College of Applied Social Sciences

Mission

The College of Applied Social Science prepares and educates professionals in the Sinsinawa Dominican tradition to take on important and rewarding work towards the global common good. The college advocates for social and economic justice and equitable educational opportunities, connects persons and communities to information and resources, and generates new knowledge that empowers individuals and diverse communities to positively transform society.

Vision

As a college we aspire to be a global leader in interdisciplinary professional education, preparing students to make a difference for individuals and society.

Goals

To provide ethically engaged interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate education across the spectrum of the college’s disciplines and fields of study that reflects the mission and values of the university.
To promote critical thinking and analytical reasoning in research, application of knowledge, and development of professional skills.
To provide rigorous reflective-experiential curricula for community-centered leadership.
To foster an intellectual culture with interest in communities around the globe.
To hold to the highest standards of professional practice, including national accreditation and/or state board approval for programs where appropriate.
To promote collaborative interdisciplinary and community partnerships for reciprocal impact.

Curriculum

The College of Applied Social Sciences offers multiple undergraduate and graduate degrees in varied learning environments. Additionally, the college offers a variety of interdisciplinary programming that provides students with opportunities to pair disciplines within the college and across the university.

The College of Applied Social Sciences’ emphasis is on providing an education through which students acquire skills, knowledge and experiences applicable to accomplishing great things, engaging real-world problems and needs, and advocating and acting for social justice.

Through the Schools of Education, Information Studies, and Social Work, CASS faculty expertly combine theory and practice, provide new interdisciplinary and interprofessional connections, create synergies and pathways, and recognize that genuinely transformative civic work requires individuals and communities who have learned how to find common and higher ground together through diverse perspectives and complementary kinds of expertise. In these efforts, the college contributes to the university’s goal of graduating intellectually curious and engaged students who will carry with them an enthusiasm for lifelong learning as cultural traditions and the professional environment constantly change and evolve.