Carleton College was created in 1942 to provide needed part-time post-secondary education during the evening to wartime workers.

By the end of WWII, however, there was a strong demand for university education and Carleton's founders were determined to meet this demand. In 1945, the Faculty of Arts and Science was established and the College was able to offer day classes and had both full-time faculty and students. Over the next eighteen years, Carleton had become a university and the science programs had grown to the point where a Faculty of Science was created in 1963.

Today, the Faculty of Science is research-intensive and an integral part of a university that prides itself in being a leader in discovery and innovation. Students are taught by some of the leading scientific researchers in their disciplines (including 10 named research chairs) and by many award-winning teachers. Being located in the nation's capital is particularly advantageous, as the Faculty enjoys numerous collaborative research and learning relationships with federal government research laboratories, museums, libraries, and high-technology industries in the Ottawa region.