Overview
The School of Arts and Sciences is the undergraduate core of the university. The school comprises 22 departments and 26 interdepartmental programs, which offer 44 majors and 54 minors. Interdepartmental programs provide a structured, intellectually coherent opportunity to explore areas of study that are interdisciplinary in scope. The range of departments and interdepartmental programs offers students and faculty the opportunity and formal structure needed to explore fields in depth and across disciplines. The structure and offerings of the college encourage and inspire students and faculty to pursue a true liberal arts education through degrees and continuing research endeavors.
Departments and Programs
African and African American StudiesAmerican Studies
Anthropology
Biochemistry
Biological Physics
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Classical and Early Mediterranean Studies
Comparative Literature and Culture
Computer Science
Creativity, the Arts, and Social Transformation
East Asian Studies
Economics
Education Studies
English
Environmental Studies
European Cultural Studies
Film, Television and Interactive Media
Fine Arts
French and Francophone Studies
German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literature
German Studies
Health: Science, Society, and Policy
Hispanic Studies
History
History of Ideas
International and Global Studies
Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
Italian Studies
Journalism
Latin American and Latino Studies
Legal Studies
Linguistics
Mathematics
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Music
Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
Neuroscience
Peace, Conflict, and Coexistence Studies
Philosophy
Physics
Politics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Romance Studies
Russian Studies
Social Justice and Social Policy
Sociology
South Asian Studies
Theater Arts
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Academic Calendar
Fall 2024
Registration Jul. 17-Sept. 11
First Day of Instruction Aug. 28
No Classes Sept. 2, Oct. 3-4, Oct. 11, Oct. 14, Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Nov. 27-29
Brandeis Day(s) Oct. 16 (Thursday schedule), Oct. 22 (Thursday schedule), Dec. 10 (Friday schedule)
Last Day of Instruction Dec. 10
Study Day(s) Dec. 11
Final Exams Dec. 12-Dec. 20
Spring 2025
Registration Start date Nov. 22-Jan. 28
First Day of Instruction Jan. 14
No Classes Jan. 20, Feb. 17-21, Mar. 19, April 14-18
Brandeis Day(s) Jan. 21 (Monday schedule)
Last Day of Instruction April 30
Study Day(s) May 1
Final Exams May 2-May 13
Commencement May 18
The Liberal Arts at Brandeis University
Brandeis is a research university and a liberal arts college. As a research university, we are committed to the creation of new knowledge; as a small liberal arts college, we are committed to intense intellectual engagement of faculty with students. In the classroom, the laboratory and the studio, these two aspects come together and are further enriched through the multitude of centers, institutes and other academic resources on campus. Committed teachers as well as scholars, scientists or artists at the cutting edge of their fields, Brandeis faculty draw students into the continuing conversation of their disciplines and into the common conversation of educated persons.
A Brandeis education is characterized by both breadth and depth. The core of the undergraduate education is gained through exposure to the four divisions of the School of Arts and Sciences: Creative Arts, Humanities, Science and Social Science. Students choose areas of study from the wide array of majors, minors and interdisciplinary programs according to their developing interests and are encouraged to make connections among different fields in the same and different schools. Most classes are small, and many students benefit from opportunities to work closely with faculty in research opportunities, internships, creative and studio work, senior theses and other collaborations.
A liberal arts education at Brandeis prepares students for effective citizenship and leadership. We are deeply concerned with the uses to which knowledge is put. How does classroom learning translate into concrete practice? How can a college education prepare each student to make a difference in the world? How can an education remain true to the liberal arts while also enabling students to explore possible careers?
These aspirations are fostered by a commitment to diversity and by experiential learning opportunities that connect the college classroom with the larger world, locally and globally. The founders of the university chose to name it after Louis Dembitz Brandeis, a great American lawyer and jurist who put his keen intellect and legal skills to work in advancing social justice. The consciousness of this legacy permeates the university.
We see a liberal arts education as a process of self-scrutiny and self-transformation, developing each student's perception, reasoning and oral and written expression. We expect all students to emerge changed, questioning basic beliefs and assumptions, engaging with other perspectives and acknowledging uncertainty even while holding fast to bedrock convictions. This personal growth occurs not only through rigorous, formal learning, but through extracurricular activities and through a multitude of informal encounters and personal relationships with faculty, students, staff and visiting scholars of different backgrounds, interests and experiences, in short, through living in the vibrant, diverse and stimulating community that is Brandeis University.