The institution was founded in 1855 as the Paterson City Normal School in response to the growing demand for professional preparation of teachers-in-service in the emerging free public schools of Paterson. By 1875, the normal school had added a one-year teacher training curriculum for high school graduates seeking to become teachers, which was later increased to two years.
William Paterson University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate academic programs through five colleges: Arts and Communication, Cotsakos College of Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Health.The University offers 53 undergraduate degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and two doctoral programs (doctorate in clinical psychology and doctor of nursing practice). Certification is available in early childhood, elementary, secondary, and special education. There are also pre-professional programs in law, medicine (dentistry, optometry, podiatry, and veterinary science), physical therapy, and physician assistant.
The office of institutional research and assessment advances William Paterson University’s mission and strategic goals by serving as the official source for information about the University’s academic programs and constituents. The office accomplishes this by taking a leadership role in ensuring the availability of accurate information that is useful, timely and accessible. The information and analyses provided to University decision makers supports planning, institutional effectiveness and assessment efforts throughout the University.
There are many job opportunities for BA graduates. The following ideas do not exhaust the possibilities:
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2019. By rating institutions on a scale from 1 to 5, on multiple studies-related questions, we found the top educators in the world.
Learn more about the Global Student Satisfaction AwardsOur Information Desk is located on the first floor of University Commons, across from the food court.Hours of Operation
Sunday - Thursday 8am - 1am
Saturday 8am - 12midnight
When you join the nearly 2,000 active undergraduates living on campus at William Paterson University, you’ll be at the center of it all, sharing your college experience with fellow students from every background and perspective. With accommodations ranging from double room suites to apartments, our well-equipped residence halls provide a safe and comfortable environment for studying and participating in activities, making it easy to stay connected to everything that’s happening on campus. We encourage you to become actively involved in your residential community and campus life through the many programs and activities that are offered during the course of the academic year.
The David and Lorraine Cheng Library is the academic knowledge center of William Paterson University. The Library advances the University’s mission and core values: academic excellence, creation of knowledge, student success, diversity and citizenship.
William Paterson University provides wireless access into its computing resources utilizing Cisco Aironet wireless equipment. This equipment support all wireless access radios (A,B,G,N) and it utilizes Cisco Clean Access authentication to secure all access.
The mission of the Health and Wellness component of the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center is to provide a welcoming environment for William Paterson University students. The Health and Wellness Center staff members provide care for students who are ill or injured. Through health-related counseling and education, we support students' efforts to maintain their physical and emotional well-being.
With nearly 2,600 undergraduates living on campus, you'll share an active college experience with students from every background and perspective. We have more than 115 clubs and organizations, 28 fraternities and sororities, and 13 NCAA Division III sports teams-so there's always something exciting going on. Our beautiful residence halls provide a safe and comfortable environment for studying and participating in activities, making it easy to stay connected to everything that's happening on campus.
There are opportunities for students to play for the following club sports teams:
Clubs currently active include:
The university is accredited by:
