Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

IU School of Liberal Arts

SLA Spirograph Ideas. Inspiration. Impact.

About Us

The School of Liberal Arts is the home of the social sciences and humanities at IUPUI. The School’s excellent faculty, innovative courses and programs, diverse student body, and dedicated staff provide a vibrant and dynamic learning environment. The urban Indianapolis setting creates an academic experience beyond the boundaries of campus and classroom. It is an education grounded in the liberal arts tradition, with a committment to diversity and an eye for practical application of knowledge and community engagement.

With 11 departments and more than 30 centers, institutes, and programs, the School is the only one of its kind in the IU system. The School has an operating budget of $28 million, enrolls nearly 1,800 undergraduate majors, 340 graduate students, and more than 220 full-time faculty. The School awards 16 undergraduate majors, and most departments offer graduate degrees and certificates; students may also choose a Ph.D. program in Philanthropic Studies or Economics.

We are Indiana’s public liberal arts college, established in 1972. In our Strategic Plan, we state our aspiration to become a model 21st century urban liberal arts school and a preferred location for learning and research in the humanities and social sciences.

Learn about our faculty and staff and administration, or contact us.

By the Numbers

  • The average age of Liberal Arts undergraduates is 26; 57% of undergraduates are female. 45% of majors have taken all of their coursework at IUPUI/IU.
  • Between 2005-2011, Liberal Arts faculty have received $41,867,340 in external grants and contracts support.
  • In 2010-2011, School of Liberal Arts provided more than $200,000 in scholarships and awards to its majors and minors.
  • Liberal Arts students recently studied abroad in Mexico, Greece, Kenya, Spain, Japan, England, France, Germany, and many other nations around the globe.
  • In the past decade Liberal Arts faculty have authored (or edited) 186 books, 989 journal articles, and 336 chapters in edited books.