Directory
As the vibrant heart of Lehigh University, the College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most connected college with 18 departments and 10 interdisciplinary programs. Our diverse undergraduate majors and minors and graduate degrees equip students with the essential skills for a lifetime of inquiry and innovation.
The Africana Studies Program explores the people, history, politics, art, culture, and experiences of Black people throughout Africa and the diaspora. With an undergraduate B.A. or graduate certificate, you can learn to understand the Black radical tradition of resistance that has been nurtured over many generations in the face of systems of racial domination and exploitation.
Art, Architecture and Design offers a B.A. degree in four dynamic majors: Art, Architecture, Design (with concentrations in Graphic Design and Product Design), and Art History. We blend deep disciplinary training with a flexible liberal arts curriculum, emphasizing hands-on, experiential learning. Students can explore a multidisciplinary education with minors like Apparel Design and Museum Studies. More than 30,000 sq. ft. of studio space on the Mountaintop Campus, the Art Galleries, and the Design Labs are available to students to shape their creative work and apply their skills for real-world impact.
The Asian and Asian American Studies Program gives you an opportunity to study the dynamic and rich cultural heritages of Asian societies. Our B.A. opens the door to real-world opportunities and the chance to study internationally to enrich your education. Minoring in Asian and Asian American Studies can be combined with any degree to deepen your understanding of our global society.
Our B.A. and B.S. programs provide a comprehensive introduction to the biological sciences while empowering you to shape your academic journey around your unique interests and career aspirations. We believe the best education adapts to you, which is why our curriculum offers the flexibility to explore diverse areas of biology while developing deep expertise in the subjects that captivate you most. Students have the opportunity to design personalized programs of study that focus on specific aspects of biology, including cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, and neuroscience. Whether you are drawn to understanding life at the molecular level, engineering innovative biological solutions, or unraveling the mysteries of the brain and nervous system, you will find the resources, mentorship, and academic structure to pursue your passion and prepare for a rewarding future in the life sciences.
Our department offers four amazing paths to launch your career. You can choose the B.S. in Chemistry, a rigorous, American Chemical Society (ACS) approved degree that’s perfect if you want to become a professional chemist or head straight to grad school. If you prefer a degree that combines science with fields like law, business, or teaching, the B.A. in Chemistry offers great flexibility. For students focused on medicine development, the B.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry puts you right on the cutting edge. Finally, if you're fascinated by the chemistry of life, our interdepartmental B.S. in Biochemistry (in partnership with Biological Sciences) is the ideal choice. Whatever your passion, we have the degree that fits your goals.
A truly interdisciplinary program, Cognitive Science explores the mysteries of the mind. You can choose a B.A. or B.S. to study how people, other animals, and computers perceive, understand, learn, and act. Our graduate certificate will allow you to develop a deeper interdisciplinary perspective on human and machine intelligence. You will be well prepared for a wide variety of careers at the interfaces of technology, minds, brains, and behavior with the Cognitive Science program.
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) is where you'll gain a deep understanding of the integrated Earth system—the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. At the undergraduate level, you can choose between a B.A. or a B.S. degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences. An EES degree opens doors to exciting technical and scientific careers in research, environmental consulting, conservation ecology, government agencies, and the energy sector. Start your journey here to address the most pressing challenges facing our planet.
An English major equips you with essential skills for life and career. You’ll gain experience reading, analyzing, and formulating thoughtful ideas about people and the world, while understanding the historical development of British, American, and World Literature. The analytical and communication skills you acquire are crucial in virtually every profession. Our flexible curriculum easily accommodates double majors or minors, encouraging cross-disciplinary study to fit your interests and career plans. Choose from an extensive list of courses and prepare for a career where your ability to communicate and think critically is your greatest asset!
Our Environmental Studies program and Environmental Policy program examine factors confronting humans as we struggle with complex environmental problems. A B.A. degree in Environmental Studies gives you the knowledge and skills to tackle environmental issues related to health, policy, planning, law, politics and society. You can get a graduate certificate in Environmental Policy with a focus in one of three areas: environmental health, environmental justice, or environmental policy and planning.
