Students walking and laughing together at UC Davis.

The College of Letters and Science is committed to delivering on the promises of liberal education and curiosity-driven research that makes real the value and purpose of the liberal arts and sciences at the heart of our modern, global top 10 public research university.

We prepare multidisciplinary thinkers who can work across disciplines collaboratively in ways that converge disciplines and create new solutions. By combining our expertise in teaching and research with our commitment to real-world learning, the College plays a key role in UC Davis’s commitment to providing access and opportunity to a diverse array of students who seek to make the world a better place.

A Long Tradition

Founded in 1951, the College of Letters and Science is the largest of the schools and colleges at UC Davis, the University of California’s most comprehensive university. We offer courses and conduct research in the broadest array of disciplines at UC Davis spanning more than 50 fields of study in the humanities, arts, cultural studies, social sciences, and the mathematical and physical sciences. We are home to nearly half of all undergraduates at UC Davis, in addition to teaching the core curriculum for virtually all 28,000 undergraduate students. Our faculty mentor over 1,500 graduate students, and half of all UC Davis living alumni graduated from the college.

Quick Facts

About Our Students

38% of our students are underrepresented minorities

44% of our undergraduates are the first in their families to attend college

71% of incoming international students apply to major in our college

43% of undergraduates in the University Honors Program are L&S majors

30% of chemistry majors participate in undergraduate research 

  • 36 departments and departmental programs
  • 8 interdisciplinary programs
  • 14 centers, labs and museums
  • 910 faculty
  • 14,200 undergraduate student majors
  • 1,558 graduate students
  • 112,590 alumni
  • 10 of the top 20 majors (by degrees conferred)
  • 56 majors (of 104 at UC Davis)
  • 61 minors

Rankings

Many of our programs are ranked among the best in the country. Through both U.S. News & World Report and the QS World University Rankings, our programs are consistently ranked among the best in the country. 

See all rankings

Documents