This online publication presents the academic regulations, programs of study, and course offerings of Princeton University. Information about other important areas is available from various offices of the University, included in publications distributed to students, or found on the Princeton University website. Princeton University is a private, coeducational university located in Princeton, New Jersey, midway between New York City and Philadelphia. The 500-acre central campus is residential, and all buildings are within easy walking distance of one another. Founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey, Princeton now has an undergraduate population of approximately 5,200 students working toward the bachelor of arts (A.B.) or bachelor of science in engineering (B.S.E.) degree. The University's outstanding financial aid program provides grants rather than loans – which do not have to be repaid – and ensures that a Princeton education is affordable to qualified students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. A single faculty of approximately 1500 teaches both graduate and undergraduate students. Nearly all undergraduates are in residence on the campus, and housing is guaranteed for all four years. The residential colleges provide a vast array of educational and social activities. In housing and dining arrangements, extracurricular activities, and daily social life, undergraduates make up a single student body regardless of degree candidacy or program of study. With many lectures, classes, and laboratories in common, undergraduates enjoy a shared academic experience, no matter what their principal field of study. The A.B. Degree Programs of study in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences lead to the degree of bachelor of arts. Students select a major from the following academic departments: African American Studies Anthropology Architecture Art and Archaeology Astrophysical Sciences Chemistry Classics Comparative Literature Computer Science East Asian Studies Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Economics English French and Italian Geosciences German History Mathematics Molecular Biology Music Near Eastern Studies Neuroscience Philosophy Physics Politics Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Psychology Religion Slavic Languages and Literatures Sociology Spanish and Portuguese The B.S.E. Degree Programs of study in the School of Engineering and Applied Science lead to the degree of bachelor of science in engineering. Students select a major from the following academic departments: Chemical and Biological Engineering Civil and Environmental Engineering Computer Science Electrical and Computer Engineering Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Operations Research and Financial Engineering Minors Undergraduates may supplement their major field of study with any of the following minor programs, which are open to all students in the Class of 2025 and beyond: African Studies Asian American Studies Chinese Language Classics Climate Sciences Computer Science Creative Writing Dance East Asian Studies English Environmental Studies Finance Gender and Sexuality Studies Global Health and Health Policy Hellenic Studies History History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Humanistic Studies Japanese Language Journalism Korean Language Latino Studies Linguistics Materials Science and Engineering Medieval Studies Music Music Performance Neuroscience Philosophy Quantitative Economics Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies South Asian Studies Slavic Languages and Cultures Statistics and Machine Learning Theater and Music Theater Translation and Intercultural Communication Values and Public Life Visual Arts Certificate Programs Students may earn a certificate by completing the requirements in one or more of the following programs: African American Studies American Studies Applied and Computational Mathematics Archaeology Architecture and Engineering Biophysics Cognitive Science Contemporary European Politics and Society Engineering Biology Engineering Physics Entrepreneurship European Cultural Studies Geological Engineering History and the Practice of Diplomacy Judaic Studies Language and Culture Latin American Studies Near Eastern Studies Optimization and Quantitative Decision Science Planets and Life Quantitative and Computational Biology Robotics and Intelligent Systems Sustainable Energy Teacher Preparation Technology and Society Urban Studies While methods of instruction vary widely, all areas of the academic program emphasize individual responsibility and the free interchange of ideas. This emphasis is demonstrated most notably in the wide use of preceptorials and seminars, in the provision of independent study for all upper-class students and qualified underclass students, and in the availability of a series of special programs to meet a range of individual interests. The undergraduate college encourages the student to be an independent seeker of information and to assume responsibility for gaining both knowledge and judgment that will strengthen later contributions to society. Undergraduate regulations, academic and social, are relatively few. They represent the expectation of appropriate behavior on the part of all students and require a reasonable standard of performance in scholarly achievement.
