About Science & Arts
Celebrating more than a century of service as Oklahoma's only public liberal arts college, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma – nationally ranked for quality and value – is a recognized leader and innovator in interdisciplinary studies.
Founded in 1908 as the first college created by Oklahoma’s first Legislature, Science & Arts has always had a distinguished mission. Originally a women’s college, it was one of only seven such public institutions ever created in the United States. Changed to coeducational in 1965, Science & Arts continues today with its distinctive mission as a public university that provides academically- and artistically-talented students a challenging undergraduate liberal arts and sciences education. Science & Arts fosters diversity of thought and practice to help students realize meaningful, purposeful and productive lives as global citizens in a rapidly-changing world.
In 2020, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni once again awarded Science & Arts an “A” grade for the quality of its required core curriculum, better known to students as the interdisciplinary studies program. Science & Arts is the only Oklahoma university, and one of only 23 nationwide, to receive such a rating out of over 1,100 four-year institutions studied. Science & Arts is ranked #7 on Great Value College’s 100 Most Affordable Small Colleges West of the Mississippi list.
Like the best private liberal arts colleges, Science & Arts offers small classes, award-winning faculty, and a campus culture that fosters inclusivity, close faculty-student interaction and undergraduate research opportunities. Science & Arts offers a vibrant residential campus experience where our students have the opportunity to attend cultural events and fine arts performances, or cheer on our athletic teams as they compete in 13 NAIA sports. Science & Arts educates the whole person and encourages growth through public service.
Statement of Core Belief
We believe the best path to a meaningful and purposeful life is an education that integrates knowledge from many disciplines to equip individuals for the 21st century.
Top 10 Distinctives of Science & Arts
- Science & Arts offers a broad educational experience. As Oklahoma's only public liberal arts university, Science & Arts provides students a broad educational experience, grounded in the sciences and humanities, that reinforces communication, critical thinking and problem solving.
- Coursework is built around a unique interdisciplinary core. Science & Arts' Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) curriculum remains as innovative today as when it was created 50 years ago by integrating knowledge from many disciplines.
- Science & Arts pioneered the innovative team-teaching approach. Team-teaching in the IDS program is an innovative approach that puts two or more professors from different disciplines into the classroom, offering students differing perspectives and approaches to the same material.
- Our mission attracts highly qualified faculty. One hundred percent of full-time faculty have postgraduate degrees, and nearly 90% have terminal degrees in their field. No classes are taught by teaching assistants. Faculty members come from prestigious graduate schools from across the country.
- The small campus environment fosters relationships. Enrollment caps contribute to Science & Arts having a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, creating an environment where students have access to faculty and know one another.
- Curiosity is encouraged and nurtured. Science & Arts fosters an environment where curiosity is at the heart of the academic experience and creativity is the norm, not the exception.
- Students stay and graduate. Science & Arts attracts curious-minded students who thrive in this kind of environment and tend to graduate at higher rates than most public universities of its size.
- Graduates succeed in post-graduate study and become leaders in their field. Science & Arts students succeed in graduate school and rise to positions of leadership in their chosen field.
- We counter the common perception that quality is not affordable. Year after year Science & Arts is nationally recognized for its affordability, upward social mobility, as well as the rigor of its academic approach.
- Science & Arts fills an unduplicated role in the state higher education system. As Oklahoma's only public liberal arts university, Science & Arts serves a unique purpose with an educational mission that is unduplicated in the state system of higher education.