The College of
LIBERAL ARTS
Student Spotlight
Art in unusual places
Senior Instructor Anna Fidler led students underground to paint in OSU’s historic steam tunnels.
The final project of 2-D Core Studio (ART 115) has typically asked students to scout locations across campus for a new pattern, e.g. wallpaper for the Memorial Union, ceramic pool tiles for Dixon, fabric upholstery for the food court, etc., incorporating concepts from the elements and principles of design they learned during the term. However, Senior Instructor Anna Fidler had a different idea for spring term 2024’s ART 115 class, and in so, created a new OSU art tradition for years to come.
CLA Leadership
The College of Liberal Arts 2023-2028 Strategic Plan
The College of Liberal Arts builds a richer, more creative tomorrow through the rigorous study of human history, human expression, and the human mind. In the next five years, we will pivot towards the knowledge economies of the future.
In the next five years, we will pivot towards the knowledge economies of the future. Today's students will chart their professional paths in a wider variety of fields than ever before, including many that don't yet exist. They seek an education that universities of the past could not have envisioned. We must meet their aspirations. CLA will be a bridge-builder, elevating collaborative opportunities and amplifying the visibility of innovative research and creative work.
We will integrate the arts in research disciplines across the University. We will create globally-relevant opportunities for all students, including those who cannot physically travel abroad. We will prioritize new technologies and pathways for student learning. The College of Liberal Arts will lead Oregon State University as a model of higher education for the public good.
CLA BY THE NUMBERS
5,026
The right size for your education
The College of Liberal Arts is the proud academic home of 5,026 students. With 1 faculty member for every 15 undergraduate students, you'll receive a personalized education paired with a robust liberal arts college experience.
World Class Instruction
Our dynamic, intellectual community of 336 expert faculty tackle the world’s biggest issues from social justice to food insecurity. They conduct symphonies and design in virtual reality. They study the past to forge solutions for the future.
336
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4-Year Graduation Guarantee
CLA is the only college at Oregon State that guarantees you'll graduate in 4 years. Our graduates go on to successful careers in medicine, technology, the arts, media, law, policy, education, business and more. Your path is wide open.
Research Highlights
Abolishing amateurism: Reimagining the future of college football
Assistant Professor Kirsten Hextrum explores the abolishment of amateurism in college sports and the creation of a labor market for football players.
A new argumentative article published in Kinesiology Review by Kirsten Hextrum, assistant professor in the School of Language, Culture, and Society, and Howard Croom, associate vice president at Portland Community College and former Oregon State University football player, uses critical race theories to examine if recent legal changes to how the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) classifies amateurism will end racial exploitation in college football.
Faculty Focus
Supporting effective policymaking through rigorous research
Assistant Professor of Economics Katie Bollman is passionate about how to improve livelihoods within the sphere of policy
Katie Bollman, assistant professor of economics in the School of Public Policy, focuses on the economics of courts and crime, but has also branched out into researching children’s schooling and intimate partner violence. Bollman described going into economics because it seemed like a great way to improve her skill set with the possibility of being able to create a positive impact in people’s livelihoods. Read more >
With 290 faculty members, the College of Liberal Arts has the collective experience to guide our students to greatness.
Meet our Facultydonation innovation
Visionary Donations Funding our Future: PRAx
“The Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts will serve as a unique and dynamic education and performance center and will be a showcase destination for the visual, musical, theater and cultural arts for students, faculty, campus visitors and Oregonians,” said Larry Rodgers, dean of OSU’s College of Liberal Arts.
A lead gift of $25 million for the complex has been provided by Patricia Reser. Additional gifts include a $2 million commitment from the family of the late Lynne Detrick of West Linn to build a new 500-seat concert hall to offer a high-caliber venue for both listeners and performers, Rodgers said. The OSU Foundation continues to seek philanthropic support for the center, and OSU will also seek state bonding from the 2020 Oregon Legislature to help support the project.
Explore PRAx