An integral part of the University of Saskatchewan since 1910, the College of Agriculture's original mandate was to provide resident teaching, agricultural investigation, and extension services to the Province's farming community. The College offers a 4-year degree program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture (BSA) and a 2-year associate course leading to the Certificate in Agriculture (CAP). The associate or certificate course emerged as the School of Agriculture, within the College, in 1937; a full-time director was appointed in 1947 and in 1949 the School moved into new facilities in Kirk Hall, named in honour of Dr. L.E. Kirk who served as Dean between 1937 and 1947. The first courses in Agriculture were taught in the 1912-13 term. The following individuals have served as Dean: William J. Rutherford (1909-1930); Alexander Shaw (1930-1935); W.C. Murray [acting] (1935-1937); L.E. Kirk (1937-1947); V.E. Graham [acting] (1947-1948); V.E. Graham (1948-1964); W.J. White [acting] (1964-1965); W.J. White (1965-1974); J.A. Brown (1974-1984); D.A. Rennie (1984-1990); J.W.B. Stewart (1990-).

Field Husbandry was one of the original departments of the College of Agriculture. During the first decade horticulture, soils, and farm management were taught as subjects in Field Husbandry before becoming separate departments. Plant ecology also originated as a subject in Field Husbandry before becoming a separate department in 1949. The department became known for its contributions to plant breeding and work in the distribution and improvement of seed. In 1982 the departments of Crop Science (the former Department of Field Husbandry, renamed in 1962) and Plant Ecology were amalgamated; the new department was named Crop Science and Plant Ecology. In 1998 this department amalgamated with the Department of Horticulture Science to form the Department of Plant Sciences. The following have served as head of the departments relating to Plant Ecology: Department of Plant Ecology R.T. Coupland (1948-1981) Department of Crop Science and Plant Ecology H.M. Austenson (1982-1983) B.L. Harvey (1983-1995) M.D. Devine (1995-1998) Department of Plant Sciences G.L. Scoles (1998- )

Since its establishment in 1908 the College of Arts and Science has performed a dual function: it has prepared students for entry into one of the professional colleges; and it has provided students with an opportunity to become familiar with some field of language and literature, natural science, social science, or fine arts. The first classes, conducted by five professors in the fall of 1909, were presented to some 70 students in borrowed quarters in the Drinkle Block at 2nd Avenue and 21st Street. (Classes were not offered in the sciences owing to the absence of suitable facilities or equipment). The University moved to Victoria Elementary School in 1910, to Nutana Collegiate Institute in 1911, and finally to the present campus in 1912. In May 1912 seven students admitted with advanced standing (from other universities) were awarded degrees at the first graduation ceremony, held at Nutana Collegiate. On 29 April 1913, the first graduating class of twenty students received BA degrees.

The Department of Biology was established in 1913. The first professor was W.P. Thompson who would eventually become Dean of Arts and Science and President of the University. Unlike many other Canadian universities the Department of Biology at Saskatchewan remained as a single unit and strove to maintain within itself a balance among the diverse sub-disciplines rather than separating into several distinct departments. Recent research has involved environmental studies including studies of the potential effect of acid rain, mining, logging, and agriculture. The department cooperates with the College of Agriculture to provide a program of Agricultural Biology and offers Paleobiology in conjunction with the Departments of Geological Sciences and Anthropology and Archaeology. The following have served as head of the department: W.P. Thompson (1913-1949); D.S. Rawson (1949-1961); M. Shaw (1961-1968); J.M. Naylor (1968-1973); U.T. Hammer (1973-1976); T.A. Steeves (1976-1982); J. King (1982-1987); R.J.F. Smith (1987-1994); L.C. Fowke (1994- ).

