UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest, largest and most academically diverse colle

In many ways, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is at the heart of UGA, the nation’s first state-chartered institution of higher education. The first classes were taught in 1801 in a forest clearing on what is now the University’s historic North Campus. In 1806, the first permanent brick building was constructed on campus and named Franklin College in honor of Benjamin Franklin. The buildi

ng, which was later renamed Old College, is the oldest structure in Athens and houses the administrative offices of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences as well as classroom space. Franklin College and University of Georgia were often used interchangeably to describe the fledgling institution until 1859, when the College of Law became the second college on a campus that now boasts 16 schools and colleges. Today’s Franklin College comprises 30 departments in five divisions: Fine Arts, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and the Humanities. The top five most popular undergraduate majors at UGA—Biology, Psychology, English, Art, History—all are housed within Franklin College. In addition to educating more undergraduates than any college on campus, the Franklin College offers 76 graduate degrees and certificates in 42 fields of study

Our faculty members are at the forefront of their disciplines, exploring research opportunities and creative endeavors that illuminate the human condition and create a foundation for improved well-being and quality of life. The knowledge they create informs their teaching as well as their outreach to the state, nation and world. Like the man for whom the college is named, the faculty, staff and students of the Franklin College are bound by a shared dedication to advancing the frontiers of knowledge through creative inquiry and expression. DISCLAIMER: This site is not associated with the UGA Office of Admissions. Potential applicants must go through the regular application channels, detailed on the official UGA admissions website, http://www.admissions.uga.edu/. For information on graduate admissions, see http://www.grad.uga.edu/. The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences reserves the right to delete comments that promote commercial ventures or that do not comply with UGA or Facebook policies. Posts that are off-topic, abusive, contain profanity, are threatening in tone or devolve into personal attacks will be deleted immediately. Posts that are determined to be spam will be removed immediately. Account administrators reserve the right to review all comments and posted materials and remove such materials for any reason.

“Most of medicine is relating to the person in front of you.” Dr. Cole Phillips’ work at Mercy Health Center illustrates...
09/04/2026

“Most of medicine is relating to the person in front of you.”

Dr. Cole Phillips’ work at Mercy Health Center illustrates a central idea behind the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Sept. 8,1801 Lecture: Not every technical problem has a technical solution.
Read how Dr. Cole Phillips puts that idea into practice at Mercy Health Center…

Read more: https://www.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/how-studying-history-made-cole-phillips-better-physician

Tuesday, September 8, 3 - 4pm
Richard B. Russell Special Collections Library, Room 271

For people with light-colored eyes, screen time could affect their vision more than others. Franklin College of Arts and...
09/03/2026

For people with light-colored eyes, screen time could affect their vision more than others.

Franklin College of Arts and Sciences doctoral candidate Yaw Buabeng, who practiced as an optometrist in Ghana before pursuing graduate study at UGA, is investigating how the eye responds to different wavelengths of light.

His latest study found that blue light produces greater light scatter than other wavelengths, making it harder to distinguish fine details. The research also found that participants with lighter-colored irises experiencing greater light scatter.

“Prolonged exposure to blue light is considered one of the contributing risk factors to macular degeneration,” he said. “The important thing is that this damage does not usually happen overnight. It accumulates over time.”

Read more about it: https://research.uga.edu/news/blue-light-has-a-surprising-effect-on-your-eyes-study-finds/

From early-career accomplishments to decades of community service, Franklin alumni use their multidisciplinary education...
09/02/2026

From early-career accomplishments to decades of community service, Franklin alumni use their multidisciplinary education to make a difference.

Each year, the college recognizes the innovators and influencers demonstrating the value of a degree from Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and in February, a new cohort of inspiring alumni will be honored among their peers at the Alumni Awards and Donor Celebration. They come from across industries and professions, showcasing the qualities of the Franklin Spark: a blend of ambition, curiosity, creativity, innovation, and leadership.

