Student laid out on the grass and reading a book

College of Liberal Arts News

The College of Liberal Arts offers students a well-rounded education in the humanities and social sciences. Students develop strong analytical and communication skills for a lifetime of learning and discovery that can be applied to a wide variety of careers.

Current Liberal Arts News

Black Mountain Institute banner closeup
Arts and Culture |

UNLV’s literary institute launches two new fellowship programs.

A closeup on the sleeve of a red UNLV graduation gown bearing the words "Rebels Forever"
Campus News |

President Chris Heavey recognizes 10 students for their staunch commitment to academic excellence and service to the community.

young male student holds large check from competition win
Campus News |

Despite working with a challenging U.S. market, team STheory's bold strategy leads to big payoff.

Valarie Burke sits in regalia during ceremony
People |

Master problem solver and triple alumna Valarie Burke of the Graduate College helps make it happen at graduation.

Gina Anderson stands behind counter of Rebel Grounds
Campus News |

Rebel Grounds’ cafe operations manager brews the perfect blend of precision and creativity to keep campus energized throughout the day.

UNLV seasonal eggs
Campus News |

A collection of colorful headlines featuring UNLV staff and students.

Liberal Arts In The News

Nevada Current

A recent survey of sex workers in Nevada found nearly all lack confidence in the criminal legal system and feel law enforcement doesn’t take sexual assault allegations seriously.

New York Post

Bach to the future: Neuroscientist says a centuries-old classical tune could be the secret to crushing your to-do list.

Parade

Should you listen to music while you work? It’s a polarizing question. Some people find working in silence boring and say that music helps them focus on the task at hand. Others say that music makes it hard for them to concentrate, causing them to work slower.

AARP

Storing more than a century of American IDs, the program’s database is a go-to resource for cultural historians — and a source of inspiration for parents-to-be.

CBS News

President Trump has repeatedly shared an image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's finger tattoos in an effort to link the Maryland man, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador on March 15, to the notorious MS-13 gang.

Blavity

President Donald Trump is doubling down on his claims that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador despite court orders, is affiliated with the MS13 gang. He shared a photograph of the man’s hand tattoos online, but experts say it appears to have been digitally altered. Others point that tattoos do not constitute proof of gang affiliation.

Liberal Arts Experts

An expert in urban culture and interactions, popular culture, religion and spirituality, craft beer, and the Boston Red Sox.
An expert in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, and epilepsy.
An anthropologist and expert on hunter-gatherer adaptations in American Southwest to arid environments, and the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture
An expert on mental health counseling and counselor education. 
An expert on the anthropology of migration, gender, social movements, and activism.
An expert in adolescent development and gender development, particularly as it relates to career choice.

Recent Liberal Arts Accomplishments

Katherine Walker (English) was an invited speaker at the symposium, "Usable Temporalities: Time and Writing in Early Modern Almanacs and Calendars," in Fribourg, Switzerland. 
Cassaundra Rodriguez (Sociology) published a paper in Ethnic and Racial Studies titled, "The Affective Bargain: How the Latino Children of Immigrants Create Joy, Love, and Pride Through Mariachi.”
Susan Byrne (World Languages and Cultures) has published "The Aesthetic Turn in Cervantes" with University of Toronto Press. In this new book, Byrne looks at the central role of early modern Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes in the development of modern-day aesthetics.
On May 9, World Heritage USA, as part of its Monuments Toolkit program, released a Monumental Project Podcast interview with Susan Lee Johnson (History) titled "Kit Carson and Monuments of the West." Conducted by Noah Price ('21 BA UNLV; '22 MA University College Dublin), the interview ranged across multiple representations of Christopher "Kit"…
Andrew Nicholson (English), Jarret Keene (English), and Black Mountain Institute Shearing Fellow Monica Macansantos served as judges for the 2025 Vegas PBS KIDS Writers Contest Presented by Janice Allen. The contest empowers children in grades K-5 to celebrate creativity and build literacy skills by writing and illustrating their very own stories.
Brittani Sterling (Libraries) has been named a 2025 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, one of 50 library professionals across the U.S. recognized for innovation and leadership in the field. Sterling was honored in the Educators category for her work to develop inclusive programming that broadened the reach of library services to more UNLV…