CAHS Core Values
At the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHS) at the University of Southern Maine, we affirm the following:
The Centrality of the Liberal Arts: We believe the liberal arts are the foundation of education for a humane and participatory society; that truth and beauty are not luxuries, but vital necessities for a meaningful life and just society; and that intellectual rigor and moral clarity are necessary to confront the crises of our time.
The Value of Human Dignity: We affirm the dignity of all persons, the universality of human rights, and the unfinished project of democracy. Our work is animated by concern for the material life and lived experiences of everyday people, grounded in the liberal arts disciplines that illuminate culture, interrogate power, and make a better world.
The Necessity of Courageous Learning and Civic Responsibility: We value bold thinking and brave learning and cultivate the habits of mind necessary for critique, creation, and meaningful collaboration, preparing students for both work and citizenship in the deepest sense.
Adopted 6 March 2026
The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHS) is the public liberal arts college of Maine’s cultural and professional center. We offer our diverse community of learners a high quality, affordable education with opportunities for engaged research, scholarship, and creative activity under the mentorship of a distinguished faculty. Our strong liberal and fine arts programs provide the heart and soul of the undergraduate experience at the University of Southern Maine.
The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Southern Maine is comprised of 74 faculty and 24 staff. We have 10 departments that offer major fields of study, as well as two graduate-level degree programs. The College is dedicated to providing the best comprehensive education possible to our students while providing a learning environment that cultivates independent thought. We offer a transformative curriculum that ranges from the theoretical frameworks that shape the social sciences to music performance, creative expression and media strategy.
Our location in Maine’s population center provides unique opportunities for internships and service learning that complement our strong liberal arts and professional degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students in our programs are given the opportunity to build skills and portfolios that capture these diverse experiences.
We teach students to reason effectively, write clearly, speak persuasively, think critically and ethically, and appreciate cultural diversity in order to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing and increasingly global community. Our goal is to educate our students to be global citizens with the capability to lead through understanding and compassion.