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Outline of academic disciplines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Collage of images representing different academic disciplines

An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of knowledge, taught and researched as part of higher education. A scholar's discipline is commonly defined by the university faculties and learned societies to which they belong and the academic journals in which they publish research.

Disciplines vary between well-established ones in almost all universities with well-defined rosters of journals and conferences and nascent ones supported by only a few universities and publications. A discipline may have branches, which are often called sub-disciplines.

The following outline provides an overview of and topical guide to academic disciplines. In each case, an entry at the highest level of the hierarchy (e.g., Humanities) is a group of broadly similar disciplines; an entry at the next highest level (e.g., Music) is a discipline having some degree of autonomy and being the fundamental identity felt by its scholars. Lower levels of the hierarchy are sub-disciplines that do generally not have any role in the structure of the university's governance.

Humanities

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Performing arts

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Visual arts

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History

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Also regarded as a Social science

Languages and literature

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Linguistics listed in Social science

Law

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Also regarded as a Social science

Also listed in Applied science

Philosophy

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Also regarded as the separate, an entry at the highest level of the hierarchy

Religious studies

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Also regarded as a social science

Divinity

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Theology

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Social science

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Anthropology

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Archaeology

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Futurology (also known as future studies or prospective studies)

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Main articles: Outline of futures studies and Futures studies

  • Cashless Society
  • Climate

Economics

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Geography

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Linguistics

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Also regarded as a formal science

Political science

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Psychology

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Sociology

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Natural science

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Biology

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Chemistry

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Earth science

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Astronomy

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Physics

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Formal science

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Computer science

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Also a branch of electrical engineering

Mathematics

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Pure mathematics

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Applied mathematics

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Applied science

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Agriculture

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Architecture and design

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Business

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Education

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Engineering and technology

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Chemical engineering

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Civil engineering

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Educational technology

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Electrical engineering

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Materials science

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Mechanical engineering

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Systems science

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Environmental studies and forestry

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Family and consumer science

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Human physical performance and recreation

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Journalism, media studies and communication

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Law

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Also regarded as a social science

Also listed in Humanities

Library and museum studies

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Medicine and health

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Military sciences

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Public administration

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Public policy

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Social work

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Transportation

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See also

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Further reading

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  • Abbott, Andrew (2001). Chaos of Disciplines. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-00101-2.
  • Oleson, Alexandra; Voss, John (1979). The Organization of knowledge in modern America, 1860–1920. ISBN 0-8018-2108-8.
  • US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP). National Center for Education Statistics.
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