Department of Social Sciences
The study of social science helps people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. The Department of Social Science seeks to educate students to be knowledgeable about society and to be able to think critically about the human condition. The department offers courses in history and political science.
History
History is the record of all human experience. The study of history is the first step in learning about ourselves and our society – about economics and politics, psychology and sociology, mathematics and science, the arts and the humanities. The goal of the history faculty is to cultivate in our students a critical understanding and awareness of the past. Through our curricular offerings we seek to expose students to the richness, diversity, and complexities of human history. We endeavor to engage students in issues that provoke historical debate and critical study of the past in order to develop their ability to formulate and express historically informed opinions.
Political Science
Political Science is the systematic study of how political values, both positive and negative, are allocated among individuals, groups, socio-economic classes, regions, and nation-states. The goal of the political science faculty is to develop students' knowledge, analytical skills, and critical insights into the nature of politics, political problems, and political systems, thereby enabling students to participate knowledgeably in the affairs of the world around them. Through our curricular offerings we seek to cultivate in our students a critical understanding of the concepts and principles of political science in the structures, institutions, and processes of the United States and Texas governmental systems.