Princeton University is unique in the way it combines the strengths of a major research university with the qualities of an outstanding liberal arts college. Princeton excels in its commitment to teaching and provides learning opportunities both within and outside of the classroom. Whether through independent study, student-initiated seminars or lectures in emerging fields, Princeton students have the flexibility to shape dynamic academic programs that prepare them for leadership and lives of service.
The Faculty
In fall 2022, the faculty (including visitors and part-time faculty) totaled 1,267, including 526 professors, 120 associate professors, 190 assistant professors, 16 instructors, 295 lecturers, 29 senior lecturers, 8 university lecturers, 4 lecturers with the rank of professor, 5 professors of the practice, and 74 visitors.
Seventy-seven percent of the professorial faculty is tenured. Excluding visitors, 469 members of the faculty are women. There were 200 tenured women on the faculty in fall 2022.
All faculty members at Princeton are expected to teach, as well as engage in research. Faculty members work closely with undergraduates in the supervision of junior-year independent work and senior theses.
Twelve current Princeton faculty members (including emeritus) and scholars are recipients of the Nobel Prize.
| Name | Prize | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Joseph H. Taylor, emeritus | physics | 1993 |
| Eric F. Wieschaus, emeritus | physiology/medicine | 1995 |
| Daniel C. Tsui, emeritus | physics | 1998 |
| Daniel Kahneman, emeritus | economics | 2002 |
| David J. Gross, emeritus | physics | 2004 |
| Paul Krugman, emeritus | economics | 2008 |
| Christopher Sims, emeritus | economics | 2011 |
| Angus Deaton, emeritus | economics | 2015 |
| F. Duncan Haldane | physics | 2016 |
| James Peebles, emeritus | physics | 2019 |
| David MacMillan | chemistry | 2021 |
| Syukuro Manabe | physics | 2021 |
Undergraduate College
Program of Study
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 more than 90 departments and interdepartmental programs, and in lieu of existing programs, students may apply for an independent major.
Undergraduates in the A.B. program must successfully complete general education requirements that include two courses each in literature and the arts, science and engineering (at least one course must be with laboratory), and social analysis; and one course each in culture and difference, epistemology and cognition, ethical thought and moral values, historical analysis, and quantitative and computational reasoning. A.B. candidates also must satisfy writing and 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 seven areas: culture and difference, epistemology and cognition, ethical thought and moral values, language, historical analysis, literature and the arts, and social analysis. Independent work or a senior thesis is required for completion of the B.S.E. degree.
Departments and Programs
Students may choose from among 36 majors, or an independent major, as well as 38 minor programs and 26 interdisciplinary certificate programs.
Academic Departments
Undergraduates may concentrate their studies in the following fields:
- African American Studies
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Art and Archaeology
- Astrophysical Sciences
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Classics
- Comparative Literature
- Computer Science
- East Asian Studies
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Economics
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- English
- French and Italian
- Geosciences
- German
- History
- Independent Major
- Mathematics
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- Molecular Biology
- Music
- Near Eastern Studies
- Neuroscience
- Operations Research and Financial Engineering
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Politics
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
- Psychology
- Religion
- Slavic Languages and Literatures
- Sociology
- Spanish and Portuguese
Minor Programs
Undergraduates may supplement their major field by participating in any of the following minor programs of study:
- African Studies
- Asian American Studies
- Chinese Language
- Classics
- Climate Science
- 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
Interdisciplinary Certificate Programs
Undergraduates may supplement their major field of concentration by participating in any of the following programs, all of which grant certificates of proficiency:
- African American Studies
- American Studies
- Applied and Computational Mathematics
- Archaeology
- Architecture and Engineering
- 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
Areas of Study
Undergraduate major patterns have remained fairly constant over the years. Here, in descending order, are the 10 areas of study undertaken by the most juniors and seniors in academic year 2022–2023:
| Concentration | Number |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | 423 |
| Economics | 262 |
| School of Public and International Affairs | 245 |
| Operations Research and Financial Engineering | 148 |
| History | 130 |
| Politics | 129 |
| Molecular Biology | 105 |
| Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | 88 |
| Psychology | 89 |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 86 |
The Creative Arts
The Lewis Center for the Arts is the academic unit comprising the programs in creative writing, dance, theater and music theater, visual arts and the Princeton Atelier. Over a quarter of undergraduates are enrolled in one or more of the 150-plus courses offered each year along with workshops and classes by world-renowned guest artists. Lewis Center courses welcome those exploring the arts for the first time, as well as experienced artists planning a career in the arts, in an inclusive community of practice. Work is shared with the wider community through more than 120 public arts events presented annually, most free, attracting over 25,000 audience members. Students may minor in creative writing, dance, theater and music theater, and visual arts.
