Departmental Philosophy
It is not enough to teach a man a specialty. Through it he may become a kind of useful machine but not a harmoniously deve- loped personality. It is essential that the student acquire an understanding of and a lively feeling for values. He must acquire a vivid sense of the beautiful and of the morally good. Otherwise he – with his specialized knowledge – more closely resembles a well-trained dog than a harmoniously developed person.  
     
Albert Einstein “Education For Independent Thought”
The New York Times, 10/10/52		    

 

The Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management believes that it plays a critical role in the education of the Wentworth student. Our students are engaged in their major fields of study in disciplines whose goal is to utilize design, engineering, and technology to make life “better.” The purpose of the Humanities and Social Sciences is to help students define “better.” Further, no academic discipline of the human experience exists independent of that human experience. Therefore, Wentworth students must acquire a set of values which helps them to understand and exercise integrity, vision, community involvement and knowledge of self. As a part of this values set, students must understand the application of their discipline to contemporary issues, they must acquire strong communication and team-building skills, and they must understand the definition of “leadership.” Most importantly, they must understand themselves and their personal responsibility; i.e., develop a sense of professionalism.

The Humanities, Social Sciences & Management curriculum offers an opportunity for students to explore and master critical thinking skills, an essential for flexibility and the basis for life-long learning. Innovative problem solving skills grow when students are provided with a wide variety of learning opportunities and challenges, such as are offered by our department. The technical purpose of the writing/communications component at Wentworth Institute of Technology is to instill in our students those skills necessary for them to communicate, both orally and in writing, in their classes, in the work place, and in their community.

The technical purpose of the Sophomore Social Sciences is to introduce students to the concepts of community, society, and self. The role of the Upper Level Humanities and Social Sciences courses in the Wentworth curriculum reflects our belief that all students must understand the application of their discipline to contemporary issues, that they must acquire a sense of professional and personal ethics, and that they must be sensitive to the human condition