College Of Liberal Arts

Welcome to The College of Liberal Arts at Jackson State University, one of the largest colleges at the University consisting of eleven departments and six centers. We offer a wide variety of courses in our various disciplines that strive to cultivate skills in research and analysis, written and verbal communication, and critical thinking. We are excited to be in a position to offer emerging scholars the chance to explore a number of opportunities to advance your intellectual curiosities. We encourage our students to think globally while centering the local. To
make an impact, one has to appreciate the local community while also serving that community. It is imperative for us in the College of Liberal Arts that our students, faculty, and staff fully understand and commit to embracing new ways of knowing and doing. As the world evolves in new ways, our programs offer a humanistic response to the rapid advances in ideas and technology, such as artificial intelligence. Our departments challenge students to find deeper meanings and solutions through rigorous research and comprehensive analysis, yet provide several outlets for creativity and expression.

We are home to world-class musicians that teach in the Music department, as well as several ensembles from jazz to African Drum and Dance, and the Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band. Our department of History and Philosophy has well-established scholars whose research interests range from Public History to Disability Studies and African History, in which two are Fulbright scholars. Our Criminal Justice and Sociology department and Psychology department are preparing students to make an impact on decreasing mass incarceration rates and the effects of technology on cognitive processes, respectively. The Applied Psychological Services Clinic also serves the community through therapy and testing for ADHD, IQ, and in other areas. Also, housed under Psychology, is the Community Health Program, whose mission is to train students in providing services that address underserved communities.

In addition, there are a number of opportunities for students interested in international relations, governance, local politics and law through the excellent work in the Department of Political Science. The Department of Military Science is also training our students for key positions through their leadership labs. And, if interested in theater, communication, or media, the Speech Communications and Theatre department and Journalism and Media Studies department provides a number of opportunities for real time experience. Speech and Theatre produce plays and performances and is home to the wildly popular student group, MADDRAMA. Journalism and Media Studies offers one of the only Sports Media journalism programs at an HBCU while also providing hands-on training for students interested in creating cutting-edge content through JSUTV, WJSU radio, and The Sipp FM which broadcasts on a digital platform.

For those who study and create visual art in its various forms, the Art Department is doing amazing work that blends digital humanities, AI, photography, UX design along with exhibition design and fabrication. The Art Gallery, also housed under this department, showcases our unique collections on campus, while also providing opportunities for faculty and students to exhibit their work. The Department of English and Modern Languages, too, is engaged in various research topics such as inequity in AI, Afrofuturism, multilingualism, and cultural rhetoric. Through the Creative Writing concentration, students have opportunities for publication
and interaction with award-winning authors who visit campus for readings and workshops. The Department of Public Policy and Administration is also exploring the ways data collection impacts citizens and the policies that determine eligibility for resources and funding.

The amazing work of our Centers is also worthy of note. The Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies continues to educate our students and citizens across the state about the unhealthy behavior associated with drugs and alcohol. The Margaret Walker Center, a museum and archive, is building on the legacy of renowned writer and scholar, Dr. Margaret Walker Alexander, founder of the Institute for the Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People in 1968, one of the first Black Studies programs in the country. The COFO Civil Rights Education Center, a historic site on campus, is dedicated to sharing the unique history of Mississippi in the civil rights movement through programming and tours. Continuing the tradition of excellence, The Richard Wright Center for Writing, Rhetoric, and Research provides on-on- one writing tutorials, workshops, and resources to assist students.

The College of Liberal Arts maintains that the arts, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences are integral parts to society’s mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. Without these very important disciplines and fields of study, our communities would be worse off. The College of Liberal Arts addresses the past, present, and future of the whole person and helps to give meaning and understanding to some of the world’s most complex issues. We know that the work that we do often goes unnoticed and sometimes challenged; but we also know that because of our work, the world can be made safer, healthier, and more beautiful.

Rico Devara Chapman, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Liberal Arts
Professor, Department of History and Philosophy