The Princeton Atelier. The Princeton Atelier brings together professional artists from different disciplines to create new work in the context of a semester-long course.
Music Study. Under the auspices of the Department of Music, the newly revised undergraduate music major and newly added minor degree programs allow students to study music from a variety of perspectives—history, theory, composition, music cognition, and performance. Independent work in music ranges from writing music or writing about music to projects that involve a mix of scholarship, composition, and performance. Students engaged in music from across the campus – including Music Majors - may also apply for the general Minor in Music (MUS) or Minor in Music Performance (MPP) which includes studies in jazz and classical music performance (vocal/instrumental/conducting), electronic music, vocal consort singing, composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, and much more. Undergraduate music students also benefit from contact with the graduate students in the renowned Ph.D. programs in musicology and composition. The Department of Music provides all Princeton students with the opportunity to take courses with world-renowned composers and musicologists; take one-on-one instrumental and vocal lessons in the private studios of top professionals; audition to perform with a number of ensembles in classical, jazz, musical theater, early music and African traditions; engage with visiting professional musicians in public masterclasses; hear the work of artists in the Princeton University Concerts series; and take performance courses in a variety of areas including chamber music, opera and vocal ensembles, jazz improvisation, and African drumming and dance. Students may also participate in numerous student-run ensembles.
Artist Fellowship Programs. In collaboration with the Department of Music, the Lewis Center offers two fellowship programs supporting individual artists. The Hodder Fellowship provides a year of support to emerging artists with time and space to create new work. The Princeton Arts Fellowship provides a two-year residency for emerging artists to teach and engage with the creative community at Princeton.
Program in Teacher Preparation
For more than 50 years, this nationally accredited program has provided an opportunity for Princeton University undergraduates, graduate students and alumni to obtain a New Jersey teaching license, transferable to other states, through a combination of academic courses and field-based teaching experiences. Students may also choose to receive only the University certificate, which is an academic credential for students interested in careers in education that do not require a teaching license. In addition, Teacher Prep offers enriching professional learning opportunities for teachers and administrators in area schools.
Awards and Fellowships
During the past 10 years, 18 Princeton undergraduates and recent undergraduate alumni have been U.S. Rhodes Scholars. The table below lists seven of the award programs open to graduates and shows the number of Princetonians who have accepted these scholarships over the past five years.
| Program | 18-19 | 19-20 | 20-21 | 21-22 | 22-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbright | 20 | 23 | 12 | 27 | 17 |
| Gates Cambridge | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Hertz | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Marshall | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NSF | 32 | 26 | 25 | 29 | 35 |
| Schwarzman | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| U.S. Rhodes | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The Graduate School
The Graduate School was formally established in 1900 and, by history and design, it is relatively small and emphasizes Ph.D. programs in the humanities, social and natural sciences, and engineering. Doctoral education focuses on original and independent scholarship, while master’s degree programs prepare candidates for careers in professional practice and public life. Students are in residence except when approved for academic reasons to be in absentia.
