Navigating the Academic Landscape: A Guide to Cornell College of Arts & Sciences Majors

Cornell University, since its founding in 1865, has been a beacon of academic diversity and innovation. Situated in Ithaca, New York, with an undergraduate population of approximately 15,000 students, Cornell houses eight undergraduate colleges and schools, each with its unique faculty, academic requirements, and programs. The College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) stands out as the largest of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges, offering an uncommon academic diversity with over 40 majors, 60 minors, and 2000 courses across disciplines. For prospective students, understanding the breadth and depth of Cornell's academic offerings is crucial. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to navigating the majors within the College of Arts & Sciences, helping students align their passions with potential career paths.

The College of Arts & Sciences: A Foundation of Exploration

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) at Cornell University has been a cornerstone of the institution since its inception. Its major academic buildings are located on the Arts Quad of Cornell University's main campus in Ithaca, New York, which includes some of the university's oldest and most historic buildings. A&S is dedicated to fostering critical thinking, persuasive writing, and broad intellectual exploration. The college encourages students to explore their interests widely, offering a curriculum with structured flexibility. There is no required core curriculum; instead, faculty have outlined ten broad distribution requirements in key areas such as Global Citizenship, Social Difference, and Statistics and Data Science, all of which are essential for preparing students to contribute to society. In addition, students take two first-year writing seminars and complete a foreign language requirement.

Structured Flexibility: Designing Your Academic Path

With up to two years before declaring a major and with two-thirds of courses taken outside of the major, students have ample opportunity to explore diverse fields. This flexibility allows students to work closely with faculty to develop essential skills, read critically, write persuasively, and think broadly, all while leveraging the resources of a leading research university.

Distribution Requirements: A Broad Foundation

Instead of a rigid core curriculum, A&S employs distribution requirements to ensure students gain a well-rounded education. These requirements cover key areas such as:

Global Citizenship: Understanding diverse cultures and global issues.
Social Difference: Examining societal structures and inequalities.
Statistics and Data Science: Developing analytical skills for the modern world.

These requirements, along with first-year writing seminars and a foreign language component, equip students with essential tools for contributing to society.

Read also: Immersive Pre-College Experience

Exploring the Diverse Majors in A&S

The College of Arts & Sciences offers a wide array of majors, catering to diverse interests and career aspirations. Here's an exploration of some key areas:

Humanities and Social Sciences: Understanding Humanity and Society

If you wonder how humanity created the world we live in now, and how culture evolved over time and around the world, a major in humans and society may appeal to you. These majors help you to answer why do humans behave the way they do individually, in couples, in groups, and in nations, and give you the foundation to make a difference in societal issues.

American Studies: Embark on an interdisciplinary study of the themes, trends, and patterns that characterize the American past and present.
Anthropology: Study the complex social and cultural relationships that define human communities, conducting engaged, collaborative, field-based research.
Archaeology: Benefit from an interdisciplinary approach to a broad range of cultures, with courses in classical archaeology and art, Near Eastern studies, and the archaeology of Eurasia, the Americas and Africa.
Classics: Immerse yourself in the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome through tracks in Classics, Greek, Latin, and Classical Civilization.
Comparative Literature: Gain a critical and historical perspective on world literature and cultures, with tracks in comparative literary studies and literary, visual, and media studies.
Economics: Take a broad range of courses in fields such as economic theory, econometrics, money and banking, international economics, economic history, growth and development, and industrial organization.
English: Engage with English, American, and Anglophone literature of an astounding historical span and global variety.
Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies: Study a wide range of fields from the perspectives of feminist and LGBTQIA critical analysis, in a global context and with the purpose of promoting social justice.
Government: Learn how to think and write rigorously and creatively about issues of public life.
History: Take advantage of the department’s particular strengths in ancient, medieval, and modern European history; American, Latin American, and Asian history; as well as in a unique history of science program.
History of Art: Acquire a broad understanding of the history of art in several chronological and geographical areas, practicing a range of art historical methods and interpretive strategies.
Jewish Studies: Critically analyze Jewish cultures, histories, literatures, media, thought, and religion.
Linguistics: Explore the scientific study of language, its structure, evolution, and use.
Near Eastern Studies: Delve into the languages, literatures, and cultures of the Near East.
Philosophy: Grapple with fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Psychology: Explore the science of behavior and mental processes, studying topics ranging from brain function to social interactions.
Religious Studies: Examine diverse religious traditions and their impact on societies and cultures.
Sociology: Study the structure and dynamics of human societies, exploring topics such as inequality, social change, and globalization.

STEM: Exploring the Cosmos and Micro-Level

STEM programs are ideal for students who don’t just ask ‘why’ but who also want to see, at the micro level, what makes living things, data, and objects work. You might want to pursue STEM if you like to take things apart and put them back together again or you know in your gut there’s a better way to solve a new or existing problem and you have the patience to document every attempt and recalibrate from every non-successful action.

