The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences offers an array of courses in the humanities and social sciences and also provides essential disciplinary resources to the Colloquy on Integrated Learning. Advanced courses in various disciplines support the majors in other colleges and departments. The department offers an interdisciplinary major in International Studies, with specializations in Culture and Society and International Affairs and a minor in Literature. The department‘s disciplines are integrated for the study of the nature of culture and society, international affairs, the impacts of globalization, and issues of social and political development. The department includes the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, political science, international relations, comparative literature, and history.
Mission
The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences' mission is to provide an academic and professional focus from the humanities and the social sciences on issues that deal with local as well as global contexts. Specifically, the mission of the department is to:
• Provide a major for students who are interested in understanding and analyzing and eventually leading the U.A.E. in its social, economic, and cultural development;
• Provide the foundation courses in the core curriculum of the Colloquy on Integrated Learning; and Build partnerships with key organizations to support basic and applied research projects, policy development and meaningful internships, and other academic and career opportunities for students.
Major Learning Outcomes and Assessment Protocols
Language: Graduates will be able to communicate effectively in English and Modern Standard Arabic, using the academic conventions of these languages in the social sciences and the humanities.
Information Technology: Graduates will be able to use current information technology to enhance productivity and effectiveness.
Critical Thinking: Graduates will be able to use critical processes to develop informed opinions.
Global Awareness: Graduates will be able to understand and value their own andother cultures, perceiving and reacting to differences from an informed and socially responsible point of view.
Information Literacy: Graduates will be able to find, evaluate, and use appropriate information from multiple sources to respond to a variety of needs.
Leadership: Graduates will be able to act responsibly with self- awareness of their actions and to work effectively in group contexts and with/ among the broader community to achieve specific goals.
The International Studies graduates will have specific skills that include:
Research and analytical methodologies;
Presentation skills;
Problem identification and analysis;
The ability to integrate concepts and theory with reality;
The ability to work effectively in international and multi-cultural environments within and outside the U.A.E.;
The ability to learn what is happening around them and apply it to their own lives; and
The ability to work effectively in both English and Arabic languages.
Assessment Protocols:
Assessment of student work in the major focuses on written papers and reports, case studies, research studies, course examinations, and the final Capstone project.
