College of Arts & Sciences

As the oldest and largest unit on campus, the College of Arts & Sciences forms the academic core of the Carolina experience. More than 75 percent of students will graduate with at least one major from the College.

A student raises her hand in class.

Think. Communicate. Collaborate.
Create. …for meaningful lives.

“To think, communicate, collaborate and create” is not only what we strive to teach students, it’s the environment we seek to provide for faculty and staff so that they may do their best work.

“Think” refers to analytical and creative thinking, to reflecting, to connecting ideas. “Communicate” encapsulates written, oral, visual and digital fluencies. “Collaborate” recognizes that most research and learning experiences require the ability to work cooperatively toward a shared goal. “Create” means producing knowledge as well as inventing techniques or materials; it embraces performance, composition and art.

“…For meaningful lives” refers to the empowering effects of education and self-knowledge. It recognizes that a broad and deep liberal arts education provides perspective, context and understanding. It recognizes that today’s students will likely have multiple careers — and our job is to provide the foundation that permits them to adapt, to excel, to explore the unexpected path.

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  • College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office 205 South BuildingChapel Hill27514

Facts & Figures

  • 998faculty
  • 10graduate programs ranked in the top 30 by U.S. News & World Report
  • 16,569undergraduate students and 2,514 graduate students
  • 44academic departments and curricula, 101 academic programs
  • 77%of college students participate in a research-intensive course
  • 69%of students enroll in a first-year seminar
  • 36%of undergraduates study abroad
  • $112 millionin research funding
  • Home toHonors Carolina, PlayMakers Rep, three ROTC programs, six Title VI National Resource Centers

Around Campus

  • News

    • Message from Carolina on measles and the MMR vaccine

      While no measles cases have been reported in North Carolina yet, it is important to be aware of the highly contagious virus. Everyone should know their immunization history and make sure they have received two doses of the vaccine or have had a positive titer consistent with immunity.

    • Remembering our military

      On Memorial Day, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill remembers the men and women who lost their lives during military service to the country.

    • Carolina Blood Drive scheduled for June 4

      Make your appointment to be part of the Carolina Blood Drive; download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Walk-ins will be accepted the day of the drive, but appointments are encouraged.

    • Events

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        Various locations |

        The Jane Austen Summer Program is delighted to announce its seventh annual symposium, “Pride and Prejudice and Its Afterlives."

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        UNC campus |

        Singapore and Chicago became vibrant centers of global commerce in the late 19th century, and they remain major cities in contemporary economic and cultural life. They are also places in which the most notable patterns of modern social life continue to evolve, though in the different contexts of Southeast Asia and the American Midwest. Two  experts in social and economic history (both long- time Chicago residents) will examine how these cities have evolved through changing economic contexts, urban redevelopment, modern sociopolitical movements, immigration, and social conflicts. Join us to examine complex changes in global urban life by comparing two of the most dynamic cities in Asia and North America.

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        UNC campus |

        The end of the Cold War led some analysts to believe that the demise of communism in Eastern Europe would ensure a steady expansion of democracy throughout the world. Democratic values and institutions are currently facing new challenges around the globe, however, and this seminar will examine some of the places in which anti-democratic trends are evoking concerns. Our interdisciplinary faculty will discuss recent events in Turkey, Brazil, Hungary, Poland, Britain, and Germany, providing perspectives to interpret the meaning of contemporary “populism,” the appeal of quasi- authoritarian movements, the critique of traditional elites, and the threats or opportunities that “populism” creates in different regions of the world. Join us for a comparative historical discussion of why people are turning to new populist ideas and leaders.

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