College of Arts and Sciences
Browse our more than 50 academic majors and 42 minors and concentrations to see what area of study fits your academic interests and goals.
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Areas of Study
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Africana Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesAfricana Studies
Department: Africana StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Africana studies prepares students, not only as adept critical thinkers, presenters, and researchers, but also as valuable global citizens. Because Africana studies is a multidisciplinary department, we offer courses to students of any major—knowledge to expand your worldview and deepen understanding of people of African ancestry.
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Anthropology
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesAnthropology
Department: AnthropologyProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Anthropology concerns itself with the holistic study of the human condition—socially, culturally, linguistically, and biologically in space and in time. If you have traveled or are interested in travel, or have experienced different societies, cultures, and foods; if you consider yourself adventurous and willing to engage in intense, hands-on learning within a liberal arts setting, the study of anthropology may be for you.
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Archaeological Studies
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesArchaeological Studies
Department: Archaeological StudiesProgram Type:- Major
Archaeological studies at Oberlin is an inherently interdisciplinary field that draws from methods and research practices in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
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Art History
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesArt History
Department: ArtProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Art history investigates the main tendencies, major artists, and important works from around the world, including Africa and the Black Atlantic, East Asia, Islamic cultures and the West.
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Biochemistry
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesBiochemistry
Department: Chemistry / BiochemistryProgram Type:- Major
Current. Foundational. Flexible. Interdisciplinary. Experiential. Rigorous. Collaborative. These are a few of the strengths of our Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, which offers variable and interdisciplinary coursework within the foundational fields of analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.
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Biology
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesBiology
Department: BiologyProgram Type:- Major
The Department of Biology prepares students in the principles, concepts, and methods of modern biology and develops analytical skills necessary for advanced study in a broad range of scientific and non-science disciplines.
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Book Studies
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesBook Studies
Program Type:- Concentration
The Book Studies Concentration is designed to provide pathways for students interested in books as communication, material culture, and artistic media on a global scale. It encourages connections across the curriculum to let student choose from a range of courses based on their interests.
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Chemistry
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesChemistry
Department: Chemistry / BiochemistryProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers flexible and interdisciplinary coursework within the foundational fields of analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.
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Cinema Studies
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesCinema Studies
Department: Cinema StudiesProgram Type:- Major
Oberlin’s Cinema Studies Program is one of the first established at a liberal arts college and one of few programs where students don’t just study films and filmmaking, they produce them.
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Classical Civilization
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesClassical Civilization
Department: ClassicsProgram Type:- Major
Our coursework in Classical Civilization covers literature, history, and society, as well as Greek and Roman contributions to philosophy, religion, and government. This program provides a broad foundation for students interested in all areas of literary, humanistic, and historical study.
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Cognitive Sciences
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesCognitive Sciences
Program Type:- Concentration
Cognitive science is a multidisciplinary field investigating cognition or thought. Cognitive scientists examine the structures and processes that underlie a creature’s ability to think and reason. They do so through an integration of perspectives and methodologies from a variety of disciplines: anthropology, biology, computer science, linguistics, mathematics, music theory, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology.
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Comparative American Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesComparative American Studies
Department: Comparative American StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Comparative American studies examines the range and diversity of American experiences, identities, and communities. From interdisciplinary perspectives, students study social, political, economic, and cultural processes within the United States as well as explore the role of the nation in a global context.
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Comparative Literature
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesComparative Literature
Department: Comparative LiteratureProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Literary theory, literature, the arts, European languages, literatures, and translation represent the foundation for our Comparative Literature Program.
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Computer Science
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesComputer Science
Department: Computer ScienceProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Computer science is taught within the context of a liberal arts degree, with emphasis on the lasting principles of the discipline rather than on specific training in particular tools and techniques. We stress the fundamentals of computer science while maintaining a highly current and relevant curriculum using advanced methodologies and tools.
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Creative Writing
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesCreative Writing
Department: Creative WritingProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Combining the breadth of a liberal arts education with rigorous studio training, our Creative Writing Program emphasizes individual mentoring at the advanced level through small, juried workshops, and independent projects directed by program faculty. We focus on five genres—fiction, poetry, nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting—yet offer opportunities for cross-disciplinary work with other arts.
