Dean's Office
The Office of the Dean
With 33 undergraduate majors, 32 minors, 23 certificate programs and 15 graduate programs,
the College of Liberal Arts—the second largest college at Temple—plays a tremendous role in the
university’s academic success. Cla helps to provide the general education requirements for
undergraduate students from all schools and colleges, and with thousands of students walking the
halls of Anderson, Gladfelter and Weiss, it is paramount that the College of Liberal Arts offers
the most diverse courses and enriching interdisciplinary programs.
I know that the academic needs of our current and future students are changing rapidly, and because of these changes CLA must continue to provide students a strong educational foundation so that they may become vanguards of integrated and innovative thinking. To address these ever-changing needs, almost 200 members of Temple’s community (myself, included) have been developing the university’s first-ever academic strategic plan. Commissioned by President Ann Weaver Hart and spearheaded by Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Lisa Staiano-Coico, the plan will be unveiled with ten to twelve initiatives that will, according to Provost Staiano-Coico, “chart a course for Temple’s future.”
International studies, global thinking and studying abroad are strategic educational objectives of the college because they encourage positive exchange of ideas and scholastic spirit within our classrooms and throughout our world community. The Department of International Programs reports a 40 percent increase in participation over the past seven years and, in the last academic year, the greatest portion of Temple students studying abroad have been from the College of Liberal Arts with majors in English, history, political science and psychology.
Studying abroad enriches the undergraduate experience, but many students need scholarship support to finance this aspect of their academic career. To this end, I must mention the Diamond Ambassadors Scholarship Program, an exciting initiative from the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies that invites approximately 50 students per year, based on their academic record and financial need, to receive funds for studying abroad.
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