About the school

Aimed at maximising the holistic development of students, Lehigh University – College of Arts and Sciences boasts 342 graduate students, 1,894 undergraduate students, and 270 full-time faculty members. You can pursue a master’s degree in a variety of programmes, including Mathematics, Chemistry, History, Psychology, English, and Environmental Policy. More than 35 academic departments and interdisciplinary programmes are on offer here. The college helps you hone your intellectual abilities, gain real-world exposure, tackle challenges, and become career-ready. It has the university’s most academically alumni base as well, with around 23,000 members.

Where is the school located?

The College of Arts and Sciences is nestled in Pennsylvania’s Bethlehem city, known for its industrial history, galleries, and museums.

Life at College of Arts and Sciences

At the college, you have the opportunity to engage in over 150 clubs, 22 sororities and fraternities, including 41 club and intramural sports, allowing you to lead an active and captivating college life. Every year, the university also does more than 65,000 hours of community service, which gives you the opportunity to be a part of the greater good. The campus hosts over 250 arts events and 25 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports for women and men.

In case of accommodation, as a graduate student, you can choose from housing owned and operated by the university, affiliated housing, and rental off-campus housing. All these are adequately furnished, have kitchen access, and may come with a fitness centre, outdoor grill, volleyball court, and more. There is a wide array of meal plans available too, to suit different budgets and requirements. Note that the rates may vary based on whether it is the fall, spring, or summer semester.

Additional benefits of studying at College of Arts and Sciences

The college offers you wholesome opportunities for experiential learning with GO: The Campaign. It encompasses numerous initiatives to fuel research, teaching, and artistic activities. You can conduct original research work, solve complex problems, and carve a niche for yourself and the university. The university’s art galleries open your mind to novel ideas through performing and visual arts. You can also be a part of the Join the Dialogue initiative by the college, to discuss key issues or challenges regarding gender, race, politics, religion, and more. You can question, speak out, and suggest resolutions in an inclusive environment.

Admissions criteria

Applying to the College of Arts and Sciences is a mostly similar process for US and international students. However, if you are an international applicant, you will also need to provide the necessary visas (J-1 or F-1) and financial responsibility certificate. All programmes might not have the same requirements or some might need extra documentation, so regularly check the website for updates. Enrolling for Lehigh’s health insurance by the deadline is crucial as well, with opt-out only possible if you are covered by the family plan of a parent or spouse living and working in the USA.

Your application usually needs to include these types of information:

• Online completed application form
• A personal statement
• CV/resume
• Unofficial transcripts in both native language and English translation from all the institutions attended in the past
• 2 recommendation letters
• Proof of English proficiency (option A): IELTS (7 for English/6.5 for others)/TOEFL (96 for English/85 for others)/Duolingo (125 for English/115 for others)/Cambridge (190 for English/180 for others)/completed a degree from an accredited institution in the USA, Australia, Canada, Belize, New Zealand, UK, Republic of Ireland, or British Caribbean and British West Indies
• Proof of English proficiency (option B): Official attestation from previous institution verifying that all courses were taught in English AND an admission interview
• Other costs which are not consistent throughout school admissions information online:
• Cost per credit hour
  • Distance education rate per credit hour
• Wellness fee
  • Food
    
  • Housing
  • Health insurance

For more details on admissions and financial aid, please visit the school’s website.

Job placements

The Centre for Career and Professional Development employs a combination of learning labs, career coaching, workshops, and online tools to ensure student success. Eighty four percent of students from the Class of 2022 who completed their master’s degree are employed, continuing education, or pursuing volunteer or military service. The average starting salary was $66,000. They found employment in industries such as technology, consulting, government, education, healthcare, energy, real estate, and media. Northwestern University, Blogen, Environmental Protection Agency, Olympus America, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mathnasium, and Lehigh University were among the top employers.

Eighty eight percent of doctoral students from the same year are employed, pursuing education, or engaged in military or volunteer services. Their average starting salary was $57,000 and they found employment in education, healthcare, technology, and financial services. Top employers were NASA, John Hopkins University, Wells Fargo, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, and Lehigh University.