In a century dominated by technological and scientific developments, the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences integrates studies of enduring and increasingly important wisdom about what it means to be human, living together on this planet.
Experiencing both the immediate world at hand, in oral histories of neighboring local communities, and global studies, from English to world languages and cultures, from archeological digs for artifacts to GIS mapping of resources in social ecology for public policy, students develop essential literacies to successfully interpret, navigate, negotiate, and lead an environment of continuous complexity, diversity, change, and interdependence.
Students of arts, humanities, and social sciences explore how we know and express ourselves and our world. Students come to understand our physical and cultural survival, and students also develop ability to tell and hear stories of diverse peoples and places. How do we see our environment, both natural and cultural, and what do we value? Where have we been and what have we learned? What is at stake in our knowledge of the past and a diverse cultural heritage? These questions are explored in liberal arts programs such as visual and public art, music and performing arts, humanities, journalism and media, ethnic studies, global studies, regional studies, gender studies, social and behavioral sciences, language, history, cultural studies, philosophy, law, peace studies, and organizational and leadership ethics.
Students develop the creativity, imagination, conscience, and consciousness that will enable them to contribute civic leadership to societies building communities in a continuously evolving technological, multicultural, global, and entrepreneurial environment.
Communication and understanding are at the heart of the college ethos. Whether students are learning to write poetry or make a sculpture, edit online journals or a daily newspaper, analyze or produce film, archive oral histories of community members, speak another language, or understand global economics, the emphasis is on the spirit of purpose that vitally connects learning goals with the needs of society for a world that is just, civil, wise, safe, and beautiful.
The college’s educational venture prepares students to be effective and responsible in a global, technology-infused, culturally interdependent society. Students develop ethical positions from learning experiences that include solid grounding in theory and analysis, cultural perspectives, multiple histories, contemporary issues, and communication skills including various modes of expression and empathic listening.
Understanding cultural differences and multiple perspectives is a cornerstone of the college’s approach both to history and contemporary issues. In developing 21st-century leaders, CSUMB encourages the recognition of the student’s own complex and compound identities formed by geography, family background, ethnicity, nationality, gender, economics, education, social experience, religion, and other factors. In the college curriculum, students work with faculty in the spirit of free inquiry to recognize the implications of their perspectives and practices for society, and to identify commitments to personal, social, and civic responsibilities.
The 21st century requires new visions for people who want to make a difference in how we care for and about our world. Students in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences learn collaborative skills and also develop their capacity for making a difference as individuals. Students learn how and why to connect with others, and learn about the public sector as an arena for their leadership. Programs develop problem solving. Students explore the historical as a resource for inventing the future relationships of art, media, the humanities, and social sciences for community development.
Within the college are various programs that promote local and global partnerships with schools, educational cultural centers, organizations, and community events. Community forums supported by the college bring in national and international artists and musicians, civic leaders, scholars, politicians, and others who contribute to a learning climate of immense vitality and intellectual excitement. The ethos of the college is based on a faculty which is global, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural in outlook, dedicated to student-centered learning, and committed to helping students work productively and creatively together on new visions for service to humanity.
Revised 3/14/05