The college emphasizes study through rigorous analysis and technology of the behaviors, institutions, and beliefs that constitute the human experience, describing itself as “not an ordinary liberal arts school.”[3] The college was named for Marianna Brown Dietrich, the mother of philanthropist William S. Dietrich II, after his donation of $265 million to the university in 2011 – the largest single donation in Carnegie Mellon history.

The Dietrich College offers more than 60 majors and minors through its academic departments and specialized degree programs.

[5] In December 2014, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the Dietrich College a $2 million grant to develop training in digital humanities for Ph.D. students in the departments of English, History, Philosophy, and Modern Languages.

The office of Carnegie Mellon's Pre-law Advising Program is located in the Dietrich College Academic Advisory Center in Baker Hall.

[8] The 2020 Times Higher Education Supplement world university rankings placed Dietrich College at 55th in social sciences and 60th for arts and humanities.