About the College

Our Approach to Liberal Education

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences provides students with a three-component liberal education: first, a program of education-in-breadth through major contributions to the General University requirements intended to prepare students for post-graduate life as educated persons and citizens; second, a program of education-in-depth in a disciplinary or interdisciplinary major designed to prepare students for careers or graduate study; and third, a choice of elective courses which can help satisfy the student's curiosity about any of the multitude of subjects that the University curriculum embraces. With each of these components, we intend to produce graduates who:

  • are capable of informed and critical thinking;
  • have learned to tolerate ambiguity;
  • can appreciate cultural differences;
  • have developed moral and aesthetic sensibilities;
  • have mastered the basic tools of literacy and technology;
  • have acquired levels of information about the natural and social worlds, past and present, sufficient for responsible citizenship, and the enjoyment of a civilized society.


The College places a strong emphasis on student-faculty collaboration in developing these skills through active learning, including laboratory experiences, community-based faculty-directed service learning, and student involvement in faculty research programs.

Our Departments and Faculty

We are proud to be the largest college at WWU with fourteen departments and three programs, offering nearly 50 bachelor's degrees and 12 master's degrees. The College has over 315 faculty, 62% of which are tenured or tenure-track. Our faculty have a record of excellence in their scholarly activities, teaching, and service to the university and College.

The College houses several research and service centers, including the Center for Cross-cultural Research, the Center for Performance Excellence, and two community-based professional training centers: the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic and the Psychology Counseling Clinic. In addition, the College has five nationally accredited professional programs: school counseling, mental health counseling, speech pathology, community health, and recreation.