Mission and Goals

Mission 

The Department of Social Sciences provides a learning environment that values critical thinking about social dilemmas.  The Department strives to help students to understand the world around them within a broad intellectual and ethical perspective.  Students are challenged to apply this expanded world view to their professions. The Department promotes an understanding of cultures, the value of research and service to the community, the importance of social responsibility and a commitment to social justice.

Goals

The goals of the Department of Social Sciences are to stimulate in students the desire to analyze the operation of their own and other societies; to provide them with the scientific and imaginative skills by which such an analysis can be made; to establish a forum within which students can learn to evaluate and examine for themselves the major dilemmas confronting their own and other societies; and finally, to make opportunities available to students which will enable them to realize their career goals.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the Department of Social Sciences are to develop in each student:

• An understanding of the principles that influence human societies.
• The ability to think clearly, independently, and critically;
• The ability to do social research;
• The foundations necessary for graduate study and for careers in the service professions.