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William Paterson University

Since its founding in 1855, William Paterson University has been educating the people of New Jersey. Their needs and the University have changed dramatically during the years, yet the commitment to education, to the future, to improving the quality of life where people live and work remains stronger than ever. Providing accessible programs and services, the University is a primary resource for educating the business, health care, science, education and art professionals of northern New Jersey.

At William Paterson University, students receive a first-class education at a fraction of the cost experienced by students at private colleges and universities. The University offers value in education the value of our top-notch faculty, educational resources, facilities and services, and the value of a future unburdened by excessive debt.

More than a century of meeting diverse educational needs has given the University its rich texture and unique character. Its long history is everywhere symbolized on its 320-acre hilltop campus in Wayne. Even the shortest stroll around the grounds delights the eye with diversity from the variety of faces, ages and interests of more than 9,000 students to the very fiber of the physical institution as well. Here radio and television transmitters vie with towering pines; modern architecture shares the hillside with historic landmarks; and students pass from parking lots to wooded lanes to reach their destinations. And a location only 20 miles west of the cultural and cosmopolitan resources of New York City adds to the richness of the weave.

The University's diversity of programs is perhaps the best evidence of the strides made since its founding. Degree offerings other than those leading to a teaching career were added in 1966; ranging from the traditional to the contemporary, they provide students the education most suited to their interests and needs. Today, 29 undergraduate and 17 graduate degree programs are offered in the University's five colleges: Arts and Communication; Business, Education; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Science and Health.

Supported by the citizens of New Jersey, William Paterson University is governed by a local board of trustees and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

A long tradition of weaving the needs of the people of New Jersey into the fabric of the University has made William Paterson the vital and flexible institution it is today. The challenge for the future is the continued strengthening of our intellectual, economic and cultural development. This responsiveness and commitment ensures William Paterson's place among the best state universities in New Jersey.