Nominations for the 2027 Alumni Awards are now open. Submit your nomination by Sept. 30: forms.gle/zs8qXGwKWtjAZabB9

What makes a question impossible to stop thinking about? On Sept. 8 at 3 p.m., follow your curiosity to the Special Coll...
09/01/2026

What makes a question impossible to stop thinking about?

On Sept. 8 at 3 p.m., follow your curiosity to the Special Collections Libraries for the inaugural 1801 Lecture, featuring Ologies host and Emmy Award-winning science communicator Alie Ward.

Alie has built a career turning complex science into accessible stories. Explore how curiosity fuels discovery, how communicators find the human story in even the most technical subjects and how science can reach wider audiences without losing its rigor.

Come with big questions. Leave ready to see science—and storytelling—in a whole new way. Free and open to the public; no RSVP required. Find more information: https://franklin.uga.edu/events/content/2026/1801-lecture-series-afternoon-alie-ward-science-communicator-and-host-ologies

UGA Libraries | Henry W Grady College of Journalism | UGA Graduate School | Tate Student Center | UGA Research

The deadline to apply for first-year Connect Abroad programs is fast approaching!City life or seaside views? Research or...
08/27/2026

The deadline to apply for first-year Connect Abroad programs is fast approaching!

City life or seaside views?
Research or culture?
Big adventure or hidden gem?

Connect Abroad programs have something for everyone. Find destinations, deadlines, and more information at https://el.uga.edu/students/connect-abroad/.

What does it mean for Franklin students when a world-renowned scientist joins their college? Keivan Stassun—a MacArthur ...
08/26/2026

What does it mean for Franklin students when a world-renowned scientist joins their college?

Keivan Stassun—a MacArthur Fellow, National Medal of Science laureate and co-investigator on two NASA missions—will join Franklin in January as head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

His leadership will create new opportunities for students to connect disciplines, develop new tools and see where their curiosity can take them.

Welcome to the Bulldog family, Dr. Stassun!

https://franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/renowned-astrophysicist-keivan-stassun-joins-franklin-head-physics-and-astronomy

Franklin College welcomed back students Monday with good food, great company, and plenty of reasons to celebrate being p...
08/25/2026

Franklin College welcomed back students Monday with good food, great company, and plenty of reasons to celebrate being part of the Franklin community.

From connecting with classmates to learning more about Franklin's departments, events like this are a reminder that an education in the humanities and sciences goes beyond just classwork. It’s about the curiosity and community they build along the way.

We're already looking forward to next year!🐾❤️

Ever wonder why some explanations just click?  Franklin communication scholars are studying what helps people understand...
08/25/2026

Ever wonder why some explanations just click?

Franklin communication scholars are studying what helps people understand complex ideas, such as storytelling, familiar language, confidence, and motivation.

Franklin alumnus Steve Heimler (AB ’03) has put those communication skills to work through the YouTube channel, Heimler’s History, reaching more than 1 million subscribers.

His time studying communication at UGA helped him learn how to turn what’s in his mind into something others can understand.

That’s communication at work.

Read more: https://www.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/communication-scholars-explain-why-some-explanations-click

There’s more happening beneath Georgia’s marshes than meets the eye.  Franklin researchers are studying how rising seas ...
08/20/2026

There’s more happening beneath Georgia’s marshes than meets the eye.

Franklin researchers are studying how rising seas are affecting the roots that help our coastal marshes survive.

It’s hands-on research tackling questions that matter to Georgia’s future.

Read the GPB News story: https://www.gpb.org/news/2026/08/04/the-grass-looks-healthy-most-of-georgias-marshes-are-losing-their-roots-sea-level
# MarineScience

While Georgia’s marsh grass may look healthy, hidden root loss is leaving a quarter of Georgia's marsh vulnerable to drowning as sea levels rise.

$21.1 million. 31 research awards. This summer, UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences faculty received 31 external...
08/14/2026

$21.1 million. 31 research awards.

This summer, UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences faculty received 31 external research awards totaling $21.1 million, supporting groundbreaking research and creating new opportunities for UGA graduate and undergraduate students.

Congratulations to the Franklin faculty whose ideas and expertise made them possible.

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