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.

Natural sciences

Astronomy

• Astrophysics
  • Cosmogony

Biology

• Aerobiology
• Anatomy
  • Comparative anatomy
  • Human anatomy
• Animal communications
• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics
• Biophysics
• Botany
• Cell biology
• Chronobiology
• Cryobiology
• Ecology
  • Human ecology
• Evolutionary biology
• Genetics
• Human biology
  • Human anatomy
• Limnology
• Marine biology
• Microbiology
• Molecular biology
• Mycology
• Neuroscience
• Paleontology
• Parasitology
• Pathology
• Phycology
• Physiology
• Xenobiology
• Zoology
  • Cryptozoology
  • Entomology
  • Herpetology
  • Ichthyology
  • Oology
  • Ornithology
  • Primatology
  • Zootomy

Chemistry

• Alchemy
• Analytical chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Computational chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Physical chemistry
• Theoretical chemistry

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

Planetary science

• Earth science
• Environmental science
• Geodesy
• Geography
• Geology
• Geomorphology
• Geophysics
• Glaciology
• Meteorology
• Mineralogy
• Oceanography
• Pedology
• Paleontology
• Sedimentology
• Soil science

Mathematics and Computer science

Mathematics

• Algebra
• Analysis
• Calculus
• Game theory
• Geometry
• Information theory
• Number theory
• Probability theory
• Statistics
• Topology

Computer science

• Algorithms
• Computing
• Artificial intelligence
• Information systems
• Software engineering
• Robotics
• Programming (see List of programming languages)

Social sciences

Anthropology

• Biological anthropology
  • Primate behavior
  • Human evolution
  • Population genetics
  • Forensic anthropology
• Anthropological linguistics
  • Synchronic linguistics (or Descriptive linguistics)
  • Diachronic linguistics (or Historical linguistics)
  • Ethnolinguistics
  • Sociolinguistics
• Archeology
• Cultural anthropology
  • Ethnography
  • Ethnology
  • Ethnohistory
  • Urban anthropology
  • Psychological anthropology
  • Economic anthropology
  • Political anthropology
  • Anthropology of religion

Communications

• Animal communications
• Information theory
• Interpersonal communications
  • Marketing
  • Propaganda
  • Public affairs
  • Public diplomacy
  • Public relations
  • Technical Writing
• Nonverbal communications
• Speech communications
• Telecommunications
  • Computer-mediated communications

Economics

• Game theory
• Human development theory
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics

Ethnomusicology

Folklore

Geography

• Cultural Geography
• Physical geography

Linguistics

• Semantics
• Syntax
• Morphology
• Phonology

Political science

• International relations

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

Semiotics

Sociology

• Industrial sociology
• Rural Sociology
• Science and technology studies
• Social Theory
• Urban studies

Humanities and Arts

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.

Art

• Art history
• Studio art

Creative Writing

• Poetry composition
• Fiction writing
• Non-fiction writing and literary journalism

Dance

• Choreography
• Dance analysis
• Dance notation
• Dance studies
• Ethnochoreology
• History of dance
• Performance, Somatic Practice

Theatre

• History
• Literature
• Criticism
• Practice
  • Acting
  • Directing
  • Design
  • Dramturgy

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

Film studies and film criticism

History

• Ancient history
• Classics
• Contemporary history
• Diplomatic history
• European history
• History of art
• History of science and technology
• Military history
• Mythology

Linguistics

see entry under Social Sciences

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

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

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

Religious studies

• Canon law
• Catholic studies
• Comparative religious studies
• Islamic studies
  • Hadith
  • Islamic history
  • Islamic jurisprudence
  • Koran
• Jewish Studies
  • Bible
  • Midrash
  • Talmud
  • Kabbalah
  • Halacha
  • Jewish history
  • Jewish philosophy
  • Jewish literature
• Mythology
• Theology
  • Astrology*
  • Christology
  • Moral theology
  • Mystical theology
  • Numerology*
  • Spirituality

Women's studies and Gender studies

• Queer studies

Professions / Applied sciences

Architecture and Environmental Design

• City Planning, Urban Planning
• Interior Design (also see Family and Consumer Science below)
• Landscape Archiecture
• Destination/Coastal Architects

Business

• Accounting scholarship
• Business ethics
• Finance
• 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

Education

• Curriculum and instruction
  • Elementary Education (Primary education & Intermediate education)
  • Middle school education
  • Secondary education
  • Higher education
• Educational administration
• Educational psychology

Engineering

• Acoustic engineering
• Agricultural engineering
• Architectural engineering
• Bioengineering
  • Biomaterials engineering
  • Biomedical engineering
• Chemical engineering
  • Petroleum engineering
• Civil engineering
• Combat engineering
• Computer engineering
• Control systems engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Electronic engineering
  • Microelectronics and semiconductor engineering
• Environmental engineering
• Industrial engineering
• Materials engineering
  • Ceramic engineering
  • Metallurgical engineering
  • Polymer engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Nuclear engineering
• Ocean engineering
• Optical engineering
• Quality assurance engineering
• Robotics
• Safety engineering
• Telecommunications engineering
• Transportation engineering
  • Aerospace engineering
  • Automotive systems engineering
  • Naval engineering
    • Marine engineering
    • Naval architecture

Ergonomics

Agriculture

• Animal science
• Agrology
• Agricultural economics
• Aquaculture
• Beekeeping (Apiculture)
• Horticulture
• Plant science

Forestry

• Forestry organisation
• Silviculture

Family and Consumer Science

• Foodservice management
  • Hotel administration
• Consumer education
• Housing
• Interior design (Also see Architecture and Environmental Design above)
• Nutrition (also see Medical Sciences below)
• Textiles

Journalism and Mass Communications

• Advertising
• Film
• Journalism
  • Broadcast journalism
  • New media journalism
  • Print journalism
• Public relations
• Journalists of Note

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 (also see Public Affairs and Community Service below)
    • Police science
    • Forensics
• Islamic law
• Jewish law
• Jurisprudence
• Philosophy of law

Library and information science

Health Sciences

• Dentistry
  • Dental hygiene
  • Endodontics
  • Orthodontics
  • Pediodontics
  • Periodontics
  • Prosthodontics
• Medical Sciences
  • Human Medicine
    • Cardiology
    • Endocrinology and diabetology
    • Epidemiology
    • Forensics
    • Geriatrics
    • Hematology
    • Internal medicine
    • Health science
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Neurosurgery
    • Nursing
    • Pathology
    • Pediatrics
    • Psychiatry
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • Veterinary Medicine
• Nutrition (also see Family and Consumer Science above)
• Optometry
• Pharmacy
• Public health

Military science

• Artillery
• Air force studies
• Campaigning
• Combat engineering
• Comparative military systems
• Doctrine
• Force planning
• Game theory (also see Economics above)
• 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 and Community service

• Criminal Justice (also see Law above)
  • Corrections
• Nonprofit Administration
• Parks and Recreation Management
• Public Administration
  • Industrial and labor relations (also see Business above)
• Social Work
  • Gerontology

See also

• List of science topics
• Interdisciplinary