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Dance
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesDance
Department: DanceProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Dance focuses on four areas of study that allow students to pursue dance from different perspectives: creation and performance, critical inquiry, physical techniques, and somatic studies. We encourage students to create, perform, collaborate, experiment, and think about movement in a manner that is consonant with their experience in the other fine and liberal arts.
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East Asian Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesEast Asian Studies
Department: East Asian StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Our East Asian Studies Program is one of the largest and most interdisciplinary fields of study, focusing on the region that includes China, Japan, and Korea. Students study languages coupled with East Asian history, literature, religion, art history, politics, and anthropology.
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Economics
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesEconomics
Department: EconomicsProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Economics is the study of the allocation of limited resources in the face of society’s unlimited wants. Students with an interest in data analysis, mathematical modeling, public policy, business, and finance will find the economics course of study broad, challenging, and diverse.
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Education Studies
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesEducation Studies
Program Type:- Concentration
An Education Studies Concentration integrates pedagogical approaches, conceptual approaches, and experiential components for students who are interested in engaging with understandings of education as a part of the liberal arts. It encourages them to work with diverse communities both as learners and as educators. The concentration includes student work in three areas: conceptual approaches, pedagogical approaches and experiential components.
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Engineering, 3-2
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesEngineering, 3-2
Program Type:- Major
Our 3-2 Engineering program will develop within students not just the requisite grounding in science and mathematics, but also the creativity, effectiveness in communication and problem solving, and sensitivity to real problems that are hallmarks of successful engineers.
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English
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesEnglish
Department: EnglishProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The English department balances the study of traditional fields of English and American literature with a strong commitment to interdisciplinary work. This involves the contemporary fields of Africana studies, postcolonial studies, cinema studies, comparative literature, creative writing, and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies.
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Environmental Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesEnvironmental Studies
Department: Environmental StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Environmental Studies Program provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions with the environment. We seek to equip students with the knowledge, intellectual tools, and learning experiences necessary to understand the causes and consequences of our environmental challenges. The program seeks to develop in students the creative problem-solving skills necessary to design and build a more sustainable relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world.
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French
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesFrench
Department: French and ItalianProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Mastery of spoken and written language, a critical appreciation of literature and cinema, and the study and analysis of culture are the hallmarks of coursework in the Department of French and Italian. Both areas of study are interdisciplinary allowing students to choose other courses that will broaden and enrich their studies of these world languages.
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Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesGender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies
Department: Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies Program gives support and direction for disciplinary, cross-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary scholarship in gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. This broad academic approach helps students explores how gender, race, class, and sexuality are represented in relation to ethnicity, nationality, politics, and other categories of human experience.
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Geology
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesGeology
Department: GeologyProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Oberlin’s Department of Geology explores some of the worldwide environmental, climatological, and geological questions of the day that will help students develop a high level of inquiry, field study, analysis, and problem-solving skills.
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German
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesGerman
Department: German Language and LiteraturesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The study of German focuses primarily on the study of literature. Genres, literary movements, and individual authors and themes are examined with the aim of expanding the student’s capacity for literary analysis and appreciation.
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German Studies
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesGerman Studies
Department: German Language and LiteraturesProgram Type:- Major
German Studies focuses primarily on the study of cultural expressions other than literature, such as music, art, film, and philosophy. Students learn to reflect on and analyze the nature and value of literary, cinematic, and artistic works as part of a larger inquiry into the meaning of life.
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Greek Language and Literature
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesGreek Language and Literature
Department: ClassicsProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Greek Language and Literature offers courses in classical civilization that cover literature, history, and society, as well as Greek and Roman contributions to philosophy, religion, and government. Our coursework provides a broad background for students interested in all areas of literary, humanistic, artistic, and historical study.
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Hispanic Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesHispanic Studies
Department: Hispanic StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Through coursework in Hispanic studies, you’ll develop a broad and intimate understanding of the rich and varied cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, built on a solid competence in spoken and written Spanish.
