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Quick Facts about the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Fast Facts

  • Founded: 1819
  • Average first year class size: 2,900
  • Number of majors: 57
  • Most popular major: Economics

What is offered in the College of Arts and Sciences?

The College of Arts and Sciences is UVA’s broad liberal arts school. Students fulfill general education requirements according to the College Curriculum. These requirements are designed to expose students to a variety of disciplines and help them explore the different major and career options. From English and history, to math and chemistry, to interdisciplinary studies, students have lots of options when it comes to academic paths. All students enter the College undeclared. Students have until the end of their second year to declare a major. Students can also choose to double major or have a minor.

How is advising handled?

Students are assigned a faculty advisor upon entry to the University. After a student declares their major, they are assigned an advisor within their major.

What do UVA faculty have to say about the College?

“A liberal arts education is fundamentally attuned to advancing the possibility and the promise of the young lives of all the individual students we teach.” Ian Baucom, Dean of Arts & Sciences

What do students have to say about the College?

“The College allows me to explore a wide variety of topics and develop an understanding of both the world and myself.” Patrick Roney (Col ’23)

How do I know if the College is right for me?

Students in the College have a wide variety of interests so there is no “typical” College student or passion. While some students come to the College with a major in mind — environmental science, Latin American studies, or classics, to name a few —others enroll in the College to better explore their interests.


For more information, please visit the College of Arts and Sciences website.