Outline of academic disciplines

Academic disciplines

Natural sciences Mathematics and Computer sciences Social sciences Humanities Professions and Applied sciences

This is a list of academic disciplines. An academic discipline, or field of study, is a branch of knowledge which is taught or researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined and recognised by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned societies and academic departments or faculties to which their practitioners belong. Fields of study usually have several sub-disciplines or branches, and the distinguishing lines between these are often both arbitrary and ambiguous. In medieval Europe, there were only four faculties in a university: Theology, Medicine, Jurisprudence and Arts, with the last one having a somewhat lower status. Current-day university disciplines have their roots in the mid- to late-19th century secularization of universities, when the traditional curriculum was supplemented by non-classical languages and literatures, and by science and technology disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. In the early 20th century, new disciplines such as education, sociology, and psychology were added. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was an explosion of new disciplines focusing on specific themes, such as media studies, women's studies, and Black studies. Many disciplines designed as preparation for careers and professions, such as nursing, hospitality management, corrections, also emerged in the universities. Finally, the visibility of such interdisciplinary scientific fields as biochemistry and geophysics increased, as their contribution to knowledge became widely recognized. A "*" denotes a field whose academic status is debated. Note that the area into which some fields should be classified is debated, such as whether anthropology and linguistics are social sciences disciplines or humanities disciplines. Natural sciences Space sciences Astrobiology Astronomy Astrophysics Gravitational astronomy Black holes Interstellar medium Numerical simulations in Astrophysical plasma Galaxy formation and evolution High-energy astrophysics Hydrodynamics Magnetohydrodynamics Star formation Physical cosmology Stellar astrophysics Helioseismology Stellar evolution Stellar nucleosynthesis Observational astronomy Gamma ray astronomy Infrared astronomy Microwave astronomy Optical astronomy Radio astronomy UV astronomy X-ray astronomy see also Branches of Astronomy Earth sciences Edaphology Environmental science Gemology Geodesy Geography Geology Geochemistry Geomorphology Geophysics Glaciology Hydrogeology Hydrology Meteorology Mineralogy Oceanography Pedology Paleontology Paleobiology Planetary science Sedimentology Soil science see also Branches of Earth Sciences Life sciences Aerobiology Anatomy Comparative anatomy Human anatomy Animal communications Biochemistry Bioinformatics Biology Biophysics Botany Ethnobotany Cell biology Chronobiology Cryobiology Ecology Human ecology Landscape ecology Endocrinology Entomology Evolutionary biology Genetics Human biology Human anatomy Limnology Linnaean taxonomy Marine biology Microbiology Molecular biology Mycology Neuroscience Paleobiology Paleontology Parasitology Pathology Phycology Physiology Human physiology Systematics (Taxonomy) Virology Molecular Virology Epidemial Virology Xenobiology Zoology Cryptozoology Entomology Ethology Herpetology Ichthyology Oology Ornithology Primatology Zootomy see also Branches of Life Sciences, Psychology Chemistry Analytical chemistry Biochemistry Materials science Cheminformatics Computational chemistry Quantum Chemistry Inorganic chemistry Organic chemistry Physical chemistry Theoretical chemistry see also Branches of Chemistry Physics Acoustics Astrophysics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Biophysics Theoretical physics Computational physics Condensed matter physics Cryogenics Electromagnetism Elementary particle physics Fluid dynamics Geophysics Mathematical physics Medical physics Materials science Mechanics Molecular physics Nuclear physics Newtonian dynamics Optics Plasma physics Quantum physics Solid state physics Statistical mechanics Vehicle dynamics Thermodynamics see also Branches of Physics Mathematics and Computer sciences Mathematics Algebra Group theory Group representation Ring theory Field theory Linear algebra (Vector space) Multilinear algebra Lie algebra Associative algebra Non-associative algebra Universal algebra Homological algebra Category theory Lattice theory (Order theory) Differential algebra Analysis Real analysis Calculus Complex analysis Functional analysis Operator theory Non-standard analysis Harmonic analysis p-adic analysis Ordinary differential equations Partial differential equations Probability theory Measure theory Ergodic theory Stochastic process Geometry and Topology General topology Algebraic topology Geometric topology Differential topology Algebraic geometry Differential geometry Projective geometry Affine geometry Non-Euclidean geometry Convex geometry Discrete geometry Number theory Analytic number theory Algebraic number theory Geometric number theory Logic and Foundations of mathematics Set theory Proof theory Model theory Recursion theory Modal logic Intuitionistic logic Applied mathematics Statistics Mathematical statistics Econometrics Actuarial science Demography Approximation theory Numerical analysis Optimization (Mathematical programming) Operations research Linear programming Dynamical systems Chaos theory Fractal geometry Mathematical physics Quantum field theory Statistical mechanics Theory of computation