An L&S student studies for a test near the Observatory Drive Scenic Overlook. Photo by Bryce Richter, University Communications
Overview of Letters & Science
The College of Letters & Science is the largest academic unit at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
We are the heart of this great university and the major guardian of its teaching, research and public service.
Letters & Science is home to 39 academic departments, 22 non-departmental academic programs, five professional schools and 70 interdisciplinary research centers. With 70 undergraduate majors, 47 certificates, 62 Master's degrees and 52 Doctoral and Professional degrees, the College provides an educational experience of tremendous breadth and depth.
Each year, we teach more than 650,000 credit hours in the arts and humanities, physical and natural sciences and social sciences. Annually, we confer more than 56 percent of all bachelors' degrees at UW-Madison while teaching the gateway courses in agriculture, business and engineering.
L&S teaches students to lead a good life and make a good living.
- Learn more about our departments, programs, centers and institutes
- Read about our majors and degree options
- Discover why a liberal arts degree is more important today than ever before
- Find out more about our award-winning faculty that are changing the world
Fast Facts: An Overview of the College of Letters & Science at UW-Madison
Dean
Gary Sandefur
Faculty
- More than 800 Faculty
Students
- Total students: 20,615 (2011)
- 16,363 undergraduates (2011)
- 4,214 graduate students (2011)
Credit Hours
- 657,199 Total Hours (2011-12)
Academic Offerings
The College of Letters & Science is comprised of 39 departments, 22 non-departmental academic programs, 70 interdisciplinary research centers and institutes, and five professional schools across three broad divisions: arts and humanities, physical and natural sciences, and the social sciences.
- Undergraduate majors
- Master's, Doctoral and Professional degree programs
Popular Majors
UW Madison's five most popular majors are in L&S.
| 1. Economics | 462 |
| 2. Political Science | 449 |
| 3. Biology* | 431 |
| 4. History | 362 |
| 5. Psychology | 361 |
*The Biology major is offered jointly with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Total Degrees Conferred
- 3,774 undergraduate degrees (2011-12)
- 1405 graduate and professional degrees (2011-12)
Alumni
Total living alumni: 178,658 (2012)
Research Funding
Total Extramural Research Awards: $121.0 million (2011-12)
Federal Research Awards: $105.1 million (2011-12)
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