PrincetonUniversity
 

A Princeton Profile 2001-02

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The Undergraduate College
 

Program of Study

Princeton offers two bachelor's degrees: the bachelor of arts (A.B.) and the bachelor of science in engineering (B.S.E.). Within these degree programs, students can choose from among 68 departments and interdepartmental programs. They may also apply for an independent concentration outside existing programs.

Undergraduates in the A.B. program must successfully complete one course each in epistemology and cognition, ethical thought and moral values, historical analysis, and quantitative reasoning; and two courses each in literature and the arts, science and technology (with laboratory), and social analysis. All A.B. candidates satisfy the writing requirement by taking a writing seminar in the freshman year and must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language.

Departmental requirements combine upper-level courses with independent work in both the junior and senior years. A senior thesis is required of all A.B. candidates.

Engineering students take at least seven courses in the humanities and social sciences in addition to satisfying the writing requirement and meeting the requirements in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computer programming as specified by the School of Engineering and Applied Science. B.S.E. students are required to take one course in four of the following six areas: epistemology and cognition, ethical thought and moral values, foreign language, historical analysis, literature and the arts, and social analysis.

All engineering departments offer upperclass students opportunities to pursue independent work in lieu of formal course work. In some departments, independent work or a senior thesis is required for completion of the B.S.E. degree.

Departments and Programs

Academic Departments

Undergraduates may concentrate their studies in the following fields:

Anthropology Architecture Art and Archaeology Astrophysical Sciences Chemical Engineering Chemistry Civil and Environmental     Engineering Classics Comparative Literature Computer Science East Asian Studies Ecology and Evolutionary     Biology Economics Electrical Engineering English French and Italian Geosciences Germanic Languages and     Literatures History

Mathematics Mechanical and Aerospace     Engineering Molecular Biology Music Near Eastern Studies Operations Research and     Financial Engineering Philosophy Physics Politics Psychology Religion Slavic Languages and     Literatures Sociology Spanish and Portuguese     Languages and Cultures Woodrow Wilson School (Public and International Affairs)

Interdepartmental Programs

Undergraduates may supplement their concentration by participating in any of the following programs, most of which grant certificates of proficiency:

African-American Studies African Studies American Studies Applications of Computing Applied and Computational     Mathematics Architecture and Engineering Biophysics Creative Writing East Asian Studies Engineering Biology Engineering and Management     Systems Engineering Physics Environmental Studies European Cultural Studies Finance Geological Engineering Hellenic Studies

Humanistic Studies Jewish Studies Language and Culture Latin American Studies Linguistics Materials Science and     Engineering Medieval Studies Musical Performance Near Eastern Studies Neuroscience Robotics and Intelligent     Systems Russian Studies Teacher Preparation Theater and Dance Visual Arts Study of Women and Gender Woodrow Wilson School

Areas of Concentration

Undergraduate concentration patterns have remained fairly constant over the years. Here, in descending order, are the 12 areas of concentration that were the most popular in the academic year 2000-01: 

Department		Number of Concentrators
History		259
Politics		229
English		202
Economics		197
Woodrow Wilson School		154
Psychology		123
Molecular Biology		107
Electrical Engineering		83
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology		78
Computer Science		70
Operations Research and Financial Engineering		67
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering		66

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