In our increasingly visual world, the Film and Documentary Studies program explores how we communicate through film and documentary storytelling. Minor in Film Studies or an LVAIC minor in Documentary Storymaking to learn various film traditions and how to tell stories visually.
Our Global Studies program is building equality beyond borders and researching global problems. Acquire analytical skills, research experience, and a breadth of knowledge with a major in Global Studies or a joint Global Studies and Modern Languages and Literatures major. With the chance to study or work internationally, you can further your cultural and international understanding of our world. Our minor will enable you to contribute to the rapidly evolving global community.
Address the serious and complex health challenges we face in the world today with our Health, Medicine and Society program. With a B.A. or minor you can examine health and healthcare through social scientific, humanistic, and applied community-engaged approaches.
The history department emphasizes a broad set of skills essential for today's workplace: research, communication, and critical thinking. You'll master the analysis of evidence, the synthesis of written and visual media, and the creation of strong written and oral arguments. Choose from compelling concentrations like War, Empire, and Revolution; Race, Ethnicity, and Diasporas; or Medicine, Technology, and Environment. This unique blend of social-scientific and humanistic knowledge prepares you for success in an almost limitless variety of careers—from law, journalism, and public affairs to business and medicine!
The complexities of our world—from planetary warming and economic instability to nuclear proliferation—are beyond the ability of any single state to solve, requiring intense global cooperation and coordination. The Department of International Relations (IR) offers you the opportunity to systematically investigate these critical challenges and understand the efforts to shape transactions that cross national borders. Because today's world is shaped by diverse historical, political, economic, military, and social forces, our mission is inherently interdisciplinary. While the study of IR emphasizes themes from Political Science, majors are thoroughly exposed to knowledge from History, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, and Philosophy, providing the crucial understanding of world politics necessary to engage with the conflicts and cooperation that define our future global landscape.
Housed in the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies, our minor in Jewish Studies offers you the opportunity to explore the history, literature, religion, and social institutions of the Jewish people from antiquity to the present. This interdisciplinary program gives you the essential framework to analyze complex issues like prejudice, religious pluralism, and moral responsibility through the lens of Jewish society, culture, and thought.
Named one of the top 10 journalism programs in the country, the Department of Journalism combines rich history (dating back to the penny press and publishing The Brown and White since 1894) with modern skills. We offer a major in Journalism and the specialized Science and Environmental Writing major, along with a minor in Mass Communications. Our program guarantees internships for every student before graduation, preparing you for success at top outlets like The New York Times, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal. You'll learn essential skills—research, reporting, writing, and editing—alongside digital and social media practices, emphasizing critical thinking, ethics, and law under the guidance of award-winning faculty who are experts in global communication and media law.
Become immersed in Latin American Culture with our Latin American and Latino Studies program. A B.A. or minor in this interdisciplinary program will allow you to develop an understanding of our neighboring region as well as Latino cultures in our country.
Mathematics is the universal language of science, essential for a clear and complete understanding of virtually all phenomena, possessing both great intrinsic power and beauty. Mathematical training equips you to express and analyze problems logically across a wide variety of disciplines, including the physical, engineering, social, biological, and medical sciences, as well as business and pure mathematics. This unique skill set drives the perpetual demand for mathematicians in education, research centers, government, and industry. The Department of Mathematics offers undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Statistics and Data Science, along with minors in Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, and Actuarial Science, giving you the tools to thrive in any analytical field.
A major or minor in Modern Languages and Literatures is critical for success in today’s global community, providing excellent preparation for any professional career by equipping you with knowledge of international languages and cultures. You can study in eight languages, including majors and minors in Chinese, French, German Studies, Japanese, and Spanish, and a minor in Russian, along with courses in Arabic and Hebrew. Our faculty—active scholars and enthusiastic teachers—will guide you through literature, culture, film, and international communication. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of study abroad opportunities and explore how our courses serve as the foundation for interdisciplinary programs like Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, and Global Studies, enhancing your cross-cultural expertise.
The Department of Music offers a multiplicity of courses designed to educate you in key areas like choral studies, composition, conducting, history, jazz, theory, and recording technology. Whether you are a music major or not, we strongly encourage you to participate in our numerous large and small ensembles, including choral groups, jazz orchestras, philharmonic orchestra, and marching band. Students also enjoy working with renowned guest musicians and can take private instrumental or vocal lessons from our illustrious instructors, providing a vibrant, hands-on musical experience for everyone.
At its core, Philosophy tackles the most fundamental existential question: how to lead our lives—the difference between thriving and merely surviving. This pursuit requires giving the best possible reasons for its answers, which led to the creation of rigorous, specialized domains like Logic, Ethics, Political and Legal Philosophy, Metaphysics, Epistemology, and Aesthetics). Although these fields can appear separate, they all draw their lifeblood from the initial, vital, cross-cultural concern of how to lead a meaningful existence, using humanistic, social scientific, and spiritual perspectives. Studying Philosophy equips you with the essential critical tools needed to analyze, interpret, and enrich your life in a profound way.
The Department of Physics at Lehigh University offers a broad spectrum of educational and research opportunities and close personal attention to undergraduate and graduate students. Lehigh’s degree programs lead to the B.A., B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics, the B.S. in Astrophysics, or the B.A. in Astronomy. Physics research at Lehigh spans a broad range of topics that include condensed matter physics, string theory and cosmology, exoplanets, relativistic collisions of heavy nuclei, cell division, photonics, strongly correlated condensed-matter systems and cold atoms at 10-9 K.
A political science major offers significant flexibility in developing your curriculum, encouraging a rich liberal arts experience. We emphasize an inquiry-based learning environment with a high degree of collaborative learning experiences where you will work closely with faculty and peers. Through this process, you will enhance your research and analytical skills, preparing you to explore your own career interests while understanding the constantly changing political, economic, and cultural universe.
The Department of Psychology is dedicated to cultivating a community focused on understanding human thought, emotion, and behavior—how the mind, instantiated in the brain, enables organisms to act and feel in a complex world of social relationships and cultural influences. You'll investigate core mental processes like memory, morality, group dynamics, and emotional development, using the scientific methods of the field, which include neuroimaging, physiological recordings, and computational modeling. Psychology is inherently interdisciplinary, connecting with fields like Biology, Management, and Public Health, and our approach provides essential connections across the university. We strongly encourage and provide opportunities for all undergraduate students to gain hands-on research experience as they progress toward realizing their full potential in this dynamic scientific discipline.
Discover the academic and critical investigation of religion as a vital dimension of human culture. The program provides an integral facet of a liberal arts education, engaging you in the interpretive task of understanding religious thought and behavior across cultures. You’ll study the character and significance of the world’s major religious traditions, confronting basic issues of value, meaning, and ethical problems raised by our modern, multicultural, and technological society. Studying religion at Lehigh will give you the cross-cultural perspective and critical insight needed to navigate the complexities of today's world.
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN) offers three engaging Bachelor of Arts majors: Sociology, Anthropology, and the interdisciplinary Sociology and Anthropology. The curriculum is designed to foster self and societal awareness and equip you with essential analytic skills necessary to understand and conduct social research, including robust training in research methods, statistics, and computer applications.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theatre blends rigorous academic study with exciting hands-on production experience, exploring theatre as both an art form and a catalyst for change. The major is highly flexible and interdisciplinary, making it perfect for students pursuing multiple fields. Many majors double major in areas like business, engineering, or psychology, proving that creative thinking enriches every profession. Graduates succeed as actors, directors, and designers, or thrive in fields like law, marketing, and communications, carrying with them the creativity, collaboration, and confidence gained here.
In our Women, Gender, and Sexuality program you will encounter robust and expansive opportunities to think about the complex ways in which gender and sexuality impact and are shaped by race, class and mechanisms of power. Offering an undergraduate major or minor and graduate certificate, empower change and understand how women, gender, and sexuality impact society and human lives within it.