In the College of Humanities and Social Sciences you will find an academic home for your intellectually curious side as well as your practical side. While our college is new, our faculty have a long tradition of engaging students in study abroad programs, undergraduate research, internships, and service learning. Our faculty engage students not only in the classroom but also in the archives, community, discipline, and profession.

We have more than 100 faculty and a dozen staff members committed to your academic success across six academic departments, three interdisciplinary programs, a research center, and an advising center. The academic departments of English, Modern and Classical Languages, Philosophy and Religious Studies, and History impart the rich tapestry of the humanities through undergraduate and graduate degrees. The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice as well as the Department of Political Science deliver the depth and breadth of the social sciences through undergraduate and graduate degrees. Our college is home to interdisciplinary programs in African American Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Native American and Indigenous Studies with vibrant minors in each program. Our college is also home to the Interdisciplinary Studies degree. The Center for Applied Social Sciences partners our faculty and students with local governments and non-profits on applied research projects throughout our service region. The Advising Center in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences provides support for our students throughout the year.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers will change jobs 10 to 15 times during their career. The academic degrees and programs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences are perfectly positioned to prepare students for such dynamic change. The critical thinking skills, oral and written communication skills, and experiential learning opportunities across the majors and minors of our college prepare students to adapt to and succeed in a world of unprecedented change and globalization.

We are excited to support your academic plans, hopes, and dreams in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I always welcome the opportunity to hear about your academic achievements and accomplishments.

James T. LaPlant
Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences