College of Arts & Letters :: San Diego State University

Arts and Letters courses are offered to explore the experiences of men and women in society, their cultural expressions and practices, their languages, and their philosophical concepts. Among the Romans "liberal arts" meant the sophisticated skills for free citizens preparing for public and professional service. These skills were based on "letters," that is, writing on subjects and in disciplines that we call humanities and social sciences. Humanists study the intellectual and artistic accomplishments that are unique to human beings, and social scientists study the events of activities of human societies.

Did you know?

CAL majors enrollment for the Spring 2011 semester:

Undergraduates 4,308
Graduates 570

Mission of the College

The mission of the College of Arts and Letters is to provide instruction in the humanities and the social sciences, as well as producing knowledge in these areas of inquiry. CAL faculty help students to understand and appreciate their cultural and intellectual heritages and those of others. We do so to foster an appreciation for lifelong learning, to enable students to be better prepared for changing work environments, and to encourage students to contribute to society by shaping their local and global communities.

Academic Goals of the College

1. To maintain academic excellence by supporting faculty scholarship and research that contributes not only to specialized knowledge but also to curriculum and pedagogy that is innovative and responsive to the intellectual and professional needs of our undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students.

2. To foster the development of skills in critical thinking, reading, effective written and oral communication, and quantitative and qualitative analysis.

3. To offer to advanced undergraduate and graduate students training and preparation for further study in a range of disciplines central to the liberal arts, including the preparation of teachers.

4. To encourage the intellectual and creative development of students by helping them to learn about themselves and others through international and interdisciplinary perspectives and experiences necessary for the integration and application of knowledge.

5. To provide the basis for informed citizenship in a democracy, including the appreciation of diversity and social justice.