirement. The second column below is a guideline to those fields regularly represented in the HSA Department.