List of All U.S. Colleges with a Liberal Arts Major
Liberal arts is the perfect blend of multiple humanities disciplines from students who want to gain knowledge in a variety of interrelated subjects. This major takes interdisciplinary learning to another level, with an emphasis on both varied and intersecting topics. The major can include the humanities and social sciences, as well as a broad overview of the sciences and arts.
At present, over 200 colleges in the United States offer liberal arts as a major. Because liberal arts involves a breadth of life skills, such as effective communication and problem solving, the major is applicable to a number of careers across a variety of fields. The eclectic curriculum can prepare you for success whether you want to work in media, education, law, and many other disciplines.
Overview of the Liberal Arts Major
Most liberal arts majors will have course requirements in the humanities, including history, literature, history, and philosophy. Another significant portion of the curriculum will come from social sciences, such as anthropology, political science, and sociology. Because the breadth and range of the major varies, students may also take science and math courses. They may also partake in creative courses, such as visual and performance arts.
Students who would succeed in this major are those who thrive in a multidisciplinary setting. Because you’ll be learning a variety of subjects, you’ll need to have a genuine love of learning new material and be able to adapt to the different skills required by each subject. You’ll also need to have the skills for critical thinking and analysis, and the ability to draw connections between disparate courses in order to get the most out of your learning.
Many of the subjects encompassed by liberal arts also require a strong foundation in reading and writing. You will often have to peruse dense, often theoretical, texts and formulate effective arguments about them via essays. This also means you’ll need to have a receptive ear to feedback, as you will receive ample criticism from peers and professors as you navigate the relevant coursework.
Liberal arts provides students with a varied curriculum, encompassing a number of disparate subjects. As they navigate their undergraduate career, students may find themselves gravitating to some subjects over others, often with one or two top favorites. This propensity towards a particular subject may manifest in pursuing graduate school in that specific field. This will allow students to deepen their understanding of a certain realm of academia. Students can also go on to law school, as they will have a solid foundation in creating and articulating their perspective. Business school is also an option, as is medical school, provided the student takes the necessary prerequisites.
Popular career paths for liberal arts are as varied as the major itself. Depending on which subjects you enjoyed learning the most, your career will probably reflect only a subset of your undergraduate curriculum. Liberal arts majors that enjoyed history can go on to become historians, archivists, or museum curators. Those whose strengths lied in writing and literature may explore journalism, advertising, or education. There are also plenty of job opportunities in the business sector, with ample opportunities in data analysis, management, and human resources.
What to Look for in a College as a Liberal Arts Major
Living Learning Communities
Living Learning Communities are designated spaces within university houses where students with similar interests can live together. As a liberal arts major, you probably have a propensity for learning and a genuine love of new information, so joining an LLC can be a great way to continue your education outside of the classroom. These areas will help you meet like-minded individuals, and the university usually has resources and holds events specific to your residential theme. For example, there are LLCs related to civic engagement, sustainability, social justice and activism. The University of Southern Indiana even has a Living Learning Community dedicated to Liberal Arts.
Interdisciplinary Coursework
As a liberal arts major, you’ll want to explore the different offerings at your school and also combine your findings to create a strong interdisciplinary major. Look for schools that allow you to take courses in multiple departments with ease and provide ample concentrations and tracks that allow you to explore subjects more in-depth. You’ll want to avoid schools where exploring multiple topics requires you to graduate later or complete official certificates or minors – unless that is something you are interested in.
If you decide not to major in liberal arts but still want a liberal arts experience, you might consider going to a college with an open curriculum. These schools don’t have general education requirements, and as long as you fulfill your major requirements, you can explore classes in many other departments.
Archival Resources
Liberal arts curricula often involve a lot of text-heavy coursework, such as reading a philosopher’s most famous theories, or familiarizing yourself with the history of a particular country. Assignments are usually writing-heavy and require you to do ample research in order to formulate strong arguments backed with evidence. For this reason, you’ll want to make sure your perspective school has ample archival resources. You’ll want to be able to complete hours of research without the additional burden of gaining access to documents or online archives.
Internship and Career Opportunities
A common stigma against liberal arts is that the field is so vague that these majors are often overlooked for job opportunities. As a result, many colleges have cut their liberal arts programs or treat it as a sort of “catch-all” for undecided individuals. To maximize your education and career opportunities, you should look for schools that don’t shy away from the subject, but rather, embrace it and properly validate it as a major. You’ll want to look for institutions that prioritize career opportunities for individuals in this major and help you gain work experience through internships during your time as an undergraduate.
List of All U.S. Colleges With a Liberal Arts Major
|
School |
City |
State |
|
Samford University |
Birmingham |
Alabama |
|
Troy University (Alabama) |
Troy |
Alabama |
|
Northern Arizona University | NAU |
Flagstaff |
Arizona |
|
University of Arkansas at Little Rock | UA Little Rock |
Little Rock |
Arkansas |
|
Azusa Pacific University | APU |
Azusa |
California |
|
California Polytechnic State University | Cal Poly |
San Luis Obispo |
California |
|
California State University, Stanislaus | Stanislaus State |
Turlock |
California |
|
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona |
Pomona |
California |
|
California State University, Fresno | CSU Fresno |
Fresno |
California |
|
California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton |
Fullerton |
California |
|
California State University, East Bay | CSU East Bay |
Hayward |
California |
|
California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State |
Long Beach |
California |
|
California State University, Los Angeles | Cal State LA |
Los Angeles |
California |
|
California State University, Northridge | CSUN |
Northridge |
California |
|
University of California, Riverside | UC Riverside |
Riverside |
California |
|
University of California, Santa Barbara | UCSB |
Santa Barbara |
California |
|
Humboldt State University | HSU |
Arcata |
California |
|
University of La Verne |
La Verne |
California |
|
Loyola Marymount University | LMU |
Los Angeles |
California |
|
Mills College |
Oakland |
California |
|
Pepperdine University |
Malibu |
California |
|
University of Redlands |
Redlands |
California |
|
San Diego State University | SDSU |
San Diego |
California |
|
University of San Diego | USD |
San Diego |
California |
|
San Francisco State University | SF State |
San Francisco |
California |
|
San Jose State University | SJSU |
San Jose |
California |
|
Santa Clara University |
Santa Clara |
California |
|
Saint Mary’s College of California | St. Mary’s |
Moraga |
California |
|
Sonoma State University | SSU |
Rohnert Park |
California |
|
Thomas Aquinas College |
Santa Paula |
California |
|
Westmont College |
Santa Barbara |
California |
|
Colorado State University | CSU |
Fort Collins |
Colorado |
|
University of Connecticut | UConn |
Storrs |
Connecticut |
|
University of New Haven | UNH |
West Haven |
Connecticut |
|
Quinnipiac University |
Hamden |
Connecticut |
|
Sacred Heart University | SHU |
Fairfield |
Connecticut |
|
Wesleyan University |
Middletown |
Connecticut |
|
University of Delaware |
Newark |
Delaware |
|
Wilmington University |
New Castle |
Delaware |
|
American University |
Washington |
Washington DC |
|
Georgetown University |
Washington |
Washington DC |
|
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
Daytona Beach |
Florida |
|
Florida Atlantic University | FAU |
Boca Raton |
Florida |
|
Flagler College |
Saint Augustine |
Florida |
|
Florida International University | FIU |
Miami |
Florida |
|
University of Georgia |
Athens |
Georgia |
|
Mercer University |
Macon |
Georgia |
|
University of Hawaii at Manoa | UH Manoa |
Honolulu |
Hawaii |
|
Augustana College |
Rock Island |
Illinois |
|
Bradley University |
Peoria |
Illinois |
|
University of Chicago |
Chicago |
Illinois |
|
Columbia College Chicago |
Chicago |
Illinois |
|
Elmhurst College |
Elmhurst |
Illinois |
|
University of Illinois at Chicago | UIC |
Chicago |
Illinois |
|
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | UIUC |
Champaign |
Illinois |
|
Illinois Institute of Technology | Illinois Tech |
Chicago |
Illinois |
|
Illinois State University | ISU |
Normal |
Illinois |
|
Knox College |
Galesburg |
Illinois |
|
Lake Forest College |
Lake Forest |
Illinois |
|
National Louis University | NLU |
Chicago |
Illinois |
|
Northern Illinois University | NIU |
Dekalb |
Illinois |
|
Northwestern University |
Evanston |
Illinois |
|
Roosevelt University |
Chicago |
Illinois |
|
Southern Illinois University Carbondale | SIU |
Carbondale |
Illinois |
|
Trinity International University | TIU |
Deerfield |
Illinois |
|
Ball State University | BSU |
Muncie |
Indiana |
|
University of Evansville |
Evansville |
Indiana |
|
University of Southern Indiana | USI |
Evansville |
Indiana |
|
Indiana State University | ISU |
Terre Haute |
Indiana |
|
Indiana University Bloomington | Indiana |
Bloomington |
Indiana |
|
University of Notre Dame |
Notre Dame |
Indiana |
|
Cornell College |
Mount Vernon |
Iowa |
|
Dordt College |
Sioux Center |
Iowa |
|
Drake University |
Des Moines |
Iowa |
|
Iowa State University |
Ames |
Iowa |
|
University of Iowa |
Iowa City |
Iowa |
|
Northwestern College |
Orange City |
Iowa |
|
University of Kansas |
Lawrence |
Kansas |
|
Bellarmine University |
Louisville |
Kentucky |
|
University of Kentucky |
Lexington |
Kentucky |
|
University of Louisville |
Louisville |
Kentucky |
|
Spalding University |
Louisville |
Kentucky |
|
Transylvania University |
Lexington |
Kentucky |
|
Union College (Kentucky) |
Barbourville |
Kentucky |
|
Louisiana State University | LSU |
Baton Rouge |
Louisiana |
|
University of Maine |
Orono |
Maine |
|
Johns Hopkins University | JHU |
Baltimore |
Maryland |
|
University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland |
College Park |
Maryland |
|
Morgan State University |
Baltimore |
Maryland |
|
St. John’s College | SJC (Maryland) |
Annapolis |
Maryland |
|
Washington College |
Chestertown |
Maryland |
|
American International College | AIC |
Springfield |
Massachusetts |
|
Assumption College |
Worcester |
Massachusetts |
|
Becker College |
Worcester |
Massachusetts |
|
Bentley University |
Waltham |
Massachusetts |
|
Curry College |
Milton |
Massachusetts |
|
Emmanuel College (Massachusetts) |
Boston |
Massachusetts |
|
Endicott College |
Beverly |
Massachusetts |
|
Fisher College |
Boston |
Massachusetts |
|
Harvard University |
Cambridge |
Massachusetts |
|
University of Massachusetts Lowell | UMass Lowell |
Lowell |
Massachusetts |
|
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MIT |
Cambridge |
Massachusetts |
|
Merrimack College |
North Andover |
Massachusetts |
|
Northeastern University |
Boston |
Massachusetts |
|
Regis College (Massachusetts) |
Weston |
Massachusetts |
|
Smith College |
Northampton |
Massachusetts |
|
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | UMass Dartmouth |
North Dartmouth |
Massachusetts |
|
Suffolk University |
Boston |
Massachusetts |
|
Western New England University | WNE |
Springfield |
Massachusetts |
|
Westfield State University |
Westfield |
Massachusetts |
|
Andrews University |
Berrien Springs |
Michigan |
|
Central Michigan University | CMU |
Mount Pleasant |
Michigan |
|
Grand Valley State University | GVSU |
Allendale |
Michigan |
|
Michigan Technological University | Michigan Tech |
Houghton |
Michigan |
|
Oakland University |
Rochester Hills |
Michigan |
|
St. Olaf College |
Northfield |
Minnesota |
|
Blue Mountain College | BMC |
Blue Mountain |
Mississippi |
|
University of Mississippi | Ole Miss |
University |
Mississippi |
|
Mississippi State University | MSU |
Mississippi State |
Mississippi |
|
University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss |
Hattiesburg |
Mississippi |
|
Lincoln University (Missouri) |
Jefferson City |
Missouri |
|
Maryville University |
Saint Louis |
Missouri |
|
University of Missouri-Kansas City | UMKC |
Kansas City |
Missouri |
|
Missouri University of Science & Technology | Missouri S&T |
Rolla |
Missouri |
|
University of Missouri-St. Louis | UMSL |
Saint Louis |
Missouri |
|
Stephens College |
Columbia |
Missouri |
|
Washington University in St. Louis | WashU |
Saint Louis |
Missouri |
|
Westminster College (Missouri) |
Fulton |
Missouri |
|
Montana Tech of the University of Montana | Montana Tech |
Butte |
Montana |
|
Montana State University | MSU |
Bozeman |
Montana |
|
University of Montana |
Missoula |
Montana |
|
University of Montana Western | UMW |
Dillon |
Montana |
|
University of Nebraska-Lincoln | UNL |
Lincoln |
Nebraska |
|
University of New Hampshire | UNH |
Durham |
New Hampshire |
|
Rowan University |
Glassboro |
New Jersey |
|
Ramapo College of New Jersey | RCNJ |
Mahwah |
New Jersey |
|
Rider University |
Lawrenceville |
New Jersey |
|
Rutgers University-Camden |
Camden |
New Jersey |
|
Seton Hall University |
South Orange |
New Jersey |
|
