UP College of Arts and Letters

The College of Arts and Letters, or CAL, is one of the academic units in the University of the Philippines Diliman located along Osmeña Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City offering many degree programs in the field of arts, literature, linguistics among many others. CAL is housed at three establishments–at the CAL Main Building (where most of the classes are done), Bulwagang Rizal or Rizal Hall (also known as the Faculty Center) beside Osmeña Avenue, and Vargas Museum (collection of Fernando Amorsolo's artworks dedicated to former UP alumnus Jorge Vargas, as well as the Filipiniana Research Center). The current college dean of CAL is Prof. Virgilio Almario, one of the National Artist for Literature.

About CAL

Brief History of CAL

The College of Arts and Letters was instituted in 1983 after the split into three (3) of the premier College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

The reorganization of the CAS separated the Arts from the Sciences. The origins of the College of Arts and Letters go back to what was first known as the College of Philosophy, Science and Letters, which was established in 1910. On 30 June 1911, the College was renamed the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The CAS offered the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences as fields of specialization. On 30 September 1976, the Reorganization Plan of the College of Arts and Sciences resulted in the creation of three divisions, namely: the Division of Humanities, the Division of Science, and the Division of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

The Division of Humanities headed by the Associate Dean, consisted of five Departments which still exist in CAL today: the Department of Art Studies, the Department of English and Comparative Literature, the Department of European Languages, the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature and the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts.

Founded in 1910, the Department of English and Comparative Literature (DECL) is the oldest department of CAL. Formerly known as the Department of English, the department was renamed the Department of English and Comparative Literature in 1957 with the institution of comparative literature courses in the curriculum. Its mission is to provide students with excellent English instruction to access the mainstreams of knowledge, as well as communicate Filipino culture and intellectual heritage to the globe.

Established on 3 June 1910, the Department of European Languages (DEL) is CAL's second oldest department. In its earlier stages, the Department of French and German merged into the Department of Modern Languages, while the Departments of Spanish and Latin merged into the Department of Spanish. This development justified the unification into one unit based on the historical importance and relevance of these four languages. Its main concern is to develop the students' communication skills in foreign languages along with a deep knowledge of foreign cultures.

In 1959, two more departments emerged from the Department of English: the Department of Speech Communication and Drama, presently known as the Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts, and the Department of Humanities. The Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts' (DSCTA) inception in May 1959 paved the way for developing and maintaining the discipline of speech communication and theater arts in the university. Adept at imparting responsive instruction to its students, the DSCTA faculty constantly adapts Filipino culture in their academic programs fusing tradition and other indigenous materials and global technology.

The Department of Art Studies (DAS), formerly known as the Department of Humanities, was part of a special extension project of the Department of English in 1959. Studies under this department consist of the various expressions of culture and the arts such as painting, sculpture, film and music. Adopting both traditional and non-traditional paradigms of art theory and criticism has rendered a more enlightened inquiry into the study of art.

In 1966, the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, the youngest among the departments of CAL, was established. The department's main concern is to develop the Filipino language and other Philippine languages as well as undertake researches on the different ethno-linguistic groups and their literary traditions. The department's ultimate goal is to pave the way for a truly relevant, pro-Filipino and nationalist education.

Today, CAL has maintained its leadership in the arts and letters in the country. Through the basic functions of the College, namely instruction, research and extension, CAL upholds humanistic ideas amidst technological advancement, promotes Arts and Letters as an instrument of liberation and empowerment, and inculcates values that will serve as the foundation for a nationalistic culture.

Mission and Vision

The Mission of the College of Arts and Letters is to achieve the highest standards of academic integrity and excellence in arts and culture; to foster creative, critical and innovative culture with a nationalist and humanist orientation; and to serve the Filipino ideals through Instruction, Research/ Creative Work and Extension.

Academic Departments