Greetings, and welcome to the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) at RPI. Here in HASS, we are a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students across six interconnected departments: Arts, Cognitive Science, Communication & Media, Economics, Gaming & Experiential Media, and Science & Technology Studies.

Every day, our innovative scholars undertake research and creative projects that explore fundamental aspects of the human experience—how we think and feel, what we value, how we express ourselves, and how we interact with the world around us. Our students graduate with crucial skills for today’s marketplace, including how to communicate effectively, think critically, and work creatively to solve real-world problems.

I often say that “every RPI undergraduate is a HASS student.” No matter what program students pursue at RPI, they take an interdisciplinary selection of courses we call the HASS Core. These courses offer students the opportunity to combine relevant, cutting-edge work HASS subjects with knowledge gained from other disciplines across RPI.

This unique blending of HASS and STEM fields is a key part of the RPI experience. In fact, it is a point of pride for us that many RPI students choose to pursue dual majors in HASS and in other programs across campus, resulting in a rich, holistic education that is more than the sum of its parts.  

Our HASS undergraduate and graduate alumni go on to become transformative leaders in their fields. They are pioneering scholars and artists, CEOs and industry professionals, attorneys and policy makers, entrepreneurs and groundbreakers.

I encourage you to take time to explore our website and learn more about our programs. Whether you’re a prospective student, a long-time supporter, community partner, or a graduate of our programs, we’d love for you to visit us on campus or share your story with us.