Liberal Arts in Los Angeles
Drawing on the cultural and intellectual resources of a global city, Occidental College provides a springboard for putting theory into practice and ideas into action.
Explore Your Passions
Oxy’s remarkable faculty of scholars, teachers and mentors are at the heart of the intellectual experience. An Oxy liberal arts education transcends boundaries, and with more than 40 majors and programs, academic rigor comes in many forms.
Academic Spotlight
Senior “comps,” or comprehensives, are the theses, field research projects, art exhibits and presentations that reflect Oxy’s educational philosophy of learning deeply and independently.
82%
students receiving financial aid
20
Division III varsity sports teams
97%
faculty with PhD/terminal degrees
Discover Occidental
A vibrant, small liberal arts college experience in the heart of Los Angeles, one of the most stimulating and creative cities in the world. That’s something you won’t find anywhere else.
A Deep Dive into Student Research
Two students conducted research onboard the Atlantis research vessel with Professor of Biology Shana Goffredi.
The Oxy Community
Whether in the lab, classroom, field or community, our faculty, students and alumni define the strengths and uniqueness of Oxy in everything that they do.
For biologist Laura Boykin Okalebo, Occidental College was a life-changing experience, setting her on a career path that combines science and social justice. Her groundbreaking work in East Africa has empowered thousands of farmers to achieve sustainable livelihoods.
Mira Hart
Link to story about Mira HartMira Hart ’26 pursued her passion for climate research through international fieldwork in the Philippines—crawling through caves, collecting stalagmites, and uncovering ancient data that could help predict Earth’s future.
Vanessa R. Yingling
Link to story about Vanessa R. YinglingVanessa R. Yingling is a biomechanist, educator, and researcher focused on bone strength development and health, with a particular interest in translating her research into programs or information to benefit the public.
Max Chun ’19
Link to story about Max Chun ’19When disaster struck his native Santa Cruz in 2023, reporter Max Chun and a small team of journalists sprang into action for their community—and pocketed a Pulitzer Prize for their work.
Jaymes Griggs
Link to story about Jaymes GriggsFrom the Bluegrass State to Occidental College, Jaymes Griggs has found community and a path to leadership through science, civic engagement, and the Obama Scholars Program. And amid all this, he still has time for pickleball.
Joel Walsh
Link to story about Joel WalshJoel Walsh's research explores the intersection of educational technology, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing.
What’s Happening At Oxy
Featured News
Two prestigious U.S. Department of State programs are opening doors for Occidental students to conduct research, pursue graduate study, teach English, and gain international experience around the world.
Recent News
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NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS
Occidental College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. For more detailed information please see the College's Notice of Non-Discrimination.
