Departments and Programs

The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest interdisciplinary academic unit at the University at Buffalo. With 30 departments, 16 academic programs and 23 centers and institutes in the arts and humanities, natural sciences and mathematics and the social sciences, the College offers more academic options than any other unit on campus. 

The arts and humanities focus on the human experience across time and place. Scholars and artists analyze our expansive past and shared future across a wide range of disciplines. 

  • Department of Africana and American Studies
    10/2/23
    Serving as the university’s gateway for exploring cultural connections across borders, identities and time, the Department of Africana and American Studies operates in a unique niche between theory and practice, research and social engagement, and humanity and the environment.
  • Department of Art
    2/18/22
    The UB Department of Art prepares students for the real-world practice of visual art and scholarship. We unite the disciplines of fine art, design and emerging practices with art history and visual theory to equip students with an interdisciplinary approach to investigating and creating the visual world.
  • Arts Management Program
    1/26/22
    Through its unique blend of critical inquiry, analysis, and experiential learning, the program builds a student's capacity to identify and solve the problems inherent in the areas of arts management, production, and cultural policymaking
  • Asian Studies Program
    1/26/22
    For nearly three decades the Asian Studies Program has been the nexus of Asia-focused research and study at the University at Buffalo
  • Department of Classics
    10/2/23
    Classics is centered around the study of ancient Mediterranean civilizations. With a long-held reputation for innovative research and superior instruction, the UB Department of Classics carries particular strength in the areas of Roman culture, Greek history, archaeology and digital classics.
  • Department of Comparative Literature
    1/26/22
    For more than fifty years the Department of Comparative Literature has been known for theoretical and philosophical studies of literature and culture from Ancient Greece to 21st century. We have created a vibrant intellectual community of internationally recognized faculty and talented graduate students from all over the world.
  • Department of English
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of English offers a liberal arts experience within a large public university. Our students discover the power of the English language through vigorous exploration of British, American and Anglophone literary traditions as well as film studies, journalism, creative writing, global film, popular culture, mythology and folklore.
  • Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies promotes critical thinking and understanding of today's diverse, multicultural world through research and teaching on feminism, women, gender and sexuality.
  • Department of History
    2/18/22
    The UB Department of History is dedicated to the belief that the study of the past is foundational not only to a sound education, but to a full and active life. Engaging with the past gives us the tools to understand and, when necessary, confront the issues we face today.
  • Department of Jewish Thought
    2/18/22
    The UB Department of Jewish Thought examines the central questions of human identity through the lens of the Jewish tradition. By centering on the intellectual resources of Judaism from antiquity to the present, students learn to combine the latest theoretical approaches with millennia-long tradition to address challenges of modern society.
  • Department of Media Study
    2/18/22
    The mission of the UB Department of Media Study is to conduct research and provide educational programs in film and media production as well as theory. Renowned for its pioneering contributions to the field, the department has expanded to encompass emerging practices in addition to our existing strengths in film and video production.
  • Department of Music
    2/18/22
    The UB Department of Music offers a stimulating environment in which students can develop their talents. Guided by world-renowned soloists, ensemble musicians, orchestral players, composers, music theorists and historical musicologists, our gifted students pursue their passion for creating, presenting and investigating music in a close-knit community of musicians and scholars.
  • Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
    3/2/23
    All Romance languages share a common historical origin in the Latin language, evolving into French, Italian, Spanish and several others. In the UB Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, we teach courses that span the fields of language study, literary and textual studies, culture, linguistics, film and media studies, and history.
  • Department of Theatre and Dance
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of Theatre and Dance engages emerging artists, scholars and audiences dedicated to sustaining and innovating the performing arts. Our diverse programs integrate rigorous, cross-disciplinary training, critical understanding and impassioned creation supported by close faculty mentorship and developed in collaboration with world-renowned guest artists.

The natural sciences and mathematics investigate physical phenomena, interconnected ecosystems and mathematical theories that strengthen our understanding of the natural laws that govern our universe. 