The Department of Classics was one of the original four departments of the University. With Latin and classical studies playing a central role in the secondary school system, students entered their university studies well grounded in ancient language skills. Programs were directed toward advanced language studies, literary studies of the classical authors in the original languages, and ancient history. As Latin and Greek disappeared from the secondary school system, the department had to adapt to students entering the program without prior language training. The abolition of the Arts second language requirement in 1967 forced the department to adjust its programs further. The 1970s saw the introduction of translation classes and the Classics in English program. In 1976 the responsibility for teaching ancient history was given to the history department and the Department of Classics was renamed the Department of Greek and Roman Studies. The department changed its name back to Classics in 1986. The following have served as head of the department: A Moxon (1909-1911); W.G. Sullivan (1911-1945); J.F. Leddy (1945-1965); R.M. Ferguson (1965-1967); C.D. Pritchet (1967-1976); P.M. Swan (1976-1982); N. McClosky (1982-1993); P. Burnell (1993- ).

The Department of Drama was established in with the help of a Rockefeller Foundation grant in 1945, and became the first recognized Drama Department in the British Commonwealth. Courses were designed to develop knowledge and skills of all phases of theatre: acting, stagecraft, design, directing, theatre history, and play interpretation. Greystone theatre was formed in 1950 as a vehicle for applying the theoretical aspects of theatre to stage productions. The following have served as head of the Department of Drama: E. Jones (1945-1971); D.F. Nalbach (1971-1975); T. Kerr (1976-1986); R. Mavor (1986-1990); and F. Edell (1990- ).

Social sciences courses in the College of Arts and Sciences emerged in varying combinations. Initially, Political Science was taught through the Department of Philosophy; Economics became a department in 1914. Political Science was established as a separate faculty in 1921 and functioned independently until 1946, when it was merged with Economics. An introductory class in Sociology was added to the Department of Economics and Political Science in 1946. Sociology developed into an independent department in 1958. Economics and Political Studies became separate departments in 1985. The following have served as head of the Department of Economics: L.C. Gray (1913-1915), W.W. Swanson (1916-1945); C. Gerrard (1985-1989); R.F. Lucas (1989- ). The following have served as head of the Department of Political Science (now Political Studies) : F.H. Underhill (1921-1927); R.M. Dawson (1927-1937); G.E. Britnell (1937-1945); D.J. Heasman (1985-1991); H.J. Michelmann (1991- ). The following served as head of the combined Department of Economics and Political Studies: G.E. Britnell (1945-1961); A.E. Safarian (1961-1966); R.W. Kautz (1966-1969); L.F. Kristjanson (1969-1975); R.G. Beck (1975-1978); J.C.Stabler (1978-1979); K. Lal (1979-1984); J. Steeves (1985).

The Department of Far Eastern Studies was created in 1964 to provide programs about the cultural history, philosophy, religions, languages and literature of the Indo-Tibetan-China areas. The department first offered graduate classes in 1967. In 1981 it was announced that Far Eastern Studies would be phased out over the next three years. Some Far Eastern Studies courses continued to be offered through other departments.

The University's first professor of French was hired during its second year of operation in 1910. For the next five decades the department remained relatively small and concentrated on first and second year classes which filled the second language requirement for a B.A. degree. The department opened on of the first language labs in Canada in 1959. With the introduction of Spanish Studies in 1964, the name was changed to the Department of French and Spanish. In 1968 the second language requirement was dropped from the B.A. degree and class enrolment was halved. The department overhauled its policies and programs by shifting emphasis to oral work at all levels. In 1989, Spanish came under the administration of the newly created Department of Modern Languages and French became an independent department. In 1998 the Department of Modern Languages was amalgamated with the Department of French and the College of Arts and Science's program in linguistics to form the Department of Languages and Linguistics.

?The following served as the head of the Department of French (1910-1964): J.A. MacDonald (1910-1939); M. Cameron (1939-1960); B. Bujila (1960-1964). The following served as head of Department of French and Spanish (1964-1989): B. Bujila (1964- 1965); R.S. Ridgway (1965-1976); M. Black (1976-1983); D.J. Bond (1983-1985); C.T. Wittlin (1985-1989). The following served as the head of the Department of French (1989-1998): C.T. Wittlin (1989-1991); J. Julien (1991-1998).