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History
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesHistory
Department: HistoryProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of History’s interdisciplinary focus engages students in numerous subjects approached through a variety of methodologies to help them become astute observers, practiced researchers, and critical thinkers. Rigorous coursework coupled with a research component helps our students gain deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
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Individual Major
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesIndividual Major
Program Type:- Major
Students who decide upon the Individual Major can focus their academic work on an interdisciplinary topic outside the framework of an existing department or program major. You define your own major program of study, drawing on courses from two or more disciplines within the college.
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International Studies
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesInternational Studies
Program Type:- Concentration
The International Studies Concentration prepares students for careers and pursuits spanning national boundaries. It is grounded in the social sciences and focused on contemporary issues to help students develop an understanding of the current dominant modes of international interactions, and the global nature and consequences of those interactions.
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Jewish Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesJewish Studies
Department: Jewish StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Jewish Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Jewish history and Judaism. Students will learn to read and comprehend core religious and historical texts, as well as methods for interpreting other materials relevant to Judaism as a religious system and body of thought; and Jewish history, literature, and culture.
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Latin American Studies
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesLatin American Studies
Department: Latin American StudiesProgram Type:- Major
Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary program that supports students with a strong interest in Latin America and the Caribbean: the peoples, cultures, history, language, and traditions. We emphasize Spanish-language competency, which is essential for anyone who wishes to study or function effectively in a Spanish-speaking environment.
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Latin Language and Literature
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesLatin Language and Literature
Department: ClassicsProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Latin Language and Literature is one of three areas of study offered through the Department of Classics. Our programs in Greek and Latin Language and Literature develops a deeper understanding of the works of ancient Greece and Rome and enables students to make independent judgments about ancient society through the study of source documents in their original languages.
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Law and Society
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesLaw and Society
Department: Law and SocietyProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Law and Society Program explores philosophical, political, economic, historical, sociological, ethical, scientific, and religious issues that are central to understanding the role of law and legal institutions in society.
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Linguistics
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesLinguistics
Program Type:- Concentration
Our Linguistics Concentration is interdisciplinary, taking advantage of Oberlin’s strengths in many academic areas that apply to our liberal arts philosophy and goal of ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education. Students will gain multiple disciplinary perspectives on human language, in addition to a foundation in descriptive and theoretical linguistics.
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Literary Translation
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesLiterary Translation
Program Type:- Concentration
Students concentrating in literary translation will study the history and theory of literary translation, analyze specific cases and practical problems, and develop their own extended translation projects. The Literary Translation Concentration can be completed by any student with any major.
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Mathematics
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesMathematics
Department: MathematicsProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Mathematics is both a technical and cultural field of study. We seek to introduce students to a central area of human thought; prepare them for graduate study in pure or applied mathematics; support students studying fields that use mathematics; and present the kinds of mathematical and quantitative thinking important in the contemporary world.
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Middle East and North Africa Studies
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesMiddle East and North Africa Studies
Program Type:- Minor
Middle East and North Africa Studies focuses on this region broadly, including Africa north of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula, Eastern Mediterranean, Iran, Turkey, and the Red Sea and Gulf Littoral states. Students should have a beginning knowledge of languages used in the region, namely Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi or Turkish.
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Musical Studies
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesMusical Studies
Department: Musical StudiesProgram Type:- Major
The Musical Studies Program is designed for arts and sciences students with serious preparation for and interest in the study of music within a liberal arts context. Students will take courses in both divisions, which include musical foundations, music theory and aural skills, musicology, applied study, and private instruction.
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Neuroscience
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesNeuroscience
Department: NeuroscienceProgram Type:- Major
The neuroscience major is designed for students interested in the cellular, chemical, and structural organization of the brain and the relationship between the brain’s operation and perception, thought, emotion, and behavior. Opportunities are available for students to use multiple approaches at many levels of analysis including molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels.
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Peace and Conflict Studies
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesPeace and Conflict Studies
Program Type:- Concentration
The Peace and Conflict Studies Concentration is an interdisciplinary concentration that studies the factors that lead to human conflict and aggression, including those that are psychological, sociological, anthropological, environmental, political, economic, religious, and historical in nature. Students will study not only the factors that lead to human conflict and aggression but also examine levels of conflict, both individual and group, and explore the potential links between issues of social and environmental justice and violent conflict.
