Departments and Programs
The College of Liberal Arts offers diverse degrees focused in the humanities, social sciences, communications and visual and performing arts.
Cal Poly’s Art and Design Department prepares students to explore the world in unexpected ways, to develop a discriminating eye, and to take calculated risks through dynamic visual expression in a range of media. With 17,000 square feet dedicated to making art, students have space to pursue concentrations in graphic design, photography and studio art.
Programs
Major: B.F.A., Art and Design, with concentrations in:
- Graphic Design
- Photography and Video
- Studio Art
Minors: Art history, Photography, Studio art
📍 Dexter Building, Room 169 | 805-756-1148 | artdesign@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly’s Communication Studies Department helps students to understand the process of human communication and grasp its historical context and contemporary relevance in a global society. Students learn the theory and practice of communication in a variety of contexts, developing their critical reasoning, speaking and writing skills, and appreciation of how culture influences their lives.
Programs
Major: B.A., Communication Studies
Minor: Communication Studies
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 33 | 805-756-2553 | comsdept@calpoly.edu
The Cal Poly English Department boasts one of the top programs in the nation for return on investment, and one of the best undergraduate writing programs in the West. Students study literature, language and rhetoric in an effort to understand the human condition and explore literature’s contribution to culture and society.
Programs
Major: B.A., English, with optional emphasis in Creative Writing or Literature
Minors: English, Linguistics
Certificates: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Technical and Professional Communication Program
Graduate: M.A., English
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 32 | 805-756-2596 | english@calpoly.edu
Ethnicity. Race. Culture. Gender. Cal Poly’s Ethnic Studies Department works at the intersection of these fundamental social forces. By exploring these issues, students are able to understand the factors that shape social and occupational identities, preparing them to work, collaborate and interact in an increasingly heterogeneous and complex world.
Programs
Major: B.A., Comparative Ethnic Studies
Minors: Ethnic Studies
📍 Math and Science Building 38, Room 136 | 805-756-1707 | ethnicstudies@calpoly.edu
Graphic Communication is the study of how visual systems are designed, engineered, and managed to drive impact across physical and digital media. At its core, the program is about the journey an idea takes to become a reality, from the digital interfaces we navigate to the graphic systems integrated in the physical products and environments we experience every day.
Programs
Major: B.S., Graphic Communication, with concentrations in:
- Design Reproduction Technology
- UX/UI
- Graphics for Packaging
- Graphic Communication Management
- Immersive Experience Design
Minor: Graphic Communication
📍 Graphic Arts Building 26, Room 201 | 805-756-1108 | grc@calpoly.edu
In Cal Poly’s History Department, students explore history as a living tradition as well as a vibrant field of study. History deepens students’ understanding of different peoples and cultures, examining ideas of race, gender, class and cultural diversity. Students use research and critical tools to explore and articulate multiple perspectives on the present and future.
Programs
Major: B.A., History
Minors: Asian Studies, History
Credential: History-Social Science Credential
Graduate: M.A., History
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 27 | 805-756-2543 | history@calpoly.edu
Students are often interested in a social issue or research question that doesn't fall easily into just one discipline. This major offers students the flexibility to combine their diverse interest areas into one degree program.
Programs
Major: B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies, with concentrations in:
- Ethics, Law and Social Justice
- Global Citizenship and Social Sustainability
- Health and Society
- Science, Technology and Society
- Visual Media and Cultural Studies
Minors: Ethics, Public Policy, Science and Technology (EPPST), Gender, Race, Culture, Science and Technology (GRCST), Media Arts, Society and Technology (MAST), Science Communication (SC)
📍 Building 52, Room D2 | 805-756-2740 | is@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly’s Journalism Department is one of California’s most innovative undergraduate journalism programs, among the first in the country to take an integrated approach to student media, mirroring developments in the industry. The department embodies a polytechnic university philosophy, offering a technology-rich, student-focused environment that fosters student curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Programs
B.S., Journalism with concentrations in:
- News
- Public Relations
- Media Innovation
- Individualized Course of Study
The Journalism department does not offer a Minor.
📍 Graphic Arts Building 26, Room 228 | 805-756-2508 | jour@calpoly.edu
Offered jointly by the colleges of Liberal Arts and Engineering, the Liberal Arts & Engineering Studies (LAES) Program embraces an interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial culture. Students focus their educational paths in alignment with their career goals, blending science, technology and the liberal arts to forge their own paths.
Programs
B.S., Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies
📍 Building 181, Room 220 | 805-756-1132 | laes@calpoly.edu
Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies DEPARTMENT COURSE CATALOG
The Cal Poly Music Department teaches students to reach beyond technical and instrumental mastery to understand the unique power of music across cultures. The music program gives students a foundation in music theory, history and performance, and provides on and off campus performance opportunities throughout the year.
