The heart of UGA’s liberal arts learning environment, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences provides instruction in every classical discipline and all branches of empirical inquiry. Critical thinking skills, from languages and literature to biological sciences, build the foundation for every profession as they empower students to be informed, engaged citizens.
The first classes were taught in 1801, and in 1806, the first permanent brick building was constructed and named Franklin College in honor of Benjamin Franklin. Today, that building is known as Old College and the research, scholarship and creative output by Franklin students and faculty in more than 80-degree programs set the pace for a dynamic learning environment at the state’s flagship institution.
Facts
Course Selection
Our 30 departments offer courses in a wide variety of careers and vocations, and our introductory courses fulfill the requirements to support all academic programs at UGA.
Credit Hours
Franklin College regularly produces nearly half of the total credit hours earned at the university.
Multilingual
Our faculty members offer instruction in 23 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, and more.
Capacity
Franklin’s 30 programs, centers, and institutes leverage multidisciplinary expertise across the UGA campus to build research capacity and instructional opportunities.
Vision, Values, and Mission
Vision
Realizing the power of the liberal arts and sciences to shape global leadership and the greater good in a sustainable future.
Values and Mission
Franklin College educates the finest students from all backgrounds. We provide a rigorous and relevant education for a diverse range of students, expanding perspectives to build confidence and character as students engage the power of knowledge, preparing them for enduring contributions to Georgia and the world.
Franklin College cultivates creativity and engages the life of the mind. Instruction in a diversity of disciplines, the fine and performing arts alongside the traditional liberal arts and sciences, deepens our understanding of our world, our histories, and our cultures; drives critical thinking and empathy as a means of understanding the intricacies of nature and envisioning new systems and technologies; and enriches communities on campus, in the state of Georgia, and around the world.
Franklin College invests in research and instruction to understand and improve the world. Scholars in every discipline are shaping the future. Creativity and critical thinking fuel local, regional, and global solutions – and inform future generations with responsibility, generosity, and openness.
Franklin College improves our world. Our graduates engage a global mindset on the human scale, from rural communities to urban environments; our research has a direct impact on public policy and service to society; and our students and faculty contribute to local and global communities through service-learning and partnerships, gaining by giving, learning by participating.
Franklin College prepares the next generation of global leaders. We prepare UGA students with the knowledge and integrity needed for responsible state, national, and international leadership with the power of interdisciplinary expertise and the necessity of collaboration. Aligning pre-professional training with language instruction, area and ethnic studies, study abroad and international student exchange, and undergraduate research partnerships build lasting impact from the diverse national and international perspectives of our world-class faculty.
Academics
Broad Academic Programs
Today’s Franklin College comprises 30 departments in five divisions: Fine Arts, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and the Humanities. The top five most popular undergraduate majors at UGA—Biology, Psychology, English, Art, History—all are housed within Franklin College. In addition to educating more undergraduates than any college on campus, Franklin College offers 84 graduate degrees and certificates in 42 fields of study.
Majors and Degrees
The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is the portal to an unforgettable collegiate experience. Students can choose from more than 80 undergraduate degree programs in 60 units.
Our Academic Units
Franklin College is the oldest, largest, and most academically diverse college at the University of Georgia. Our educational and research programs encompass the entire spectrum of disciplines in the arts, humanities, physical, mathematical, biological, and social sciences.
Faculty Recruitment
The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences offers a rigorous education for a diverse range of high-achieving students at UGA, which necessarily means attracting exceptional faculty from across the United States and the world.
To deepen our understanding of our world, our histories, and our cultures, the College invests in instruction in every discipline to foster a global mindset that is also attuned to the human scale. Our research has a direct impact on public policy and discourse. And our students and faculty contribute to local and global communities through service-learning and partnerships – gaining by giving, learning by participating.