College History

Since the founding of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1876, from a small land-grant college into a major research university, the Liberal Arts program at Texas A&M has evolved from three departments to a School of Arts and Sciences in 1924, to the modern College of Liberal Arts created in 1970.

The growth of the College and the University is the result of many key decisions, especially the vision and leadership embodied in three long-range strategic plans created to guide Texas A&M in its transition into a world-class modern university.

1876

The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas opens as the state’s first public institution of higher learning. Three of the College’s seven departments teach liberal arts courses. The Department of Mental and Moral Philosophy and Belle Lettres offers courses in ancient and modern history, rhetoric, logic, mental and moral philosophy, economy, and higher English. The Department of Modern Languages and English offers courses in English, German, Spanish, and French. The Department of Ancient Languages offers instruction in Latin and Greek.

1884

The College reorganizes with a Department of Agriculture and a Department of Engineering replacing the original seven departments. The curricula in both still require instruction in English, history, and languages. This curricular emphasis lasts until 1924.

1924

The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas establishes the School of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School. The School of Arts and Sciences offers “The Course in Liberal Arts” and “The Course in Science.” The Course in Liberal Arts leads to a BA and requires study in English, chemistry, military science, modern languages, history, and mathematics, plus electives selected from either school. The School of Arts and Sciences becomes the fifth “School” at Texas A&M, joining Agriculture, Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, and Vocational Teaching.

1931

The MS in economics is authorized as the first liberal arts graduate program.

1959

Frank W. R. Hubert is hired as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (1959-1970) and begins to broaden the programs and seek approval for additional graduate degrees.

1961

Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas President Earl Rudder appoints the Faculty/Staff/Student Committee on Aspirations and the Century Council to recommend goals to be achieved by the institution’s 1976 Centennial. Results encourage enrollment of women, voluntary participation in the Corps of Cadets, increased graduate student enrollment, recruitment of high-quality students and re-invigoration of capital fund-raising efforts. Academic recommendations include giving department status to programs in psychology, government, and sociology and to creating departments in philosophy and the fine arts.

1963

The Board of Directors permits women to enroll on a limited basis. The 58th Texas Legislature authorizes an institutional name change.

1964

The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas becomes Texas A&M University. Names of schools change to colleges, and divisions change to schools. A Master of Arts (in English) is granted.

1965

The College of Arts and Sciences divides into the College of Science and the College of Liberal Arts. The College of Liberal Arts includes the School of Business Administration and the Departments of Economics, English, Education and Psychology, Health and Physical Education, History and Government, Journalism, Modern Languages, and Philosophy and Humanities. Frank W. R. Hubert is the first Dean of Liberal Arts. A new graduate PhD program in economics is approved.

1968

The School of Business Administration becomes the College of Business. In the College of Liberal Arts, the government program in the Department of History and Government becomes the Department of Political Science, and the psychology program in the Department of Education and Psychology stays in liberal arts to become the Department of Psychology. PhD programs are approved in both history and English.

1969

The Department of Education and Psychology and the Department of Health and Physical Education coalesce to become the College of Education. In the College of Liberal Arts, a new graduate MA program is approved in modern languages.

1970

W. David Maxwell is named dean of the College of Liberal Arts (1970-1980), which includes the Departments of Economics, English, History, Journalism, Modern Languages, Philosophy and Humanities, Political Science, and Psychology. The sociology division is transferred from the College of Agriculture to create the ninth liberal arts department, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

1971

A PhD in sociology is approved.

1976

The American Institute of Nautical Archaeology moves to Texas A&M's anthropology department from the University of Pennsylvania.

1977

A BA in theater arts is approved.

1980

Keith L. Bryant, Jr. (1980-84) is selected as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. The Department of Sociology and Anthropology become separate departments.

1981

The Institutional Self-study, Target 2000, outlines program-enhancing goals to be accomplished by the turn of the century, including increasing emphasis on graduate education, expanding programs in fine arts and law, enhancing the library, and expanding fund-raising efforts. The study also emphasizes the need for geographic, economic, racial, and ethnic diversity.

1983

New PhD degrees are approved in psychology.

1984

Daniel Fallon is appointed dean (1984-93). A BA is created in speech communication.

1985

The College adds one new department, Speech Communication and Theatre Arts. The English Department becomes home to the World Shakespeare Bibliography.

1986

Speech Communication and Theater Arts faculty separate from English to form a department. A second bachelor’s degree, a BA, is added in psychology. A new PhD degree is approved in archaeology; the department becomes home to the Public Policy Resources Laboratory, which is later renamed the Public Policy Research Institute.

1987

A second bachelor’s degree, a BA, is added in sociology. A new PhD degree is approved in political science.

1990

A master degrees is approved in speech communication.

1991

President George Bush names Texas A&M University as the site for the George Bush Presidential Library. The major reason he decides on Texas A&M is the proposal to create the George Bush School of Government and Public Service. Liberal arts faculty and administrators provide key leadership for this proposal.

1993

An undergraduate degree (BA) is created in international studies (1993) and the BA in modern languages is replaced with a BA in Spanish, French, German, or Russian.

1994

Woodrow Jones, Jr. is appointed dean (1994-2001), the first African American to serve in this position at Texas A&M University. Master degrees are approved in science and technology journalism, and a PhD program is created in anthropology. The College becomes home to the Military Studies Institute and the Women’s Studies Program, the latter of which was originally established in the English Department.

1997

The George Bush School of Government and Public Service and the George Bush Presidential Library Center are dedicated. A new Academic Building West houses the Bush School, Department of Political Science, and Department of Economics.

1998

A PhD program in speech communication is approved.

1999

The Vision 2020 Task Force unveils recommendations aimed at placing Texas A&M University among the top ten public academic institutions in the nation by the year 2020. One goal emphasizes the need to develop nationally prominent programs in the letters, arts, and sciences. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approves the Center for Humanities Research (CHR). The George Bush School of Government and Public Service moves from the College of Liberal Arts and is established as a school within the university academic organization. The music program and theatre arts program merge to create the Department of Performance Studies, the first academic department at Texas A&M dedicated solely to the arts.

2000

The Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts is renamed the Department of Speech Communication.

2001

Charles A. Johnson is selected as the sixth dean of the College of Liberal Arts (2001-present). Undergraduate degrees are approved in music, American studies, and telecommunication media studies. Callaloo, one of the premier African American literary journals, moves to Texas A&M from the University of Virginia.

2002

In December, the Department of Speech Communication is renamed the Communication Department, and the English Language Institute (ELI) earns accreditation for five years.

2003

The English Department and the Department of Educational Psychology are chosen for the Carnegie Foundation study of doctoral programs. A PhD program in Hispanic Studies is approved. To further cultural respect and tolerance, a minor in Africana Studies is approved.

2004

The Department of History is selected to participate in a Carnegie Initiative study of doctoral programs that includes a multi-year research and action program. The Department of Modern and Classical Languages is reorganized into two new departments: the Department of Hispanic Studies and the Department of European and Classical Languages and Cultures. Journalism is reorganized into an interdisciplinary program. The Board of Regents approves the establishment of the Mexican American Latino Research Center. 

2005

Today the College of Liberal Arts is a cornerstone of this land-grant university founded on a spirit of tradition and determined to build a dynamic new spirit of tomorrow as it strives for recognition as one of America’s best public institutions.

The three departments in 1876 dedicated to “liberal learning” have grown to become one of the largest colleges on the Texas A&M campus, with 12 departments and 45 academic degrees in the performing arts, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences.