School of Arts & Sciences

Immerse yourself in the sciences, humanities and fine arts, in an environment that prizes creativity and discovery.

The School of Arts and Sciences at SUNY Potsdam exposes students to a variety of fields within the fine arts, sciences, humanities and social sciences. The School’s strong foundation in the liberal arts prizes creativity and inquiry, offering a full palette of study in 18 departments offering majors, minors and interdisciplinary programs that encourage hands-on learning opportunities for every student.

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Academic Departments

Old Fossils. New Spaces.

Dr. Page Quinton is bringing paleontology to life in the brand-new Environmental Science Lab, where students are getting hands-on experience learning how fossils are formed, studying mass extinction events, and examining evolutionary patterns based on the fossil record.

Learning to Fly

From mentoring young hawks to shaping the next generation of musicians, Sasha Truax’s journey blends hands-on experience with a deep commitment to both her studies and her community. Check out her story and see how the SUNY Potsdam senior is flying toward a bright future.

‘Best Job I’ve Ever Had’

Kate Favaro ’13 is turning her personal experiences with grief into a career dedicated to supporting others who are dealing with loss. Discover how her journey from a sociology student at SUNY Potsdam to a Grief Services Coordinator is helping normalize the grieving process and make a real difference in her community.

Future in Focus

Ever since he was in middle school, Lucas Scalcione '25 knew that he wanted to pursue a career in medicine, specifically ophthalmology. Now he has completed the rigorous MCAT exam, is wrapping up his degree in biology at SUNY Potsdam, and will be entering medical school next fall.

From Hobby to Hollywood

When Brett Bull ’17 arrived at SUNY Potsdam as a psychology major, he never expected that his side music projects would lead to a career in the music industry. After working in the studio with a music producer during his final years at SUNY Potsdam, his music has continued to gain traction. After joining the Crucial Music Corporation—which focuses on placing music from independent artists in blockbuster films and television shows—his song “Hit the Strip” has been chosen for the Hollywood film, “Anora!”.

Foundation for Her Future

A few hours after receiving her degree in criminal justice—and leveraging the experience of an internship in the probation department at the Oswego County Public Safety Center—Emma Hyde ’24 began a promising job as a park ranger at Selkirk Shores State Park. Now she is looking ahead to a career as a probation officer, a goal that will come to fruition after she completes her advanced degree in mental health counseling.

Road Warrior

As wild animals travel from Canada’s Algonquin Park to the Adirondacks, their lives are in jeopardy at every intersecting road. That’s where Emily Yousey ’25 steps in. This summer she has been working on a road ecology research project to identify the locations where animals are losing their lives to passing cars. The study will inform decisions about where to create wildlife crossings, and lead to the creation of overpasses or underpasses to provide safe passage for the animals in the future.

Tiny Bugs, Big Trouble

The emerald ash borer is decimating northeast forests, but Dr. Jessica Pearson and her student team are getting a step ahead of the threat.

Unearthing Clues from Another Time

Last month, Dr. Hadley Kruczek-Aaron and her students spent four weeks excavating artifacts from Heaven Hill Farm, a historic farmstead in the heart of the Adirondacks. The immersive hands-on experience allowed students like Sebastian Herrera ’25 and Leia’lani Dibble ’26 to use trowels and other tools to uncover food remains, shells, bone, ceramics and glass, and reveal signs of everyday life on the farm over the past 200 years.

The Wild Connection

Jada West ’24 is working with a team of SUNY Potsdam researchers and students to unlock the secrets of pervasive and spreading tick-borne diseases with a goal of providing better information for the public.

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