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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Pursuing a degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at SUNY Oswego combines the best of an ancient tradition of learning with the knowledge and skills required for success in the 21st century.

The liberal arts denote an approach to education that hails from antiquity and prioritizes those areas of learning that are essential to full engagement in civic life.

These areas of learning are no less salient today, and our graduates must be prepared to meet the challenges and expectations of a fully globalized civil society and workforce.

Overview

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the largest academic division of SUNY Oswego, with 18 academic departments, 19 interdisciplinary programs and other resources that include Rice Creek Field Station. Along with bachelor's and master's degree programs, the College of Arts and Sciences also is the academic home for undeclared students.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has more than 200 faculty members and offers unique opportunities for hands-on learning, including summer undergraduate research opportunities.

Mission statement

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is an interactive, learning-centered community of teacher-scholars committed to high intellectual standards and to guiding our students as they apply the skills and knowledge of an education in the liberal arts and sciences to the needs of a changing and diverse world.

Through in-depth study in traditional and interdisciplinary programs, and a general education curriculum designed to meet 21st century learning needs, we prepare students to identify and develop productive solutions to the many challenges facing regional, national, and global civil society; communicate effectively in written, oral, and digital forms; and approach the world with a curious and critical spirit.

Our programs

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers strong degree programs in traditional fields of inquiry across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Choose from 37 majors, 44 minors, 3 cooperative degree programs, honors programs, and several special-interest tracks.

Undecided? The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences gives students up to two years to try different majors — so explore, take courses in different disciplines, and decide what interests you.

CLAS Programs

Applied Learning

The founder of our institution, Edward Austin Sheldon, advocated "learning by doing," and this is still a core value of ours as well. Students in the Liberal Arts and Sciences apply their learning through: 

  • Challenge Grants, which fund faculty-student research collaborations; 
  • Scholarly and Creative Activities Grants available through the Office of Research and Individualized Student Experiences (RISE); 
  • and our GetGo Global Experience Travel Grants from Oswego, which enable our students to travel abroad in non-English speaking countries around the world.

Overflowing with Opportunities

We provide our students with many opportunities to develop the transferable skills in demand from today's most innovative employers. These include:

  • strong oral, written and digital communication
  • adaptive learning
  • the ability to collaborate to solve complex and shifting problems in their chosen fields

These combined experiences give students the 21st century skills and literacies they need to succeed in their first jobs, but also in later positions. Just as crucially, students gain the knowledge they need to function as engaged citizens in a diverse and changing world.

Facilities

New and renovated facilities include our Archaeological and Forensic Research labs in Mahar Hall, and the Rice Creek Field Station, a 330-acre laboratory for scientific research which includes classrooms and telescopic equipment. The Shineman Center for Science, Engineering, and Innovation is the home for mathematics, science, computing and engineering programs. This 230,000 square foot center features a planetarium, three observation decks, a greenhouse and extensive laboratories.

Focus on Interdisciplinarity

We also pride ourselves on our innovative and constantly expanding interdisciplinary programs of study, supported by the Interdisciplinary Programs and Activities Center (IPAC) and faculty across the College. We encourage student opportunities to partner with peers in innovative ways, building collaborations between the performing arts and the sciences, for example, since it will take harnessing all of our combined efforts to address the big challenges of the future.

Contact

CLAS Office
601 Culkin Hall
315.312.2285
[email protected]

Staff

Dr. Kristin Croyle, Dean
Dr. Paul Tomascak, Associate Dean
Dr. Murat Yaşar, Associate Dean

Ms. Jennifer Cook, Senior Staff Assistant
Ms. Caroline Currier, Administrative Assistant