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. 

News

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.

View 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, such as strong oral, written and digital communication, adaptive learning, and the ability to collaborate to solve complex and shifting problems in their chosen fields. These combined experiences give them the 21st century skills and literacies they need to succeed in their first jobs, but also in their second or third positions, and, just as crucially, give them 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
clas@oswego.edu

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