College of Arts & Letters

The Cal State LA College of Arts & Letters transforms lives and sustains thriving communities and cultures. We develop and amplify our students’ unique talents, diverse life experiences, and intellects through the study and practice of the Arts and Humanities so that they can tell meaningful stories, forge their professional pathways, and inspire their communities.

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Dean's Welcome

Portrait of Stephen Trzaskoma seated on a bench inside a modern campus building at Cal State LA, with tiled walls and a hallway in the background.

Dean Stephen Trzaskoma

Welcome to the College of Arts & Letters at Cal State LA, an engaged, diverse, and creative community committed to nurturing the next generation of humanists and artists and to providing a distinctive liberal arts education to all students.

Six production team members pose together backstage in a theater.

Cal State LA faculty and students contribute to Emmy win for LA County Holiday Celebration

Meredith Greenburg and students Leah Cobleigh and Ngan Ho-Lemoine helped bring the annual PBS SoCal production to life at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Four people smile and pose with awards at an LA Press Club event in front of the organization's branded backdrop.

Cal State LA journalism community honored at the 68th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards

Cal State LA students, alumni, and faculty earned top honors at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 68th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards, held on June 28 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

Cal State LA associate professor receives regional Emmy for Key Bridge documentary

Cal State LA Associate Professor April Brown has earned a regional Emmy for her work as co-director of a documentary examining the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, and its impact on the surrounding community.

Three individuals stand outdoors on campus, posing together beneath trees during a visit to Cal State LA.

Cal State LA Professor Satik Andriassian to lead arts residency for displaced children in Armenia

This coming fall, Satik Andriassian, a classical guitar lecturer and guitar ensemble director in Cal State LA’s Department of Music, will return to Armenia to lead the Children of Armenia Music Program (CAMP), a three-week arts residency for displaced children.

Graduating Cal State LA student finds her voice through political artwork

San Gabriel resident co-finds VoterZ101, a collective of Cal State LA students that encourages youth to exercise their right to vote through art and design

Graduates and faculty members pose together in academic regalia during a Prison Graduation Initiative ceremony at Cal State LA.

Cal State LA celebrates resilience and second chances as Prison Graduation Initiative graduates fourth Lancaster cohort

Cal State LA celebrated the fourth cohort of the university’s transformative Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI) program at California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC), in Lancaster with a Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 28.

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A Glance Into the College of Arts & Letters

Faculty Spotlight

Outstanding Professor Award 2025 – 2026, Dr. Patrick Sharp

Professor of Liberal Studies, Dr. Patrick Sharp speaks on his interdisciplinary approach to scholarship, the influence of science fiction and visual storytelling on his work, his commitment to critical race studies and feminism, and his dedication to helping Cal State LA students grow as confident, connected, and critical thinkers.

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