College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Administrative Officers
| Title/Department | Officer |
|---|---|
| Dean | Chien-pin Li, Ph.D. cxl085@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2200 |
| Senior Associate Dean | Leif French, Ph.D. lmf027@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2455 |
| Associate Dean, Student Success | James Crosby, Ph.D. crosby@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2202 |
| Associate Dean, Academic Programs | Carroll Ferguson Nardone, Ph.D. cfnardone@shsu.edu; (936) 294-2203 |
| Department of Communication Studies | Frances Brandau, Ph.D., Chair scm_feb@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1356 |
| Department of English | Tracy Bilsing, Ph.D., Interim Chair eng_teb@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1402 |
| Department of History | Brian Jordan, Ph.D., Chair bmj018@shsu.edu; (936) 294-4460 |
| Department of Political Science | Jason Enia, Ph.D., Chair jason.enia@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1467 |
| Department of Psychology and Philosophy | Jorge Varela, Ph.D., Chair jgv002@shsu.edu; (936) 294-4161 |
| Department of Sociology | Bart Stykes, Ph.D., Interim Chair jbs048@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1511 |
| Department of World Languages and Cultures | Maria Barker, Ph.D., Chair mhb015@shsu.edu; (936) 294-4584 |
| Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies | Montse Feu Lopez, Ph.D., Program Coordinator mmf017@shsu.edu; (936) 294-1448 |
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 all human beings 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)
- 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
| Departments | Programs |
|---|---|
| Major | Degree(s) |
| Communication Studies | B.A., B.S. |
| English | B.A. |
| French | B.A. |
| History | B.A., B.S. |
| Integrated Studies | B.S. |
| Philosophy | B.A. |
| Political Science | B.A., B.S. |
| Psychology | B.S. |
| Sociology | B.A., B.S. |
| Spanish | B.A. |
Undergraduate Certificates
| Departments | Programs |
|---|---|
| Communication Studies | Communication for Health and Social Care Professionals |
| Communication Studies | Communication for Legal and Criminal Justice Professionals |
| Communication Studies | Communication for Sport Professionals |
| English | Technical Communication |
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.
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.
INTG 3301. Critical Approaches to Integrated Studies. 3 Hours.
Students research their chosen discipline minors to critically investigate and enhance their understanding of the fields associated with these minors. Emphasis is on students exploring links between their minors in preparation for coursework and employment or education beyond the interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree.
Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing.
INTG 4301. Integrated Studies Capstone. 3 Hours.
Students 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 Science in Integrated Studies degree. Students will research, review, and analyze the three academic minor areas and mold them into an innovative research report. Course Equivalents: LSTU 4301, UNIV 4301
Prerequisite: INTG 3301.
Integrated Studies
INTG 3301. Critical Approaches to Integrated Studies. 3 Hours.
Students research their chosen discipline minors to critically investigate and enhance their understanding of the fields associated with these minors. Emphasis is on students exploring links between their minors in preparation for coursework and employment or education beyond the interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree.
Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing.
INTG 4301. Integrated Studies Capstone. 3 Hours.
Students 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 Science in Integrated Studies degree. Students will research, review, and analyze the three academic minor areas and mold them into an innovative research report. Course Equivalents: LSTU 4301, UNIV 4301
Prerequisite: INTG 3301.
