Welcome to the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Qatar University, one of the well-known institutions of higher learning in the rapidly changing and greatly promising region of the Arabian Gulf.

CAS offers useful and stimulating undergraduate programs in a number of popular and established academic disciplines that have been designed with the aim of suitably matching the needs of the modern, fast-developing Qatari society both within and beyond. While preparing students to explore and choose from a wide range of attractive career opportunities, the programs actually enable them to successfully embark and continue on their exciting professional careers with a sense of success and achievement.

The depth and breadth of the programs are conceived and laid out in such a manner that they are intended not only to provide a comprehensive as well as specialized academic background to students but also help motivate them to start thinking about and planning their future career goals along the way. As they undertake their desired courses of study, their learning process makes them bring merit and effort together and helps them shape their moral and intellectual development imbued with a spirit of enlightened thought and dynamic action. Upon graduation after a period of about four years, students find themselves sufficiently grown up and armed with skills needed to meet the challenges of today’s national aspirations and international interaction.

In view of the fact that liberal arts, having to do with the liberation of the creative and intellectual faculties of the human mind, are considered the most central or fundamental to any educational pursuit or foundation, we are careful to see that our students are trained to have a solid grounding in the techniques and strategies of expressive communication together with those of critical thinking, appreciation and analysis necessary to succeed in a modern rising society getting increasingly open and competitive.

Our efforts are indeed dedicated and directed towards making students conscious and confident in the face of the challenges from the academically and scientifically advanced global village marked by an abundance of wonderful individual talent and informed with vast resources of knowledge and learning in the broad and diverse areas of arts and humanities as well as technological know-how.

In addition to serving its own students numbering more than 3,000, CAS has been offering courses in arts and sciences for many students in other Colleges within the University through a well-structured, well-balanced core curriculum, which prepares students for multiple professional careers and help them play their vital social role as fine, responsible Qatari citizens. This year CAS made major improvements in its undergraduate programs, introducing new courses, new options, and new learning opportunities including an International Affairs Program and a Pharmacy Program. It also creates many opportunities for scholars and researchers from around the world to come and contribute to the development of its educational and research projects.

CAS also arranges many social, academic and cultural activities for students and the college community. It continues to maintain strong ties with local, regional and international academic institutions and provide expertise to Government Ministries and Social Organizations as part of the University’s role of serving the community.

In terms of student enrollment, academic programs and degrees awarded, CAS is the largest of the Colleges in the University, which can also boast a dedicated and diversified teaching faculty of high academic credentials. As the Dean of the College I am proud of having such a quality faculty drawn from diverse backgrounds committed to teaching excellence. Together with students and staff, they join me in a sincere integrated effort and a high spirit of collective and unified work to make a real difference in the life of our on-campus academic community as we proudly continue to play our part in building the nation and its being.

Dr. Siham Yousef Al-Qaradawi
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
April 2007