The primary mission of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is to prepare students to become knowledgeable, contributing citizens in a world of diverse cultures. Vital to the mission of the College is the discovery of new knowledge through teaching and learning, research and creative activity. The role of the College is to nurture and sustain the learning and understanding achieved.

The major disciplinary areas represented in the College comprise the biological and physical sciences, the humanities, the mathematical disciplines, and the social sciences. Within the majors and curricula of the College, students learn to develop their skills in communication, qualitative and quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking. Students learn the methods of forming and answering questions without bias; the ways to discover, analyze, and integrate knowledge across disciplines; the value of intellectual integrity and rigor; and, the importance of life-long learning as the basis for excellence in any endeavor. At both the undergraduate and graduate level, the curricula of the College emphasize the aesthetic, historical, ethical, and social interpretations of human existence, and encourage learning across disciplinary lines.

Committed to excellence in scholarship, the College assumes a leadership role in basic and applied research, creative activity, and graduate education. The College values the integration of learning and discovery in its efforts to develop and support distinctive graduate programs (both masters and doctoral) that enhance the land grant, science and technology mission of the University.

Scholarship and creativity are the distinguishing characteristics of a research university, and the faculty of the College are deeply committed to the pursuit of excellence in scholarship and creativity. Through teaching and learning, research and creative activity, college faculty contribute knowledge to their students, the wider university community, the academic community - both nationally and internationally - and to the people of Iowa, the nation, and the world. Faculty engage schools and community colleges in Iowa on a continual basis, connecting with our future students and their teachers.

As the liberal arts core of the University, the College provides the basic research and cultural foundation on which the other academic and professional colleges depend. Almost all students in the University take courses in the College at both the introductory and advanced levels, and in many disciplines. The College also serves as the port of entry for those students who have not decided upon a particular program of study, offering general education courses which support every curriculum. Thus, as the academic heart of the University, the College has a special responsibility and commitment to ensure the highest quality education for all Iowa State University students.