Computational complexity theory Information theory Cryptography Combinatorics Coding theory Graph theory Game theory see also Branches of Mathematics and AMS Mathematics Subject Classification Computer sciences Theory of computation Automata theory (Formal languages) Computability theory Computational complexity theory Concurrency theory Algorithms Randomized algorithms Distributed algorithms Parallel algorithms Data structures Computer architecture VLSI design Operating systems Computer communications (networks) Information theory Internet, World wide web Wireless computing (Mobile computing) Computer security and reliability Cryptography Fault-tolerant computing Distributed computing Grid computing Parallel computing High-performance computing Quantum computing Computer graphics Image processing Scientific visualization Computational geometry Software engineering Formal methods (Formal verification) Programming languages Programming paradigms Object-oriented programming Functional programming Program semantics Type theory Compilers Concurrent programming languages Information science Database Relational database Distributed database Object database Multimedia, hypermedia Data mining Information retrieval Artificial intelligence Cognitive science Automated reasoning Machine learning Artificial neural network Natural language processing (Computational linguistics) Computer vision Expert systems Robotics Human-computer interaction Computing in Mathematics, Natural sciences, Engineering and Medicine Numerical analysis Algebraic (symbolic) computation Computational number theory Computational mathematics Scientific computing (Computational science) Computational biology (bioinformatics) Computational physics Computational chemistry Computational neuroscience Computer-aided engineering Finite element analysis Computational fluid dynamics Computing in Social sciences, Arts and Humanities, Professions Computational economics Computational sociology Computational finance Humanities computing (Digital Humanities) Information systems (Business informatics) Information technology Management information systems Health informatics Computer and society History of computing Humanistic informatics Community informatics See also Branches of Computer Science and ACM Computing Classification System Social sciences Anthropology Biological anthropology Forensic anthropology Gene-culture coevolution Human behavioral ecology Human evolution Paleoanthropology Population genetics Primatology Anthropological linguistics Synchronic linguistics (or Descriptive linguistics) Diachronic linguistics (or Historical linguistics) Educational Ethnolinguistics Sociolinguistics Cultural anthropology Anthropology of religion Anthropology of technology Economic anthropology Ethnography Ethnohistory Ethnology Ethnomusicology Folklore Mythology Political anthropology Psychological anthropology Urban anthropology Historical anthropology Medical anthropology see also Branches of Anthropology Archaeology Classical archaeology Egyptology Experimental archaeology Maritime archaeology Near Eastern archaeology Paleoanthropology Prehistoric archaeology see also Branches of Archaeology Area studies American studies Appalachian studies African studies Asian studies Canadian studies Celtic studies Chinese studies or Sinology Eastern European studies European studies German studies Indian Studies or Indology Iranian Studies Japanese studies Latin American studies Russian studies Scandinavian studies Slavic studies see also Branches of Area Studies Economics Agricultural Economics Behavioural economics Bioeconomics Computational economics Consumer Economics Development economics Econometrics Economic geography Economic history Economic sociology Energy economics Entrepreneurial Economics Environmental economics Evolutionary economics Experimental economics Feminist economics Financial economics Game theory Green economics Human development theory Industrial organization Institutional economics International economics Islamic economics Labor economics Law and Economics Macroeconomics Managerial economics Mathematical economics Microeconomics Monetary economics Neuroeconomics Political economy Public finance Public economics Platform economics Real estate economics Resource economics Socialist economics Socioeconomics Transport economics Welfare economics see also Branches of Economics Ethnic studies Asian American Studies Black Studies or African American Studies Chicano Studies Latino/a Studies Native American Studies Gender studies Queer studies Women's studies Men's studies Geography Cartography Human geography Cultural geography Feminist geography Economic geography Development geography Historical geography Time geography Political geography & geopolitics Military geography Strategic geography Population geography Social geography Behavioral geography Children's geographies Health geography Tourism geography Urban geography Environmental geography Physical geography Biogeography Climatology Palaeoclimatology Coastal geography Geomorphology Geodesy Hydrology/Hydrography Glaciology Limnology Oceanography Landscape ecology Palaeogeography Regional geography see also Branches of Geography Political science American politics Civics Comparative politics International relations Policy analysis/Policy studies Political economy Political philosophy Psephology Public policy Public administration see also Branches of Political Science Psychology Abnormal psychology Applied psychology Behavioural science Biological psychology Clinical psychology Psychological assessment Psychotherapy Brief psychotherapy Cognitive behavioral therapy