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Philosophy
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesPhilosophy
Department: PhilosophyProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Philosophy is an essential component of a liberal arts education. It develops skills necessary for all intellectual pursuits. Here, you will have the opportunity to grapple with “big questions,” and to think about the philosophers who are working on these questions today, and those who have shaped the history of philosophy. You will learn to think carefully, critically, and with clarity; to develop reasoned arguments of your own; and to evaluate the arguments of others.
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Physics
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesPhysics
Department: Physics and AstronomyProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Our Department of Physics and Astronomy is designed to serve both students interested in science as an important part of a general education, and those desiring intensive training in physical science. Coursework ranges from fundamentals to electronics and astrophysics.
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Politics
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesPolitics
Department: PoliticsProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Politics encompasses a broad field of study and focuses on American politics, comparative politics, political theory, and international politics. Coursework will help students incorporate critical political viewpoints into their everyday experiences and future careers.
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Psychology
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesPsychology
Department: PsychologyProgram Type:- Major
The Department of Psychology’s curriculum prepares students for graduate work in psychology and for other academic and career goals where a background in psychology and its methods is relevant. Our scientific approach to understanding human behavior equips students with analytical, research, and clinical skills for careers in many fields with a human service orientation.
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Religion
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesReligion
Department: ReligionProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Religion offers a broad curriculum in the study of religion, and affords an opportunity for concentrated study in particular religious traditions and specific areas of religious thought and practice.
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Rhetoric and Composition
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesRhetoric and Composition
Department: Rhetoric and CompositionProgram Type:- Minor
The Department of Rhetoric and Composition supports the collegewide commitment to the teaching of writing, as it is one of the primary skills needed for almost any occupation to which a graduate might aspire. Beyond these practical values, writing serves as one of the most essential tools for inquiry in a liberal education. All Oberlin students are strongly encouraged to pursue the goal of writing well.
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Russian
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesRussian
Department: Russian Language, Literature and CultureProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Russian Language, Literature, and Culture offers a wide range of distinctive courses, both in Russian and in translation, for majors and non-majors alike. Through our multiyear sequence of language courses, students can gain extensive training in speaking, reading, and writing Russian, and develop a working understanding of Russian culture.
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Russian and East European Studies
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesRussian and East European Studies
Department: Russian and East European StudiesProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Russian and East European Studies prepares students for research or study in Russia or Eastern Europe. The curriculum is multidisciplinary, incorporating offerings in history, politics and sociology with courses in Russian language, literature, and culture.
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Sociology
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesSociology
Department: SociologyProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Sociology reflects the breadth and rigor of the discipline, offering courses in the core areas of social organizations and institutions; social inequality and stratification; micro-sociology, individuals and society; and the historical and comparative study of social change. Students have many opportunities to participate in independent research, field internships, study away, and private readings.
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Statistical Modeling
- Concentration
College of Arts and SciencesStatistical Modeling
Program Type:- Concentration
Statistics is the science of analyzing data, with these analyses often being based on models that are used to answer questions or reveal underlying relationships. Statistical modeling is applied across many disciplines to model human behavior and natural phenomena and to aid in decision making in the face of uncertainty.
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Studio Art
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesStudio Art
Department: ArtProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
Our Studio Art program is an integral part of the liberal arts curriculum, not a specialized technical field. Studio art majors will gain a solid educational foundation that will prepare them for graduate work or help them continue development as an artist on their own.
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Theater
- Major
- Minor
College of Arts and SciencesTheater
Department: TheaterProgram Type:- Major
- Minor
The Department of Theater offers students the opportunity to study acting, directing, design and production, theater history and criticism, and playwriting within the broader context of a liberal arts education. Theater students can acquire practical experience in all aspects of the theater by participating in departmental and community productions.
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Visual Art
- Major
College of Arts and SciencesVisual Art
Department: ArtProgram Type:- Major
Oberlin’s Visual Art program allows students to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the visual arts. Students might study art or architectural history within a particular social or historical context; urban or environmental studies; or art conservation. Creative arts projects might involve dance, theater arts, creative writing, or computer music.
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