Doctoral Programs
Doctoral students work toward a Ph.D. in one of 45 degree-granting departments and programs, including the recent additions of bioengineering, and quantum science and engineering. Doctoral candidates must fulfill departmental requirements, pass a general departmental examination, prepare a doctoral dissertation and present a public oral defense of the dissertation. The University grants doctoral degrees in the following departments and programs:
- Anthropology
- Applied and Computational Mathematics
- Architecture
- Art and Archaeology
- Astrophysical Sciences
- Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
- Bioengineering
- Biophysics
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Classics
- Comparative Literature
- Computer Science
- East Asian Studies
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Economics
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- English
- French and Italian
- Geological Sciences
- German
- History
- History of Science
- Mathematics
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
- Molecular Biology
- Musicology
- Music Composition
- Near Eastern Studies
- Neuroscience
- Operations Research and Financial Engineering
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Plasma Physics
- Politics
- Population Studies
- Psychology
- Public and International Affairs
- Quantitative and Computational Biology
- Quantum Science and Engineering
- Religion
- Slavic Languages and Literatures
- Sociology
- Spanish and Portuguese
Master’s Programs
Princeton’s requirements for a master’s degree vary greatly by department. Students may complete master’s degrees in the following programs, most of which admit students directly:
- Architecture (Master of Architecture)
- Chemical and Biological Engineering (Master of Engineering, Master of Science in Engineering)
- Chemistry (Master of Science)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (Master of Science in Engineering)
- Computer Science (Master of Engineering, Master of Science in Engineering)
- Electrical Engineering (Master of Engineering, Master of Science in Engineering)
- Finance (Master in Finance)
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Master of Engineering, Master of Science in Engineering)
- Operations Research and Financial Engineering (Master of Science in Engineering)
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (Master in Public Affairs, Master in Public Policy)
Interdisciplinary/Interdepartmental Programs
The following are interdepartmental (and often interdisciplinary) programs in which Ph.D. work may be concentrated or in which certificates may be granted:
- African American Studies
- American Studies
- Ancient World
- Bioengineering
- Classical Philosophy
- Computational Science and Engineering
- Demography
- Digital Humanities
- Environmental Studies
- Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Health and Health Policy
- Hellenic Studies
- History of Science
- Italian Studies
- Latin American Studies
- Media and Modernity
- Medieval Studies
- Neuroscience
- Political Economy
- Political Philosophy
- Renaissance and Early Modern Studies
- Science Technology and Environmental Policy
- Statistics and Machine Learning
- Urban Policy and Planning
Joint Degrees
The Graduate School offers joint degrees in the following areas (students apply to one of the appropriate Ph.D.-granting fields above):
Materials Science
Chemical and biological engineering and materials science; chemistry and materials science; civil and environmental engineering and materials science; electrical and computer engineering and materials science; geosciences and materials science; mechanical and aerospace engineering and materials science.
Neuroscience
Applied and computational mathematics and neuroscience; chemical and biological engineering and neuroscience; chemistry and Neuroscience; computer science and neuroscience; ecology, evolutionary biology and neuroscience; electrical engineering and neuroscience; molecular biology and neuroscience; philosophy and neuroscience; physics and neuroscience; psychology and neuroscience.
Humanities
Anthropology and interdisciplinary humanities; architecture and interdisciplinary humanities; art and archaeology and interdisciplinary humanities; classics and interdisciplinary humanities; comparative literature and interdisciplinary humanities; East Asian studies and interdisciplinary humanities; English and interdisciplinary humanities, French and Italian and interdisciplinary humanities; German and interdisciplinary humanities; history and interdisciplinary humanities; music and interdisciplinary humanities; Near Eastern studies and interdisciplinary humanities; philosophy and interdisciplinary humanities; politics and interdisciplinary humanities; religion and interdisciplinary humanities; Slavic languages and literatures and interdisciplinary humanities; sociology and interdisciplinary humanities; and Spanish and Portuguese and interdisciplinary humanities.
Social Policy
Demography and social policy; politics and social policy; psychology and social policy; sociology and social policy.
