The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) offers graduate courses in humanities, social and health sciences, and the creative and performing arts. The graduate programs in CLASS provide advanced academic instruction and expertise in the methods and skills of each discipline.

Degree and Program Information

Doctoral Degrees

CLASS offers doctoral degrees, the highest level of academic study, in seven departments. These rigorous, advanced programs require coursework, extensive independent research and the creation of an original contribution to knowledge through the doctoral dissertation.

CLASS offers the following doctoral degrees:

• Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders: Ph.D., Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Department of Economics: Ph.D., Economics
• Department of English: Ph.D., English; Ph.D., Creative Writing and Literature
• Department of Health and Human Performance: Ph.D., Kinesiology
• Department of Hispanic Studies: Ph.D., Spanish
• Department of History: Ph.D., History
• Department of Political Science: Ph.D., Political Science
• Department of Psychology: Ph.D., Clinical Psychology; Ph.D., Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Ph.D., Social Psychology; Ph.D., Developmental, Cognitive, and Behavioral Neuroscience

Master's Degrees

All departments and schools in the College offer master's degrees that provide in-depth instruction and preparation beyond the bachelor's level in a particular field. Students may use their master's degree to prepare themselves to move directly into the workforce or as a stepping stone to doctoral studies. All master's degrees require a significant amount of coursework, and they also require a master's thesis, comprehensive examinations or other capstone project to attain the degree.

CLASS offers the following master's degrees:

• Jack J. Valenti School of Communication: M.A., Communication
• Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders: M.A., Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Department of Comparative Cultural Studies: M.A., Anthropology
• Department of Economics: M.A., Applied Economics
• Department of English*: MFA, Creative Writing; M.A., English
• Department of Health and Human Performance*: M.S., Nutrition; M.A., Sport and Fitness Administration; Master of Athletic Training
  • Graduate Certificate Program
    The following Graduate Certificate Program is offered: Graduate Certificate in Sport and Fitness Operations Management
• Department of Hispanic Studies*: M.A., Spanish; M.A., U.S. Hispanic Studies (online)
• Department of History*: M.A., History
• Department of Philosophy: M.A., Philosophy
• Department of Political Science*: M.A., Political Science
• Department of Sociology: M.A., Sociology

* It is possible to continue on into doctoral studies in your field at the University of Houston after completion of your master's degree in these CLASS departments.

Graduate Certificates

CLASS offers a number of graduate certificates; some are interdisciplinary, while others lie within a particular discipline. Graduate certificates consist of 9–12 graduate credits in a specific area, offering students a core of specialized knowledge to enhance their expertise and credentials. The following graduate certificates are open to post-baccalaureate students who wish to pursue the certificate only.

CLASS offers the following Graduate Certificates:

• African American Studies Program: African American Studies
• Department of Health and Human Performance: Sport and Fitness Operations Management
• Department of Hispanic Studies: Spanish as a Heritage Language
• Department of Modern and Classical Languages: Applied Linguistics in Teaching Chinese
• World Cultures & Literatures: WCL Graduate Certificates 

Dean's Office Contacts

Susan Scarrow, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Graduate Affairs
Moores Professor, Department of Political Science
713.743.3915
sscarrow@central.uh.edu

Anna Marchese
Program Director
713.743.4012
amarchese@uh.edu