Welcome to CHESS
Fall 2026 marks the inaugural semester of the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences (CHESS)—bringing together programs dedicated to understanding people, strengthening communities, and preparing tomorrow's leaders.
Students gain the practical knowledge, hands-on experience, and transferable skills needed to succeed in today's workforce. Through research, creative activity, internships, field experiences, and community engagement, you'll develop the critical thinking, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills that employers value and careers demand.
Your education is more than earning a degree—it's building the knowledge, experience, and confidence to make a meaningful impact in your career and your community.
Explore Our Departments and Programs
Interested in a Graduate Degree?
News
Community Voices: ISU Doctoral Student Advances Research into Adult Autism Assessment
For many autistic adults, getting an accurate diagnosis can be complicated by assessment tools that were not designed with their experiences in mind. Through her dissertation research, Idaho State University doctoral student Julia Duran, M.S., is working to validate a tool designed by and for those who need it.
“My dissertation research focuses on validating the Autism Traits & Lived Experience Scale (ATLES), a new adult autism questionnaire,” said Duran. “The creation of this measure was led by Dr. Robert Rieske and former ISU graduate student Dr. Samantha Johnston. The ATLES was co‑developed by autistic researchers and clinical experts through the ISU Collaboration for Autism Research, Education, and Support (CARES) laboratory.”
Polar Bears, Brown Bears, and a Historical Alaskan Mystery
On a little island in the North Pacific, there is a mystery that no one can quite explain—not yet, at least.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded a grant to fund an archaeological project on Unalaska Island, Alaska, spearheaded by Katherine Reedy, interim dean and professor of anthropology at Idaho State University College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences.
Anthropology Professor Co-Edits Publication on Environmental Studies
From Alaska to Tanzania, human beings have always found a way to survive and build community. A new book seeks to shed light on work that is often overlooked and underappreciated: the work of women in governing a community’s resources.
Katherine Reedy, interim dean and a professor of anthropology at Idaho State University College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, recently co-edited a long-awaited volume titled Women’s Impact on Environmental Governance. The work, a collection of case studies that explore women’s roles in managing environmental resources, covers several communities around the globe—including Reedy’s lifelong area of study.