Purchase College offers a unique environment where rigorous programs in the liberal arts and sciences reside alongside professional conservatory training programs inthe visual, performing, and theatre arts. Few schools in the nation offerwhat Purchase promises: a public institution founded on the principlethat arts and scholarship are indispensable to each other and an enlightened society. professional conservatory training programs inthe visual, performing, and theatre arts. Few schools in the nation offerwhat Purchase promises: a public institution founded on the principlethat arts and scholarship are indispensable to each other and an enlightened society.
Majors and Degrees
Degrees Granted: BA, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, MM, MusB, Music Artist Diploma, Music Performers Certificate
Undergraduate Majors
• Acting
• Anthropology
• Art History
• Arts Management
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Cinema Studies
• Classical Composition
• Communication
• Creative Writing
• Dance Performance
• Economics
• Environmental Studies
• Film
• Gender Studies
• Graphic Design
• History
• Instrumental Performance
• Jazz Studies
• Journalism
• Language and Culture
• Latin American Studies
• Liberal Arts
• Liberal Studies
• Liberal Studies: Legal Studies
• Literature
• Mathematics/Computer Science
• Media Studies
• New Media
• Painting/Drawing
• Philosophy
• Photography
• Playwriting and Screenwriting
• Political Science
• Printmaking
• Psychology
• Sculpture
• Sociology
• Studio Composition
• Studio Production
• Theatre and Performance
• Theatre Design/Technology
• Visual Arts, BSVA
• Visual Arts, Interdisciplinary
FACTS and STATS
• Total student enrollment is 4,206; 4,102 undergraduate students and 104 graduate students
• Two-thirds of undergraduates live on campus. That includes 87% of the freshman class.
• Roughly 81% of students are New York residents. The remainder come from 42 states and 30 foreign countries.
• The average high school GPA for the incoming class is 87.3%; 70% had a combined SAT score of 1000 or higher.
• The student-faculty ratio averages 15:1.
• 23% of incoming freshmen are first-generation college students.
Freshman Class Profile
Total number: 763
Average SAT Reading: 559
Average SAT Math: 534
Female: 59.8%
Male: 40.2%
Undergraduate Demographics
Women: 57%
Men: 43%
Asian 4.4%
African American 12.1%
Hispanic/Latino 21.5%
Multiple Races 4.7%
White 53.4%
Other or unknown: 7%
(All degree-seeking undergraduates)
Undergraduates by School
Liberal Arts and Sciences: 57%
School of the Arts: 38%
Undeclared: 5%
Think wide open
There is no typical Purchase Collegestudent. Purchase is proud to be aplace where students from completely different backgrounds with completely different interests inspire one another and thrive. On a campus that pulses with energy and creativity, unexpected collaborations unfold all around. Many students choosePurchase because of its unconventional campus, where self-expression and the diversity of ideas are celebrated—a living example of the College’s motto, Think Wide Open.
Be original: the Senior Project
A cornerstone of the Purchase College education is the Senior Project. Students work on-one-one with a faculty advisor and spend their senior year intensely devoted to a project of their own creation that will reflect all the growth, knowledge, and technical skill they’ve developed in their time here. Finished senior projects take many forms: performances, exhibitions, books, research studies, and films, among others—all completely original.
Exceptional faculty
Like the students, faculty members are also drawn to the vibrant culture.As innovative scholars, artists, composers, performers, and researchers at the top of their fields, many are working professionals who still perform around the world, conduct research in the field, or design sets for Broadwayshows. The proximity to New YorkCity allows the College to draw from a pool of amazing talent.
Test optional
Purchase offers a test-optional admission policy. The comprehensive review process emphasizes academics, fit, and talent-driven assessment, and aligns with the College’s commitment to wider access. Successful students at Purchase are so much more than atest score—they’re highly motivated, intellectually curious, and deeply engaged in the community as well as the world at large.
Sustainable solutions
From cutting-edge thermal energy projects to LEED certification on all new construction to student-led waste diversion efforts, the College’s commitment to sustainability is real, and Purchase is often named as one of the “greenest” schools in the country.
Conveniently located
Perfectly situated on more than 500beautiful acres of land, Purchase isonly 30 minutes from New York City,close enough that students have incomparable opportunities to perform,research, and learn. Purchase offers the best of both worlds: close proximity to one of the greatest cities onEarth and the security and space to relax and roam.
A holistic approach
Dedicated to fostering the development of the whole student, Purchaseoffers many options for health, wellness, and personal growth. Throughthe Wellness Center, for instance,students can take classes in yoga and meditation or take advantage of prevention and awareness programs. Purchase is a tobacco-free campus.
Athletics
Purchase boasts plenty of competitiveand friendly athletic activities. The school competes in ten NCAA Division III sports as part of the Skyline Conference and offers a variety of intramural sports and activities.
World-class culture on campus
Purchase is also home to the Neuberger Museum of Art, a leading venue ofmodern, contemporary, and African art, as well as the Performing Arts Center, the major professional, nonprofit arts presenter in the area.
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