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91¸£ÀûÉç’s College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) is dedicated to the transformative power of the liberal arts, a hallmark of the Jesuit Mercy tradition. This College, the original college for the University established in 1877, upholds this tradition and shapes future generations of thinkers, leaders and visionaries who reach beyond the known to the unknown for the magis, the more. CHASS faculty inspire students to understand the rich diversity of human thought and life with a critical eye that empowers them to see how to innovate and create a better tomorrow where social justice flourishes.

Moving between ideas and action, students learn through experience that translates into professional readiness and career advancement. Students participate in field research, practicums, clinicals and internships with local and regional partners. They engage with the city of Detroit through collaborative partnerships and participation in the arts and culture whether at the Detroit Institute of the Arts or the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. CHASS faculty guide students through academically rigorous courses and engage them in career-changing research, conference presentations and publications while building relationships with them that last a lifetime. The College’s practice of radical hospitality cultivates an inclusive community of belonging at CHASS. Students thrive in programs that feature small class sizes and research opportunities in which faculty curate learning experiences designed to challenge and inspire.

The College views its diversity as its strength. We offer more than 20 programs and certificates at the graduate level designed to advance our students’ knowledge and expertise in their field of study. Our integrated approach to learning draws on the humanities, arts and social sciences to showcase the peoples, places and ideas making up our world, which empowers students to think in complex ways by locating specific issues and problems within a broader global scope. Students develop the enduring and adaptable skills of critical analysis and communication to give them the flexibility to meet the demands of their fields and a rapidly changing labor market. 

Our graduates emerge as creative and critical thinkers, strong communicators and team collaborators. They become innovative leaders emboldened with the compassion and capacity not only to meet the world where it is, but to transform it.

Vision Statement

A College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences education will illuminate and ignite engagement with the diverse experiences of shared humanity.  We will foster communities of belonging so that people learn thrive and discover who they are and who they are called to be to build more just, equitable and inclusive societies.

Mission Statement

Drawing on the traditions of the liberal arts and our Mercy and Jesuit founders, the College of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences ignites a passion for learning that crosses disciplines and continents and engages diverse perspectives to inspire ways of knowing that transform understandings of our past, present, and future; inspires a drive to translate creativity and critical thinking into actionable strategies and community engagement that connect the pursuit of learning and the pursuit of justice; and fosters a synergy between career and life success so all may thrive in and care for an ever-changing world.