William Paterson University of New Jersey (WPUNJ) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

The William Paterson University of New Jersey was established in 1855 as the Paterson City Normal School to meet the growing demand for professional training of teachers-in-service. In 1875, the school started offering a one-year teacher program for high school graduates interested in taking up the teaching profession. The duration of the program was eventually increased to two years. The school went through several locations before moving to 19th Avenue and East 22nd Street in Paterson. In 1923, an act was passed for establishing the New Jersey State Normal School at Paterson. The school started offering diverse programs and a four-year elementary curriculum. In 1967, the college transformed to a multipurpose liberal arts institution and was renamed as the William Paterson University of New Jersey in 1971.

Presently, WPU of New Jersey enrolls approximately 11,200 students and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its five colleges: Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business; Arts and Communication; Education; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Science and Health.

This school is located on a 370-acre wooded area in Wayne, New Jersey, about 20 miles west of New York City. It is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

Videos

Information Summary

Ranks 23rd in New Jersey and 1267th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	76.7
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$29,335
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	23 / 1090
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	19 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	70% / 17%
Enrollment Total (all students)	10,198

Academics

Offered are 44 undergraduate and 22 graduate programs and close to 500 courses. The College of Arts and Communications offers B.A. and B.F.A. degrees in Art, B.A. in Communication, and B.A. and B.M. degrees in Music. The Cotsakos College of Business offers B.S. degrees in Accounting, Business Administration, and Professional Sales and B.A. degree in Economics. The College of Education offers B.A. degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Secondary Education. The college also offers certification programs in early childhood education, elementary education, and secondary education. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers B.A. degrees in areas such as Anthropology, English, Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology. The College of Science and Health offers B.S. degrees in areas such as Applied Health, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science, and Nursing. The college also offers B.A. degrees in Communication Disorders and Liberal Studies: Integrated Math and Science.

The graduate degree programs offered include M.A., M.M., M.B.A., M.Ed., M.S., and M.F.A. degrees in areas such as Biology/Biotechnology, Literacy, Business Administration, Art, Music, and English.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Gallery

Admissions

For undergraduate programs, this school admits first-year students, transfer students, international students, and non-degree and visiting students. First-year students need to submit the admission form, official high school transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, and a portfolio review for the art (B.F.A.) program.

International students need to submit the international application for admission and provide evidence of their proficiency in English by submitting their TOEFL/IELTS scores. They are required to submit their high school and college transcripts. International students are also recommended to submit their SAT/ACT scores though it is not an admission requirement. All international applicants are required to appear for the university placement test for reading, writing, and mathematics.

Financial Aid

The William Paterson University of New Jersey offers financial aid to students to help them meet their educational expenses. The different forms of financial aid available to students include: federal and state grants, loans, work-study opportunities, and scholarships. To apply for financial aid, students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education. The university recommends a priority deadline of April 1 to apply for the financial aid.

Different types of federal and state aid programs that provide financial assistance to the students include the Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant, SMART Grant, Tuition Aid Grants program (TAG), Education Opportunity Fund Grants (EOF), and William Paterson University Tuition Aid Grants. Students may also be eligible for Perkins loans, Stafford Subsidized and Un-subsidized loans, and PLUS loans for Parents.

Different student employment options include on-campus and off-campus part-time employment – community service, state work-study, and other regular part-time jobs. Various scholarships available for the students include the NJ World Trade Center Scholarship, Survivor Tuition Benefits, Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Scholarship, and Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars and Urban Scholars program.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4088th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in New Jersey.

Students

The campus offers many cultural, social, and leadership activities. Various annual sponsored programs such as welcome week, Latin heritage month, homecoming weekend, spring fest, African heritage month, and the senior dinner dance are held on campus annually. The Student Government Association is a representative body of the students. There are a number of clubs and student organizations on campus. Some of these include the Bowling Club, Dance Team, Computer Science Society, Exercise and Movement Science Club, Math Club, and the Outdoors Club. The weekly independent campus newspaper is known as The Beacon.

This school provides seven housing complexes: Century Hall, High Mountain East and West, Hillside Hall, the Towers, Matelson Hall, White Hall, and the Apartments (Pioneer and Heritage Halls).The dining facilities for students are available at the Wayne Hall Dining Room and the Machuga Student Center Food Court.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

This school is a member of the NJ Athletic Conference, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Eastern College Athletic Conference, and the NJ Intercollegiate Association for Women. The university has 18 intercollegiate sports teams for men and women which compete in Division III. The athletic teams include men’s basketball, baseball, football, cross country, swimming, indoor and outdoor track, and soccer. Women’s sports include cross country, field hockey, basketball, softball, soccer, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and indoor and outdoor spring track.

William Paterson University of New Jersey