The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) was established in 1960 along with other departments of Science and Engineering. With an intent to sharpen the creative talents of the students and to help them evolve as better leaders and decision- makers, the institute allocated more than fifteen percent of the total UG course credits to HSS courses.

The Department has twenty-nine faculty members who teach a range of courses in English, Fine Arts, Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology. Many faculty members of HSS actively participate in the interdisciplinary postgraduate programme in Design (M. Des.) and co-supervise students of other departments as well. Besides teaching, the faculty members are involved in thesis supervision of Ph.D. scholars working in different areas. The department has a vibrant Ph.D. programme that attracts students from all over the country. While two hundred and seven doctoral students have graduated from the department, currently 115 candidates are registered in the doctoral programmes, including three International students.

The Department also offers short-term courses to students and faculty of other educational institutions through workshops and seminars. Research and consultancy projects are also taken up for governmental and non-governmental organizations. The rich outcome of these research endeavours can be seen in the large number of books and articles published by the departmental faculty and students.

Professor Pradip Swarnakar
Head
Department of Humanities & Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur