For well over a century, Rose-Hulman has stressed a liberal education in science and engineering for its students. Its programs have been recognized by top rankings in national publications and its reputation throughout the engineering education community. Courses taught by the Humanities and Social Sciences Department (HSS) are a core component of every student's education, producing graduates who are not only technically proficient, but who are also well prepared to succeed in the non-technical dimensions of their work and in their personal lives. HSS faculty provide individualized attention to all students in a caring environment.

With 24 tenured and tenure-track faculty members, all of whom hold the Ph.D. degree, the Humanities and Social Sciences Department is the largest academic department at Rose-Hulman.  Faculty members represent 12 disciplines and offer more than 150 distinct courses.  They are committed to their individual disciplines, but also to interdisciplinary activity. Despite its diversity, the faculty forms a cohesive unit with a common commitment to superb classroom instruction and to transmitting to Rose-Hulman students the vital importance of the liberal studies portion of their education.