  • Department of Biological Sciences
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of Biological Sciences is a hub for innovative, interdisciplinary life science research and education. Students benefit from the breadth of our faculty’s experience, expertise and teaching skills while developing the courage and capacity to make their own discoveries.
  • Department of Chemistry
    1/26/22
    Chemistry explores the composition and transformation of matter, a science that is central to energy production, health care and environmental protection. Students in the UB Department of Chemistry learn through hands-on or computational experiments in both classroom and laboratory settings, specializing in analytical, inorganic, medicinal, organic and physical chemistry.
  • Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences offers students a pre-professional major that focuses on the development and breakdown of speech, language and hearing processes. Courses cover the nature and causes of communicative disorders, the techniques used to assess and diagnose speech, language, and hearing disorders and the current methods used to remedy these problems.
  • Department of Geology
    1/26/22
    The study of geology challenges students to think both spatially and creatively. In the UB Department of Geology, our undergraduates grow into inquisitive problem solvers who are passionate about the earth and addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change, resource management and natural disasters.
  • Department of Materials Design and Innovation
    2/18/22
    A forward-leaning, interdisciplinary department that aims to transform the training and education of materials scientists and engineers.
  • Department of Mathematics
    1/26/22
    The UB Department of Mathematics trains students to develop their analytical problem-solving skills through both fundamental and applied mathematics for a variety of careers.
  • Department of Physics
    10/2/23
    The mission of the UB Department of Physics is to provide undergraduate students with an outstanding educational foundation, consisting of comprehensive and rigorous coursework, laboratory training and hands-on research experience.
  • Professional Science Management Program
    2/4/22
    The PSM Certificate combines coursework in science, management and ethics to better prepare students for industry or further academic study. The interdisciplinary nature of the PSM, professional skills courses and culminating experience make this an ideal academic credential for students who are pursuing a science-related position within business, government or non-profit sectors.
  • Department of Psychology
    10/2/23
    With cutting-edge research facilities and world-class faculty, the UB Department of Psychology provides undergraduate majors with a scientific understanding of the mind and behavior.

The social sciences research in this broad field examines how human beings exist within increasingly complex social systems that govern our relationships, customs and behavior. 

  • Department of Anthropology
    10/2/23
    Combining biology, history and social sciences, anthropology is the only discipline that examines and attempts to understand humankind as a whole. The UB Department of Anthropology encourages undergraduate students to actively participate in their education, embrace the interdisciplinary nature of the field and develop a global lens on human diversity.
  • Department of Communication
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of Communication seeks to understand and improve human communication in all its forms. Our teaching methods transform students from passive to active learners, deepening their knowledge of the historical, social and cultural effects of communication while providing comprehensive training in fundamental scientific processes.
  • Data Analytics for Social Sciences
    7/26/23
    DASS combines coursework and learning opportunities from our social sciences departments at UB: Sociology, Linguistics, Psychology, Geography, Anthropology, Communication, Political Science and Economics. UB offers two unique programs: an MS in Data Analytics in Social Sciences (36 credits), and an Advanced Certificate in Data Analysis for the Social Sciences (18 credits).
  • Department of Economics
    10/2/23
    The UB Department of Communication seeks to understand and improve human communication in all its forms. Our teaching methods transform students from passive to active learners, deepening their knowledge of the historical, social and cultural effects of communication while providing comprehensive training in fundamental scientific processes.
  • Department of Environment and Sustainability
    2/18/22
    The UB Department of Environment and Sustainability works to help solve the most complex socioecological problems that face humankind today. From global climate change and biodiversity loss to population and consumption growth, we discuss and reach decisions regarding the human-natural systems that control the Earth’s future.
  • Department of Geography
    10/2/23
    Geography studies the location and arrangement of human and natural phenomena in space and the relationships between people and their environments. The UB Department of Geography is an intellectually challenging community that offers five specializations tailored to allow for growth within the discipline and maximize future employment opportunities.
  • Graduate Interdisciplinary Degree Program
    5/25/23
    The Graduate Interdisciplinary Program lets students create their own personalized program of study from more than 30 different departments and programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
  • Department of Indigenous Studies
    4/12/22
    The Department of Indigenous Studies is an interdisciplinary “home and hub” for study that centers the knowledges, priorities, aspirations and lived experiences of Indigenous peoples locally, nationally and internationally.
  • Department of Linguistics
    10/2/23
    It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of language to individuals and society. The UB Department of Linguistics explores this complex relationship by asking questions about acquisition, production, comprehension and evolution. Our students receive comprehensive training from internationally-recognized faculty in a variety of fascinating disciplines and foreign languages.
  • Department of Philosophy
    10/2/23
    Philosophy studies the foundation of our values while examining the nature of justice, knowledge and reality. In the UB Department of Philosophy, students learn the fundamental theories that frame our intellectual heritage and master the essential tools for investigating and developing ideas that shape our lives today.
  • Philosophy, Politics and Economics Program
    1/26/22
    Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) is all about understanding and approaching about complex social problems and developing the skills for working with others to solve them.
  • Department of Political Science
    1/31/22
    The Department of Political Science is a tight-knit, research-oriented and collegial community. We offer both undergraduate and graduate students the exceptional opportunity to work closely with world-class faculty and gain hands-on experience in a globally significant discipline.
  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Program
    10/2/23
    The Social Sciences Interdisciplinary majors offer students an opportunity to focus on a particular thematic area of interdisciplinary studies, examining timely and relevant topics associated with our ever changing world.
  • Department of Sociology
    7/31/23
    Sociologists examine how membership in different groups and interactions with social structures and social institutions affect a person's daily life. The UB Department of Sociology trains undergraduate students to analyze a wide variety of social issues, including family, gender, race, class, law, policies, crime, health and the environment.