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.

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.

A Vietnamese government delegation visited UGA this week to meet faculty whose research is helping locate and identify t...
08/13/2026

A Vietnamese government delegation visited UGA this week to meet faculty whose research is helping locate and identify the remains of missing service members.

Historians, archaeologists, geographers, chemists, biologists, geneticists, engineers, and computer scientists are bringing their expertise together, using everything from historical records and drones to ground-penetrating radar and DNA analysis.

For UGA students, research like this creates opportunities to learn alongside leading faculty, gain hands-on experience, and contribute to work that can bring long-awaited answers to families.

Read more: https://www.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/uga-vietnam-deepen-partnership-recover-missing-war-dead

08/12/2026

Support UGA Psychology's own Dr. Malissa Clark as she competes for a chance to speak at SXSW!

Her proposed talk, "Why Your Hobby Is Your Secret Superpower," explores how hobbies can boost personal growth, work motivation, performance, and long-term success. Public voting is an important part of the selection process, so if you're able, please take a few minutes to register and cast your vote. Every vote helps!
Best of luck, Dr. Clark!
https://id.sxsw.com/sign_in

What does it mean to study history with the people who lived it? Franklin College of Arts and Sciences doctoral student ...
08/12/2026

What does it mean to study history with the people who lived it?

Franklin College of Arts and Sciences doctoral student Delancey Paden Griffin, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is working alongside Cherokee communities to help reinterpret New Echota, the former capital of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia. Her research brings archaeology together with community knowledge to tell a fuller story of Cherokee history that continues to the present day.

We're proud to see Franklin students doing research that serves communities and broadens public understanding.

Read more.. https://www.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/cherokee-doctoral-student-reinterprets-new-echota-through-indigenous-perspectives

The stories we tell about the past shape how we understand the present. Franklin doctoral candidate Mounawar Abbouchi is...
08/11/2026

The stories we tell about the past shape how we understand the present.

Franklin doctoral candidate Mounawar Abbouchi is exploring how medieval writers reinterpreted women from classical antiquity, revealing how ideas about gender, power, and justice have evolved across centuries.

Her research reflects the curiosity and scholarship that have long defined the Franklin community. We're proud to celebrate students whose work helps us see familiar stories—and ourselves—in new ways.

Read her story.
https://www.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/research-reveals-how-medieval-writers-reshaped-stories-ancient-women

Dance majors memorize choreography, right? Franklin students Ava Grau and Spencer Burdett spent the summer proving there...
08/10/2026

Dance majors memorize choreography, right?

Franklin students Ava Grau and Spencer Burdett spent the summer proving there's much more to it. Their work at internationally recognized dance programs challenged them to research, experiment and think critically while creating original movement.

Their story offers a glimpse of how a Franklin education prepares students to grow as artists, scholars, and professionals.

Read more. .https://www.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/dance-research-uga-students-take-creative-inquiry-worlds-stage

For alumnus Steve Heimler (Communication Studies '03), the ability to take complex ideas and express them to others feel...
08/03/2026

For alumnus Steve Heimler (Communication Studies '03), the ability to take complex ideas and express them to others feels like a miracle.

Heimler, a former history teacher and creator of Heimler’s History on YouTube, helps thousands of high schoolers study for AP exams through engaging digital content. The channel has grown to more than 1.2 million subscribers, and Heimler says that his goal is to help them feel reassured and capable as they head into test day.

“It has always just blown my mind what is happening when we communicate,” Heimler says. “That’s why I chose (communication studies), because I wanted to be able to harness that magic.”

Read more: https://stories.uga.edu/heimlers-history/.

Through Study Away, Franklin students pursue their academic passions on a global scale. This summer, students participat...
07/31/2026

Through Study Away, Franklin students pursue their academic passions on a global scale.

This summer, students participated in programs across the globe — gaining hands-on experience and preparing for an increasingly connected world. They’re building the skills and global awareness that set them up for success after graduation.

“It was inspiring to see how technology drives so many aspects of a company’s success and get a sneak peek into the work-life culture of a top company,” Gabrielle Rose, a third-year computer science student, said about the Computing in Silicon Valley program.

Read more about our students’ summer travels below, and find upcoming application deadlines here: https://studyaway.uga.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewDeadlines

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Old College, University Of
Athens, GA
30602

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