Dual Degrees
Princeton partners with other institutions in offering two formal dual degree programs. The first is the M.D./Ph.D. program with the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Rutgers–New Brunswick Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students in the program complete their Ph.D. work in molecular biology at Princeton. The second program is the M.P.A./J.D. and M.P.A./M.B.A. program in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, offered in cooperation with the law schools of Columbia University, New York University, and Yale University, and with the law school and business school of Stanford University. On occasion, joint programs with other law schools have been approved by the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the cooperating law school. Interested applicants are encouraged to speak with the relevant departments at Princeton about such options.
Individual agreements or arrangements outside of these formal programs may also be possible with the support of a student’s department or program and the Graduate School.
Exchange Programs
The Graduate School participates in a number of formal exchange programs that enable students to take courses or conduct dissertation research that cannot be done at Princeton. The programs include exchanges with U.S. institutions, as well as universities in England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Israel. Students may also conduct research at other locations and institutions through research programs or affiliations that they themselves or their faculty advisers initiate. In addition, experts from institutions around the world visit Princeton every term.
The School of Architecture
The School of Architecture, Princeton’s center for teaching and research in architectural design, urbanism, history and theory, and architectural technologies, provides students with a course of study that reflects on contemporary and emerging issues in architecture. Principal degrees offered by the school include a bachelor of arts (A.B.), a Master of Architecture (M.Arch), and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
In the undergraduate major, architecture is taught in the context of a liberal arts education, emphasizing the complex interrelationship between architecture, society and technology. The curriculum for the master’s degree emphasizes design expertise in the context of urbanism, landscape and new technologies. Architecture is understood as a cultural practice involving both speculative intelligence and practical know-how. Each student constructs a personal course of study around a core of required courses that represent the knowledge essential to the education of an architect today.
The Professional Master in Architecture degree, accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), is intended for students who plan to practice architecture professionally and qualifies them to take the state professional licensing examination after completing the required internship. The Post-Professional Graduate Program is available to those who hold the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) or its equivalent from an international institution. These are students who have successfully completed a professional program in architecture and have fulfilled the educational requirements for professional licensing in the state or country in which the degree was granted.
The school has two five-year doctoral programs: The History and Theory track focuses on the history, theory and criticism of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technology. The Computation and Energy track develops research in the field of embodied computation and new systems for energy and environmental performance. The approach is interdisciplinary, covering a broad range of research interests from an architectural perspective. Working closely with the faculty of the school and allied departments in the University, students build individual programs of study involving at least two years of coursework, General Examinations, and a dissertation.
Students at the School of Architecture benefit from its small size and thorough integration with the University community. In 2022–23, the school enrolled 97 M.Arch. students, 35 Ph.D. students and 22 undergraduates.
The School of Engineering and Applied Science
Teaching and research in engineering focus on questions of fundamental importance — what are society’s most pressing needs and how can engineers contribute transformative solutions that truly benefit humanity? From the foundations of computing to lifesaving medicines, such breakthroughs grow from an interdisciplinary and inclusive culture that prioritizes mentoring, collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Current areas of strength and growth in the engineering school include machine learning and artificial intelligence, quantum engineering, bioengineering, energy and the environment, robotics, blockchain technologies, next-generation wireless and materials science. Through engagement with industry, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer, the school plays a key role in driving the region’s innovation ecosystem. Working across the social sciences, humanities and public policy, the school also leads in examining and improving the role of technology in society.
Undergraduate students develop a foundation in fundamentals of engineering as well as the liberal arts and apply their learning to substantial independent projects. Graduate students benefit from faculty mentoring as they push the boundaries of their fields. Alumni of the school go on to become leaders in academia and industry, founders of companies, and winners of top honors that recognize transformative impact. The school has 179 tenured and tenure-track faculty members as of the start of the 2023–24 fall term. In 2021–22, faculty conducted approximately $86 million in research funded by government, industry and foundations.
