With the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences offering nearly 20 courses taught by professors representing the arts, others taught in creative components within the arts and literary arts, and more courses planned for the near future, it seemed appropriate to add “the Arts” to the department’s name, starting in the 2019-20 academic year.

It’s now the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts.

“The arts are growing in our department and at our institute,” says David Chapman, associate professor of music. “This name change elevates the status of the arts on campus and promotes pedagogies specific to arts education.”

Students can earn minor courses of study in the arts, music and theater/drama.

Arts courses currently taught by department professors cover the following topics: art history, design and color, drawing, music theory and performance, painting, photography, popular music, theatre arts, and visual arts.

New courses in the arts planned include art and chemistry, film and videogame music, method acting, music and math, oil and acrylic painting, printmaking, and special topics in visual art.

“The name change demonstrates our department’s commitment to greater quantity and quality in our artistic offerings,” says Chapman. “The arts bring the Rose-Hulman, Terre Haute and Wabash Valley communities together on campus. Audiences who would never set foot on campus for a STEM event come to our Hatfield Hall theater, White Chapel and Mussallem Union for performances, presentations, art shows and more. This makes these spaces – and the arts – the public face of our institute.”

Learn more about the department, its course offerings and programs.