The College of Arts & Sciences, Cornell University

Let curiosity be your guide.

Live, study and grow at the nexus of discovery and impact.

Jeffrey Backus

A home for exploration and discovery

Our research activities and academic programs are remarkably broad, but they share one characteristic: all are curiosity-driven. Exploring the unknown is central to our mission to be the nexus of discovery and impact.

Explore research and discoveries

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Five people perform a dance, creating a V formation with their bodies
Patrick Shanahan for Cornell University Student dancers rehearse an ensemble piece that will be part of the "This table has been a house in the rain" performance April 25-27 at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts: (from left) Isabel Padilla, doctoral candidate in performing and media arts; Irene Kim ’24; Taylor Pryor, doctoral candidate in literatures in English; Molly Hudson ’25; and Eliza Salamon ’24.

'A place at the table': Exploring free expression through dance

Performing and Media Arts
Cornell Chronicle
>2000

Courses offered in A&S of 4000 courses at Cornell.

The side of the telescope, showing the logo with "FYST" and "CCAT" and a line drawing of a road leading up a mountain
Provided Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope

Major new telescope structure completed in Germany

Astronomy
Cornell Chronicle
42

Majors to choose in A&S. Design your education.

two people standing in a museum exhibit
Chris Kitchen Sebastian Young, left, and Rodrigo Guzman-Serrano, stand in the Guadalupe Maravilla exhibit at the Johnson Museum.

Johnson Museum exhibit considers migration and its effects

Research initiatives
A&S Communications
~4,600

Students in A&S, each with an extraordinary journey to tell.

Ambassadors on Goldwin Smith Hall portico jumping
Welcome Class of 2028

April 25 event celebrates class of 2024

Student accomplishments
A&S Communications
65K

A&S alumni in our network. Go Big Red!

Ambassadors on Goldwin Smith Hall portico jumping
Welcome Class of 2028

Congratulations to the Class of 2028!

Welcome to the Big Red community. 

Get ready to expand your life and experience beyond the classroom, and to let your curiosity drive your ambitions. The College of Arts & Sciences embodies Ezra Cornell’s founding vision where "any person can find instruction in any study."

Class of 2028 admitted students

A&S Academic Diversity

Uncommon academic diversity abounds here

The innovative undergraduate curriculum at A&S has distribution requirements that range from global citizenship to physical sciences to ethics and the mind. Classes build upon each other and cross the boundaries of traditional academic fields. Extensive work occurs outside of your major and minors, and there are no required core courses. Work closely with inspiring faculty to develop the hallmark skills of a liberal arts and sciences education – the ability to read critically, write persuasively and think broadly.

Beyond Majors & Minors

Research and Scholarship

Research, scholarship and creative works to understand humanity and the cosmos

Curiosity is the driver for research in A&S. From the dendrochronology lab where archaeologists analyze tree-ring growth to understand climate change to the linguistics department where students created a new language for a Captain Marvel movie, our students and faculty take full advantage of all that our world-class research university encompasses.

With opportunities spanning the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, research here takes place in laboratories, museums, field sites, libraries, hospitals, greenhouses, performance spaces and archives.

Explore our research, scholarship and creative works

Public Engagement

Engaging our community and our world

two women sitting on stage
Chris Kitchen Anderson, left, and Peraino, right traced the arc of Anderson's multi-decade career.

Open your mind

Arts Unplugged series

The College of Arts & Sciences’ Arts Unplugged series brings research and creative works into the public sphere for discussion and inspiration. These outreach events invite a broad audience to explore the work of scholars and faculty from all disciplines, all backgrounds and all time periods and to celebrate the impact that work continues to have on our daily lives.

Explore recent and upcoming Arts Unplugged events.

David Folkenflik ’91 (left) moderates the panel “Free Press in a Free Society: U.S. Newsrooms on the Front Lines” with Suzanne Mettler, the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions in government, and Sewell Chan, editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune.
David Folkenflik ’91 (left) moderates the panel “Free Press in a Free Society: U.S. Newsrooms on the Front Lines” with Suzanne Mettler, the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions in government, and Sewell Chan, editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune.

Engagement for an informed society

Distinguished Visiting Journalist Program

The College of Arts & Sciences' new Distinguished Visiting Journalist Program brings accomplished journalists to Cornell for extended visits. The program aims to recognize excellence in journalism and to provide opportunities for select journalists and the university community to engage with each other. 

Learn more about the program.

Faculty in the news

Forbes

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Kate A. Manne

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Philosophy

04/10/2024

Bloomberg

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Landon Schnabel

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Sociology

04/11/2024

PBS News Hour

Related people
Suzanne Mettler

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Government

04/10/2024

New York Times

Related people
Lisa Kaltenegger

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Astronomy, Carl Sagan Institute

04/10/2024

Join us @CornellCAS

Follow us on Instagram to learn more about what it is like to be a student in Arts & Sciences and to see the beautiful campus in Ithaca, New York we call home. 

A&S Events

Upcoming Events

Apr 17Wednesday 6:00 Baker Lab: Meshri Family Auditorium, Rm. 200 May 03Friday 7:00 Bailey Hall: May 07Tuesday 12:00 Campus-wide: