World-class research with real impact
A top performer in research and education
From spacecraft instrumentation and semiconductor imaging to biotechnology, language education and anthropology, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is home to researchers and educators working across the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
Together with students and global partners, they collaborate across disciplines and continents to advance discovery and expand international impact.
The College is home to more than 31,500 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,390 faculty members and over 50 research centers and institutes.
Our community includes 15 U.S. National Academy of Sciences members, two Nobel Prize winners and three Pulitzer Prize winners advancing research and discovery across disciplines.
With partnerships spanning manufacturing, government and higher education, The College supports collaborative work that moves seamlessly between discovery, application and student learning.
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Top-ranked research programs* include:
#1 #4 #5
in anthropology in social sciences in geological and earth sciences
#6 #7 #9
in political science and government in other physical sciences in multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary
and other sciences
Research shaped by collaboration
Many of today's most important questions in science and society exist between fields rather than within them. Researchers in The College work across traditional boundaries to make transformative discoveries and develop solutions that shape the future of humanity. Swipe to explore our expansive research areas.
Facilities built for close observation
Many discoveries begin with the ability to see something differently, whether that’s at higher resolution, under pressure, at the molecular scale or across environments that are otherwise difficult to recreate. The College supports a range of facilities that give researchers access to highly specialized imaging and analytical tools.
An integral part of the student experience
Research and learning are closely connected at The College. Students contribute to active projects, work directly with faculty and engage with ideas in labs, archives, field sites, immersive environments and community settings.
Dreamscape Learn combines storytelling, virtual environments and laboratory learning to create immersive educational experiences. Students move through interactive simulations and adaptive lab activities designed to deepen understanding through exploration and problem-solving rather than passive instruction.
This implementation has already proven to be effective, including a 5% increase in degree retention within the School of Life Sciences, along with improved course performance and letter grades. Early data also indicate higher student engagement and deeper conceptual understanding compared to traditional instruction.
Together, these outcomes suggest particular promise for enhancing inclusivity and supporting retention in challenging STEM subjects.
The OURS program expands access to faculty-mentored research for online students across the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Students participate in collaborative research projects, develop professional research skills and contribute to scholarly work regardless of geographic location.
The program rethinks what undergrad research can look like in an online environment: collaborative, flexible, connected to impactful faculty research.
The School of Earth and Space Exploration faculty, scientists and students are actively engaged in dozens of space missions. Teams lead mission design, develop and build spaceflight hardware, operate instruments, and analyze mission data while training the next generation of planetary science and astrophysics explorers.
This program combines advanced language study with cultural immersion, interdisciplinary learning and professional preparation for students seeking high levels of fluency and cross-cultural understanding.
Programs in Chinese and other Asian languages prepare students to communicate across professional, academic and cultural contexts through intensive coursework, global engagement and interdisciplinary study.
This center supports research, teaching and partnerships related to Asia across disciplines and regions. The center connects faculty, students and international collaborators through academic programming, events, exchanges and cross-cultural initiatives.
Joint initiatives
Explore opportunities for collaborative research across space science, biotechnology, materials science, anthropology and related fields.
These efforts include interdisciplinary partnerships such as the McKenna Life Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship Program, which connects scientific discovery with innovation and real-world application.
Student and faculty exchange
Support cross-cultural learning and collaboration through visiting scholar programs, research exchanges and shared academic experiences.
Learn more about opportunities through The College’s study abroad programs.
Research centers and facilities
Access world-class labs, instrumentation and research environments that support discovery across disciplines.
Key centers and institutes include:
Center for Biological Physics
Center for Evolution and Medicine
Institute of Human Origins
Compact X-Ray Free Electron Laser (CXFEL)
REACH Institute
Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe