College of Arts and Letters | Northern Arizona University

A home for humanities, performance, and fine arts

The College of Arts and Letters is a community of accomplished teachers, scholars, students, and artists. Our educational mission is to foster an affinity for inquiry and expression, preparing students of all backgrounds for fulfilling careers and informed civic engagement. CAL is committed to a public-facing agenda through which all people can experience the arts and explore the human experience.

We invite students to become creators of culture – to join the conversations and debates, storytelling, performances, artistic innovations, and music that shape the world – to explore the religious and cultural expression, historical legacies, and global perspectives that define our society.

Academic programs

Undergraduate

With a range of options to choose from, you’ll find that our degrees allow you to explore the depth of the human experience while gaining transferable career skills.

A professor looking at voice memos on her laptop.

Graduate

No matter your discipline, a graduate degree in the arts or humanities will help you take your professional life to the next level. Explore your future.

Your passion, your profession

Schools and departments

Student welds sculpture with safety glasses.

School of Art + Design

Immerse yourself in visual exploration, learning to transform thought into impressive works of art and design.

A woman sitting on a rock playing a wind instrument.

Kitt School of Music

Whether your focus is instrumental or vocal, a music degree can open doors to a world of opportunity.

N A U professor stands next to a student and points to a screen.

Department of Comparative Cultural Studies

Committed to social transformation and experiential learning through research and community-based projects.

Students working together at separate desks.

Department of English

Join a supportive literary community of faculty and students.

Instructor and student talking while leaning on wooden wall of a ramada.

Department of Global Languages and Cultures

Achieve robust language proficiency while gaining a rich understanding of other societies, structures, and cultures.

Students read historic textbook in glass display.

Department of History

Studying history is more than learning facts. You will develop a way of thinking that fosters cultural awareness and an appreciation of context and perspective.

A professor describing what is on the board.

Department of Philosophy

Study great thinkers—both historical and contemporary—to learn how to do great thinking, and great writing, of your own.

An actor and an actress talking on stage.

Department of Theatre

Experiential and collaborative learning helps you excel as a well-rounded theatre practitioner, whether onstage or off.

N A U art student Tripp Herrera paints on a canvas.

GET INVOLVED Events

As a center for the arts in northern Arizona, the College of Arts and Letters hosts events for our students and community members alike. From ballet performances to academic symposia, our calendar is active year-round.

Learn more

Other resources

Northern Arizona University Art Museums

With rotating exhibitions, we feature student and community artists with diversity in voice, media, theme, and creative inspiration.

Students and professors chatting at a reception.

Martin-Springer Institute

Using the Holocaust as a foundation, the MSI promotes moral courage, tolerance, and justice, addressing current crises and fostering dialogue on local, national, and international levels.

N A U students walking down a hallway and talking.

Global programs

Explore the options available for international education with a number of NAU’s Interdisciplinary Global Programs.

Blog

College of Arts and Letters alumni and friends talking and smiling outside.

Check out what our students, faculty, and alumni have been up to.