Family therapy Gestalt therapy Group therapy Play therapy Psychodrama Cognitive psychology Cognitive science Community Psychology Differential psychology Developmental psychology Educational psychology Emotion Evolutionary psychology Evolutionary developmental psychology Evolutionary educational psychology Experimental psychology Forensic psychology Health psychology Intrapersonal communications Legal psychology (Psychology & Law) Neuropsychology Organizational psychology Parapsychology Personality psychology Positive psychology Psychoanalysis Psychometry Psychophysics Quantitative psychology Social Psychology Sport psychology see also Branches of Psychology, Types of psychotherapy Sociology Collective behavior Community informatics Computational sociology Cultural Studies Criminology Environmental sociology Interactionism Economic development Economic sociology Feminist sociology Functionalism Future studies Human ecology Industrial sociology Media Sociology Medical sociology Political sociology Program evaluation Public sociology Pure sociology Rural Sociology Science studies Science and technology studies Social change Social demography Social inequality Social movements Social Theory Sociobiology Sociology of culture Sociology of conflict Sociology of deviance Sociology of disaster Sociology of the family Sociology of markets Sociology of religion Sociology of sport Urban studies or Urban sociology Visual sociology see also Branches of Sociology Humanities History American history Ancient history Chinese History Diplomatic history Ethnohistory European history History of science and technology Military history Modern history Intellectual History Cultural History Economic History see also Branches of History Philosophy Metaphysics Ontology Epistemology Philosophy of mind Philosophy of language Philosophical logic Ethics Aesthetics Political philosophy Philosophical traditions and schools Analytic philosophy Continental philosophy Eastern philosophy Feminist philosophy History of philosophy Applied philosophy Philosophy of history Philosophy of religion Philosophy of education Philosophy of mathematics Philosophy of science see also Branches of Philosophy Religion Abrahamic religions Bahá'í Christianity Gnosticism Islam / Islamic studies Judaism / Jewish studies Dharmic religions Buddhism Hinduism Jainism Sikhism Taoic religions Chinese folk religion Confucianism Shinto Taoism Other religions African religions Ancient Egyptian religion Native American religions New Religious Movements Sumerian religion Zoroastrianism Atheism and Humanism Comparative religion Mythology and Folklore see also List of Religions Languages and linguistics Computational linguistics / Natural language processing Discourse analysis Historical linguistics History of linguistics Interlinguistics Morphology Philology Phonetics Phonology Pragmatics Semantics Semiotics Sociolinguistics Syntax Composition studies Rhetoric Languages Classics Standard English Business English World Englishes Modern Languages see also List of Languages, Branches of Linguistics, Anthropological Linguistics Literature English literature American literature African American literature Jewish American literature Southern literature Australian literature British literature English literature Northern Ireland literature Scottish literature Welsh literature Canadian literature Indian literature Irish literature New Zealand literature Nigerian literature post-colonial literature post-modern literature World literatures Classics Comparative literature French literature Gaelic literature German literature Hindi literature Hebrew literature Latin American literature Portuguese & Brazilian literature Russian literature Spanish literature Yiddish literature other literatures Literary theory Critical theory Literary criticism Poetics Rhetoric Creative writing Creative nonfiction Fiction writing Non-fiction writing Literary journalism Poetry composition Screenwriting Visual arts Art history Calligraphy Creative Arts Drawing Fine Arts Painting Photography Printmaking Studio art Sculpture Architecture, design and applied arts Architecture and related design Architecture Urban planning (Urban design) Interior Design (Interior Architecture) Landscape architecture ( Landscape planning) Industrial Design (Product design) Fashion design Textile design Visual Communication Graphic design User interface design Performing arts Music Accompanying Arts administration (specializing in music) Chamber music Church music Musical composition Conducting Choral conducting Orchestral conducting Wind ensemble conducting Early music Jazz studies and new media Music education Music theory pedagogy Music history Music theory Musicology Ethnomusicology Performance and literature Organ and historical keyboards (e.g., harpsichord) Piano Strings, harp, and guitar Voice Woodwinds, brass, and percussion Orchestral studies Dance Choreography Dance analysis Dance notation Dance studies Ethnochoreology History of dance Performance, somatic practice Film and Television Animation Film Film criticism Theatre Arts administration (specializing in theatre) History Acting Directing Design Dramaturgy Professions and Applied sciences Agriculture and forestry Agronomy Animal science Agrology Agricultural economics Aquaculture Beekeeping (Apiculture) Forestry Horticulture Plant science Silviculture Business Accounting scholarship Arts administration (as a subfield of Business Administration) Business Administration Business ethics Entrepreneurship Finance Hospitality management (hotel management) Industrial and labor relations Collective bargaining Human resources Organizational