Headquartered principally in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and centered in the historic Harvard Yard, FAS is the only faculty responsible for both undergraduate and graduate education.

[4] While Harvard College traces its origins to 1636, the body called the Faculty of Arts and Sciences only came into existence in the late nineteenth century.

The Lawrence Scientific School opened in 1847 and marked Harvard's first major effort to offer a formal program in science and engineering.

[10] The dean of FAS serves as the chief administrative and academic officer, responsible to the president and provost of Harvard University for all aspects of the division's operations, including budgets, planning, support services, faculty appointments, curricula, student affairs, and fundraising.

Following Gay's ascension to president of the university, Hopi Hoekstra was announced to become the new dean of FAS beginning August 1st, 2023.