College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Matt Carlson, Interim Dean
DeLys Ostlund, Associate Dean of Faculty
Todd Rosenstiel, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs
341 Cramer Hall, 503-725-3514
www.pdx.edu/clas
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides an opportunity for students to obtain a liberal education—an education that both broadens and deepens their understanding of the major areas of knowledge and scholarship, and develops their expertise in an area of specialization. A liberal education is an education for life. It prepares students to make informed decisions about their lives and to think critically and analytically.
All students—Liberal Arts and Sciences majors as well as those from professional schools and programs—take a selection of courses that represent the three areas of the college: arts and letters, science, and social science. Course offerings range from those designed to provide a foundation for all baccalaureate degrees to those of an advanced, specialized nature.
Acquiring a balanced and integrated liberal education requires planning and consultation with an adviser. Faculty advisers in each department and program are available to help students structure their academic careers so they may get the most from their college experience.
The instructional units of the college include Anthropology, Applied Linguistics, Biology, Black Studies, Chemistry, Chicano/Latino Studies, Communication, Conflict Resolution, English, Environmental Science and Management, Geography, Geology, History, Indigenous Nations Studies, Judaic Studies, Mathematics and Statistics, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Speech and Hearing Sciences, Systems Science, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and World Languages and Literatures.