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Ramapo College Quick Facts

  • Founded: 1969
  • Location: Mahwah, NJ
  • Type: Public,
    Liberal Arts
  • Areas of Study:
    539 course offerings
  • Student to Teacher: 16:1
  • Average class size: 21
  • Students: 6,110
  • Accolades:
    Kiplinger’s – Best Value,
    Princeton Review – Best in the Northeast,
    U.S. News – Best Regional University,

    College Choice – #1 Public College in NJ

Ramapo Profile

As the state’s premier public liberal arts college, Ramapo College of New Jersey is dedicated to providing students a strong foundation for a lifetime of achievement. Established in 1969, the College is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. Ramapo College emphasizes teaching and individual attention to all students. We promote diversity, inclusiveness, sustainability, student engagement and community involvement.

Ramapo College, which was named among CondeNast Traveler’s 50 most beautiful campuses in the country, offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, elementary education, nursing and social work. The College offers articulated programs, including dental, optometry, pharmacy, chiropractic and health professions, as well as visual arts therapy, in conjunction with colleges and institutions in New Jersey and New York. Additionally, Ramapo has established innovative partnerships with several community colleges in New Jersey, including an innovative 3+1 program with Passaic County and Sussex County Community Colleges to allow students a more affordable path to a bachelor’s degree.

Undergraduate students may choose to concentrate their studies in one of five schools with more than 40 academic programs. Ramapo College boasts an average student/faculty ratio of 15:1 and an average class size of 21, affording students the opportunity to develop close ties to the College’s exceptional faculty. New course offerings are continuously being updated including recent additions of Climate Change, Policy & Action and a major in Neuroscience.

The College offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Technology, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work, and Special Education.

In Spring 2023, the College graduated its inaugural cohort from the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), the first doctoral program at Ramapo College, and most recent addition to our widely-acclaimed nursing program.

Ramapo College prepares students to be successful leaders for a changing world through its commitments to hands-on learning and faculty-student mentoring. Ramapo’s mission also encompasses the core values of developing the whole person and respecting each other and our environment. The international mission is further accomplished through a wide range of study abroad and student exchange links with institutions all over the world. Additional experiential programs include internships, co-op and service learning.

The Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons is the most recent addition to our 300+ acre campus, and is home to the George T. Potter Library. The facility includes the Library collection, ample meeting spaces, study space, classrooms, state-of-the-art research capabilities, and can refuel at Common Grounds, which serves Starbucks coffee. Students also engage in new experiences that build and grow their whole being through programming offered at the College’s Sharp Sustainability Education Center and the Padovano Commons.

The quality and value of a Ramapo College education is consistently acknowledged through numerous rankings, awards and accolades. Ramapo has been named among the top three (after Princeton and Stevens Institute of Technology) and #1 among the public institutions in New Jersey in College Choice’s ranking. This is the 15th consecutive year Ramapo College is listed in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine as among the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” The College also is ranked annually by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Regional Public Universities North category, is a Top College for the value by Money magazine

Ramapo is recognized as a “Military Friendly School” by Viqtory Media, in the Guide to Military Friendly Schools and ranked as one of the nation’s Best Bachelor’s in Social Work by College Choice. And, Ramapo is featured on CollegesofDistinction.com, a website dedicated to honoring schools nationwide for their excellence in student-focused higher education. Ramapo also is recognized as a Top 10 ranked college for highest return on investment by Affordable Colleges Online. Niche.com has again named Ramapo’s campus housing Number One in New Jersey and ranked the College campus third best in the state. Housing at Ramapo College offers students convenient, modern amenities that include high-speed internet and cable television, comfortable lounge areas and complimentary laundry facilities, all in a safe, smoke-free environment. The College also provides students access to the Roadrunner Express, an off-campus shuttle service, to local businesses, the train station and runs a daily shuttle to Garden State Plaza, a major transportation hub in Northern New Jersey.

In 2021, the educator preparation provider (EPP) at Ramapo received full accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Programs fully accredited by CAEP include: Teacher Education (initial-level), Master of Arts in Special Education (MASE; advanced-level), and Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MAEL; advanced-level).

In 2020, a team from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) visited campus. After reviewing the College’s self-study and its corresponding evidence, the MSCHE visiting team determined that Ramapo College met all of the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation. In addition, the team did not give the College any recommendations or requirements. The Board of Trustees issued a statement noting the valued work of the entire campus leading to this uncommon and most positive result.

The College joins an elite group of institutions with less than five percent of business schools worldwide earning the accreditation distinction of its business degree program by the Board of Directors of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). In 2023, the Council on Social Work Education reaffirmed accreditation, with no recommendations for change, for both the undergraduate and graduate programs in Social Work. Additional accreditations include: the Chemistry Program (American Chemical Society), the Nursing Program (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing), and the Teacher Certification Program, approved by the State of New Jersey.

Dr. Cindy R. Jebb became the College’s fifth president on July 6, 2021. Dr. Jebb joined Ramapo after a long and distinguished career with the U.S. Army.

A Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor of the State governs the College. The chair of the board is Susan A. Vallario.

Ramapo

Ramapo College of New Jersey Strategic Plan

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