History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences

An interdisciplinary liberal arts department, History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences (HPSS) offers a wide variety of courses on the nature of human life—past and present—in its psychological, social, political, intellectual, philosophical and cultural contexts and manifestations.
Courses in world history, philosophy, psychology, anthropology, political science, sociology, religion and American and cultural studies help you broaden your knowledge while developing stronger critical thinking, reading and writing skills.
In (and out of) the classroom
HPSS runs an ever-evolving array of interdisciplinary courses such as The Art of Scientific Communication (with Illustration), The Witness Tree Project (with Furniture Design), Aqua Incognita (with Photography), Representing the “Real” (with FAV) and Producing Meaning: Theories of Technology Since 1850 (with Architecture).
The department also offers a growing curriculum of science electives. Developed specifically for art and design students, each course emphasizes science literacy and encourages connections to studio work.