The College of Arts & Sciences

Our liberal arts education prepares students for any path they choose. They’re exploring at the intersections of academic disciplines and thriving in a constantly changing world.” 

— Karl Voss, Douglas K. Candland Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences  

Arts & Sciences is Bucknell’s broadest college and the common ground every Bucknellian shares, whether they’re studying management, music or computer science. And the world they’re entering is changing fast. As AI reshapes every field, the abilities the College of Arts & Sciences builds — to question, interpret, create, communicate and reason ethically — are becoming rarer and more valuable. In an age of instant answers, the advantage belongs to those who know which questions to ask.

That is what the College of Arts & Sciences teaches. A biology major learns to write a persuasive policy brief. A philosophy student learns to code. An economist spends time in a studio. That range isn’t just a possibility. It is how a Bucknell education is designed, and it prepares graduates not just for their first job but for their fourth, in fields that don’t exist yet.

Every major on campus is stronger for it. That makes an investment in Arts & Sciences an investment in every Bucknellian — and the Be the ‘ray campaign highlights Arts & Sciences as the engine behind everything Bucknell achieves.

Arts & Sciences Funding Priorities

• Faculty: Top-tier faculty launch cutting-edge coursework
• High-impact Experiences: Fund undergraduate research, global study and creative work.
• Career Hub: Launch accelerators and programming built for every discipline
• Facilities & Equipment: Equip modern labs, studios and performance spaces
• Humanities Center: Build critical thinking, ethical reasoning and a human-centered lens
• Centers & Institutes: Connect students across disciplines
• Scholarships: Merit and need-based scholarships ensure exceptional students choose Bucknell

By 2035, every Bucknellian, in every major, will stand on a cutting-edge liberal arts foundation built in Arts & Sciences.

More faculty in high-demand future-facing majors. Small classes. Bigger ideas. New professors will strengthen the most popular majors — biology, economics, political science, and psychology — and expand access to emerging fields like neuroscience and environmental studies. State-of-the-art labs and performance spaces will give students the tools to do original work from their first year. A fully funded Career Hub will connect every student to advisers, internships and employers years before commencement. And scholarships will give the most exceptional students the freedom to make Bucknell their first choice.

Be the reason that every Bucknellian thinks bigger.