College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences unites core humanities, social sciences, and arts. These have long been considered foundational to knowledge about the world and the self. We offer focused disciplinary and interdisciplinary majors and minors as well as master’s degrees.

These varied ways of knowing found in our fields complement each other: knowing and learning through creating and doing; exploring how humans interact with and interpret their world; questioning the dynamics of human interactions within and across cultures. Together, arts, humanities, and social sciences ask us to think critically, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and prepare for active citizenship. We prepare people for lifelong learning as well as personal and professional success. CLASS graduates go on to a wide range of careers in public or private sectors, including commercial, governmental, and caring professions.

Our Introductory courses are foundational to the UIS core curriculum and the general education program. Here students encounter complex problems, ethical dilemmas, interpretive ambiguity, and diverse perspectives both local and global, often through hands-on projects and collaborative learning. CLASS general education courses form the core of UIS’s freshman and sophomore experience, providing both a well-rounded education and site for personal exploration.

Teaching is at the heart of the college’s mission. CLASS faculty are active scholars and artists whose expertise informs and enhances their teaching. CLASS faculty are also committed mentors. Opportunities to engage in research or creative work with faculty are frequent. We prize personalized attention and our low faculty : student ratio enables each teacher-scholar to meet students where they are.

Our departments also contribute significantly to the cultural life of the university, through musical ensembles, theatricals, a literary magazine, academic clubs, and honor societies. We partner with other campus entities including the Diversity Center, Study Away, and Model Illinois Government to name a few.

In addition to a university-wide emphasis on student-centered educational experiences, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences takes as its mission empowering students with the keys to personal and professional success: critical thinking, empathy, effective communication, and creative problem solving. The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences commits unequivocally to the values of ethical leadership, equity, and justice.