College of Arts and Letters

Engage with purpose. Engage with the future. Engage here.

At SDSU’s College of Arts and Letters, your education becomes the foundation for a career that creates impact. With programs in the humanities and social sciences, CAL equips you to think critically, communicate powerfully, and lead with impact—across industries and across borders. Whether your goal is to influence policy, create change, lead teams, or launch ideas, CAL prepares you for a future that’s both meaningful and marketable. This is where your passion meets purpose.

85+

Majors & Minors

Graduate Programs

30+

Certificate Programs

Explore Our Programs

Discover Your Career Path

No matter what you’re majoring in within the College of Arts and Letters, we can help you explore your career options.

Welcome New Tenure-Track Faculty 2025-26

Outstanding staff of 2024-25 honored

student with glasses in cap and gown smiles

‘Rejection is just redirection:’ SDSU graduate pivots to pursue master’s degree in Australia

Insight Magazine

Read the latest edition of CAL's news magazine.

Message from the Dean

Welcome to the College of Arts and Letters, where in fields ranging from ancient history to big data, we are asking the deep questions and doing the hands-on work that make a fundamental difference in the world. In many ways and many places, we are at the heart of San Diego State University, and we’re excited to have you with us.

Todd Butler

Dean, College of Arts and Letters

Read the his full message.

Making an Impact

Researchers and innovators in CAL constitute a global and interdisciplinary intellectual community engaged in research that impacts the university, the community, and the world.