A student uses a soldering iron on a small electrical device

Academic journey

SMU is on the rise – as a nationally ranked teaching and research university with a liberal arts tradition. SMU is ready to support you as you pursue your passion. If you’re an ambitious, creative thinker, SMU is for you.

Also in Academic journey

Get the facts

SMU is ranked in the top 20% of the Best National Universities (U.S. News & World Report 2026).

  • No. 1

    Dallas is the top U.S. metro for job growth (2025 Dallas-Fort Worth Higher Education Review)

  • 88%

    Percentage of full-time faculty who hold a doctorate or the highest degree in their fields.

  • 100+

    Number of majors students can choose from.

  • 11:1

    SMU has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

  • 85

    Number of minors students can choose from.

  • 5

    Number of nationally recognized undergraduate schools and colleges.

Explore your future

In our community of more than 12,000 students in eight schools, you will find the support and flexibility you need to do your best work and achieve your goals. In fact, 1 in 4 SMU undergraduates choose to pursue two or more majors. We’re broadening our academic offerings by adding undergraduate degrees across areas of study, so students gain multiple skills for an evolving job market.

All first-year students live on campus, bolstered by faculty mentors who live among the students, including our Honors Residential Community.  Our leadership programs allow students to network with other student leaders, build connections with faculty and staff, and grow personally and professionally.

Alternate text
SMU DataArts is SMU’s investment in big data and research with impact to help arts and cultural leaders nationwide make smarter decisions with data insights.
Alternate text
Ophelie Herve and other students worked with a robotic exoskeleton to adapt technology to the natural rhythm of walking.
Alternate text
SMU’s intellectual environment attracts problem-solvers, creators and disruptors who are ready to transform their big ideas into tangible results.

Academics FAQs

Find answers to common questions prospective students have about studying at SMU, including choosing and declaring major, class size, student-to-faculty ratio, and study abroad.

You may register during orientation, which you complete after you have applied and been admitted to SMU. Orientation is available for both incoming first year students and transfer students.

Upon entering SMU, you will begin fulfilling two general sets of requirements necessary to graduate: the Common Curriculum that all students must satisfy regardless of major, and the requirements specified by the major itself. First-year students are assigned to an academic advisor from Dedman College. Your advisor will work with you regarding selection of classes.

You are assigned a professional advisor at orientation and are required to connect with him/her before registration each semester. You can also set up appointments on your own time throughout the semester. SMU provides students with a well-staffed, award-winning advising center of professional, full-time advisors.

The liberal arts disciplines include the humanities, the natural and the mathematical sciences, and the social sciences. With a foundation in the liberal arts, the SMU student gets a complete education - as a professional in a chosen career, a citizen in the world of ideas, and a full-fledged participant in life itself. SMU's general requirements in the liberal arts (the Common Curriculum) provide students with an exceptional educational opportunity.

SMU offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and 85 minors. Your academic advisor and many other support systems are available to help you choose your major. You will make this decision by the end of your sophomore year.

Upon entering SMU, you may declare your intended major. All students enter the university through Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. You may not officially declare your major until you have successfully completed at least 24 hours and satisfied the entrance requirements for your intended major.

Yes. Students participating in the program will take 7-8 special courses within the University Curriculum which encourage deeper understanding through interdisciplinary thinking and learning. The honors program offers small, discussion-focused classes. Entrance is by invitation.

The average class size is 22. Seventy percent of our classes contain 25 students or less. Students don't get lost in large lecture courses conducted by graduate students. SMU students learn from senior faculty in small classes.

The ratio is 11:1. Classes are small enough to encourage close faculty-student interaction.

No. Almost all classes at SMU are taught by faculty, not graduate students.

Yes. SMU offers summer, semester and year-long opportunities to live, study and travel in foreign countries. SMU Abroad offers 148 programs in 50 countries.

The Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act of 1974 states that no personally identifiable information from a student's record will be disclosed to a third party without prior written consent from the student. Grades may be released to parents if either the student completes a release form or the parent completes a Declaration of Dependency form. These releases are available in the Registrar’s office. Once SMU has an approved release on file then the parent or student can request an official transcript.