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College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
LORI D. LINDLEY, Ph.D., Dean LEIGHANN S. FORBES, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Faculty and Development JULIA M. MACK, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Curriculum and Student Affairs
The College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS) consists of a community of students, faculty and staff dedicated to the academic growth and lifelong learning of its members. We seek to provide the highest quality professional and pre-professional preparation in the context of a broad liberal education in the Judeo-Christian tradition. We continue to be convinced that such an education, rooted in the liberal arts and humanities and undergirded by a foundation of moral and ethical teachings, provides the foundation for a productive, rewarding and ethical life. The richly diverse educational programs within the College include a focus on integrating knowledge and developing student abilities in critical thinking, communication, information literacy and the application of knowledge across a wide range of social, professional and learning contexts. We are also committed to providing students with opportunities to understand cultural, international and global experiences in order to be informed and effective global citizens. Students from the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences are prepared to pursue a wide variety of professions, graduate programs and forthcoming careers of the future. The College is composed of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Education. Majors are offered in 25 baccalaureate degree programs and 4 two-year, associate degree programs. Students are also offered a wide variety of interdisciplinary learning opportunities as well as minor programs to complement their selected programs of study. The College is committed to promoting an engaged learning environment with students participating in a collaborative learning process including student research and practical experiences through service learning, internships and cooperative education.
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Comprehensive Education
The professional lives of this year’s freshmen will extend through the mid-21st century. Given the rapidity of change today, it is almost impossible to predict what professions will be in demand that far into the future. Certainly many of the careers that will be in demand do not yet exist. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that this generation of college students will change careers an average of three times. Thus it is important to provide a broad, comprehensive education, fostering skills that will not become obsolete and will be transferable from one profession to another.
Skills for a Lifetime
Communication skills are vital in almost all careers and professions and are central to the development of the capacity for lifelong learning that the 21st century demands. The refinement of our students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, along with facilitating the use of communication technologies, is among the most important objectives of our programs in the Humanities.
Challenging yet reasonable reading assignments are designed to inform, enhance understanding and stimulate curiosity. Students come to regard books and professional journals as tools for their continued learning after graduation. It is important to note that they learn to read and understand publications based on sophisticated research methodologies and quantitative analyses. While the English Department has special responsibilities in the teaching of writing and our School of Communication and the Arts offers work in introductory and advanced public speaking, all departments and programs make extensive use of writing assignments as well as formal and informal opportunities for the refinement of oral communication. Essay examinations, research papers, journals, speeches and debates enhance students’ abilities to “think on their feet” and communicate well. Many classes make use of sophisticated electronic audio and video equipment and integrate modern computer technology into the curriculum. Increasingly, students and faculty enjoy connectivity with one another and the world outside the classroom through the use of the Internet, video conferencing, social media and the like. Equally important are the skills of analysis and synthesis, as well as the power to think critically and independently and to make sound ethical decisions and judgments. Courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences complement the University’s Liberal Studies Core to help our students hone these abilities. Quantitative as well as qualitative reasoning is encouraged and all curricula in the Humanities and Social Sciences require at least one math course. The typical class size permits discussions in which students have the opportunity to express their ideas. Group work, class discussion and other means of interactive learning encourage students to take responsibility, learn teamwork and become active rather than passive learners.
International Education
Our students will live in a world community and compete in a global economy. Thus the Humanities and Social Sciences are committed to the notion that we are all international students; that we must know and appreciate our culture as well as those of others; and that we must learn to speak and understand a global language. The Department of Global Languages and Cultures is the heart of international education at Gannon, and every humanities and social science student in a four-year major must take a minimum of six credits of a global language. Students are strongly advised to fulfill this requirement no later than the fall semester of the junior year. International education is additionally enhanced by courses in history, political science, anthropology, sociology, geography, philosophy and literature.
Fields of Specialization
In addition to career preparation through a comprehensive, international education, the Humanities and Social Sciences offers several majors through which students develop the specialized skills of particular professions. The School of Communication and the Arts prepares students for careers in radio and television, while English majors may explore career options in journalism and other types of professional writing. Through programs in political science, social work, psychology and criminal justice, students may develop careers in public service or the private sector. The legal profession is served by the Pre-Law and Paralegal Programs, while the Public Service and Global Affairs Program leads to careers in government, business and industry. Future teachers participate in these programs as students pursuing careers in the secondary education major in the subjects they wish to teach.
Integration of Knowledge
One of the hallmarks of the Humanities education is a commitment to the integration of knowledge and a focus on the interrelationships of the various subject areas. The Departments of Philosophy and Theology play a central role in the synthesizing effort and also perform a special function in the ethical education of Gannon students. They help to develop professionals who are capable of distinguishing between right and wrong in complex situations, enabling students to become moral leaders in our society.
