College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Administrative Officers
| Title/Department | Officer |
|---|---|
| Dean | Abbey Zink, Ph.D. alz007@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2200 |
| Associate Dean | Rhonda Callaway, Ph.D. rlc005@shsu.edu; (936) 294-4108 |
| Associate Dean | Carroll Nardone, Ph.D. cfnardone@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2203 |
| Associate Dean | Glenn M. Sanford, Ph.D. sanford@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2455 |
| Department of Communication Studies | Terry Thibodeaux, Ph.D., Chair scm_tmt@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1356 |
| Department of English | Jacob Blevins, Ph.D., Chair jbelvins@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1402 |
| Department of History | Pinar Emiralioglu, Ph.D., Chair mpe005@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1474 |
| Department of Political Science | Tamara Waggener, Ph.D., Chair pol_taw@shsu.edu; 936) 294-1466 |
| Department of Psychology and Philosophy | Yuma Tomas, Ph.D., Chair yitoow@shsu.edu; (936) 294- 3052 |
| Department of Sociology | Jason Konefal, Ph.D., Chair jtk007@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1514 |
| Department of World Languages and Cultures | Leif French, Ph.D., Chair french@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1442 |
About the College
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences consists of seven academic units:
- Communication Studies
- English
- History
- Political Science
- Psychology and Philosophy
- Sociology
- World Languages and Cultures
Mission
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) provides an essential component to a liberal arts education: understanding human beings in their diversity as expressed in their literatures, histories, ideas, values, oral and written expressions, and behavior. By promoting analytic, interpretive, interpersonal research and communication skills, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences facilitates personal growth and educates competent professionals, and responsible citizens.
Highlights
- Faculty in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences have been recognized for their teaching excellence and scholarly achievements at local, regional, state, national, and international levels. CHSS is home to five Minnie Stevens Piper Professors. Only ten Piper Professors are identified each year across Texas.
- Courses in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences exceed the national norms in teacher effectiveness and course excellence.
- Faculty in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences have been recognized for their research and scholarship with national awards. Among these awards is a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in History, a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, and a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellow.
- CHSS prides itself in the number of opportunities for undergraduate students to conduct research with recognized scholars. In the past year, undergraduate students have presented and published with faculty in a variety of venues, including the London School of Economics Daily Blog on American Politics and Policy.
- CHSS publishes its own academic journal, The Measure: A Journal of Undergraduate Research.
- Interdisciplinary minors housed in the college include American Studies, Applied Ethics and Critical Thinking (THNK), Community Leadership, Latin American and Latinx Studies, Legal Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies.
- CHSS students have the opportunity to take Academic Community Engagement (ACE) courses across the curriculum. In these courses, students gain applied skills while serving their communities.
- Courses offered through the Ethics, Western Civilization, and American Traditions (EWCAT) program provide students with the opportunity to explore classic texts and participate in peer-led discussions. EWCAT sections are among our most popular in nearly every discipline.
- CHSS is home to many student organizations, both honorary and professional, to help build student resumes with active learning opportunities. Several of these clubs have been recognized regionally and nationally.
- CHSS also houses the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. This program is designed to provide talented first-generation, low income or ethnic minority undergraduate students with effective preparation for doctoral study. The program encourages students to engage in research with a faculty mentor and to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in doctoral studies.
Academic Programs
| Departments | Programs |
|---|---|
| Major | Degree(s) |
| Communication Studies | B.A., B.S. |
| English | B.A. |
| French | B.A. |
| History | B.A., B.S. |
| Liberal Studies | B.S. |
| Philosophy | B.A. |
| Political Science | B.A., B.S. |
| Psychology | B.S. |
| Sociology | B.A., B.S. |
| Spanish | B.A. |
Scholarships
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences and its member departments are committed to supporting undergraduate students through scholarships. Please see the SHSU website under Financial Aid and Scholarships. General scholarships are distributed through the Scholarships4kats system. Application deadlines are posted on this website. Please also refer to individual department websites for information on any additional scholarship opportunities in specific disciplines.
Course-based Opportunities
- Take Writing-Enhanced Courses (W-courses) to augment learning opportunities and enhance employable soft skills. Students take six hours at the advanced level in their major field of study, as well as six hours from other areas of study.
- Conduct research with recognized scholars.
- Publish in The Measure: A Journal of Undergraduate Research.
- Choose from among several interdisciplinary minors such as, American Studies, Applied Ethics and Critical Thinking (THNK), Community Leadership, and Legal Studies.
- Join one (or more) CHSS student organizations, both honorary and professional, to help build a strong resume with active learning opportunities.
- Study abroad in such locations as Canada, Central America, Europe, Taiwan, and Mexico.
- Gain course skills while serving your community through Academic Community Engagement (ACE) courses.
- Explore classic texts and participate in peer-led discussion through courses in our Ethics, Western Civilization, and American Traditions (EWCAT) courses, which are among our most popular in nearly every discipline.
- Discover the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program--a program designed to provide talented, first generation, low income or ethnic minority undergraduates with preparation for doctoral study. The program links students with a faculty mentor to help them acquire the skills needed to succeed in doctoral studies.
College Requirements
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) offers two degrees at the undergraduate level: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS). The standard for the two degrees are given below. Both the BA and the BS degrees require:
- 42 hours of the Core Curriculum
- 120 hours minimum requirement for a degree
- 42 advanced hours
- 30 hours (typically) residency credit1 (25% of credit hours required of degree), 24 must be advanced, 12 in major, 6 in minor
Residency credit is given to courses taken at Sam Houston State University. This includes campus courses, courses taken at the Woodlands Center, courses abroad taught by SHSU faculty, and online courses. Correspondence courses are not considered residency credit courses |
The BA and the BS degrees differ in their emphases on liberal arts versus natural science and mathematics.
Bachelor of Arts
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is one that focuses on the traditional liberal arts. The BA degree develops graduates with broad knowledge of language, humanities, fine arts, and social sciences. The requirements for this degree include:
- 30-36 hours in a major area
- 18-24 hours in minor (Most majors require a minor—check with specific departments)
- 3 hours of an additional course in Philosophy, Fine Arts, or Communication Studies, beyond the courses in the Core Curriculum.
- 14 hours in one Foreign Language
Bachelor of Science
The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree focuses on scientific investigation; therefore, courses that emphasize the scientific methods are included. The requirements for this degree include:
- 30-42 hours in a major area
- 18-24 hours in minor (Most majors require a minor—check with specific departments)
- 8 hours (two additional courses) in Natural Science, beyond the courses in the Core Curriculum
- 3 hours of an additional course in in Mathematics, Computer Science, or Logic, beyond the Core Curriculum
It should be noted that these requirements are minimum requirements and specific departments may require additional courses.
Liberal Studies
LSTU 4301. Liberal Studies Capstone. 3 Hours.
Students will conduct career exploration activities as well as complete a capstone project linking the three minor areas of study that comprise the student's personalized Bachelor of General Studies degree. Students will research, review, and analyze the three academic minor areas and meld them into an innovative research report.
