The School’s early history is intertwined with the first years of the University of Pennsylvania, which was established in 1740. Building on founder Benjamin Franklin’s vision of combining a traditional and practical education, the
College of Arts and Sciences was the first colonial institution to teach the sciences, government and commerce, as well as classical subjects such as Latin, literature and philosophy. A graduate division was established in 1882 with the appointment of a Faculty of Philosophy. The first fellowship for graduate study was established in 1885, and the first earned Ph.D. was awarded in physics in 1889. In 1892, the University began offering college courses for teachers, establishing the precursor of today’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies, the Ivy League’s oldest continuing education program. In 1933, the College of Liberal Arts for Women was established, offering women a full-time, four-year undergraduate degree program in the liberal arts. In 1974, the College, the College for Women, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, and the social science department of the
Wharton School combined to become the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which was soon after renamed the School of Arts & Sciences. == Departments ==