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Undergraduate Programs
Explore the programs offered by this organization.
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The School of Humanities and Sciences is the foundation of a liberal arts education at Stanford. The school encompasses 24 departments and 25 interdisciplinary programs. It is the university's home for fundamental research, where free, open, and critical inquiry is pursued across disciplines.
As Stanford’s largest school, H&S is the academic heart of the university, awarding approximately 63 percent of all undergraduate degrees and nearly 40 percent of doctoral degrees. Our diverse community of scholars, students, and staff is dedicated to exploring the deepest questions of the human experience and pushing the boundaries of discovery across the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences.
At H&S, we believe that curiosity-driven, fundamental research is the seedbed for future breakthroughs. Our faculty and students engage in basic research—seeking to understand the world not merely for immediate application, but to build the foundational knowledge that will shape the future. Whether deciphering the mysteries of quantum physics, analyzing the complex forces driving global economies, or interpreting the literature and art of past civilizations, H&S is a place where independent thinking is nurtured and celebrated.
The faculty of the School of Humanities and Sciences are internationally recognized leaders, innovators, and creators. Among our ranks are numerous Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur Fellows, and National Medal of Science recipients, as well as elected members of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Engineering.
H&S faculty are committed to integrating pioneering research with deep pedagogical mentorship. Rather than working in isolation, our professors actively involve undergraduate and graduate students in their creative pursuits and laboratory discoveries. Faculty research within H&S is highly collaborative, with many scholars holding joint appointments across Stanford’s other world-class professional schools, including the School of Medicine, the School of Engineering, and Stanford Law School. This interconnectedness allows H&S faculty to:
Drive Scientific Frontiers: From exploring quantum mechanics and astrophysics to mapping cellular biology and advanced mathematics, our scientists expand the limits of human knowledge.
Influence Public Policy and Global Affairs: Our social scientists conduct rigorous quantitative and qualitative studies that directly shape domestic economic policies, international relations, educational standards, and environmental initiatives.
Preserve and Enrich Human Culture: Our humanities scholars and artists author award-winning publications, curate boundary-pushing artistic exhibitions, and interpret historical and philosophical narratives that help societies understand their past and envision their future.
Our academic departments are organized into three vibrant divisions, each fostering a distinct approach to understanding the world:
The Humanities and Arts challenge students to think deeply about the ethical, aesthetic, and intellectual dimensions of human history. Through literature, philosophy, languages, history, and the performing and visual arts, we examine what it means to be human and prepare students to make imaginative contributions to global culture.
The Social Sciences analyze the social, political, and economic events that shape our world. Utilizing rigorous quantitative and qualitative methodologies, our researchers develop theories to address pressing societal challenges and offer cross-cultural perspectives on the human condition.
The Natural Sciences and Mathematics investigate the fundamental laws of the physical and biological universe. From the subatomic scale to the cosmos, our scientists deploy advanced technologies and mathematical models to drive technological innovation and address global challenges in health, climate, and computation.
With 25 interdisciplinary programs, H&S is a dynamic incubator for collaboration. By bridging traditionally separate fields, our students and faculty can design unique intellectual pathways—combining ideas across areas such as symbolic systems, human biology, race and ethnicity, data science, and international policy.
This rich educational environment prepares undergraduate and graduate students to become adaptable, thoughtful leaders. Undergraduates develop the vital skills of critical reading, analytical writing, and logical reasoning, preparing them for success in law, medicine, technology, business, and public service. Graduate and doctoral scholars work alongside preeminent faculty, conducting the rigorous research that prepares them to become the next generation of academic pioneers and global innovators.
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