Liberal Arts in Los Angeles
Drawing on the cultural and intellectual resources of a global city, Occidental 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 or presentations that reflect Oxy’s educational philosophy of learning deeply and independently.
9:1
student:faculty ratio
18
average class size
292
annual average, sunny days in L.A.
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.
Learning in Los Angeles
Our dynamic location means access to the highest caliber internships, research sites and more.
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.
An avid cellist and pre-med student, Abigail Lee was drawn to study both disciplines at Occidental, recognizing a critical link between preparing for musical performances and conducting scientific research.
Stephanie Nelli
Link to story about Stephanie NelliMeet Stephanie Nelli of Cognitive Science, who studies the computational principles underlying rapid learning and flexible decision-making in novel environments.
Sam Sharp ’96
Link to story about Sam Sharp ’96Sam Sharp was drawn to Occidental for its diversity and the political energy he experienced on campus. It was the origin of a passion for equity and justice work that continues today.
Natalia Guerra
Link to story about Natalia GuerraCritical Theory & Social Justice major Natalia Guerra has explored social justice dimensions in the Netherlands and Chiapas, Mexico, making the most of Oxy’s opportunities to learn about the world in an active, global context.
Nicholas P. Alt
Link to story about Nicholas P. AltMeet Nicholas P. Alt of Psychology, whose academic research spans the areas of social psychology, cognitive psychology, and vision science.
Enrique López ’89
Link to story about Enrique López ’89From immigrant to psychology major, from circus performer to neuropsychologist, Enrique López researches the impact of HIV on the human brain. He also advocates worldwide against the stigma of HIV-AIDS in Spanish-speaking communities.
What’s Happening At Oxy
Featured News
Occidental students, staff and faculty came together to harvest a bumper crop of olives from the Olive Grove on the north side of campus.
Recent News
Events
1
Dec
TO 11 Jan
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
18
Dec
TO 1 Jan
All day
In a new essay for the Wall Street Journal, Psychology Professor @andrewshtulman explains why child-like imagination is closer to grown-up sensibilities than we think.
