Africana Studies began as an academic discipline on college campuses during the Civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam War movements of the 1960s. In 1969, students from the Cornell Afro-American Society occupied the Willard Straight Hall building at Cornell for 36 hours in protest of racial tensions on campus and the university’s lack of support for a black studies program.  The night before the protest, a burning cross was found outside a residential co-op for black women. The university then established its Africana Studies program shortly thereafter. In the next few years, hundreds of schools would follow suit.

Ah, yes, the Classics. It’s one of those majors that you’ve probably heard of, but only have a vague idea of what is actually involved. Classics is pretty much the study of culture, language, and history of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Although Classics is one of the oldest academic disciplines, few high school students (spare those who went to fancy private schools) are exposed to its building blocks. But the study of Classics isn’t just for characters in a Donna Tart novel. Yes, it’s a mildly pretentious area of education, but it may be the right fit for students interested in history, literature, and sociology who also have a knack for language.

While Arabic is an ancient language dating back to the First Century CE, it remains one of the most pervasive languages in use today, with an estimated 250 million native speakers worldwide. Some schools offer programs under this umbrella that focus on helping students develop a mastery of the language, while others distinguish themselves with curricula that immerse college kids in the culture and history of the Arab world. Arabic and related studies are a natural major for students interested in pursuing business or international relations after graduation.  

With China’s increasing importance in the global arena, proficiency in Chinese language and understanding of Chinese culture are useful to anyone interested in pursuing a career in international business, government, or research. Over the years, schools have expanded upon their Chinese program offerings, providing students with additional opportunities to immerse themselves in the rich history of one of the world’s oldest countries.  

Anthropology is, in essence, the study of humanity. While department requirements vary from school to school, the discipline is often categorized under four-to-five branches: Social, Cultural, Linguistic, Biological, and depending on who you are, Archaeological, too.

Self-designed majors, which are also referred to as independent programs, interdepartmental majors, individual majors, and interdisciplinary studies, are a great option for students with academic interests that don’t fit neatly into one box. While double majoring provides you with undergraduate degrees in two fields, say English and History, self-designing a major allows you focus much more closely on areas within traditional fields that intersect in a way that prepares you for a more niche and specific academic and career-related goal.

Political science is a social science that focuses on the theory and practice of government and politics at various levels. Majoring in government means that you’ll study political structures, policies, and the concepts of justice and democracy.  

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions. Psychology has many branches, most of which are explored at an undergraduate level, and some schools approach the study by dividing the curriculum into areas such as cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and biopsychology. Those who study psychology often work as psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, counselors, teachers, and researchers.

“International relations” can go by many different names. Commonly referred to simply as “IR,” international relations or international affairs is the study of how the politics, economics, and laws of different nations are interrelated and connected on a global level. At many schools, IR is a subfield of political science and public policy. More and more often, it is also being replaced by the term “global studies,” which is less associated with poly-sci. The strongest programs and majors for IR are often found at larger research institutions, but many small liberal arts colleges also provide fascinating programs and opportunities to delve into IR. We list the best 11 majors and programs here. 

In addition to being one of the most popular majors for students who plan to attend medical school, Biology majors often graduate to become biochemists, research scientists, biologists, physician assistants, environmental scientists, botanists, and much more.  

A strong Russian program equips students with an understanding of the history, culture, language, art, and literature of Russia. In order to understand and examine the region from a global perspective, Russian programs are often inclusive of material about Eastern Europe and the relationship between Russia, the United States, and the rest of the world. Students who major in Russian often go on to work in the fields of government, education, law, research and cultural analysis, and diplomacy and public service.

Sociology is the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society; and sociology majors examine how societies function by looking into individual experiences and connecting them to larger social issues. Sociology allows us to enter into the worlds of others and understand their values, beliefs, and traditions.

Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. It’s a social science primarily involved with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Studying Economics helps students examine global and social issues such as trade, the environment, poverty, growth, regulation, and unemployment.

Linguistics is a field that focuses on the science behind language, its structure and analysis, and communication. It is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles from anthropology, psychology, philosophy of language, history, and often, computational analysis/statistics. This combination of social and science makes it a prime candidate for a strong major within a liberal arts institution. We’ve gathered a list of the best linguistics majors and programs at small liberal arts schools throughout the U.S. below.