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The University of Colombo currently has seven faculties with 41 academic departments and two interdependent schools with five academic departments. All faculties and schools carries out courses of study and research in both graduate and undergraduate studies. In addition, the university has several institutions that specialize in different areas of research.^[1]

In terms of student population the Faculty of Arts is the largest faculty in of the University of Colombo. Made up of eight academic departments and several teaching units, it undertakes studies and research in areas of humanities and social sciences. The origins of the faculty dates back to 1921, with the establishment of the Ceylon University College, as courses in arts subjects where the first to be started. Upgraded to a faculty in 1942 with the establishment of the University of Ceylon that year, it was moved completely to Peradeniya in the early 1950s. In 1963, a new arts faculty was established in Colombo as part of the University of Ceylon, Colombo campus which continues to function as the current faculty.

Departments of the Faculty of Arts

• Department of Demography
• Department of Economics
• Department of English
• Department of English Language Teaching
• Department of Geography
• Department of History and International Relations
• Department of Journalism
• Department of Sinhala
• Department of Sociology
• Department of Political Science and Public Policy

The Faculty of Education was established in 1973, followed by the merger of Departments of Education of the Peradeniya, Vidyalankara and Vidyodaya that had been brought back to Colombo in 1975. However it traces it roots to 1949 when the Department of Education was founded in Colombo before it move to Peradeniya. It has become the primary center of undergraduate and postgraduate studies and research in education.

Departments of the Faculty of Education

• Department of Humanities Education
• Department of Educational Psychology
• Department of Social Science Education
• Department of Science and Technology Education

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) is a graduate school it conducts post-graduate degree programs in many fields, via on campus lectures and distance learning. It has the largest number of distance learning course offered via e-learning and m-learning with a student base in both Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It was established by the Faculty of Graduate Studies Ordinance No. 03 of 1987.

The Faculty of Management and Finance traces it roots to the establishment of the Department of Commerce and Management Studies which was later upgraded to a faculty made up of six academic departments. Studies into accounting, business economics, finance, human resource management, management, organization studies and marketing. Its Postgraduate & Mid-career Development Unit which conducts the highly recognized MBA program of the Colombo University.

Departments of the Faculty of Management and Finance

• Department of Accounting
• Department of Business Economics
• Department of Finance
• Department of Human Resource Management
• Department of Management Studies
• Department of Marketing

The Faculty of Medicine is the oldest faculty of the university and oldest medical school in Sri Lanka. Established in 1870 as the Colombo Medical School later renamed as the Colombo Medical College, it was integrated as a faculty of the University of Ceylon at its formation in 1942. The Faculty has close links with several hospitals for teaching, training, clinical services and research. These include;

• The National Hospital of Sri Lanka (Colombo General Hospital)
• De Soysa Maternity Hospital
• Castle Street Maternity Hospital
• Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children

Departments of the Faculty of Medicine

• Department of Anatomy
• Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Department of Clinical Medicine
• Department of Community Medicine
• Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
• Department of Microbiology
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Department of Paediatrics
• Department of Parasitology
• Department of Pathology
• Department of Pharmacology
• Department of Physiology
• Department of Physiotherapy
• Department of Psychological Medicine
• Department of Surgery

The Faculty of Law (නීති පීඨය Nithi Pit-haya)(சட்ட பீடம் "Satta peedam"), was founded at the Department of Law in Colombo in 1947 within the University of Ceylon and was moved to Peradeniya as part of the Faculty of Arts. However the department was later shifted to the Colombo Campus of the University of Ceylon upgrade to a Faculty of Law in 1968. The faculty maintains close links with the Sri Lanka Law College, which conducts the law exams need for admittance as an Attorney at Law. Being the first Law Faculty in the country, and the oldest Faculty of Law in the entire University system of the country it conducts both undergraduate and post-graduate degree programs in the field law.

• Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe, MP - Current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka & former Leader of the Opposition
• Hon. Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike - former Cabinet Minister of Finance, Public Administration, Local Government, Home Affairs, Justice & Member of Parliament
• Hon. Sri Lankabhimanya Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar - Distinguished diplomat, politician and lawyer^[2][3]
• Hon. Professor G. L. Peiris - Current Cabinet Minister of External Affairs and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo
• Vidya Jyothi Professor T. Nadaraja - Chancellor of the University of Jaffna and the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ceylon^[4]
• Hon. Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam - former Member of Parliament
• Hon. Justice Saleem Marsoof, PC - former Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
• Hon. Justice Suppiah Sharvananda - former Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
• Hon. Justice Mark Fernando - former Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
• Professor Savitri Goonesekere - former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo
• Kumar Sangakkara - Captain of the Sri Lankan national cricket team
• H.L. de Silva, PC - Ambassador / Permanent Representative to United Nations (New York)
• Professor Suri Ratnapala, Professor of Law, University of Queensland, Australia [1]
• Hon. Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake The 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and the first female Chief Justice in Sri Lanka
• Palitha Fernando Solicitor General Sri Lanka
• Palitha Kohona, - Ambassador / Permanent Representative to United Nations (New York)

The Faculty of Science was established in 1942 with the founding the University of Ceylon. Part of the faculty was moved to Peradeniya, with other department remaining in Colombo. The faculty carries out research and studies chemistry, mathematics, nuclear science, physics, plant sciences, statistics and zoology. The oldest Faculty of Science in the country, it conducts both undergraduate and post-graduate degree programs in many fields of science.

