Princeton University

Princeton offers two bachelor’s degrees: a bachelor of arts (A.B.) and a bachelor of science in engineering (B.S.E.). Within these degree programs, students can choose from among 76 departments and interdepartmental programs. In lieu of existing programs, students may apply for independent concentration.

Undergraduates in the A.B. program must successfully complete general education requirements that include two courses each in literature and the arts, science and technology (with laboratory), and social analysis; and one course each in epistemology and cognition, ethical thought and moral values, historical analysis, and quantitative reasoning. A.B. candidates also must satisfy writing and foreign language requirements.

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.

Students may choose from among 34 majors, or an independent concentration, and participate in 42 special programs, many of them interdisciplinary or interdepartmental. The University also provides ample support resources, such as a modern language lab that bolsters the instruction in 20 modern languages currently offered.

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
• German
• History
• Independent Concentration
• 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 of Public and International Affairs

Interdisciplinary and interdepartmental programs are available to complement more traditional courses of study. Participants in programs take designated courses in the subject area and prepare substantial independent work toward completion of a certificate of proficiency.

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
• Contemporary European Politics and Society
• Creative Writing
• Dance
• East Asian Studies
• Engineering Biology
• Engineering and Management Systems
• Engineering Physics
• Environmental Studies
• European Cultural Studies
• Finance
• Geological Engineering
• Global Health and Health Policy
• Hellenic Studies
• Humanistic Studies
• Judaic Studies
• Language and Culture
• Latin American Studies
• Latino Studies
• Linguistics
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Medieval Studies
• Musical Performance
• Near Eastern Studies
• Neuroscience
• Robotics and Intelligent Systems
• Russian and Eurasian Studies
• South Asian Studies
• Sustainable Energy
• Teacher Preparation
• Theater
• Translation and Intercultural Communication
• Urban Studies
• Visual Arts
• Study of Women and Gender
• Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

Undergraduate concentration patterns have remained fairly constant over the years. Here, in descending order, are the 15 areas of concentration for juniors and seniors that were most popular in academic year 2008–09:

The Lewis Center for the Arts is designed to put the creative and performing arts at the heart of the Princeton experience. The center that is currently being planned will serve as the hub of a dedicated arts neighborhood on campus.

Music Study. Princeton attracts student musicians who want a broad liberal arts education and the chance to pursue their musical interests. The Department of Music offers courses in composition and theory as well as music history and literature. Several courses that incorporate student performance are offered each year.

Creative Writing. The Program in Creative Writing offers undergraduate students the unique opportunity to pursue original work in fiction, poetry, and translation under the guidance of renowned practicing writers. Throughout the academic year, a reading series brings to campus dozens of distinguished poets and novelists to read from their work.

The Princeton Atelier. The Princeton Atelier brings professional artists to campus to work on a project they want to explore before developing it for the professional art world.

Theater. The Program in Theater offers workshop courses in writing, acting, directing, design, performance history, and criticism—all taught by professional artists and critics. The program also presents a series of student-acted and directed productions each year.

Dance. The Program in Dance exposes students to professional artists and scholars in dance through courses, special workshops, and guest choreographers. The program offers training in modern and contemporary dance and ballet. Courses focus on technique, repertory, choreography, history, and criticism. The program’s dance concerts present works choreographed by students, faculty, and guest artists.

Visual Arts. The Program in Visual Arts introduces students to the studio arts in the context of a liberal arts education. Courses are offered in ceramics, drawing, film theory and history, painting, photography, digital photography, printmaking, sculpture, and film and video production. Facilities include painting and drawing studios; a computer lab for digital photography; darkrooms; digital cameras; light kits and audio equipment; a computer lab for video editing; a printmaking shop; and ceramics and sculpture studios.

Princeton students do very well in the national scholarship and fellowship competitions. During the past 10 years, 16 Princeton undergraduates have been Rhodes Scholars.

The table below lists seven of the award programs open to graduates and shows the number of Princetonians who have won these scholarships over the past five years.

* Fellowship discontinued by Mellon Foundation in 2005
** National Science Foundation
† Approximate number, varies by year