Overview - Humanities and Social Sciences

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences offers a variety of specialized degree programs and elective courses that investigate the intersections among the natural and social sciences, technology, and the humanities. These programs, which include integrated digital media, science and technology studies, and sustainable urban environments, provide students with a means to expand their understanding of and engagement with the technological and scientific society and culture in which they live, and to obtain the skills that will lead to successful and enriching careers.

Today’s engineers and scientists need a background in the humanities and social sciences in order to make well-reasoned decisions involving human values implicit in technological options, to understand the ways human beings see themselves and the natural and social worlds, and to communicate effectively. Conversely, today’s humanists and social scientists need to be fluent in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines if they are to engage in the type of constructive dialogue essential to a well-informed and democratic society.

The mission of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences is to provide students with an integrated education that will give them a wide breadth of knowledge and perspective. The department fulfills its mission with interdisciplinary degree programs, and plays an essential role in the education of students specializing in other departments.

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences is home to NYU-Poly’s Brooklyn Experimental Media Center.