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Humanities and Social Sciences

The humanities and the social sciences are cornerstones of a liberal arts education, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a broad range of disciplines that give students a fuller understanding of the past, present and future roles of both the individual and society in shaping human experience.

Scholars in the humanities study many aspects of human existence and consider how systems of thought and knowledge have developed over time and how they continue to influence our decisions today. Humanistic inquiry asks how events in the past affect the present and how understanding the past can help us shape the future. The social sciences view the world around us as a laboratory for observation, experimentation and the advancement of new ideas and practices. Social scientists strive to understand the human capacity for adapting to changing environments and circumstances.

Contact Us

Candelaria Hall 0215

Students: If you have any questions, please reach out to the Student Success Resource Center (SSRC). They can be contacted at HSS.StudentSuccess@unco.edu.

Phone: 970-351-3140

For All Other Inquiries: Please reach out to the Deans office. They can be contacted at hss@unco.edu.

Phone: 970-351-2707

Office Hours

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday

HSS Brochure Cover

Develop Strong Skillset

Graduates develop leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, communication, technical and adaptive skills, and are wellprepared for financial success in the marketplace.

Influential Political Process

In 2018, UNC Student Senate, Bear News and the Political Science and International Affairs Club collaborated with Greeley’s newspaper to host a Colorado gubernatorial debate at UNC.

Become a World Citizen

In 2018, Japanese professor Sumiko Gibson led students on a 10-day trip to Japan, visiting major cities, historical sites and Greeley’s sister city, Moriya.

Download the HSS Brochure

Why study humanities and social sciences?

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Make A Difference

Liberal arts students are more likely to be civically engaged and tackle today's biggest social and technological challenges. 

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Prepare for success

Liberal arts students can communicate effectively, think critically, solve complex problems, and thrive in diverse settings, leading to long-term professional success and higher earning potential. 

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Live a fulfilling life

Liberal arts students consistently report high satisfaction in their work and personal lives, and are prepared for a life of learning and growth. 

We don't mean to brag, but we have some awesome professors here... 

Check out what's happening in our College! 

Dr. Bownas Wins Fulbright Award

Political Science and International Affairs Professor Richard Bownas, Ph.D., first traveled from his hometown in the United Kingdom to Nepal when he was 20 years old in 1997. After volunteering in Nepalese classrooms for two years, Bownas eventually co-founded an organization that helped train volunteers like himself. Now, Bownas has won a Fulbright Award for his research into Nepal’s changing political landscape.

Learn more about Dr. Bownas' award

Bownas Fulbright

Dr. Garza Publishes Book

Efrain Garza, Ph.D. and emeritus faculty in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, recently published a new book entitled Ciencia y Literatura de médicos-escritores españoles: Siglos XIX – XX – XXI. Through collaboration with several medical authors, the book fuses science and literature for a collection of stories spread across multiple genres. 

Learn more about Dr. Garza's book

Garza Book

Goodman Speaker Series' Successful Kickoff

In partnership with the Department of Political Science and International Affairs, the inaugural event in the Goodman Speaker Series, sponsored by Casey Goodman (’10) and Lindsey Goodman (’10, ’14), took place on April 5 of this year. Posing the question, “have the United States' days of world dominance come to an end?” Alexander Cooley and Dan Nexon, authors of Exit from Hegemony: The Unraveling of the American Global Order, spoke on the turbulent future of our country.  

Learn more about the Goodman Speaker Series

Goodman Series Image

Dr. Ezzaher Publishes Book

Lahcen Ezzaher, Ph.D. and professor in the Department of English recently published a new book entitled Averroes’ Middle Commentary on Aristotle’s Rhetoric: Arabic-English Translation, with Notes & Introduction. The book lends fresh insight into an essential period in the medieval Arabic translation movement and provides context on Aristotle's work and its contribution to history. 

Learn more about Dr. Ezzaher's book

Dr. Ezzaher New Book

Kelly Langley Cook Recieves Sears Helgoth Award

Department of History Lecturer Kelly Langley Cook has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Sears Helgoth Distinguished Teaching Award. The award is administered by UNC's College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and recognizes faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to teaching and learning that result in the enhancement of the intellectual development and lives of students.

Read more about the award

Langley Cook Award

Dr. Endres Publishes Book

Dr. Thomas Endres, professor in the Department of Communication Studies, recently released his new book entitled My Costume, Myself: Celebrating Stories of Cosplay and Beyond. Featuring a forward written by Nobuyuki Takahashi, the film director who coin the term "cosplay" in 1983, Endres' book provides a glimpse into the transformational world of costumes through a mix of research and stories. 

Learn more about My Costume, Myself

Dr. Endres New Book

Why UNC?

Graduating senior Langston Mayo, majoring in Philosophy and Communication Studies, discusses why he chose UNC.

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