Since 1841 the College has educated students in courses of study leading to the bachelor's degree. A faculty of two instructed six freshmen and one sophomore that first year in rhetoric, grammar, Latin and Greek literature and antiquities, algebra, geometry, surveying, natural science, ancient history, and Greek philosophy. The emphasis on breadth of learning, evidenced by the variety of courses in natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities required of students more than a century and a half ago, remains a hallmark of the liberal arts education. However, the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan is more than a traditional liberal arts college since it interacts with eighteen other schools and colleges of a large university. For example, in addition to the undergraduate curricula, graduate programs lead to the master's and doctoral degrees.
Professors teach both undergraduates and graduates.
Research projects and some classes involve both undergraduates and graduates. The College provides an enriched education by way of these opportunities for undergraduates to associate with graduate students and a research faculty. Students in the College do not simply elect a variety of courses from the multitude available to them in the University. They relate courses to one another in a way that enables each student to achieve breadth of understanding in several fields of study and depth in one or two. Academic advisors, often members of the teaching faculty, assist students in designing such programs suited to their particular needs and interests.