The College of New Jersey

The college was established on February 9, 1855, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature mandating the creation of a state normal school , making the New Jersey State Normal School the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the ninth in the United States. Prior to this, then- Governor Rodman McCamley Price had actively promoted the notion of founding a training institute for New Jersey's teachers and helped to mobilize support among influential state leaders. [ 12 ] For the first 73 years, the school was located in Trenton on Clinton Avenue. Beginning in 1925, the institution offered its first four-year baccalaureate degrees, and engaged in a transitional program of expansion. In 1928, a suburban tract of 210 acres (85 ha) was purchased in nearby Ewing Township and preparations were underway to relocate the college. The first building erected on the new campus was Green Hall, built in traditional Georgian colonial style . The majority of buildings now on campus reflect Green Hall's architecture. In 1996, in a move spearheaded by its president, Harold Eickhoff, The College of New Jersey adopted its current name. Programs in the graduate study were instituted in 1947, followed by accreditation from various national associations in the 1950s. The enactment of the Higher Education Act of 1966 paved the way for TCNJ to become a comprehensive institution by expanding its degree programs into a variety of fields aside from the education of teachers. By 1972, 70 percent of entering students were selecting non-education majors. [ 13 ] Names 1855 – New Jersey State Normal School 1908 – New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton 1929 – New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton 1937 – New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton 1958 – Trenton State College 1996 – The College of New Jersey

More than 50 liberal arts and professional programs are offered through the college's seven schools: Arts and Communication; Business; Education; Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences; Nursing, Health and Exercise Science; and Science. The College of New Jersey offers degrees in over 50 liberal arts and professional programs. TCNJ also offers a 7-year combined B.S./M.D. (Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine) program for graduating high school students in conjunction with New Jersey Medical School . Admission into this program is highly selective. These programs are organized within seven schools: School of the Arts and Communication School of Business School of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Education School of Engineering School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science School of Science Rankings According to U.S. News & World Report ’s 2022 rankings, TCNJ ranked #5 in the Regional Universities North category. [ 14 ] U.S. News & World Report also ranked TCNJ #1 in Top Public Schools in the Northeast USA, #2 in Best Colleges for Veterans , #7 in Most Innovative Schools , #6 in Best Undergraduate Teaching , top #100 in the United States in Best Value Schools as well as citations for high ranking engineering and nursing programs. [ 14 ] The Princeton Review , in their 2021 ranking, ranked TCNJ #47 for the "Best Value College". [ 15 ]

More information Race and ethnicity, Total ... Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023 [ 16 ] Race and ethnicity Total White 59% Hispanic 18% Asian 10% Black 6% Two or more races 3% Unknown 3% International student 1% Economic diversity Low-income [ a ] 20% Affluent [ b ] 80% Close Residence halls First-year students at TCNJ choose a room assignment in Travers/Wolfe Tower, Centennial Hall, Cromwell Hall, Norsworthy Hall or any room in the Allen/Brewster/Ely Complex. Second-year students live in New Residence, Eickhoff Hall, Townhouses East, and Decker Hall. Upperclassmen typically live in Townhouses South or West, or in one of the two apartment complexes; Phelps Hall and Hausdoerffer Hall. [ 17 ] Upperclassmen may also live in one of the various College Houses that surround the campus. While 95 percent of first-year students live on campus, only 50 percent of upperclassmen live on campus, instead choosing to live in homes and apartments surrounding the college. [ 18 ]

In 2013, groundbreaking began for The Campus Town complex. Consisting of seven buildings — Campus Town Clock Tower, apartments and recreation space — Campus Town was built by PRC Campus Centers LLC on 12 acres of property located on campus and it has 80,000 square feet of commercial space. [ 19 ] [ 20 ] The Campus Town complex has space to house 446 juniors and seniors in one-, two- and four-bedroom apartments. Each apartment has a living room/dining area, separate bedrooms, one or two bathrooms depending upon the unit, a full kitchen with a dishwasher and a full-sized washer and dryer. [ 21 ] The Campus Town complex houses an 11,500-square-foot fitness center that replaced the college's 4,000-square-foot gym. The apartments and the fitness center are only open to the students, but the complex's retail stores are open to the public. [ 22 ] Barnes & Noble is an anchor tenant, with a 14,000-square-foot store. Other facilities include Panera , Jersey Mike's , a yogurt shop, sushi restaurant, convenience store and brewpub. [ 23 ]