Programs
Major: B.A., Music
Minor: Music
📍 Davidson Music Center Building 45, Room 129 | 805-756-2406 | music@calpoly.edu
The Cal Poly Philosophy Department boasts one of the largest Philosophy B.A. programs in the California State University system and now it also offers the B.A. in International Strategy and Security. Graduates typically score very well on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), as the philosophy program cultivates exceptional critical thinking and communication skills.
Programs
B.A., International Strategy and Security;
B.A., Philosophy, with optional concentrations:
- Ethics and Society
- Ethics of Science and Technology
Minors: Philosophy, Religious Studies
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 37 | 805-756-2041 | phil@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly’s Political Science Department grounds students in policy and politics in the United States and across the world to develop informed, active citizens. Majors gain critical thinking, communication and analytical skills applicable to multiple career paths, as well as the knowledge to make a difference in the world.
Programs
Major: B.A., Political Science, with concentrations:
- American Politics
- Global Politics
- Pre-Law
- Individualized Course of Study
Minors: Global Politics, Law and Society, Political Science
Graduate: MPP, Master of Public Policy
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 14 | 805-756-2984 | politicalscience@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly Psychology and Child Development students explore human development, behavior and relationships to improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities. The department offers two B.S. programs: Psychology and Child Development, with the latter focusing on the study of children and adolescents.
Programs
Majors: B.S., Child Development; B.S., Psychology
Minors: Psychology, Child Development, Gerontology
Graduate: M.S., Psychology
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 24 | 805-756-2033 | psycd@calpoly.edu
The Science, Technology and Society Minors Program equips students with the skills to tackle complex global challenges like climate change, cyber-warfare, health inequalities, and the future of interactive and collaborative storytelling. Students will create a customized course path and portfolio of hands-on projects that are based on their passions and goals.
Programs
Minors:
- Ethics, Public Policy, Science and Technology (EPPST)
- Gender, Race, Culture, Science and Technology (GRCST)
- Media Arts, Society and Technology (MAST)
- Science and Risk Communication (SRC)
📍 Building 52, Room D2 | 805-756-2740 | sts@calpoly.edu
Science, Technology and Society Minors Program COURSE CATALOG
The strength of the Social Sciences department lies in its focus on practical training, critical thinking, and Learn by Doing experiences. Anthropology-Geography and Sociology majors receive training in applied technical skills such as cultural resources management, social data collection and research design, and geospatial, qualitative, and statistical analysis. Students are encouraged to critically investigate contemporary social issues like climate change, inequality, and the future of human prosperity.
Programs
Majors: B.S., Anthropology and Geography, with concentrations:
- Environmental Studies and Sustainability
- Global Studies and International Development
- Human Ecology
B.A., Sociology, with concentrations:
- Criminal Justice
- Organizations
- Social Justice
- Social Services
In addition to the listed concentrations, all students have the option to pursue an individual course of study concentration, or a joint concentration with Political Science in Pre-Law or Global Politics.
Minors: Anthropology and Geography, Sociology, Latin American Studies, Social and Environmental Justice
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 13 | 805-756-2740 | socialsciences@calpoly.edu
The Theatre & Dance Department provides students with programs of study that integrate practical production work with theater and dance principles, theory and historical development. Students in the department gain experience in all aspects of production and performance from writing, lighting and design, to choreography and on-stage presence.
Programs
Major: B.A., Theatre Arts
Minors: Dance, Theatre Arts
📍 Davidson Music Center Building 45, Room 103 | 805-756-1465 | thtrdanc@calpoly.edu
Women’s, Gender and Queer Studies students explore the complex intersections of gender and sexuality with race, class and other social factors, and how they shape and are influenced by politics, ethics, the economy and law.
Women’s, gender and queer studies is an inherently interdisciplinary field that promotes scholarly inquiry, education and activism focused on power and social inequalities. Faculty and students from across campus participate in projects that contribute to local, national and transnational conversations on the current and future shape of society.
Programs
Minors: Women's and Gender Studies, Queer Studies
📍 Building 38, Room 102 | 805-756-1525 | wgqs@calpoly.edu
The World Languages and Cultures Department (formerly Modern Languages and Literatures) provides students with the tools to understand different cultures and people on their own terms. Offering instruction in Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Italian, the department gives students skills and confidence to succeed in a global context.
Programs
Major: B.A., Spanish
Minors: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
📍 Faculty Office Building 47, Room 28 | 805-756-1205 | wlc@calpoly.edu