Message from the Dean

Message from Dean Cecil Houston

Challenge Yourself, Change the World  

With that invitation, the Arts and Social Sciences brings together people to discover, to learn, and to reflect on creating a decent world. We help them develop all the skills and attitudes for career success, but our aim is to accomplish much more. We urge our students to take on personal and academic responsibilities and challenges. We encourage them to join us in making the world a better place to live and learn and we achieve this by encouraging critical thinking and social action. We expect them all to make critical inquiry a goal in their lives. We educate them to be independent learners and accomplished communicators. We help them focus on learning that includes social responsibilities and we want them to apply their understanding to active pursuit of social justice. We want them to stand up for the disadvantaged and take action to improve the fabric of our society and the world.

The motivation of students comes from strong values and role models. We respect those values and build upon them. We build upon them by having our students share their personal perspectives across many cultures. That happens in all our programs. The diversity of cultures and communities represented here is quite wonderful. A meeting place for the world, in Canada, at the border with the United States.

It goes without saying that the need for leaders versed in the liberal arts, social sciences, and the professions has never been greater. Voices are needed to remind humanity of its essential diversity, its fragile but robust and complex character. Effective voices are needed to remind us that tools are meant to serve humanity not to lead it, that social justice is not just an academic study but an endeavour to be lived, that compassion is sacred, and that humans are part of nature.

I encourage you to get to know us better. Talk to our students. Talk to our faculty.

Our alumni represent another way to get to know us and the advantages of studying in the arts and social sciences. Students frequently ask me ‘what can I do with such a degree?’ Their parents are also intrigued. My answer is ‘what can you not do with a degree in arts and social sciences?’ The pathways and destinations of your studies are limitless. Your arts and social sciences degree is the foundation of knowledge and attitudes that can take you anywhere. Learning in the arts and social sciences is transferable to rewarding careers in all domains: ----research, business, law, medicine, entertainment and cultural industries, pharmacy, environmental stewardship, education, health communications, conflict resolution, nation building, leadership, policing, philanthropy, etc, etc. And to prove it, let me list where some of our graduates now work:

Nancy: MA Philosophy 2009 & BA Philosophy 2002: Director of Surgical Services, Carolinas Hospital

Rebecca: Honours Criminology 1998: Probation Officer, Ministry of Children & Youth Services

Jack: BA History 1974/BComm 1976: Chief Financial Officer, Prestige Telecom Inc.

Anne: BA History 1994: Director of Major & Planned Giving Program Cancer Foundation

Doreen: BA English 1978: Chief Financial Officer, The Institute of Management Accountants

Patrick: BA Psychology 1973: Principal Officer, Consulting Services

Brian: BA Political Science 1989: Vice President, Supply Chain Management

Send me a line. Take a Tour.