Behavior International and comparative labor Labor economics Labor history Labor statistics Information systems Management Marketing Manufacturing Real Estate Risk Management & Insurance Education Curriculum and instruction Elementary Education (Primary education & Intermediate education) Middle school education Secondary education Higher education Adapted physical education Agricultural education Art education Bilingual education Chemistry education Language education Legal education Mathematics education Medical education Military education and training Music education Nursing education Peace education Physical education Physics education Reading education Religious education Science education Sex education Technology education Vocational education Educational leadership Educational psychology Educational technology Engineering Acoustic engineering Aeronautical engineering Agricultural engineering Architectural engineering Bioengineering Biomaterials engineering Biomechanical engineering Biomedical engineering Chemical engineering Civil engineering Transportation engineering Combat engineering Computer science and engineering Artificial Intelligence Robotics Control systems engineering Ecological engineering Electrical engineering Electronic engineering Microelectronics and semiconductor engineering Communication Engineering Instrumentation Engineering Engineering Physics Environmental engineering Materials engineering Ceramic engineering Metallurgical engineering Polymer engineering Mechanical engineering Industrial engineering Ergonomics Manufacturing engineering Production engineering Thermal engineering Design engineering Mining engineering Nuclear engineering Ocean engineering Optical engineering Quality assurance engineering Petroleum engineering Safety engineering Software engineering Telecommunications engineering Aerospace engineering Automotive systems engineering Naval engineering Marine engineering Naval architecture see also Branches of Engineering Family and consumer science Consumer education Housing Interior design Nutrition Textiles Health sciences Allied Health Sciences Nursing Nursing Theories Midwifery Nutrition & Dietetics Optometry Physiotherapy Speech-Language Pathology Medical Sciences Anaesthetics Cardiology Dentistry Dental hygiene and Epidemiology Dental surgery Restorative dentistry and Endodontics Orthodontics Oral and maxillofacial surgery Pedodontics (Pediatric dentistry) Periodontics Prosthodontics Implantology Emergency Medicine Disaster Medicine Emergency Toxicology Observation Medicine Pre-hospital Care Tactical Emergency Medicine Endocrinology Diabetology Epidemiology Forensics Geriatrics Gynaecology Hematology Internal medicine (General medicine) International and Humanitarian Medicine Nephrology Neurology Neurosurgery Obstetrics Oncology Ophthalmology Orthopedic surgery Otolaryngology Pathology Pediatrics Podiatry Primary care General Practice Public health Psychiatry Addiction Medicine Psychology Clinical Psychology Counseling psychology Radiology Rehabilitation Medicine Respiratory medicine Pulmonology Sleep Medicine Rheumatology Sports Medicine Surgery Bariatric Surgery Cardiothoracic Surgery Neurosurgery Plastic Surgery Traumatology Urology Andrology Pharmaconomy Pharmacy Veterinary medicine see also Branches of Medicine Journalism, media and communication Journalism Broadcast journalism Literary journalism New media journalism Print journalism Media studies Mass media Radio Television Television studies Communication Animal communications Information theory Advertising Communication design Marketing Mass communication Propaganda Public relations Technical Writing Nonverbal communications Speech communications Law Canon law Comparative law Constitutional law Civil law Accounting law Admiralty law Corporations Civil procedure Contracts Environmental law International law Labor law Property law Tax law Torts Criminal law Criminal procedure Criminal justice Police science Forensics Islamic law Jewish law Jurisprudence Manx law Philosophy of law Library and museum studies Archival science Bibliometrics Citation analysis Informatics Information architecture Museology Museum administration Military sciences Artillery Air force studies Campaigning Combat engineering Comparative military systems Doctrine Force planning Game theory Generalship Joint warfare studies Leadership Logistics Military ethics Military history Military intelligence Military law Military medicine Naval science Naval engineering Naval tactics Naval architecture Weapons systems Special operations and low intensity conflict Strategy Tactics Naval tactics Public affairs Corrections Criminal justice Fire Safety (Fire protection) Governmental affairs Nonprofit administration Parks and recreation management Public administration Public policy Social work Child welfare Community practice Community organizing Social policy Human services management Nonprofit management Corrections Family and children's services Gerontology Medical social work Mental health School social work See also List of fields of doctoral studies Joint Academic Classification of Subjects Education topics Fields of science Academia Interdisciplinarity ologies Transdisciplinary Studies External links Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2000): Developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics to provide a taxonomic scheme that will support the accurate tracking, assessment, and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity. Complete JACS (Joint Academic Classification of Subjects) from Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in the United Kingdom