College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College Mission

The mission of the College is to offer the humanities and social and behavioral sciences core of the University through academic majors, support courses for other programs, and contributions to the general education program. The College also collaborates with other colleges to provide interdisciplinary, professional and applied programs that grow from the content, methodology and philosophy of the humanities and social and behavioral sciences and provides the academic content and a substantial portion of the pedagogy for many of the students preparing to be teachers. Through these offerings, the College aims to promote a holistic approach to learning, including an awareness of the complex nature of our global society; the ability to communicate effectively; the ability to collect, analyze and synthesize information in order to make informed choices and the incorporation of learning as a lifelong pursuit.

College Strengths

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences' programs are based on strengths that contribute to the breadth and depth of the learning experience for students. These strengths, modeled and cultivated by the faculty of the College, include:

•  Faculty who are committed to provide excellence in teaching and quality learning experiences to students, who are nationally and internationally recognized as authorities in their disciplines and who are fully engaged in a broad range of activities serving their profession and the community.

•  A commitment to a positive learning environment that fosters respectful and ethical conduct.

•  A core focus on the traditional academic disciplines in the humanities and social and behavioral sciences, which explore the human condition within the context of historical, social, political, philosophical, behavioral and physical dimensions. This focus results in solid undergraduate major and graduate degree programs.

•  Productive relationships with the six other colleges in the University. As the largest college, Humanities and Social Sciences has the diversity to interact and collaborate with a wide variety of units on campus, resulting in a number of distinctive interdisciplinary curricula and teacher education majors.

•  Active student involvement in the learning process, including faculty/student collaboration in research projects, and experiential education opportunities such as internships, service learning and study abroad.

•  Technologically enhanced learning experiences that take advantage of laboratory exercises and web-based coursework

•  An appreciation for the scientific method and its incorporation into appropriate learning experiences.

2008 Strategic Plan; Strategic Goals