• Department of Humanities
• Overview

The Humanities department at SUNY Cobleskill strongly believes in the right to intellectual freedom for ourselves and our students. Our mission, therefore, is to provide students with the literacy skills and cultural awareness necessary to become self-determining and knowledgable members of society.

We also suspect that Humanities and Technology are not separate worlds but mutually enhancing apsects of the human experience. To that end we have developed consciously diverse course offerings, innovative interdisciplinary programs, and opportunities to encorporate computer literacy into one's studies.

Humanities A.A.

Humanities consists of art, communication, drama, foreign languages, literature, music, philosophy, religion - all fields whose basis in the means by which humans organize and communicate their experience to others. Because of the emphasis on communication skills, aesthetics, analysis, reasearch and understanding of others' experience - as well as upon specific knowlegde areas - humanities at Cobleskill is an excellent starting place for the pursuit of art, communications, education, English, foreign languages, law, public relations, theater and even medicine. As students in this major fulfill many of their basic general education requirements, they have the flexibility to change majors without losing credits.

Students will take an AA core and then use their many electives to concentrate on a specific area of Humanities for preparation for transfer.

Communications A.S.

Students may pursue an Associate in Science degree at SUNY Cobleskill. This course of study will prepare students for transfer into four-year programs in mass media, journalism, broadcasting, public relations, technical publications and a number of related programs. As students in this program of study fulfill many of their basic general education requirements, they have the flexibility to change their major without losing credits.

Graphic Design Technology

The Graphic Design Technology program prepares students for employment in the fast-paced and ever-changing design industry. Upon graduation from the program, students have the option of entering the job market or transferring to four-year programs in Graphic Design, Graphic Communications, Studio Art, Elementary and Secondary Art Education, Photography and Fashion Design and Illustration. The program follows an interdisciplinary approach in which students take courses in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences as well courses in Computer Technology. While we recognize the increasing importance of computer skills in the field, we see the computer as a design tool, one which can only be used to its full potential with a strong foundation in art and design. The program focuses on creative thinking and an understanding of the principles of design rather than simply the technical manipulation of computer software.

The program has kept pace with the latest developments in electronic publishing. Students learn the techniques and skills required to produce well-designed web pages and traditional paper-based publications.