College of Arts and Humanities
The College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) shapes how people understand the world and one another—and today, our work is more essential than ever.
Why Arts and Humanities
In ARHU, we foster the kind of thinking that expands perspectives, challenges assumptions and inspires change. We welcome bold ideas and nurture critical, creative and interdisciplinary approaches that not only interpret the world—but transform it. We foster critical thinking that drives action, sparks innovation and deepens understanding—opening new perspectives on how we see the world, live within it and shape its future.
Creativity infuses everything we do, and our bold scholarship and dynamic creative practices challenge us to see beyond what is in front of us, expand our imaginations and recognize our shared humanity. We cultivate empathy across our various academic and artistic spaces through deep engagement with diverse perspectives, cultures, languages and stories.
As artists, humanists and scholars in the College of Arts and Humanities, we share a common mission: to deepen understanding of the world around us and to imagine, inspire and create a better future.
Our Momentum
96%
placement rate
ARHU undergraduates secure jobs or enter graduate school soon after graduation
7:1
student to faculty ratio
Faculty experts mentor students to imagine new possibilities, address complex challenges and lead with empathy, curiosity and purpose
#60
best university for arts and humanities worldwide
Why now
In ARHU, we believe the arts and humanities help us make sense of the world—and shape a better one.
In challenging times, the arts and humanities are essential. Our research and teaching are deeply relevant now but also enduring—timely and timeless.
We’re helping students lead the way with critical thinking, creativity and empathy. These skills aren’t just useful for a career. They help ensure rich, meaningful lives.
Imagine, Inspire and Shape a Better Future
Our commitments to transformative thinking, boundless creativity, expansive empathy and meaningful futures propel the College of Arts and Humanities forward.
In ARHU, we thoughtfully process the world around us, both past and present, exploring context and culture, communication and critique. I am proud that we prepare our community not only to thrive in a changing world, but to help build a better one.
Stephanie Shonekan
Dean, College of Arts and Humanities
Transformative thinking is what distinguishes ARHU—its education, research, creativity and culture. In thinking transformatively across the college, we ensure we are constantly reimagining learning and addressing grand challenges in our teaching, research and creativity.
Embrace and Develop Transformative Thinking
ARHU is the creative core of UMD—where imagination, expression and innovation converge to reveal our shared humanity. From our classrooms to our stages and studios, creativity infuses everything we do.
Enrich an Environment for Boundless Creativity
To make a difference in society, we begin by cultivating empathy—first within our diverse ARHU community and then extending it outward. Through our disciplines and centers, we deepen understanding of global histories and cultures, immigrant experiences and the rich complexity of individual lives. At a time transformed by constant technological change, ARHU reaffirms what it means to be human, centering belonging, connection and understanding.
Cultivate a Culture of Expansive Empathy
We are committed to ensuring students understand that the values, knowledge and skills they gain in ARHU will prepare them for a range of meaningful careers. Equally, we cultivate a workplace where staff and faculty thrive personally and professionally. Through support for research, professional development and advancement, we invest in the growth of our people and the communities we serve.
Pave a Path to Meaningful Futures
Leaders & Champions
Neda Atanasoski, Professor and Chair, Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Associate Director of Education, Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM)
We are preparing the next generation of creative thinkers and leaders who will shape the future of technology and AI.
Craig Kier, Director, Arts for All
Professor, Voice & Opera and Conducting & Ensembles
We are all creative, and at UMD, we’re shaping what it means to be an arts-informed university.
Ana Patricia Rodríguez, Associate Professor, Spanish and Portuguese and U.S. Latina/o Studies
As students practice their language skills, they’re also developing cultural responsiveness and gaining firsthand insight into the lived experiences of local immigrant communities.
Audran M. Downing, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs: Undergraduate Education, College of Arts and Humanities
ARHU offers a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum that teaches students how to think instead of what to think.