Mission Statement

Humanities investigates the interrelationships among the arts of diverse cultures. It emphasizes both formal analysis and historical interpretation in order to develop a critical interdisciplinary understanding of the arts in their cultural context.

The Humanities program offers general education courses that meet a variety of Liberal Arts requirements, including Historical Perspectives, Fine Arts, ALMEA, and Exit Major Works and Major Issues. The program also offers an underg raduate major and concentration within the Master of Liberal Arts degree.

American Studies investigates American culture using an interdisciplinary approach in order to examine the patterns, beliefs and values of the society of the United States. The discipline originally emphasized relationships betw een history, literature and art. It has since expanded to include cultural connections between popular culture, film studies, music, material culture, black studies, women's studies, and ethnic studies. American Studies, therefore, has helped break dow n disciplinary boundaries to allow for a more inclusive and diverse curriculum and for innovative scholarship across the disciplines.

The American Studies program offers general education courses that meet a variety of Liberal Arts requirements, including Historical Perspectives, Social Science, and Exit Major Works and Major Issues. The program also offers an un dergraduate major and a master's degree for students seeking critical understanding of American cultural development.