The Faculty of Arts of Rajshahi University started its journey along with the establishment of the university itself in 1953. Professor Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah was appointed the first Dean of the faculty in 1955. Initially the faculty comprised seven departments. These departments were Bangla, English, Philosophy, History, Islamic History, Psychology and Commerce. But currently it has emerged as the biggest faculty consisting of as many as twelve departments. They are: Philosophy, History, English, Bangla, Islamic History & Culture, Arabic, Islamic Studies, Music, Theatre, Persian language & Literature, Sanskrit and Urdu.

The Faculty of Arts looks after all the academic activities of these departments. The departments offer not only BA/BPA Honours and MA/MPA courses but also M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes. Some of the departments of the faculty also run evening Masters programmes. Every year now this faculty admits about 1000 students in the first year Honours Programme and a good number of research students into the M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes. B