| Official Name: | Occidental College |
| Nickname: | Occidental |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California |
| Size: | 2,335 Students |
| Campus Setting: | Suburban |
| Average Tuition: | $37,071 |
| Average Financial Aid: | $30,072 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 40 - 48% |
| Private/Public: | Private |
Academics >>
What the School Says
The Big Picture
Why come to Occidental when you have hundreds of choices? We are a very special placea small, highly selective residential liberal arts college with a beautiful park-like campus in one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the world. Not many nationally ranked liberal arts colleges can make this claim. The learning opportunities available to the Occidental student in a city like Los Angeles are endless. Internships, community service, cultural events and a host of other enriching opportunities make an Occidental education distinctive and exceptional.
We believe in the transformative power of the liberal arts educational experience. We expect you to be changed by your four years at Occidental. Our curriculum will let you explore disciplines that you might not have known existed, deepen your understanding of a particular field, or discover the ways in which seemingly disparate disciplines enhance each other. Within this flexible framework, we will help you find your own personal strengthand provide you with the resources necessary to support your intellectual goals.
We also believe in the importance of independent thought. We will encourage you to be your own thinkerto take initiative in independent research settings, explore foreign study opportunities, engage co-curricular experiences on campus, or simply (but importantly) be active in daily classroom discussion. Joining classroom-directed learning with independent thought and the writing and critical analysis skills that are the foundation of our curriculum will enable you to be successful in whatever career you might choose. In short, we expect you to take ownership of your education-- this, we think, is the power of an Occidental education.
Why come to Occidental when you have hundreds of choices? We are a very special placea small, highly selective residential liberal arts college with a beautiful park-like campus in one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the world. Not many nationally ranked liberal arts colleges can make this claim. The learning opportunities available to the Occidental student in a city like Los Angeles are endless. Internships, community service, cultural events and a host of other enriching opportunities make an Occidental education distinctive and exceptional.
We believe in the transformative power of the liberal arts educational experience. We expect you to be changed by your four years at Occidental. Our curriculum will let you explore disciplines that you might not have known existed, deepen your understanding of a particular field, or discover the ways in which seemingly disparate disciplines enhance each other. Within this flexible framework, we will help you find your own personal strengthand provide you with the resources necessary to support your intellectual goals.
We also believe in the importance of independent thought. We will encourage you to be your own thinkerto take initiative in independent research settings, explore foreign study opportunities, engage co-curricular experiences on campus, or simply (but importantly) be active in daily classroom discussion. Joining classroom-directed learning with independent thought and the writing and critical analysis skills that are the foundation of our curriculum will enable you to be successful in whatever career you might choose. In short, we expect you to take ownership of your education-- this, we think, is the power of an Occidental education.
Academics >>
By The Numbers
Academics
- Top Majors:
Social Sciences 32%
Visual and Performing Arts 10%
History 10%
English 9%
Biology 9%
Psychology 8%
Physical Sciences 7%
Foreign Languages and Literature 5% - Programs Offered:
American Studies Asian Studies Women's Studies Art - General Art History/Criticism/Conservation Drama/Theater Arts Music - General Biochemistry Biology English English Language & Literature - General Foreign Language & Literature - General French Spanish History - General Mathematics - General Cognitive Science Exercise Sciences Philosophy Religion/Religious Studies Chemistry Geology GeophysicsSeismology Physics Psychology - General Economics International Relations Political Science/Government Sociology - Study Programs:
Cross-Registration
Double major
Honors program
Independent study
Internships
ROTC, Army
ROTC, Air Force
Student-designed major
Study abroad
Washington Semester
Visiting/Exchange Student Program - Study Support:
Learning Center
Pre-Admission Summer Program
Study Skills Assistance
Tutoring
Writing Center
Academics >>
Quick Facts
- Occidental is Liberal arts College
- Academics Majors: 30 areas - including nine interdisciplinary majors
- 150 full-time faculty
- 10:1 student-faculty ratio
- Classes have 15 students or fewer
- 92% above the rank of instructor have a Ph.D. or other terminal degree.
- Tuition $34,440
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