It is my pleasure to welcome you to the website of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at King Saud University. I hope it offers a clear picture of the College, its programs, and its activities, and serves as a place to stay connected with our students, faculty, staff, and community partners.

When King Saud University, the Kingdom’s first university, opened in 1957, its first college was the College of Arts, as our College was then known, and with it university education in Saudi Arabia began to take shape. Its classrooms have produced generations of scholars, thinkers, writers, historians, media professionals, and leaders who went on to carry their knowledge into schools, universities, newspapers, ministries, and cultural life, helping to build the nation’s institutions and enrich its intellectual and cultural landscape. The College’s history is woven into the history of higher education in Saudi Arabia.

Today, the College builds on this legacy while looking toward new horizons in knowledge and service to society. Its disciplines share a fundamental question: How do we understand human beings through their language, history, place, and society? Arabic is studied as the language of the Holy Qur’an and a vessel of identity and culture. History preserves the nation’s memory and deepens our understanding of the past. Geography explores places, their resources, and how they change. The social sciences examine the structures and challenges of society; languages and literatures open a window onto the world; and media and information science explore how knowledge is produced, organized, preserved, and shared. Therein lies the College’s value: development is ultimately for people, and understanding people is essential to shaping its future.

This legacy gives us confidence, and a responsibility to look ahead. We live in an era of rapid change and evolving tools of knowledge, in which critical thinking, responsible dialogue, and a deep understanding of society matter more than ever. Saudi Vision 2030’s emphasis on culture, identity, and quality of life opens new opportunities for the humanities and social sciences to contribute to national development. We therefore strive to offer an education that combines rigorous scholarship with practical skills, to support research that addresses the concerns of our society and contributes to human knowledge, and to build partnerships that widen our students’ opportunities for training and employment while bringing the College’s expertise to bear on the needs of communities and institutions.

To our students: you are at the heart of our mission and the focus of our efforts. We want your time at the College to be an opportunity to discover your potential, broaden your knowledge, develop your skills, and build your future with confidence and responsibility.

I am proud of the dedication of my colleagues, our faculty and staff, and of all they contribute to the College and its students. Through our shared efforts, and with the support of the University’s leadership, we will continue to raise the quality of our teaching and research and strengthen the College’s role in society, true to the leading role it has held since its founding.

Welcome to your College. We look forward to hearing your views and suggestions.