Although a School of Arts and Sciences was not formally created until 1930, the elements that make it up were already being put into place in the years following the University’s founding in 1887. In 1895, a School of Philosophy and School of Social Sciences, both broader than their names might suggest, were added to the existing School of Divinity. In 1898, four new schools were added: a School of Letters, School of Physical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, and School of Technological Sciences. The year 1906 then saw the amalgamation of the School of Social Sciences into the School of Philosophy and the combination of the Schools of Physical, Biological, and Technological Sciences into a single School of Sciences. This arrangement remained until 1930 when a Graduate School of Arts and Sciences was assembled from the schools of Philosophy, Letters, and Sciences. At the same time, a College of Arts and Sciences was created for undergraduates. Further changes took place in subsequent years, for instance the separate creation (again) of a School of Philosophy. By the early 1970s the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences had been united into a single School of Arts and Sciences.

 

  • McMahon Hall

    History of Catholic University

    The history of The Catholic University of America begins with a letter from Pope Leo XIII dated April 10, 1887.

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WHO WE ARE

The School of Arts and Sciences is a Catholic liberal arts college anchored within a major Catholic research university.