About the College
The College of Liberal Arts is a large, diverse community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
Did You Know?
5,516
CLA Students
582
CLA Faculty
Discover Our rich history and thriving community
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts is proud to be the oldest and largest academic division on campus. We are a thriving group of individuals who play a pivotal role in the overall success of our university.
Undergraduate Programs
We offer 46 separate degree programs in 36 major fields of study as well as 55 minor fields of study.
Graduate Programs
We offer 12 doctoral programs and 20 master's programs. There is also a graduate certificate and 6 graduate minor fields of study offered from CLA departments.
CLA Student Ambassadors
Harrison Dillard
What would you tell a high school student about studying history?
See Harrison’s Answer
Emily Lin
What is one thing you wish you knew as an incoming freshman?
See Emily’s Answer
Khaled Abu Salah
Why did you choose your major?
See Khaled ’s Answer
Sofia Euyoque
Why is your department a special place?
See Sofia’s Answer
Thomas Dyminski
When and how did you choose your major?
See Thomas’s Answer
Kaitlin Orsega
Apart from school, how do you spend your time in Oxford?
See Kaitlin’s Answer-
What is in the College of Liberal Arts?
See our 18 academic departments, 3 ROTC departments, 21 centers/institutes/offices/programs, and 16 interdisciplinary programs.
CLA Departments, Centers/Institutes, Programs, and Offices -
Who is in the College of Liberal Arts?
The people in the College are our greatest strength. The CLA is comprised of over 600 faculty and staff, 5,516 total students, and over 58,000 alumni. Learn about the faculty, staff, students, and alumni on the individual department and program pages.
Meet the Deans and Staff -
Alumni Advisory Board
The College of Liberal Arts Alumni Board is a distinguished group of alumni and friends who help the College fulfill its mission.
Meet our Board -
2023-28 Strategic Plan
The College of Liberal Arts created a strategic plan that encompasses our major areas of concern to support students, faculty, staff in the College.
Read the Strategic Goals and Objectives -
Ventress Hall
The Dean's office of the College of Liberal Arts is located in Ventress Hall, a beautiful, historic building on campus.
Learn about Ventress Hall -
Value of a Liberal Arts Education
Discover the power of a liberal arts education, from its origins in ancient Greece to current employer surveys. Learn about the UM General Education Vision statement that sets the liberal arts foundation for all UM degrees.
Discover the value of a liberal arts education -
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, founded at the College of William and Mary in 1776, is the oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honors organization in the United States. Its mission is to recognize academic excellence and promote education in the liberal arts and sciences. Learn about the eligibility rules and see the members of the UM Chapter.
Phi Beta Kappa
Faculty News
/ Honors & Awards
OXFORD, Miss. – The Academic Council on United Nations Systems recently presented a University of Mississippi professor with its 2024 Book Award for her work that offers insight into how the most significant international organization makes decisions.
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Faculty News -
Faculty News / Honors & Awards -
Faculty News / Honors & Awards
Our Mission
Through exposure to innovative courses and dedicated instruction in the fine and performing arts, the humanities, the social sciences, the natural sciences, and mathematics, students are well-prepared for life after college, when individuals must think critically, communicate clearly, and lead ethically to be successful.
The College is committed to supporting original research, creative activities, and community engagement through the work of its faculty and students in graduate and undergraduate programs. The contributions of the College of Liberal Arts enhance student exploration and development, improving lives in Mississippi and beyond.
175+ Years of the College of Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts is coterminous with the University of Mississippi in the sense that the institution’s original disciplines in 1848 - along with many more created since - comprise the College today.
Over the years, the basic university departments had various appellations when referred to collectively—the “Department of Science, Literature, and the Arts” or the “Academic Department,” for example. Not until the early 20th century was that unit given distinct administrative identity in the form of a dean, the first being Dr. Alfred Hume, who later served as chancellor of the university. A professor of mathematics, Hume was designated dean of the Department of Science, Literature, and the Arts in 1905. He was still serving as dean when the name “College of Liberal Arts” was adopted in 1916.