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Faculty of

Arts

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The Faculty of Arts proudly provides a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere for our multi-talented students to thrive. Our first-class programs open doors to rewarding careers in hundreds of diverse fields, as demonstrated by our prestigious alumni who have gone on to become leading change-makers and sought-after experts around the world.

The value and power of an Arts degree is unmatched. Whether you’re interested in the Fine Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences, we have a program and a path of study waiting for you. Our award-winning and friendly faculty members, staff and advisors can’t wait to meet you and help you reach your goals.

Prospective Students

Explore our undergraduate and graduate programs by visiting our newly updated program guides that outline your journey from now until graduation. We also offer skill-focused certificate programs.

Our Programs

current students

Learn about advising services, course registration information and get answers to some of your most frequently asked questions.

student services

DEPARTMENTS

We are home to sixteen departments, including some that are ranked indisputably among the finest in Canada.

Our DEPARTMENTS

outside of canada?

We welcome students from all around the world who are ready to study their passions, explore their interests and make connections with classmates who become friends. 

International Student Admissions

An Invitation to International Students

Our new 2026 summer program in Interactive Media + Virtual Production offers a welcoming, world-class creative experience. International students have long found a sense of belonging, inspiration and opportunity in the Faculty of Arts — and you can too!

Summer Program Information

    • $15M

      in research funding

    • 59,000+

      Arts graduates

    • $135M

      in endowments

    • 7,000+

      current students

Quick Links

Fine Arts Shows
Arts Work Experience
Centres and Institutes
Equity Diversity Inclusion
Arts Directory
Arts Intranet

The Impact of a Degree in the Arts

The value and relevance of an Arts degree is unmatched. Watch this video to find out why and view our strategic directions that guide our work.

Events

The Annual Hurtig Lecture on the Future of Canada Featuring David Lyon

September 18, 2025 | 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Timms Centre for the Arts, 87 Avenue and 112 Street (or via Zoom)

Join us for an urgent and eye-opening conversation on the overlooked consequences of AI and surveillance in Canada. Following David Lyon’s talk, there will be a panel moderated by Kevin Haggerty (Department of Sociology) featuring expert insights from Steven Penney (Faculty of Law), Nicolette Little (Department of Media and Technology Studies/Women’s and Gender Studies), and Blair Attard-Frost (Department of Political Science).

Learn More and Register
View All Arts Events

Giving

Your donation enriches student learning, enhances programs and experiences, fuels research, and creates labs and spaces where education can thrive.

Donate

Our Latest News

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Stage setter: Theatre education cultivates skills for any career
Stage setter: Theatre education cultivates skills for any career
The fine art of drama may be the “secret sauce” for developing the adaptability students need to thrive in diverse fields.
July 09, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Class of ‘25: "There is no art without community"
Class of ‘25: "There is no art without community"
During her time in the BFA program, Nadia Zamora Hernández became a student leader who helped others find connection, confidence and creative courage.
June 03, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Video spotlight: Birds, beasts and mythical animals come to life in U of A exhibition
Video spotlight: Birds, beasts and mythical animals come to life in U of A exhibition
Decorative rank badges worn by civil and military officials reveal insights into Chinese culture during the Qing dynasty.
May 22, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Spady Family Scholarship expands horizons for rural students
Spady Family Scholarship expands horizons for rural students
Alumni family strives to broaden perspectives through humanities education
March 24, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
The ‘smartwear revolution’ begins: clothing with built-in sensors will improve balance, reduce injuries and support people with muscle weakness
Health And Wellness, Science and Technology, Research
The ‘smartwear revolution’ begins: clothing with built-in sensors will improve balance, reduce injuries and support people with muscle weakness
Interdisciplinary U of A team wins $24-million federal grant to advance the frontier of assistive technology.
March 19, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Report finds deep-rooted white supremacism lurks in Canadian military
Report finds deep-rooted white supremacism lurks in Canadian military
Political scientist finds recruits seeking training and resources for perceived “race war.”
February 20, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
From textbook pages to compassionate practice
From textbook pages to compassionate practice
Donors support thousands of U of A students to learn beyond the classroom, transforming their future careers and communities
February 04, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Responsibility to inspire: Golden Bears receiver gives back to community
Responsibility to inspire: Golden Bears receiver gives back to community
Driven by gratitude and a passion for the game, arts grad and athletic standout Chevy Thomas created a football camp for disadvantaged youth.
June 12, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Class of ‘25: Using community-driven archaeology to explore Indigenous removal
Class of ‘25: Using community-driven archaeology to explore Indigenous removal
Liam Wadsworth is an Anthropology PhD graduate who seeks to amplify once-silenced voices
June 03, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
How playoff beards grew from Swedish roots to hockey tradition
Society and Culture, Research
How playoff beards grew from Swedish roots to hockey tradition
Other cultural norms emerge, spread and even transform in much the same way, says anthropologist.
April 29, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Five bright opportunities to seize at the 2025 Paradigmatic Revolutions Music Festival & Conference
Five bright opportunities to seize at the 2025 Paradigmatic Revolutions Music Festival & Conference
From traditional Korean wind instruments to experimental collaborations, top musicians and scholars unite for a four-day exploration of global musical influences, intercultural exchange, and contemporary composition beyond Western-centric perspectives.
March 24, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Did they earn it? Study looks at “nepo babies” debate
Did they earn it? Study looks at “nepo babies” debate
Media stories tend to chalk up celebrity children’s success to hard work and talent while downplaying privilege, sociologists find.
February 27, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Second-year undergraduate student finds inspiration and community in the Black Youth for Social Innovation Program
Second-year undergraduate student finds inspiration and community in the Black Youth for Social Innovation Program
The innovative initiative has opened doors and led to new opportunities for Iiesha Moume
February 20, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
U of A professor turns genetic marker for ‘bubble boy disease’ into music
Health And Wellness, Society and Culture
U of A professor turns genetic marker for ‘bubble boy disease’ into music
Innovative mix of technology and music aims to raise awareness of the condition and a groundbreaking treatment.
February 04, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Fabric of the future
Fabric of the future
CSSH researchers are integral to a new, federally-funded smartwear research project currently underway at the U of A
June 11, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Class of ‘25: From the Netherlands to the North Saskatchewan
Class of ‘25: From the Netherlands to the North Saskatchewan
Arts PhD grad Malou Brouwer found academic inspiration and a deep connection to place through her research on Indigenous women's poetry
May 30, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
In Memoriam: Maurizio Gualtieri, 1941-2025
In Memoriam: Maurizio Gualtieri, 1941-2025
April 23, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Innovative U of A instructors are transforming the student experience
Innovative U of A instructors are transforming the student experience
Recognizing the recipients of the 2024-25 Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund at the University of Alberta.
March 20, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Unwanted advances: Apple’s Memories, AirDrop pose problems for vulnerable women and marginalized individuals
Society and Culture, Science and Technology
Unwanted advances: Apple’s Memories, AirDrop pose problems for vulnerable women and marginalized individuals
Lack of up-front control over the features makes it harder for abuse survivors to avoid seeing photos of their abusers, or receiving unwanted sexual content, researchers find.
February 25, 2025
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Building a better Canada
Building a better Canada
Judge Gurcharan Singh Bhatia reflects on a life dedicated to human rights and the importance of educating future generations
February 05, 2025