Created in 2012, we are the largest of the four academic colleges supporting the academic mission of Stanislaus State. Our faculty contribute to the delivery of twenty baccalaureate degree programs, including three nationally accredited programs in the Arts, a nationally accredited Masters program in Public Administration, and a distinctive endowed program in Agricultural Studies; we also support over fifty minors, concentrations and multidisciplinary programs at the undergraduate level, and five MA degrees and several certificate programs at the graduate level; in addition, many of our faculty contribute substantially to the General Education program of the university, offering extensive instruction in the creative and language arts, the humanities, and the social sciences and cultural studies.

The numerous faculty who teach in our College recognize that a university education in the twenty-first century must be responsive to the complexities and challenges of a constantly changing world. Thus our primary mission is to foster an appreciation and understanding of the value of lifelong intellectual and creative pursuits. The College is committed to a liberal arts curriculum that broadens the mind and encourages students to become active, engaged, compassionate participants in our increasingly global society. We are uniquely situated in the Central Valley of California, at the interface of rural and urban communities of extraordinary ethnic diversity. Our students benefit from this fertile environment by gaining the opportunity to study the historical and contemporary context of culture, society, place, and language. Our accredited programs in the visual and performing arts feature the cultivation of creative practices, performance-based instruction, and strive to enrich our appreciation for artistic diversity and the heritage of cultural arts.

Emerging themes in the College reflect the strength and diversity of our academic programs. We encourage cross-disciplinary connections to help students learn to critically examine a broad spectrum of ideas, values, and beliefs through a variety of lenses. We offer students opportunities to become immersed in local ethnic and international communities to help them appreciate the enriching features of cultural and artistic diversity. We value community-based internships and co-curricular experiential learning to enrich traditional academic accomplishments so that students recognize and acknowledge their social responsibility and feel empowered to make lasting contributions to their local and global communities.

Sustainable development is a key feature of increasing global connections. We invite students to think critically and creatively about economic, social, and environmental challenges faced by communities at home and across the globe. Our students work closely with committed faculty who provide foundations for the understanding of environmental processes, community development, and the socioeconomic and political dimensions of a sustainable future. Each fall we sponsor a Sustainable Futures Conference, which we organize in conjunction with our role as a downlink site for the annual Bioneers Conference.

The academic areas and co-curricular activities of the College reflect these themes, as do the various research programs, labs and centers we sponsor, including the University Honors Program; the Keck GeoScience Lab with state-of-the-art GIS applications; the Keck Music Technology Lab; the Keck Language Lab; the Keck Visual Anthropology Lab (under development); the university newspaper (the Signal) and radio station (KCSS 91.9 fm); six centers and institutes supporting applied research projects: the Center for Public Policy Studies, the Institute for Archaeological Research, the Institute for Cultural Resources, the California Institute for Peruvian Studies (in collaboration with the Library), the Center for Economic Education, and the Center for Portuguese Studies (in collaboration with the College of Education); the Council for Sustainable Futures (organizing sponsor of our annual Sustainable Futures Conference); and an ambitious schedule of artistic installations and creative productions and performances, including chorale performances and musical ensembles (featuring guest artists and student/faculty recitals), contemporary and classic theatrical productions (ranging from award winning intimate stagings to our annual amphitheater production of Shakespeare Under the Stars), and a broad selection of contemporary visual and digital media installations in our University Art Gallery.

Please join with us in discovering all that our College of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences has to offer. The faculty, staff and students supporting our programs are eager to accompany you on your educational journey.  Come grow with us!

Sincerely,

James A. Tuedio, Ph.D.
Dean

Updated: July 11, 2023