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Psychology
Open the door to the fascinating world of human thought, emotion, behavior, and motivation.
Psychology graduate decorates her SNU Tahoe graduation cap with the symbol for psychology

English and Creative Writing
Literature and creative writing - creative communication and critical thinking.
English majors work on the Sierra Nevada Review and on the Eagle's Eye for SNU Tahoe

Humanities Degrees for the 21st Century

What does it mean to be human?
Explore our present, past – and future – through literature, the social sciences, philosophy, and history. Look at the variety of human cultures, experiences, and beliefs from new perspectives. There are so many ways of seeing the world and trying to understand how it works!

Creative disruption isn’t just for the tech world.
Find and challenge hidden assumptions, both your own and others. Our understanding of the world isn’t just facts and dates. It depends on where we stand and how we interpret what we see and know.

Get the ultimate job training program.

Learn to think both analytically and creatively – and to communicate your ideas with clarity and style.

Literacy, analytical thinking, and persuasive communication are skills you’ll depend on wherever your future leads. They’re skills that can’t be automated, and that help you to thrive through change. They’re the “soft skills” that enable you to be effective wherever people can benefit from thinking more creatively and understanding each other better.

Humanities degrees across disciplines.
In addition to majors in English, Creative Writing, Psychology, and Humanities, Sierra Nevada University offers interdisciplinary humanities majors in Journalism and Media, Psychology with Art or Music, and International Studies.

Pines reflected in the lake is the logo for the SNU Tahoe Writers in the Woods literary speaker series.Writers in the Woods Literary Speaker Series

The Sierra Nevada Review

Distinguished Writers in Residence

English major Nicole Ross takes a break from studying at Prim Library at SNU TahoeMeet Our Humanities and Social Sciences Students

a row of poetry books at the Poetry Center at Sierra Nevada University, an extensive collection of modern American poetryThe Poetry Center

A snowy winter view of Lake Tahoe with the pine tree logo of the Sierra Nevada University MFA in Creative Writing program.MFA in Creative Writing

Inspiration Everywhere

Meet renowned authors at the Writers in the Woods, a monthly campus series of intimate readings and workshops which are open to everyone. Conduct original research in psychology and present your results at a national research conference.

Hear some of the major thinkers and doers of our time speak on campus at the Siebens-Binz Tahoe Forum – the most recent were Apple co-founder Steve “Woz” Wozniak and author Isabel Allende. Report and write for the college newspaper The Eagle’s Eye, or edit for SNU Tahoe’s nationally distributed literary journal the Sierra Nevada Review.

Get your humanities degree immersed in the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and the mountains, the support of faculty who know your name and care about your education, and fellow students who are as excited by possibility as you are.

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A Student’s Passion for Writing Grows at SNU

Our Students say it Best

English major Terra Breeden practices yoga atop Machu Picchu

Terra Breeden

Major: English
Class of 2016

My journey to Sierra Nevada College began on a three-month trip to explore Indonesia's bleached islands, remote villages, and mystic jungles. By the end of the trip I was addicted to travel, and I needed an education to turn my love into a career. I thought I would teach English and got interested in journalism. Then I took Travel and Adventure Writing and my love for travel, photography, and writing - all the pieces of my life - fit together into my dream career. Read More

Teresa Rafello, Psychology major, plays around while waiting at the airport

Teresa Rafello

Major: Psychology
Class of 2016

I chose to major in Psychology because my personal experience got me interested in how we let ourselves think, why we accept difficult situations, and how we work toward viable solutions. I've been challenged on many levels in the program, and it's fine tuned my focus and determination to amazing levels. My senior research project has been the most strenuous journey of my academic career but it has paid off - all the students in my senior experimental design course have been accepted to present our research at the Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference in May! Read More

image of Sierra Nevada University transfer student Sydney Mlodonsky with her sons

Sydney Mlodnosky

Major: Creative Writing

I was nervous about meeting new people and seeing if I fit in the program, especially as a mother returning to school. To my happy surprise, though, I’ve met lots of kind people and exceptional teachers who have given me the confidence I needed to gain my degree. Read More

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June Saraceno
Humanities Department Chair
775-881-7514

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