Academic Quad

Academic Quad is the center of humanities and social sciences at Wellesley. Here you'll find: Pendleton East, the social science building; Pendleton West and Jewett, the arts and music buildings; Founders Hall, the humanities building; Green Hall, which houses all foreign language departments; and, of course, plenty of open green space for both work and play.

Media Gallery

Lorena on: The Art Library

Lorena Horng - Student, '25

English & Media Arts & Sciences

Karissa on: Pendleton Atrium

Karissa Coleman - Student, '23

Political Science

Office Hours

Class Visit (Art History)

Class Visit (Shakespeare)

Wellesley student in a painting and drawing class.

Wellesley student in a class discussion.

Knapp Social Sciences Center

Founders Hall

Pendleton West

Jewett Arts Center

Pendleton East

Music

Studio Art

Social Sciences

Humanities

📈 Knapp Social Sciences Center

Knapp supports student and faculty research in the social sciences, promoting the exploration of issues such as public health, the environment, poverty, and social justice from an interdisciplinary perspective.

🚪 Founders Hall

One of Wellesley's oldest academic buildings and the seat of humanities on campus.

🎶 Pendleton West

It’s the seat of music and studio art at Wellesley. Featuring a traditional music salon, practice rooms, and studio space for painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture. (Bonus: the Jewett Arts Center has the Media Arts Lab, for emerging digital media, and photography studios spaces, including a darkroom.)

👩‍🎨 Jewett Arts Center

First, art. With the Art History Department and the Art Library. Plus the Media Arts Lab, a studio space for new and emerging digital art, and a darkroom. Then, music. With the Music Department, the Music Library, practice rooms, and the Jewett Auditorium, used for chamber music performances by Wellesley students and guest artists from around the world. (Bonus: Pendleton West houses studio spaces for painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture!)

⚖️ Pendleton East

Mainly, social sciences. Including: American studies, anthropology, economics, education, environmental studies, political science, and sociology. Featuring state-of-the-art classrooms and common study and meeting areas.

🎼 Music

The major and the minor. Concentrations in Western Classical, Jazz and World, and Digital Media and Experimental. Courses like: ‘Advanced Harmony,’ ‘Intro to Ethnomusicology,’ and Interactive Sound Art w/ Electronics.’ Lessons in over 30 instruments. And a dozen student ensembles, including the beloved Guild of Carillonneurs.

🎨 Studio Art

Taught by working artists and tailored to your vision. With facilities and expertise to support painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, video, sculpture, and digital media.

🌍 Social Sciences

Addressing questions like: What leads to wealth inequality across countries? What is the root of our personality? Are human rights universal or do they depend on culture and context? What is the most effective way to address global warming? Featuring majors like: anthropology, Africana studies, cognitive and linguistic sciences, international relations, peace and justice studies, religion, sociology, women's and gender studies, and many, many more.

📚 Humanities

Answering questions like: Is the poem a body? How old is the concept of race? Can we trace lesbian literature back to Sappho? What power does literature have to lay bare class and social and economic systems? Featuring majors like: architecture, art history, studio art, cinema and media studies, classics, east Asian studies, English and creative writing, Jewish studies, media arts and sciences, theatre, and many, many more.