The Department of Geology was established in 1927, three years before the province gained responsibility over its mineral resources. In 1935, through the College of Engineering, an undergraduate program in geological engineering was begun. This was supplementary to the course in Arts and soon became the more popular of the two. The department moved closer to Engineering with the responsibility for its budget moving to the Dean of Engineering. The post-1950 era marked a period of expansion and diversification with a concentration on programs designed to support the mining and petroleum industries. In 1967 the department once again came under the administration of the College of Arts and Science. The following have served as head of the department: J.B. Mawdsley (1927-1960); F.H. Edmunds (1960-1965); A.R. Byers (1965-1972); W.G.E. Caldwell (1972-1988); H.E. Hendry (1988- ).

German was offered in the University's first year of operation in 1909 with the Department of Germanic Languages being created in 1930. The Department was amalgamated with three other College of Arts and Science language units (Russian, Ukranian, and Spanish) into the new Department of Modern Languages in 1989. At the time the Departments of German and Slavic Studies were small, independent units in the College, and Spanish was part of the Department of French and Spanish.

The Department of History was one of the original four departments of the University. E.H. Oliver gave the first lecture on the first day of classes, set the first examination, and did the first research--collecting and editing documents concerning the history of Western Canada. The first MA awarded by the University was in History (1912). The History Department also played an important role in the founding of the Departments of Economics. Political Science, and Anthropology and Archaeology. Classes were original offered in Ancient, Medieval, Modern European and British History. As time progressed classes were added in Canadian, American, Slavic, and World History. The following have served as head of the department: E.H. Oliver (1909-1914); F.H. Underhill (1914-1915); A.S. Morton (1915-1940); G. Simspson (1940-1958); H. Neatby (1958-1969); I.N. Lambi (1969-1974); P.G. Bietenholz (1974-1978); T.D. Regher (1978-1982); H.C. Johnson (1982-1984); J.M. Hayden (1984-1988); C.A. Kent (1988-1990); D. Miquelon (1990-1995); W.A. (Bill) Waiser (1995-1998); Larry Stewart (1998-2003); Dave DeBrou (2003-March 2004); Martha Smith-Norris (Acting head) April-June 2004; Brett Fairbairn (2004-2006); Chris Kent (2006-2007); Brett Fairbairn (2007-2008); Valerie Korinek (2008- ).

The Department of Mathematics was one of the original four departments of the University. From the beginning the department was charged with the responsibility of teaching classes in mathematics to students in all colleges of the University. This is still true, with the exception of a few specialized classes in areas such as statistics and applications of differential equations taught by other departments. The department teaches classes in pure and applied mathematics and statistics. The following have served as head of the department: G.H. Ling (1909-1938); R.D. James (1940-1943); W.H. Watson (1944-1946); H.H. Ferns (1946-1962); A.P. Guinand (1962-1964); C.E. Miller (1964-1970); G.H.M. Thomas (1970-1978); B.S. Lalli (1978-1979); R. Servranckx (1980-1982); M.A. Marshall (1982-1983); R. Manohar (1983-1988); R.V. Moody (1988-1990); T.R. Martin (1990- ).

In 1931 the Carnegie Corporation awarded the University a three year grant to establish a school of music. In 1936 it became a College but remained a one person operation and was reduced to an Arts and Sciences elective in 1947. The Department of Music was formed in 1952 and expanded steadily adding classes in music education, literature, history and theory. With the amalgamation of the Teacher's College with the College of Education all music studies on campus were conducted by the Department of Music. The department has been involved in the community by sponsoring recitals and acting as consultants and directors for provincial and community ventures. The following have served as head of the department: A. Collingwood (1931-1947); J.M. Macrea (1947-1951); M. Adaskin (1952-1966); D. Kaplan (1966-1982); D. Nelson (1982-1984); R. Wedgewood (1984-1990); C.L. House (1990- ).