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Home > List of academic disciplines
This is a list of academic disciplines (and academic fields). An academic discipline is a branch of knowledge which is formally taught, either at the university, or via some other such method. Functionally, disciplines are usually defined and recognised by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned societies to which their practitioners belong.
Each discipline usually has several sub-disciplines and distinguishing lines are often both arbitrary and ambiguous.
A "*" denotes a field whose academic status is debated.
1 Natural sciences
1.1 Astronomy
Astrophysics
Cosmogony
1.2 Biology
Aerobiology
Anatomy
Comparative anatomy
Human anatomy
Animal communications
BiochemistryBiochemistry is the chemistry of life. Biochemists study the elements, compounds and chemical reactions that are controlled by enzymes and take place in all living organisms. Biochemistry is focused on the structure and function of cellular components, su
BioinformaticsBioinformatics or computational biology is the use of mathematical and informational techniques, including statistics, to solve biological problems, usually by creating or using computer programs, mathematical models or both. One of the main areas of bioi
BiophysicsBiophysics (also biological physics is an interdisciplinary science that applies theories and methods of the physical sciences to questions of biology. Biophysics research today comprises a number of specific biological studies, which do not share a uniqu
BotanyBotany is the scientific study of plants. As a branch of biology, it is also sometimes referred to as plant science(s or plant biology . Botany covers a wide range of scientific disciplines that study the growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, dis
Cell biologyCell biology cellular biology is an academic discipline which studies the physiological properties of cells, as well as their behaviours, interactions, and environment; this is done both on a microscopic and molecular level. Cell biology researches both s
ChronobiologyChronobiology is a field of biology that examines time-related phenomena in living organisms. These cycles are important in many essential biological processes that occur in a "scheduled" fashion, such as eating, sleeping, mating, hibernating, migration,
CryobiologyCryobiology is the study of living organisms at low temperatures. Two subcategories of this field are cryonics and cryopreservation.
EcologyEcology is the branch of science that studies the distribution and abundance of living organisms, and the interactions between organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes both its physical habitat, which can be described as th
Human ecology
Evolutionary biology
Genetics
Human biology
Human anatomy
Limnology
Marine biology
Microbiology
Molecular biology
Mycology
Neuroscience
Paleontology
Pathology
Phycology
Physiology
Xenobiology
Zoology
Cryptozoology
Entomology
Herpetology
Ichthyology
Oology
Ornithology
Primatology
Zootomy
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1.3 Chemistry
Alchemy
Analytical chemistry
Biochemistry
Computational chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Physical chemistry
Theoretical chemistry
1.4 Physics
Astrophysics
Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
Biophysics
Computational physics
Condensed matter physics
Cryogenics
Fluid dynamics
Optics
Nuclear physics
Plasma physics
Particle physics
Vehicle dynamics
1.5 Planetary science
Earth science
Environmental science
Geodesy
Geology
Geomorphology
Geophysics
Glaciology
Meteorology
Geography
Geomorphology
Pedology)
Oceanography
Mineralogy
Paleontology
Sedimentology
Soil science
2 Mathematics and Computer science
2.1 Mathematics
Algebra
Analysis
Calculus
Game theory
Geometry
Information theory
Number theory
Probability theory
Statistics
Topology
2.2 Computer science
Algorithms
Computing
Artificial intelligence
Information systems
Software engineering
Robotics
Programming (see List of programming languages)
3 Social sciences
3.1 Anthropology
Biological anthropology
Cultural anthropology
Historical anthropology
3.2 Archaeology
3.3 Communications
Animal communications
Information theory
Interpersonal communications
Marketing
Propaganda
Public affairs
Public diplomacy
Public relations
Nonverbal communications
Speech communication s
Telecommunications
Computer-mediated communications
3.4 Economics
Game theory
Human development theory
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
3.5 Ethnology
3.6 Ethnomusicology
3.7 Folklore
3.8 Geography
Cultural Geography
3.9 Linguistics
Semantics
Syntax
Morphology
Phonology
3.10 Political science
International relations
3.11 Psychology
Astropsychology *
Behavioural psychology
Cognitive psychology
Cognitive science
Differential psychology
Developmental psychology
Experimental psychology
Intrapersonal communications
Neuropsychology
Organisational psychology
Psychiatry (see also: Anti-psychiatry*)
Psychology of work
Parapsychology*
Psychoanalysis
Social psychology
3.12 Semiotics
3.13 Sociology
Industrial sociology
Rural Sociology
Science and technology studies
Social Theory
Urban studies
4 Humanities and Arts
4.1 Area studies and ethnic studies (sometimes called cultural studies)
American studies
Africana Studies
Black studies
Catholic studies
Chinese studies
Eastern European studies
Latino/Latina studies
Latin American studies
Irish studies
Islamic studies
Jewish studies
Native American studies
Russian studies
etc.
4.2 Art
Art history
Studio art
4.3 Creative Writing
Poetry composition
Fiction writing
Non-fiction writing and literary journalism
4.4 Dance
Choreography
Dance analysis
Dance notation
Dance studies
Ethnochoreology
History of dance
Performance, Somatic Practice
4.5 English literature
also see Literature
American literature
Australian literature
British literature (literature outside England may be written in Celtic languages)
English literature
Folklore
Northern Ireland literature
Scottish literature
Welsh literature
Canadian literature (significant amounts of Canadian literature is also written in French)
Irish literature
New Zealand literature
4.6 Film studies and film criticism
4.7 History
Ancient history
Classics
Contemporary history
Diplomatic history
European history
History of art
History of science and technology
Military history
Mythology
4.8 Linguistics
see entry under Social Sciences
4.9 Literature and cultural studies
English studies
Comparative literature
Literature of Languages or Cultures
English literature
African-american literature
American literature
British literature
Indian literature
Irish literature
French literature
Gaelic literature
German literature
Hindi literature
Modern Hebrew Literature
Spanish literature
Yiddish literature
other foreign-language literatures
Methods and topics
Literary criticism
Literary theory
Media studies
New media
Poetics
4.10 Music
Accompanying
Arts leadership
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 pedagodgy
Music history
Music theory
Musicology
Ethnomusicology
Performance and literature
Organ and historical keyboards
Piano
Strings, harp, and guitar
Voice
Woodwinds, brass, and percussion
Orchestral studies
4.11 Philosophy
Aesthetics
Continental philosophy
Eastern philosophy
Epistemology
Ethics
History of philosophy
Metaphysics
Philosophy of language
Philosophy of mathematics
Philosophy of mind
Philosophy of religion
Philosophy of science
4.12 Religious studies
Canon law
Catholic studies
Comparative religious studies
Islamic studies
Hadith
Islamic history
Islamic jurisprudence
Koran
Jewish Studies
Mythology
Theology
Astrology*
Christology
Kabbalah
Moral theology
Midrash
Mystical theology
Numerology*
Talmud
Spirituality
4.13 Women's studies and Gender studies
Queer studies
5 Professions / Applied sciences
5.1 Architecture and Environmental Design
City Planning, Urban Planning
Interior Design (also see Family and Consumer Science below)