Why the UW College of Arts and Sciences (A&S)?

A liberal arts and science degree from the UW College of Arts and Sciences provides students with the ability to address complex contemporary issues by placing them in their wider social, historical and ethical contexts. We provide a balanced education that matches cultural breadth with disciplinary depth to ensure our students gain critical understanding of major areas of human knowledge including the visual and performing arts, humanities, social sciences, the world and its languages, and the physical, biological, and mathematical sciences. By encouraging undergraduate students to conduct student-originated research, work one-on-one with a professor through independent studies, and take advantage of study abroad opportunities, we teach students how to think, rather than what to think. The UW College of Arts and Sciences prepares students for complete living!

What professional opportunities are available with a liberal arts and science degree?

Students who earn degrees from one or more of the 29 departments and programs in the UW College of Arts and Sciences can look forward to various career opportunities. Many A&S undergraduates continue their educations at law, medical, and other professional schools; others continue studying their area of interest in graduate school and become college and university professors. Individuals with liberal arts and sciences degrees can become journalists or public relations professionals, museum curators, national park rangers, scientific researchers working in the private or public sector, writers or editors, policy makers or politicians, performers on Broadway or with the Metropolitan Opera, professional artists or graphic designers, or they can create their own businesses. The possibilities are endless!

Prepare for Complete Living

What does it mean to “Prepare for complete living”? It means that students who acquire a thirst for knowledge and apply expertise and skills, developed through a liberal arts and sciences degree, become well-rounded human beings. It means that people with liberal arts and sciences educations tend to think critically and are able to confidently and effectively articulate their ideas and participate in our democratic society. It means that people with liberal arts and sciences educations can have exciting, fulfilling careers and personal lives because they have broad perspectives, empathetic approaches to people throughout the world, and the ability to look at situations through a reasonable lens.

Academic Departments and Programs