- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
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- Undergraduate Programs
Undergraduate Programs

Anthropology
Anthropologists are adventurers. We trek around the world through time and space to understand who we are as humans.
Degree Programs
- Anthropology (B.A. and B.S.) Major
- Minor in Anthropology
- Educator Licensure - Anthropology
- Anthropology Honors Program
Biological Sciences
Biology is a diverse and rapidly expanding field of study that addresses issues relevant to health, agriculture, industry, and the environment.
Degree Programs
- Biological Sciences (B.S.) Major
- Minor in Biological Sciences
- Educator Licensure - Biological Sciences
- Biological Sciences Honors Program
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Virtually everything we do involves chemistry in some way or another. From the clothes we wear to the detergent we wash them in, chemistry has improved our health, our lives and even our environment. More>
Degree Programs
Communication
In many professions, the need for communication skills has never been more critical. Employers consistently cite communication skills as the major requirement for success in professional careers.
Communication Studies Degree Programs
- Communication Studies (B.A. or B.S.) Major
- Minor in Communication Studies
- Communication Studies Honors Program
- Digital Media Production Certificate
Journalism Degree Programs
Computer Science
NIU’s Department of Computer Science has provided students access to the breadth and depth of computer science for over thirty years.
Degree Programs
Earth, Atmosphere and Environment
The Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment utilizes the natural links between geology, geography and atmospheric sciences.
Degree Programs
- B.S. with Emphasis in Geology, Environmental Geosciences, Earth and Space Science Education, Geography or Meteorology
- Geographic Information Systems Certificate
Economics
Economics is an interesting and rewarding field of study of how individuals, businesses and governments allocate scarce resources.
Degree Programs
- Economics (B.A. or B.S.) Major
- Minor in Economics
- Educator Licensure - Economics
- Economics Honors Program
English
With an emphasis on communication and the written word, English majors learn to research, analyze and interpret information.
Degree Programs
Environmental Studies
Degree Programs
- Environmental Studies (B.A. or B.S.)
- Environmental Studies and the College of Law (Accelerated B.A. or B.S./J.D.)
- Minor in Environmental Studies
- Sustainable Food Systems Certificate
- Educator Licensure - Environmental Studies
General Studies
Degree ProgramsHistory
For students interested in a strong liberal arts education, history represents a fascinating, flexible major that permits study of the broadest possible range of human experience.
Degree Programs
Mathematical Sciences
One of the oldest and most fundamental sciences known to humankind is still a basic tool for understanding the world and solving the planet’s economic, scientific, engineering, physics and business problems.
Degree Programs
Nonprofit and NGO Studies
Degree Programs
- Nonprofit and NGO Studies (B.A. or B.S.)
- Minor in Nonprofit and NGO Studies
- Nonprofit and NGO Studies Certificate
- Grant Writing Certificate
Philosophy
A degree in philosophy provides excellent preparation for graduate study in law, medicine, or business, and for a wide variety of careers in education, business, government, industry, information technology, non-profit organizations, and social service.
Degree Programs
Physics
Physics research has fundamentally changed our world. Advances in technology, such as transistors, lasers and microwaves, all resulted from physics research. More>
Degree Programs
Political Science
Political science is the systematic study of politics and its connection to human life as a whole. Students who elect this major examine, among other things, the relationships between law and political institutions, economic and political power, and culture and political identity.
Degree Programs
- Political Science (B.A. or B.S.) Major
- Minor in Political Science
- Educator Licensure - Political Science
- Political Science Honors Program
- Accelerated B.A. or B.S./M.P.A. in Political Science and Public Administration
- Accelerated B.S. or B.A./M.A. Program in Political Science
- Six-Year (3+3) Integrated B.S. or B.A./J.D. Program in Political Science and the College of Law Admission
Psychology
The science of psychology is a rapidly evolving field that influences all aspects of society. More>
Degree Programs
- Psychology (B.A. or B.S.) Major
- Minor in Psychology
- Educator Licensure - Psychology
- Psychology Honors Program
Statistics and Actuarial Science
Degree Programs
- Actuarial Science (B.S.) Major
- Statistics (B.S.) Major
- Minor in Actuarial Science
- Minor in Statistics
Sociology
Sociology is a fascinating and diverse field of study, examining the dynamics of social life, social change, and the underlying factors that drive and shape human behavior.
Degree Programs
- Sociology (B.A. or B.S.) Major
- Minor in Sociology
- Six-Year (3+3) Integrated B.A. or B.S. Program in Sociology and the College of Law
- Educator Licensure - Sociology
- Sociology Honors Program
- Criminology Certificate
Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (B.A. or B.S.)
- Minor in LGBTQ+ Studies
- Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer + Studies Certificate
- Women's and Gender Studies Certificate
World Languages and Cultures
Learning a foreign language opens worlds that are closed to most people. Being able to converse, write, or read in a foreign language makes you more marketable in this global economy.
- Foreign Language Residence Program
- Educator Licensure - WorldLanguages
- World Languages and Cultures Degree with Honors
- Accelerated B.A./J.D. Program in French, German or Spanish Language and Literature
Degree Major Programs
Degree Minor Programs
- Minor in Classical Studies
- Minor in French and Francophone Studies
- Minor in German Studies
- Minor in Italian
- Minor in Japanese Studies
- Minor in Russian
- Minor in Spanish and Hispanic Studies
Interdisciplinary Major
Interdisciplinary Minors
- Minor in Black Studies
- Minor in Classical Studies
- Minor in Cognitive Studies
- Minor in Comparative Literature
- Minor in Global Studies
- Minor in Latino/Latin American Studies
- Minor in Linguistics
- Minor in Professional Communication
- Minor in Southeast Asian Studies