Emory College of Arts and Sciences: A Comprehensive Overview

Emory College of Arts and Sciences, a cornerstone of Emory University, offers a transformative liberal arts education within a vibrant research university setting. With a rich history dating back to 1836, Emory has evolved into a leading institution known for its academic rigor, commitment to research, and diverse community. This article provides an overview of Emory College, highlighting its key features, academic programs, student life, and overall impact.

A Dual Campus Experience

Emory University distinguishes itself with two entry points for undergraduate students: Emory College of Arts and Sciences in Atlanta and Oxford College in Oxford, Georgia, located 38 miles east of Atlanta. This unique structure allows students to tailor their educational journey to their preferences and learning styles.

Atlanta Campus (Emory College): The Atlanta campus provides a liberal arts education at the center of a thriving research university, with close connections to the opportunities of a global city. It hosts more than 7,000 undergraduate students, with additional graduate students and fellows.
Oxford Campus: The Oxford campus offers a two-year liberal arts experience within a close-knit residential college. With small class sizes and faculty mentorship, Oxford provides a supportive environment for students to begin their college journey. Approximately 1,000 students attend Oxford College. Oxford College students enjoy the benefit of small class sizes (average class size is 19), direct relationships with their faculty, ample undergraduate leadership opportunities, and a tight-knit community of their peers.

All students complete their degrees on the Atlanta campus in Emory College, Goizueta Business School, or the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

Academic Excellence and Opportunities

Emory College of Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the discovery of knowledge, the creation of new works, and paradigm-shifting research with broad impact. The college offers a wide range of academic programs and opportunities, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation.

Liberal Arts Education: At the heart of Emory's mission is a holistic liberal arts education that cultivates exploration, academic rigor, and self-reflection. Students are encouraged to think critically, weigh conflicting evidence, and ask questions that challenge existing orthodoxy.
Research Opportunities: Emory College provides students with opportunities to engage in research alongside outstanding faculty who are constantly pushing the boundaries of knowledge across the sciences and humanities.
Interdisciplinary Programs: Emory offers over 20 joint, dual-degree, and 4+1 programs, allowing students to explore multiple disciplines and tailor their education to their interests.
Majors, Minors, and Tracks: The School of Arts & Sciences offers majors, minors and tracks in education, humanities, natural science, social science and visual and performing arts, as well as interdisciplinary and pre-professional programs.
Classes Offered: Emory offers more than 1,600 classes every year. Emory College: 76% of classes have fewer than 30 students.

Four Undergraduate Schools

Emory University offers four undergraduate schools. In your first two years, you'll complete foundational classes at either Emory College in Atlanta or Oxford College in Oxford, Georgia. In your third and fourth year, you can pursue your major at either Emory College, Goizueta Business School, or the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

Read also: Emory University Tuition

Emory College: 5,567Total Undergraduate Enrollment, 1,438 First-Year Class Enrollment
Oxford College: 967 Total Undergraduate Enrollment, 429 First-Year Class Enrollment
Goizueta Business School: 1,435 Total Undergraduate Enrollment, #8 Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US
School of Nursing: 342 Total Undergraduate Enrollment, 50% of education is hands-on in clinics, hospitals, and labs, #1 Bachelor of Science in NursingUS News & World Report, 2025

Pathways Center

The Pathways Center provides resources and experiences that empower Emory College students and alumni to reach their full potential and pursue meaningful careers and lives.

Student Life and Community

Emory University boasts a vibrant student life with a strong sense of community and tradition. Students have access to a variety of resources and activities that enhance their overall college experience.

Residential Life: Emory is known for having top-ranked college dorms.
Economic Diversity: Emory is top-ranked for economic diversity among national universities.
Mascots: Emory has two mascots: Swoop, the spirited eagle representing Emory Athletics, and Dooley, the mysterious “Lord of Misrule” and longtime symbol of student life, tradition, and campus spirit. Together, they embody Emory’s energy and its quirky sense of community.
- Swoop: Swoop, Emory’s official mascot, represents the strength, pride, and tradition of our athletics programs, ensuring school spirit continues to soar across our community.
- Dooley: Dooley, the Lord of Misrule, is Emory’s unofficial mascot and one of its most enduring traditions. This playful skeleton embodies the spirit of the students-appearing at events throughout the year to spread humor, mystery, and school pride. The highlight is Dooley’s Week, when Dooley interrupts classes and pops up across campus to create light-hearted mischief.

Athletics

Emory University has robust athletic programs.

