Mission Statement
In keeping with the mission of Southern Utah University, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences provides Southern Utah University students with a variety of learning experiences that foster their development as intelligent and compassionate persons capable of critically discerning issues that affect their personal, professional, and civic lives.
The departments of communication, english, foreign language, humanities, psychology and social sciences, which comprise the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, encourage faculty to remain current in their disciplines through engaging in scholarly activity, professional development, and research in effective teaching. All departments have ties to their professional organizations and evaluate their programs in accordance with standards set by those organizations. Because of the disciplines included in the College - communication, foreign languages, geography, history, english, literature, political science, psychology and sociology - we are in a unique position to provide students with the following experiences, which are in accordance with the SUU Mission Statement.
- Affirm integrity, the search for truth and respect for all people: The College provides students with a connection to their past and to their present through virtually all the disciplines. Knowledge of personal and group behavior, analysis of historical and political events, the study of foreign languages, and the interpretation of a variety of literary modes and forms enable students to place themselves in a wide and varied world and to seek, through an inquiring mind, a truth that does not rely on simplistic answers and stereotyped attitudes.
- Develop communication, analytic, creative, and information-gathering skills. The college strives to foster critical thinking and creativity. All disciplines within the college afford students the opportunity of learning various modes of research, including statistical analysis, and of analyzing and articulating research findings. Creative opportunities and analytical thinking are fostered in disciplines. Such skills serve as building blocks for students as they formulate original ideas and conduct their own research.
- Prepare students as informed and responsible citizens. Through the integration of these disciplines, the College seeks to assist students in their personal development and to heighten their awareness of the communities in which they live. Familiarity with political and social trends, recognition of individual tendencies, and perception of societal messages found in the study of languages and literature enhance students' awareness of themselves and the world around them.
- Afford opportunities for success in students' personal and professional lives. The College offers opportunities to serve students beyond the classroom, to allow them to experience their profession in action, and to achieve recognition for their efforts. Opportunities to work as tutors, readers, research assistants, editors of student publications, and internships are offered regularly. In addition, students are encouraged to become members of and serve as officers in local affiliations of national organizations.
- Enhance economic, technological, and cultural development. The College recognizes the growing need for highly-skilled individuals to meet the demands of the modern-day workforce. Students' preparation for achieving excellence in all facets of their lives entails their understanding of the contexts in which they will live. Their exploration of culture, history, literature, languages, and social relationships all serve to prepare them for life's demands in an ever-challenging world.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences works to meet the needs of students from a variety of educational and socioeconomic backgrounds. We offer general education courses, and majors and minors in our disciplines and work with the College of Education in licensing teachers in humanities and social science disciplines. The College serves the community in many ways, including sponsorship of university-based, community-wide lectures, films, and discussions that focus on our disciplines.