Stevens Institute of Technology |
Hoboken |
New Jersey |
|
University of New Mexico | UNM |
Albuquerque |
New Mexico |
|
New Mexico State University | NMSU |
Las Cruces |
New Mexico |
|
Cazenovia College |
Cazenovia |
New York |
|
Columbia University |
New York |
New York |
|
Cornell University |
Ithaca |
New York |
|
Baruch College | CUNY Baruch |
New York |
New York |
|
City College of New York | CCNY |
New York |
New York |
|
Fordham University |
Bronx |
New York |
|
Hobart and William Smith Colleges | HWS |
Geneva |
New York |
|
Hofstra University |
Hempstead |
New York |
|
Ithaca College |
Ithaca |
New York |
|
New School |
New York |
New York |
|
New York University | NYU |
New York |
New York |
|
Pace University |
New York |
New York |
|
Rochester Institute of Technology | RIT |
Rochester |
New York |
|
University of Rochester |
Rochester |
New York |
|
St. Lawrence University |
Canton |
New York |
|
Sarah Lawrence College |
Bronxville |
New York |
|
Skidmore College |
Saratoga Springs |
New York |
|
St. John Fisher College |
Rochester |
New York |
|
St. John’s University |
Queens |
New York |
|
State University of New York at Purchase | SUNY Purchase |
Purchase |
New York |
|
Syracuse University |
Syracuse |
New York |
|
Union College (New York) |
Schenectady |
New York |
|
Utica College |
Utica |
New York |
|
Appalachian State University |
Boone |
North Carolina |
|
Belmont Abbey College |
Belmont |
North Carolina |
|
East Carolina University | ECU |
Greenville |
North Carolina |
|
Fayetteville State University | FSU |
Fayetteville |
North Carolina |
|
North Carolina A&T State University | N.C. A&T |
Greensboro |
North Carolina |
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC |
Chapel Hill |
North Carolina |
|
University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNC Greensboro |
Greensboro |
North Carolina |
|
North Carolina Central University | NCCU |
Durham |
North Carolina |
|
North Carolina State University | NC State |
Raleigh |
North Carolina |
|
University of Akron |
Akron |
Ohio |
|
Bowling Green State University | BGSU |
Bowling Green |
Ohio |
|
University of Cincinnati |
Cincinnati |
Ohio |
|
Cleveland State University | CSU |
Cleveland |
Ohio |
|
Denison University |
Granville |
Ohio |
|
Miami University |
Oxford |
Ohio |
|
Otterbein University |
Westerville |
Ohio |
|
University of Toledo |
Toledo |
Ohio |
|
Xavier University |
Cincinnati |
Ohio |
|
Youngstown State University |
Youngstown |
Ohio |
|
Oklahoma State University | OSU |
Stillwater |
Oklahoma |
|
Oklahoma City University | OCU |
Oklahoma City |
Oklahoma |
|
University of Oklahoma |
Norman |
Oklahoma |
|
University of Tulsa |
Tulsa |
Oklahoma |
|
Oregon State University | OSU |
Corvallis |
Oregon |
|
Portland State University | PSU |
Portland |
Oregon |
|
Warner Pacific University |
Portland |
Oregon |
|
Carnegie Mellon University | CMU |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
|
Cedar Crest College |
Allentown |
Pennsylvania |
|
Drexel University |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
|
Duquesne University |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
|
Gannon University |
Erie |
Pennsylvania |
|
Haverford College |
Haverford |
Pennsylvania |
|
Immaculata University |
Immaculata |
Pennsylvania |
|
Indiana University of Pennsylvania | IUP |
Indiana |
Pennsylvania |
|
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) |
Lincoln University |
Pennsylvania |
|
Penn State Brandywine |
Media |
Pennsylvania |
|
Pennsylvania State University | PSU |
University Park |
Pennsylvania |
|
University of Pennsylvania | UPenn |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
|
University of Pittsburgh | Pitt |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
|
Point Park University |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania |
|
St. Francis College | SFC |
Loretto |
Pennsylvania |
|
St. Joseph’s University | SJU |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
|
University of Scranton |
Scranton |
Pennsylvania |
|
Temple University |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
|
Thomas Jefferson University |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania |
|
Villanova University |
Villanova |
Pennsylvania |
|
West Chester University | WCUPA |
West Chester |
Pennsylvania |
|
Widener University |
Chester |
Pennsylvania |
|
Providence College |
Providence |
Rhode Island |
|
Rhode Island College | RIC |
Providence |
Rhode Island |
|
Roger Williams University | RWU |
Bristol |
Rhode Island |
|
University of South Carolina Aiken | USC Aiken |
Aiken |
South Carolina |
|
University of South Carolina | USC |
Columbia |
South Carolina |
|
Coastal Carolina University | Coastal |
Conway |
South Carolina |
|
University of South Carolina Upstate | USC Upstate |
Spartanburg |
South Carolina |
|
Augustana University |
Sioux Falls |
South Dakota |
|
South Dakota State University |
Brookings |
South Dakota |
|
University of South Dakota | USD |
Vermillion |
South Dakota |
|
Belmont University |
Nashville |
Tennessee |
|
East Tennessee State University | ETSU |
Johnson City |
Tennessee |
|
University of Memphis |
Memphis |
Tennessee |
|
Middle Tennessee State University | MTSU |
Murfreesboro |
Tennessee |
|
Tennessee State University | TSU |
Nashville |
Tennessee |
|
Tennessee Technological University | Tennessee Tech |
Cookeville |
Tennessee |
|
Union University |
Jackson |
Tennessee |
|
Texas A&M University-Commerce |
Commerce |
Texas |
|
University of Houston |
Houston |
Texas |
|
Howard Payne University | HPU |
Brownwood |
Texas |
|
St. Edward’s University |
Austin |
Texas |
|
University of St. Thomas (Texas) |
Houston |
Texas |
|
Sam Houston State University | SHSU |
Huntsville |
Texas |
|
University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin |
Austin |
Texas |
|
Texas Tech University | TTU |
Lubbock |
Texas |
|
Utah State University |
Logan |
Utah |
|
Bennington College |
Bennington |
Vermont |
|
Champlain College |
Burlington |
Vermont |
|
Middlebury College |
Middlebury |
Vermont |
|
University of Vermont | UVM |
Burlington |
Vermont |
|
George Mason University |
Fairfax |
Virginia |
|
Hampton University |
Hampton |
Virginia |
|
James Madison University | JMU |
Harrisonburg |
Virginia |
|
Liberty University |
Lynchburg |
Virginia |
|
University of Richmond |
University of Richmond |
Virginia |
|
Shenandoah University |
Winchester |
Virginia |
|
University of Virginia | UVA |
Charlottesville |
Virginia |
|
Evergreen State College |
Olympia |
Washington |
|
University of Puget Sound |
Tacoma |
Washington |
|
Seattle Pacific University | SPU |
Seattle |
Washington |
|
Seattle University |
Seattle |
Washington |
|
Washington State University | WSU |
Pullman |
Washington |
|
University of Washington |
Seattle |
Washington |
|
Whitworth University |
Spokane |
Washington |
|
West Virginia University | WVU |
Morgantown |
West Virginia |
|
St. John’s College | SJC (New Mexico) |
Santa Fe |
New Mexico |
|
Soka University of America |
Aliso Viejo |
California |
|
California State University Channel Islands | CSU Channel Islands |
Camarillo |
California |
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
Before assessing your chances of attending a college holistically, you’ll need to know how you stand academically. This is because many selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants based on select criteria. This is the admissions committees’ way of ensuring you’re academically comparable to previously accepted students and that you’ll be able to rise to the challenge of their school’s curriculum.
There are also qualitative components of your application that help determine your fit with the school, namely, your essays and extracurricular profile. Each school has its own culture, which is an amalgamation of factors like their traditions, staff, learning environment, resources, and reputation. Admissions officers are looking for students who would fit into the school community.
Trying to determine your chances of attending a college based on this holistic approach can be difficult. For expert input, we recommend you try our Chancing Engine (it’s free!). Unlike other chancing calculators, it takes into account a large portion of your individual profile, including academic stats and more qualitative factors like extracurriculars.
