Departments, Programs, and Centers in the College of Humanities
Departments
Department of Communication
We are a top department in the field of communication, with an award-winning faculty, outstanding doctoral, master's, and undergraduate programs, and state-of-the-art facilities. The Department is highly ranked in critical theory, cultural studies, ecology, law, popular culture, race and ethnicity, and rhetoric.
Department of English
The English Department is a community of readers and writers dedicated to critical and creative approaches to a complex world. We are students of story, lovers of language, scholars of the many worlds recorded and imagined in fiction. At the core of English is the work—and the play—of creativity: discovering new worlds, exploring new ways of thinking, and developing new ways of expressing yourself.
Department of Ethnic, Gender & Disability Studies
The Department of Ethnic, Gender & Disability Studies is a cutting-edge academic program that explores how race, gender, disability, sexuality, class, citizenship and other social categories shape our lives. The Department is committed to fostering civic-minded, critical thinking, and culturally informed students. Our interdisciplinary and intersectional degrees prepare students for careers in education, law, health, social work, community organizing, and more.
Department of History
History provides the intellectual and entrepreneurial tools to thrive in a world that is highly specialized and globally interconnected. Students learn creative solutions to challenging problems, how to handle ambiguity, and work across cultures. Our prize-winning and internationally-recognized faculty educate students for 21st century careers, including business, technology, journalism, law, museums, medicine, libraries, government, politics, education, and more.
Department of Linguistics
Linguistics provides the intellectual satisfaction of learning how human language works, while at the same time developing the analytical skills necessary to be highly competitive on the job market. Students in linguistics learn how to analyze languages and develop crucial skills for today’s job market: reasoning, critical thinking, rigorous analysis, and written and verbal communication.
Department of Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy offers a well-balanced program in the major areas of Philosophy and has particular areas of strength in Applied Ethics (including Bioethics, Legal Ethics, Environmental Ethics and Business and Professional Ethics), Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Biology, Philosophy of Social Science, Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science, Ancient Greek Philosophy, Chinese Philosophy, Practical Reason, Philosophy of Law, Political Philosophy, International Justice and Early Modern Philosophy.
Department of World Languages & Cultures
The Department of World Languages & Cultures is the largest and most diverse in the College, culturally and programmatically. Our programs and courses offer multiple opportunities for undergraduate and graduate study in language, literature, culture, and language education. All foreign languages and their respective literatures at the University of Utah are taught in the Department, which provides students with a forum for research and education in more than 20 linguistic and literary traditions.
Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies
The Department of Writing & Rhetoric Studies (formerly the University Writing Program) was created in 1984 to ensure that students understand the forms and processes used by successful college-level writers, and that they continue to mature as writers in undergraduate and post-college settings. We offer a range of carefully developed undergraduate writing classes ranging from general courses in academic writing at the first-year college level to seminars in discipline-based and professional writing and rhetoric for upper-division students.
Programs
Environmental Humanities Programs
Environmental Humanities is a two-year degree training the next generation of environmental leaders and thinkers. Here at the University of Utah, students enjoy space to reflect on a world of entangled human and other presences. We encourage creative and scholarly exchanges toward new forms of environmental leadership and environmental justice.
International and Area Studies
The International Studies Program uses the wide-ranging resources at the University of Utah to prepare students to live and work in the increasingly global world of the 21st century. The interdisciplinary methods, language study, and direct international experience make it an inviting major alone or in combination with other programs of study available at the University. The degree grounds students in different disciplines (such as communication, economics, history, political science, foreign language) and permits them to explore the international scope of these disciplines.
Centers
American West Center
The American West Center offers invaluable hands-on education and experience with the unique mission of researching the history and culture of the American West.
Asia Center
The Asia Center, a Title VI National Resource Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, serves as a hub for Asia-related activities at the University of Utah involving teaching, research, and outreach to K-12 schools and the broader community.
Center for Latin
American Studies
The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), a Title VI National Resource Center, serves as a hub for Latin American-related activities at the University of Utah involving teaching, research and community outreach.
Second Language Teaching and Research Center
L2TReC supports research on Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and works with L2 teachers at all levels of instruction. The Center hosts events and workshops on SLA research, curriculum development and assessment, and is a resource for the university and the community on foreign language education.
Middle East Center
The Middle East Studies degree is designed to provide students with language and cultural competence in the region of the Middle East that can become the foundation for careers in public affairs, public service, business, and many other fields.
Taft-Nicholson Center
The Taft-Nicholson Center works to bridge the arts and humanities with the sciences. Our mission is to increase environmental literacy, boost environmental awareness and inspire personal connection to nature and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Tanner Humanities Center
The Obert C. and Grace A. Tanner Humanities Center promotes humanities inquiry and engagement by supporting innovative scholarly projects and creating opportunities for interaction among scholars, students, and lifelong learners.
