School of Arts and Humanities
Mission of the School of Arts and Humanities
- Committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship
- Dedicated to enlightenment and enrichment of our communities
- Devoted to freedom from ignorance and intolerance in our societies
- Engaged in connecting the arts and humanities to the everyday life of the community
The School of Arts and Humanities is dedicated to providing all CSUB students with the cultural knowledge to appreciate what has gone before and with the skills to put that knowledge to use in creating better communities for themselves and their families in the 21st century. The School also provides its majors the opportunity to engage in the cultural research that is crucial to understanding human complexities in a fully interdependent global economy.
Because the arts and humanities have nothing less than the human experience as their subject matter, students who develop their critical, creative, and communication skills are able to analyze the constantly changing situation, to respond to the realities of their environment in creative ways and to communicate their ideas to a broad spectrum of people. Our newly transformed curriculum includes applied experience elements in all of our majors, increasing our graduates’ practical perspectives on theoretical concepts.
Students majoring in the fine and performing arts (art, music, theatre), the communications fields (communications, English, and modern languages), and the fields of humanistic inquiry (literature, history, philosophy, and religious studies) make intellectual curiosity a habit and lifelong learning a natural pursuit. Grounded in the traditions of their fields, majors also acquire skills to contribute to the contemporary arts and humanities in ways that value the entrepreneurial spirit and encourage philanthropic values. In this way, our students contribute to their own success, while passing on that success to others.
Academic Programs
The School of Arts and Humanities offers nine undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree programs in seven departments: Art and Art History (with emphases in art history, studio art, and art education); Communications (with emphases in journalism, public relations, and digital media); English (with emphases in language, literacy, and teaching); History; Modern Languages and Literatures (Spanish); Music (with emphases in general music and music education); Philosophy (with emphases in Ethics and Moral Reasoning; Law, Justice, and Social Policy; and Mind and World); Religious Studies (with an optional double-major concentration); and Theatre.
In addition to minors in all of these fields (including such sub-fields as English Literature, Linguistics, Children’s Literature, French, Theatre Technology, and Theatre for Youth), the School also offers certificate programs in Communications (journalism, public relations, digital media, and film studies), and English (writing and children’s literature).
Single-subject teaching credential subject matter waiver programs are offered in Art, English, Social Science (through the History department), and Spanish.
The Master of Arts degree is offered by English, History, and Spanish.
Facilities
The School of Arts and Humanities houses a growing number of facilities in support of the visual and performing arts. Our Visual Arts building includes studios for ceramics, sculpture, painting and drawing, and digital arts. The Todd Madigan Gallery regularly features exhibitions of student, regional, and international artists, and provides students with curatorial and gallery experience in arts management. The Doré Theatre hosts an excellent series of student and faculty performances, in addition to lectures and performances by world-renowned and emerging musicians, scholars, and theatre artists. The black-box Arena Theatre offers a more intimate venue for experimental works.
Institutes
The School of Arts and Humanities houses several institutes. The Institute for Religion, Education, and Public Policy explores the diversity of religious belief in our area and the intersection between private spiritual practice and public policy. The Public History Institute preserves the regional memory of the Southern San Joaquin Valley by collecting and archiving oral histories pertaining to the rich multicultural heritage surrounding the oil and gas industries, agriculture, and the music industry (such as the Bakersfield Sound). Close collaboration with the Walter Stiern Library’s Historical Research Center ensures students receive hands-on experience with original documents. The Institute for Basque Studies examines communities in the Basque Country and the Basque Diaspora, Basque language acquisition, and greater awareness of the Basque presence in the Central Valley.
Executive Advisory Council
In our commitment to engage the community in our mission we welcome the support of the Arts and Humanities Executive Advisory Council, a group of business and non-profit leaders with an appreciation for the importance of CSUB and its beneficial effect on the cultural economy of the region. The Council advises the Dean of the School in matters concerning the interests of the community and advocates for the interests of the School in the community, including its efforts in raising money, developing resources, and placing students in applied experiences such as internships and service learning.