COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Administrative Officers

Dean	John de Castro , Ph.D.
Associate Dean	Terry M. Thibodeaux, Ph.D.
Interim Associate Dean	Kandi A. Tayebi, Ph.D.
Department of English and Foreign Languages	Charles W. Bridges, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences	Janis D. White, Ph.D., Chair
Department of History	Terry D. Bilhartz, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Mass Communication	Dr. Janet A. Bridges, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Political Science	Robert E. Biles, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Psychology and Philosophy	Donna M. Desforges, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Sociology	Alessandro Bonanno , Ph.D., Chair
Department of Speech Communication	James D. Ragsdale, Jr., Ph.D., Chair

Website: www.shsu.edu/~hss001/

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences consists of eight academic units: English and Foreign Languages; Family and Consumer Sciences; History; Mass Communication; Political Science; Psychology and Philosophy; Sociology; and Speech Communication.

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, and communication skills, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences facilitates personal growth, competent professionalism, and responsible citizenship.

Academic Programs

Majors	Degrees
English	B.A.
Family and Consumer Sciences	B.A., B.S.
Family and Consumer Sciences - Fashion Merchandising	B.A., B.S.
Family and Consumer Sciences - Food Science and Nutrition	B.S.
Family and Consumer Sciences - Food Service Management	B.A., B.S.
Family and Consumer Sciences - Interior Design	B.A., B.S.
History	B.A.
Mass Communication	B.A.
Philosophy	B.A.
Political Science	B.A., B.S.
Psychology	B.S.
Sociology	B.A., B.S.
Spanish	B.A.
Speech Communication	B.A.

Note: This listing of undergraduate degree programs is correct as of December 2005 and does not include those degree programs being phased out.

Highlights

• Annual Teaching Conference — Each year the College of Humanities and Social Sciences hosts a teaching conference, celebrating important accomplishments of faculty members. Faculty members are recognized for their excellence in teaching and explore new approaches to teaching.

• Faculty in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences are committed to teaching excellence, curriculum innovation, and research.

• Faculty in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences have been recognized for their research with national awards.

• Writing Center—The Writing Center helps students, staff, and faculty become better writers through individual and group instruction.

• 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.

Scholarships

Clay and Margaret B. Smith Memorial Humanities and Social Sciences Scholarship--This scholarship is a one year award of $1000 divided between Fall and Spring semesters and is disbursed on the basis of financial need and academic performance. An application is available on the College of Humanities and Social Sciences webpage.