The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers programs in fine arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and mathematics, as well as many interdisciplinary opportunities. Our majors, certificates, and minors prepare students to participate in the complex and ever-changing economic, political, and cultural life of their community and society. They also can provide the foundation for specialized training in dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, business, law and education.

Most of the majors offered by the College have developed four-year graduation plans that students can use to plan their programs. Participating programs provide "checkpoints" and advising for the four-year plan. Students can also work with departmental advisors to form individual plans of study.

Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences can earn undergraduate certificates and minors offered by the College and by other University units. Each CLAS certificate program draws on courses from at least three departments, and most draw on courses offered by other colleges.

Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may participate in the University's Honors Program, Phi Beta Kappa, the Center for the Book, ROTC, International Programs and POROI (Project on the Rhetorics of Inquiry). Many students participate in Study Abroad programs, for which a number of departments award major credit.

The College also offers English as a Second Language and the Iowa Intensive English Program for non-native speakers.

The College awards The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree in a Regents program coordinated by the Center for Credit Programs. The Center for Credit Programs also sponsors the Bachelor of Applied Studies (BAS) degree, awarded through University College. Students in these programs may take courses offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Certificates Offered by CLAS

American Sign Language and Deaf Studies
Performing Arts Entrepreneurship (effective Fall 2008)
Global Health Studies
Interdisciplinary Programs, Division of
      Aging Studies
      American Indian and Native Studies
      Medieval Studies
      Sexuality Studies
International Business (offered with the Tippie College of Business)
Latin American Studies
Philosophies and Ethics of Politics, Law, & Economics
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Classics

Certificates Available through other Colleges

Minors Offered by CLAS

After clicking the link, please scroll down the entry for information on the minor:

African American Studies; Aging Studies; American Indian and Native Studies;American Sign Language; American Studies; Ancient Civilization; Anthropology; Art; Art History; Astronomy; Biology; Chemistry; Chinese; Cinema; Classical Languages; Communication Studies; Comparative Literature; Computer Science; Dance; Economics; English; Environmental Sciences; French; Geography; Geoscience; German; Global Health Studies; Greek; Health and Sport Studies, Hindi; History; Informatics; Integrative Physiology (formerly Exercise Science); International Studies; ItalianJapanese, Latin; Latin American Studies; Leisure Studies; Linguistics; Mass Communication (offered by Journalism and Mass Communication); Mathematics; Microbiology; Music; Philosophy; Physics; Political Science; Portuguese; Psychology; Religious Studies; Russian; Sanskrit; Social Work; Sociology; Spanish; Statistics; Theatre Arts; and Women's Studies.

Minors from Other Colleges

Business (Tippie College of Business); Psychological and Quantitative Foundations ( College of Education) and Human Relations (College of Education).

Resource Centers

Most research and resource centers can be found through the department and program web sites. Two programs of especial interest to undergraduates are the Writing Center and Language Media Center.