Several centers foster campus-wide collaborations on critical areas of research and teaching: the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, the Center for Information Technology Policy (jointly with the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs), and the Princeton Materials Institute.
The Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education is a cross-campus hub for creating societal impact through entrepreneurship, design thinking and innovative interdisciplinary education.
Degrees offered by the school include a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE), a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in computer science, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), as well as a limited number of master’s degrees. In spring 2023, the school enrolled 1,693 undergraduates, of whom 41% were women. In 2022–23, 845 graduate students, including 32% women, were pursuing advanced degrees in engineering.
The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs dedicates itself to integrating world-class scholarship and a commitment to service in order to make a positive difference in the world. Founded in 1930, the school brings together teaching and research in economics, politics, sociology, psychology, several of the natural sciences, history, and other disciplines within Princeton University. Faculty, administrators, and students develop and lead creative approaches to the challenges of public and international affairs, with particular emphasis on diverse scholarly perspectives and evidence-based analysis. Through its 20 programs and centers, which provide a framework for the organization of the school’s research interests, SPIA explores policy solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
The school counts among its alumni a secretary of state, a secretary of defense, a secretary of the treasury; several U.S. representatives, senators, and governors; a chair of the Federal Reserve Board; U.S. and foreign government officials and ambassadors; leaders of nonprofit organizations; and other policy influencers.
The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs offers a multidisciplinary undergraduate liberal arts major for students who are passionate about public policy. Students participate in policy task forces, which can include travel in the United States and abroad, and focus on a broad range of subjects; recent examples include better health policies for all; leadership in protracted countries; defending the rule of law in China; defining and claiming workers’ human rights; democracy and governance in developing countries; information ethics and policy; and U.S. policy toward its territories. The undergraduate concentration culminates in the senior thesis—a major scholarly work that addresses a specific policy question, drawing out policy implications and/or offering policy recommendations.
The school’s full-time, residential graduate degree programs are designed to prepare students for careers in public service, and include a two-year Master in Public Affairs (MPA) program, a one-year Master in Public Policy (MPP) program for mid-career professionals, and a Ph.D. program that focuses either on Security Studies; or Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP). Three optional certificate programs allow graduate students to specialize and deepen their expertise in a specific policy area.
The graduate programs emphasize policy-oriented research and teaching. MPA candidates follow a core curriculum—which includes a required course on race, power, and inequality—and then pursue one of four fields of concentration (international relations, international development, domestic policy, or economics and public policy). They have the opportunity to gain real-world experience, completing a policy workshop for a real-world client. Students also gain professional experience during a required summer internship between their first and second years of study.
The school’s Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative (SINSI), launched in 2006, encourages students to pursue careers in public service, specifically within the U.S. federal government. The core element of the program is a two-year SINSI-supported fellowship with an executive branch department or agency, which is open to Princeton seniors from all disciplines and first-year MPA students. SINSI also offers funded summer internship opportunities to Princeton undergraduates from all majors and fields of study, which take place after their sophomore or junior years. Other initiatives within SPIA include the Afghanistan Policy Lab and new programs focused on Washington, D.C., and New Jersey, respectively.
Councils, Institutes and Centers
Princeton has academic units that are interdisciplinary in nature and draw faculty members and students together through teaching and research. A sampling of these is listed below:
- Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment
- Bendheim Center for Finance
- Center for Culture, Society and Religion
- Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP)
- Center for Statistics and Machine Learning
- Council on Science and Technology
- Davis Center for Historical Studies
- Effron Center for the Study of America
- High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
- Humanities Council
- Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education
- Lewis Center for the Arts
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics
- Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute
- Princeton Center for Theoretical Science (PCTS)
- Princeton Entrepreneurship Council (PEC)
- Princeton Institute for Computational Science and Engineering (PICSciE)
- Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS)
- Princeton Materials Institute (PMI)
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute (PNI)
- Princeton Urban Imagination Center (PUIC)
- Ronald O. Perelman Institute for Judaic Studies
- Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies
- University Center for Human Values (UCHV)