Astronomy: Gain in-depth knowledge about the nature of the universe, with thorough preparation in physics and mathematics.
Biological Sciences: Dive into engaging research projects, studying a wide range of topics from molecular biology to ecology.
Chemistry: Learn logical thinking and creative problem solving, pursuing a traditional curriculum or a flexible program tailored to your career goals.
Computer Science: Learn algorithmic ways of thinking and study the elements of computing and information technology.
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Tackle critical global challenges like climate change and natural disasters.
- Climate Science: Focus on the scientific study of climate behavior and its practical applications.
- Environmental Sciences: Address complex physical, chemical, and biologic interactions among air, water rocks, and soil.
- Geological Science: Explore the processes behind Earth's origin and evolution.
- Ocean Science: Study marine geology, marine chemistry, physical oceanography, and biological oceanography.
Information Science: Examine information systems in their social, cultural, economic, historical, legal, and political contexts.
Mathematics: Develop rigorous analytical and problem-solving skills, studying pure and applied mathematics.
Physics: Explore the fundamental laws of nature, studying mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and quantum mechanics.
Statistics and Data Science: Learn to collect, analyze, and interpret data, developing skills crucial for a wide range of fields.

Creative Arts: Refining Your Passion

Is movement, communication, art, or music an essential piece of your world? If creativity bubbles out of you this program group is where you can learn to refine it and learn how to turn those passions into career-building skills.

Art: Develop your creative abilities and critical thinking skills through studio practice and art history coursework.
Music: Study music theory, history, and performance, exploring diverse musical traditions.
Performing and Media Arts: Explore the theory and practice of theater, film, and other performance media.

Interdisciplinary Studies: Charting Your Own Course

College Scholars Program: Design your own interdisciplinary major, organized around a question or issue of interest.
Cognitive Science: Study the fundamental workings of cognition and the mind, integrating perspectives from psychology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy.

Minors: Complementing Your Major

Cornell offers nearly 120 minors, allowing students to deepen their knowledge in specific areas and create unique academic profiles. Some notable minors include:

Read also: Cornell University Semester Guide

American Sign Language (ASL)/Deaf Studies: Focus on American Sign Language and Deaf culture.
Arabic: Broaden your competence in the Arabic language and knowledge of Arab culture.
Asian Studies: Focus on East Asia, South Asia, or Southeast Asia.
Astrobiology: Educate students interdisciplinary, covering a variety of scientific disciplines, which will contribute to their general understanding of the search for life in the universe.
Caribbean Studies: Understand the region as a site foundational to modernity that remains essential to understanding the present.
China and Asia-Pacific Studies (CAPS): A unique and rigorous curriculum in the study of contemporary China.
Classical Civilization: Uncover the mysteries of ancient Greece and Rome.
Dance: Engage with the fundamental practices of doing, making and thinking about dance.
European Studies: Explore Europe’s past, present, and future.
Game Design: Pursue your interest in game design as an extension of your major studies.
International Relations: Add a global and cross-cultural dimension to your major studies.
Migration Studies: Understand how migration shapes our world on the move.

Preparing for Your Future

Cornell's College of Arts & Sciences is committed to preparing students for success beyond graduation. The college offers various resources and programs to support students' academic and career goals.

Career Opportunities

A career in education means you’ll be helping to shape the future of our nation. If you’re fascinated with law and how it is developed, implemented, and adjudicated nationally and internationally, a career in government and politics may be in your future. You might envision yourself working on Capitol Hill as a politician, judge, or lobbyist, or maybe you’re more interested in taking on grassroots issues and making a difference as a leader in your local community. Are you interested in helping people achieve health and wellness or protecting public health? There are rapidly expanding career opportunities in the health professions that include direct care as well as research and administration.

Health Professions: Academic advisors and the Dimensions Program for Health Professions guide students in a course of study that gives them the foundations they need to succeed in medical school or other health-related careers.
Government and Politics: Students have the chance to talk to presidential candidates during their Iowa tours, gaining firsthand experience in the political arena.
Business: Learning how to be a leader of a major corporation, or perhaps you see yourself as an entrepreneur. You may want to improve the way our local, state or national governments work, or maybe you dream of a career in international business.

Summer Experience Grants

Summer opportunities are crucial to student career success, but these life-changing experiences frequently offer little to no funding. That’s a critical barrier for many of our students - and one that the College of Arts and Sciences feels is vital to overcome. The Summer Experiences Grants (SEG) do just that.

Research Opportunities

Research, scholarship and creative works to understand humanity and the cosmos Curiosity is the driver for research in A&S. Alexa Easley is working to develop materials for low-energy carbon capture that are organic and easy to make on large scales and in realistic conditions.

Arts Unplugged Series

The College of Arts & Sciences’ Arts Unplugged series brings research and creative works into the public sphere for discussion and inspiration.

Read also: Architecture of Donlon Hall

Distinguished Visiting Journalist Program

The College of Arts & Sciences' Distinguished Visiting Journalist Program brings accomplished journalists to Cornell for extended visits.

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