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College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
The College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) is an artistic, creative, and intellectual community. It is an equitable partnership of staff, faculty, and students who are devoted to teaching, learning, and collaboration. The many fields within CAHSS provide the greatest breadth for service-learning, creative engagement, and professional opportunity within a diverse and changing society.
Hands-on Experience
Our programs and majors offer many unique opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom including student performances, studios, laboratories, newsrooms, internships, and more. Hands-on learning enriches the student, the university, and the community, tying academic study to real-world experiences.

Study Abroad
Studying abroad is an exciting way to enhance an undergraduate experience through exposure to different cultures, languages, and communities. Travel, explore, embrace new environments, all while making progress toward graduation.

Personal Attention
It’s the difference between sitting through a lesson and playing a role in creating it. Feel challenged by faculty who expand students’ worldview and supported by departments that pride themselves on personalized attention.

Esmeralda Macias, Aldina Kelecija, Peter Biren, and Viacheslav Kozlov
Philosophy
In April, Cal Poly Humboldt undergrad philosophy students were invited to Pacific University of Oregon to their 27th Philosophy Conference to discuss their authored essays. Esmeralda Macias, Aldina Kelecija, Peter Biren, and Viacheslav Kozlov discussed topics like the ethics of pornography, philosophical intuitions surrounding AI, and positivism in the Latinamerican canon.
Samantha Ramos
Geography
Geography major Samantha Ramos won second place for student paper at the California Geographical Society annual conference for her research on the spatial patterns of migrant deaths at the Arizona border.
Andre Oliva
Geography
Geospatial Science and Technology major Andre Oliva won first place in the digital map competition at the California Geographical Society annual conference for his research looking at the accessibility of veteran services in the state of California
CAHSS Alumni Updates
Ryan Villafuerte
International Studies, 2021
After graduating from Cal Poly Humboldt (HSU), Ryan pursued a Master's degree in International Relations, focusing on Russia and the Soviet Sphere and the rise of Putinism during the War in Ukraine. He graduated with a distinction from the University of Kent Canterbury, and he decided to stay in the United Kingdom and entered the hospitality industry.
He worked in different high-end 4 to 5-star hotels in London, ranging from corporate hotels in the City of London, and now he currently works in East London, dealing with different high-profile clients in and around Canary Wharf and East London.
Being Trilingual English (native), French (Fluent C2), Spanish (professional C1), and having an international background helped him gain the skills and knowledge that he has learned from his time in Humboldt, as well as in Kent, the negotiation skills and multilingual skills when dealing with high profiled clients. Especially the high-profile corporations located in London.
He currently deals with hotel Revenue and Reservations and helps the Sales team bring business to his main hotel, making it one of the most popular hotels in the London Docklands area.
Brandon Chapin
Politics, 2010
Brandon joined the California Conservation Corps (CCC) in May 2025 as Deputy Director for Legislative and External Affairs. In this role Brandon is focused on strengthening the CCC’s legislative presence and sharing the inspiring stories of the corps members, deepening connections with external and local partners, and also serves as the CCC’s Tribal Liaison.
Irma Gill
Theatre, 2019
After graduating with her B.A. in Theatre Arts and a minor in Dance Studies from Humboldt State University in 2019, Irma moved to the rainy city of Portland, Oregon, where she worked with a tiny theatre company as a touring actress. During her time in Portland, she also worked as a stand-in for Netflix's 'Trinkets' and TBS's 'CHAD'. During the 2020 pandemic, she decided to move back to her home state of California and began working on her Master of Fine Arts degree in Television, Film, & Theatre at California State University, Los Angeles. She graduated with her MFA in 2023. After earning her Master's degree, she was promoted and became the assistant manager of The Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. She has also been signed with Rectangle Entertainment, and her television debut was in 2023 when she was cast as Diane Zamora in season 1 of 'Prosecuting Evil with Kelly Siegler'. Irma is now working as a campus admissions specialist at The Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood, CA, and continues to work actively in the film and television industry.
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