College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences—or “the College”—is the intellectual crossroads of Penn, informing everything that happens here. Spanning more than 50 majors and 2,000+ courses, the College offers a unique take on the classic liberal arts education.

The world is beset by social, economic, cultural, and scientific challenges; it seems on the verge of paradigm shifts that will change its political, social, and corporate landscapes. In such a world, a degree in the arts and sciences is invaluable, both in practical and personal terms.

Students in the College participate fully in the creation, synthesis, application, and transmission of new knowledge as they undertake research projects with College faculty—and faculty from Penn’s hospitals, research centers, and other undergraduate and graduate schools. Students often blur the lines between academic disciplines through creative combinations of majors and minors.

While building a strong foundation of intellectual breadth, they develop skills that are grounded in theory but also relevant and useful to any path they take after Penn.

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Student Profile ~ Alicia DeMaio

History and English major

Home School:  The College       Year of Graduation:  2013         Hometown:  Aston, Pennsylvania
Studying:  History major with a concentration in American history and an English major with a concentration in 18th and 19th Century Literature and Culture.
Why did you choose Penn?:  Penn has a number of faculty members who specialize in early America and we have the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, which draws the newest scholarship in a variety of humanities fields connected to the Atlantic world in which early America was situated. I also wanted a school with an urban setting without going too far from home, so Philadelphia was a perfect fit for me.
What did you love about Penn?:  I have been heavily involved in the academic community at Penn, and I've loved how I've found students in my respective majors with a love of learning and faculty who enjoy teaching and mentoring undergraduates. I love Penn's commitment to undergraduate research, which has allowed me to pursue my academic interests outside of class. Lastly, I love Philadelphia, a world-class city with many cultural institutions, rich history, and sundry neighborhoods, each with their own story.
Where is your favorite place on campus?:  This is a difficult question! I spend a lot of time in Van Pelt, because it has the tools I need to do the research I love (lots and lots of history books!) and it has the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, which I love not only because I work there, but because we have such fascinating and diverse collections which undergraduates should take advantage of when given the opportunity.
How are you involved on campus?:  As I mentioned above, I work at the Rare Books library and I am involved in undergraduate research—I am a University Scholar and a Center for Undergraduate Research (CURF) Research Peer Advisor. I also give admissions tours as part of the Kite and Key Tour Guiding staff, and I am a staff writer for Penn Course Review. I also am the co-chair of the History Undergraduate Advisory Board.
Do you have a favorite class or professor?:  My favorite classes have involved research opportunities, including my independent study with Dr. Richard Beeman and the honors thesis program in history, where I am writing a thesis on the public reception of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Other than those experiences, I enjoyed Michal Gamer's ENGL 101: Jane Austen and Adaptation, and Thomas Sugrue's HIST 373: America in the 1960s.

Student Profile ~ Monica Schechter

Science, Technology, and Society

Home School:  The College with a dual minor in the College and Wharton       Year of graduation:  2014
Hometown: Ridgefield, CT              
What are you studying?: Science, Technology, and Society with a concentration in Business and Information Technology; minor in Consumer Psychology
Why did you choose Penn?:  I was drawn to Penn by the outstanding academic opportunities and the lively social environment. I loved the idea of interdisciplinary study, and have really taken advantage of those opportunities with my interdisciplinary major and dual minor. Penn students are extremely active in the community and I felt right at home during my first visit here.
What do you love about Penn?:  I love the atmosphere at Penn. Every day I feel so lucky to be among some of the most intelligent people from extremely different backgrounds with such varying passions all in one place! It is nice to be in a place that has such amazing academics, but also fosters so many fun activities and opportunities on campus and beyond.
Where is your favorite place on campus?:  My favorite place on campus is Locust Walk between 11:50am and 12pm. So much that Penn has to offer is showcased on Locust – dedicated academics running to class, passionate performers and club members hawking flyers, and hundreds of years of tradition right here on our beautiful campus.
How are you involved on campus?:  I am the Editor-in-Chief of the Pennsylvania Punch Bowl Humor Magazine, on the Kite and Key executive board.
Do you have a favorite class or professor?:  My favorite class is Cyberculture, a seminar taught by Professor Matthew Hersch. The material was so engaging and current. I am currently taking my third class with Professor Hersch!