Emory College (NCAA Division III): 400 student athletes, 19 varsity sports, 32 NCAA championships
Oxford College (NJCAA Division III): 125 student athletes, 9 varsity sports, 24 national championships

Rankings and Recognition

Emory College of Arts and Sciences consistently receives high rankings and recognition for its academic excellence, research contributions, and overall quality of life.

#1 Best Quality of Life in the US
#3 Best College Dorms in the US
Top Ranked for Economic Diversity among National UniversitiesUS News & World Report, 2023
#4 Best Classroom Experience in the USForbes "New Ivies"
Top 10 Private University in Forbes “New Ivies” List
Top Ranked Producer of Fulbright AwardeesUS Department of State, 2025
#1 Bachelor of Science in NursingUS News & World Report, 2025
#8 Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US

A Look at the Numbers

Emory University's Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE) stewards the academic experience of undergraduates in Emory College of Arts and Sciences (Emory College). It promotes academic excellence by providing leadership and support across the College and creating opportunities for growth both in the classroom and beyond. The OUE advances the vision of Emory College by collaborating with its faculty and Emory University partners to deliver a transformative liberal arts education-one that encourages students to cultivate critical thinking, cross-disciplinary perspectives, compassionate listening, and intellectual curiosity.

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Total Number of Students: 16,142
Undergraduate Students: 8,347
Countries Represented on Campus: 100+
Total Undergraduate Enrollment (Emory College): 5,567
First-Year Class Enrollment (Emory College): 1,438
Total Undergraduate Enrollment (Oxford College): 967
First-Year Class Enrollment (Oxford College): 429
Total Undergraduate Enrollment (Goizueta Business School): 1,435
Total Undergraduate Enrollment (School of Nursing): 342

Admission

Emory University is considered highly selective. In 2022, Emory University received 33,517 applications and had a 9% regular decision admission rate and a 10.6% overall admission rate. The Scholars Programs have an acceptance rate of just 2%. The enrolling class was 55.4% female, 44.6% male and 10.4% of enrolling class identify as first-generation college students. Emory’s Class of 2029 Representing 43 states, 67 countries and thousands of unique experiences.

Library Resources

Emory University is a member of the Association of Research Libraries. The Emory University library system includes over 3.9 million print and electronic volumes and 83,000-plus electronic journals. The Rose Library contains rare materials relating to literature, African American history and culture, and Southern and Georgia history. Notable among the collections are papers of Flannery O'Connor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, Salman Rushdie, W. B.

Research and Innovation

Emory University research is heavily funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services's National Institutes of Health. The federal agency awarded the university nearly $600 million in the fiscal year of 2021. Emory University researchers Dennis C. Liotta, Raymond F. Schinazi, and Woo-Baeg Choi discovered Emtricitabine, a nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) used in the treatment of HIV. The Emory University Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and the Emory Vaccine Center are world leaders in AIDS Vaccine Development and HIV Pathogenesis studies are funded by nine different institutes of the NIH and by the Georgia Research Alliance.

Historical Overview

Emory College was founded in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia, by the Methodist Episcopal Church. The college was named in honor of the departed Methodist bishop John Emory. Ignatius Alphonso Few was the college's first president.

Civil War Era: Emory College was closed in November 1861 and all of its students enlisted on the Confederate side. In late 1863 the war reached Georgia and the college was used as hospital and later a headquarters for the Union Army.
Late 19th Century: In 1880, Atticus Greene Haygood, Emory College President, delivered a speech expressing gratitude for the end of slavery in the United States, which captured the attention of George I. Seney, a New York banker. Seney gave Emory College $5,000 to repay its debts, $50,000 for construction, and $75,000 to establish a new endowment.
20th Century Growth: In 1914, the Candler School of Theology was established. In 1917, the United States joined the First World War, and Emory University responded by organizing a medical unit composed of faculty and alumni of the medical school.
World War II: During the Second World War, the Emory Unit was mobilized once again and served in the North African campaign and Europe. Emory's contributions to the war effort were recognized by christening a ship, M.S.
Civil Rights Era: In 1962, in the midst of the civil rights movement, Emory embraced the initiative to end racial restrictions when it asked the courts to declare portions of the Georgia statutes unconstitutional. Previously, Georgia law denied tax-exempt status to private universities with racially integrated student bodies. The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled in Emory's favor and Emory officially became racially integrated.

Notable Alumni

Emory faculty and alumni include one vice president of the United States, two prime ministers, two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and a United States Supreme Court Justice. Other notable alumni include twenty-one Rhodes Scholars and six Pulitzer Prize winners.

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