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Cooper Union

Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

HSS classroom

Nada Ayad, Associate Dean of HSS, in the classroom.  Photo by Maeve Fitzhoward / Cooper Union 
Photo by Maeve Fitzhoward / Cooper Union

Raffaele Bedarida, associate professor of art history, teaches. Photo by Maeve Fitzhoward / Cooper Union 
The Cooper Union Library

The Cooper Union Library
Loujaina Abdelwahed, assistant professor of economics, leads a seminar class

Loujaina Abdelwahed, assistant professor of economics, leads a seminar class

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Mission

The Cooper Union is committed to the principle that an education in the Humanities and Social Sciences provides the ethical, social and humanistic framework crucial to personal development, professional excellence, and engaged citizenship. Through their work in Hss disciplines, students will gain a deeper awareness of the world in which they must live and act. They learn to think, write and speak clearly and effectively. Most significantly, an education in the liberal arts offers students the opportunity to become attentive to the social and humanistic implications of their professional work and to acquire the basis for a satisfying cultural and intellectual life.

Curriculum

All students take a four-semester core curriculum of required courses in the humanities and social sciences. In addition, students in the School of Art take a required sequence in art history. The core curriculum is a prerequisite to all elective offerings in Humanities and Social Sciences. During the third and fourth years, students have considerable latitude to explore the humanities and social sciences through elective courses. All students are expected to take core curriculum courses at The Cooper Union.

Minor

Architecture Students in good academic standing with advance permission who complete a minimum of 15 upper-division credits in a specific field of liberal arts may qualify for a Minor in that field of humanities and social sciences. Minors are offered and will be designated on student transcripts in the following fields: Art History; Economics and Public Policy; History and Society; Literature; and Science, Technology, and Society. Students must apply in advance of completing their coursework to be considered for the Minor. Approval of the dean of the school of architecture is required for the Minor. Please find a HSS ARCH Advisory worksheet here to download and fill out to send to HSS Academic Advisor Ninad Pandit: ninad.pandit@cooper.edu

Engineering Students who complete a minimum of 12 upper-division credits with a grade of B or higher in a specific field of liberal arts may qualify for a minor in that field of Humanities and Social Sciences. Minors are offered and may be designated on student transcripts in the following five fields: (click on each field for details)

The HSS Minor's 12 credits must consist of elective credits, in addition to the HSS Core Curriculum required of all Engineering majors. HSS4 does not count toward a Minor unless it is taken a second time for elective credit and when the course topic contributes significantly to the program of the student's minor area, subject to approval of both the course instructor and the HSS Dean. Please find an HSS ENG Advisory worksheet here to download and fill out to send to HSS Academic Advisor Ninad Pandit: ninad.pandit@cooper.edu

School of Art Students: Minors in the Humanities and Social Sciences are offered and may be designated on student transcripts in the following five fields: Literature and Philosophy; History and Society; History and Theory of Art; Economics; Interdisciplinary Studies. 

  1. Literature and Philosophy

At least 4 courses (12 credits) in literature or philosophy, with a grade of B or higher. These courses are normally electives. One independent study (3 credits maximum) in a relevant field can count towards the Minor if previously approved by both the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS.

  1. History and Society

At least 4 courses (12 credits) in the areas of history, sociology, cultural studies, gender studies, or political science, with a grade of B or higher. These courses are normally electives. One independent study (3 credits maximum) in a relevant field can count towards the Minor if previously approved by both the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS.

  1. History and Theory of Art

At least 7 courses (14 credits) in art history, aesthetics, or cultural studies, with a grade of B or higher. It should be noted that HTA offers 2-credit courses. These courses are electives, they do not include HTA 101-102, which is mandatory for all art students. One independent study (2 credits maximum) in a relevant field can count towards the Minor if previously approved by both the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS.

  1. Economics

At least 4 courses (12 credits) in Economics or Public Policy, with a grade of B or higher. Courses must include both SS334 (Microeconomics) and SS347 (Macroeconomics). One independent study (3 credits maximum) in a relevant field can count towards the Minor if previously approved by both the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS.

  1. Interdisciplinary Studies

At least 12 credits in the areas of literature, philosophy, history, sociology, economics, cultural studies, gender studies, political science, or art history, with a grade of B or higher. 3 of the above credits can be taken in areas outside of HSS with the approval of the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS. Most of these courses are electives. One independent study (3 credits maximum) in a relevant field can count towards the Minor if previously approved by both the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS. This option cannot be undertaken without the guidance of the student’s Academic Advisor in the SOA and Minor Advisor in HSS.

In all cases above, the HSS Minor’s credits must consist of elective credits, completed after the HSS Core Curriculum (HSS1, HSS2, HSS3, HSS4) and the HTA Core Curriculum (HTA 101, HTA 102) required of all School of Art majors.

In certain situations, students may take HSS4 a second time for elective credit with permission from the HSS academic advisor. This request will be approved only if the course topic contributes significantly to the program of the student’s minor area.

Please find an HSS ART Minor Advisory worksheet here to download and fill out to send to HSS Academic Advisor Ninad Pandit: ninad.pandit@cooper.edu

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.