College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Administrative Officers 

About the College

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences consists of eight components:

• Communication Studies
• English
• History
• Political Science
• Psychology and Philosophy
• Sociology
• World Languages and Cultures
• Integrated Studies

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. Our overall mission is to prepare students for meaningful lives and careers as adept professionals and thoughtful, engaged citizens. 

Highlights

• 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 houses the Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies, an innovative program where students can help design their own degrees.  
• CHSS houses two Research Centers:
  • Center for the Study of Disasters & Emergency Management (CDEM)
  • Center for Multi-cultural Rural Development (CMRD)
• CHSS 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.
• 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.
• Courses in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences exceed the national norms in teacher effectiveness and course excellence.
• CHSS prides itself in the number of opportunities for undergraduate students to conduct research with recognized scholars and supports faculty/student research teams through the SPUR (Sponsoring Promising Undergraduate Research) initiative.
• CHSS publishes the academic journal, The Measure: A Journal of Undergraduate Research.
• 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.
• The interdisciplinary American Studies minor encourages students to discuss social, cultural, and political questions that powerfully shape our present moment and inspire critical thinking for the future. The three concentrations represent a diversity of perspectives across academic disciplines in CHSS, and include the following: Regional and Borderland Studies, Ethnicity and Race in America, and Gender in America. 
• 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.

Academic Programs

Undergraduate Certificates

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.
• Take classes across three areas of concentration in the American Studies minor--Regional and Borderland Studies, Ethnicity and Race in America, and Gender in America--to engage with a crucial diversity of perspectives across academic disciplines in CHSS.
• Choose from among several interdisciplinary minors such as, American Studies, Applied Ethics and Critical Thinking (THNK), Community Leadership, Latin American and Latinx Studies, 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 courses 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

¹

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.

Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies

In addition to the core, and three chosen minors, students in this degree plan complete the following special courses. 

Integrated Studies