Established in 1942 with the founding the University of Ceylon, as such it is one of the two oldest faculties in the island. At its formation its nucleus was formed from staff from the Science Section of the Ceylon Technical College. Part of the faculty was moved to Peradeniya, with other department remaining in Colombo. The faculty carries out research and studies Chemistry, Mathematics, Nuclear science, Physics, Plant Sciences, Statistics and Zoology.

Departments of the Faculty of Science

• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Mathematics
• Department of Physics
  • Centre for Instrument Development
• Department of Plant Science
• Department of Statistics Archived 2010-07-31 at the Wayback Machine
• Department of Zoology
• Department of Nuclear Science

• Professor Stanley Wijesundera - former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo
• Vidya Jyothi Professor V. K. Samaranayake - former Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo and Founder of University of Colombo School of Computing
• Professor Nalin de Silva - Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Kelaniya
• Professor Gihan Wikramanayake - Director of the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC)
• Dr Sarath Gunapala, Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The Sri Palee Campus of the University of Colombo is located in Wewala, Horana. Established in 1996 it conducts courses in the field of performing arts and mass media. It was established by a notification of the Sri Lanka government gazette (Extraordinary ) No 928/1 dated June 20, 1996. The campus is located in buildings and land donated to the University of Sri Lanka by the Sri Palee Trust in memory of Hon Wilmot A. Perera. The Sri Palee Trust was established by Wilmot A. Perera with his personal lands. The campus is due to expand into two faculties with five academic departments.

Departments of the Sri Palee Campus

• Department of Performing Arts
• Department of Mass Media

The University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) is a higher educational affiliate institute providing undergraduate and postgraduate education in Computer Science, Information Systems, and Information and Communication Technology. The UCSC was formed on 1 September 2002 with the argumentation of the Department of Computer Science of the Faculty of Science of the University of Colombo and the Institute of Computer Technology by Professor V. K. Samaranayake.^[5]

Departments of the University of Colombo School of Computing

• Department of Computation and Intelligent Systems
• Department of Communication and Media Technologies
• Department of Information Systems Engineering

Education centres include: the Advanced Digital Media Technology Centre, Computer Services Centre, Digital Forensic Centre, e-Learning Centre, External Degrees Centre, and the Professional Development Centre.

The "Faculty of Technology" is one of the newest Faculties to join the prestigious University of Colombo.Established in Homagama,Pitipana 2017.The Faculty of Technology of the University of Colombo is pivotally positioned to provide an excellent technological education to the undergraduates seeking admission to the Faculty.Through the academic programmes conducted by the departments of the Faculty, the students are trained as technology professionals with knowledge of the existing novel technologies.

Departments of Faculty of Technology

• Instrumentation & Automation Technology
• Information & Communication Technology
• Environmental Technology
• Agricultural Technology

The Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM) is the only graduate school in the country that provides specialist training of medical doctors. It was established in 1976 as the Institute of Postgraduate Medicine under the University of Ceylon Act No.1 of 1976 with Professor K. N. Seneviratne its first director, it was reorganized and given its current name under the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine Act No.1 of 1980.

The National Institute of Library & Information Sciences (NILIS) is a graduate school that focus on the study and research of library science, information management, and allied fields. It was established in 1999 by an ordinance under section 18 and 24 of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978 as an institution affiliated to the University of Colombo.

The Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB) is the Sri Lankan node for the European Molecular Biology Network. It is also designated as a resource centre for molecular life sciences by the international program in chemical sciences, University of Uppsala.

The Institute of Indigenous Medicine specialize in the study of the form of ayurvedic medicine, which has been practiced in the island for over two thousand years. It is located in Nawala a suburb of Colombo.

The Institute of Human Resource Advancement, formerly the Institute of Workers Education provide access to education and lifelong learning for adults. It conducts studies in many areas that is part of adult education.

The Institute of Agro Technology and Rural Science is an affiliated institute of for the UoC, located in Hambantota in the Southern Province of the country.

• Institute of Computer Technology (ICT) (now functioning as the School of Computing)
• Institute of Workers Education (now Institute of Human Resource Advancement)
• Department of Architecture (now Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa)

• Official Website of the University of Colombo^{[permanent dead link‍]}
• University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka

  Official faculty websites

  • Faculty of Arts
  • Faculty of Education
  • Faculty of Graduate Studies
  • Faculty of Management and Finance
  • Faculty of Medicine
  • Faculty of Law
  • Faculty of Science
  • Sri Palee Campus

  Official Institute websites

  • Postgraduate Institute of Medicine
  • National Institute of Library & Information Science
  • Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
  • Institute of Indigenous Medicine
  • Institute of Human Resource Advancement
  • Institute of Agro Technology and Rural Science