Common Ground 2019

Welcome to the Texas A&M University College of Liberal Arts.

Like similar colleges around the country, the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University serves a critical educational purpose in producing well-rounded undergraduate and graduate students prepared to lead productive lives that are fulfilling both professionally and personally and that contribute to the betterment of society. We touch the educational experience of virtually every undergraduate at Texas A&M, whether through core curriculum offerings, advanced courses in majors across fields in the humanities, social sciences, or outside the classroom in transformational experiences such as study abroad, forums for practicing civil discourse, and outreach to a wide variety of community partners.

We aim to become a national model for what an innovative College of Liberal Arts in a large public research university looks like. By building on our strengths; committing seriously to the teaching, research, and service that is demanded of 21st-century faculty, staff, and students; and fully embracing our college’s critical contributions to the future of Texas A&M, we aim to demonstrate the important role a liberal arts education plays in the future.

Central to a Liberal Arts education is learning about all aspects of the human condition, past and present. We study how humans across the world behave; how their brains work; how they express themselves creatively in literature, language, and performance; how they make decisions; how they organize and conduct themselves; and how they see themselves and others. On the foundations of this broad knowledge, we build the ability to listen and talk to one another, ask hard questions (including of ourselves), tolerate ambiguity, and communicate deeply in writing and speaking. We learn to read and think critically and to distinguish opinion from fact.

Our students graduate prepared for the workforce the majority of them will enter. Employers routinely express their desire for their new employees to be flexible, critical thinkers who understand other people and cultures, communicate effectively, and collaborate with coworkers to propose solutions.  

Whether you are considering joining the College of Liberal Arts or you are already part of it, I encourage you to explore this website to learn more about our mission, our accomplishments, and opportunities to get involved.

The College of Liberal Arts has a bright future, and we will shape it together.

Sincerely,

Pam Matthews
Dean

Pamela R. Matthews joined the English faculty of Texas A&M University in 1989 after earning a Ph.D. in English from Duke University. She has served as associate head of the Department of English, director of Women’s and Gender Studies, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the College of Liberal Arts, associate provost for undergraduate studies and vice provost for academic affairs.

Matthews was appointed interim dean of the college in July 2014. She was named dean by the Board of Regents of Texas A&M University on April 29, 2015. Beyond campus, she co-founded Brazos Valley Reads, a program that brings internationally-recognized authors to College Station for a public book reading and interaction with members of the community.