The Office of Undergraduate Studies & Honors oversees the core experiences that shape every Ramapo student’s journey—from your very first seminar to your final capstone. As New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College, we prepare you to adapt, lead, and solve real-world problems throughout an ever-changing career.

The Starting Point: General Education & First-Year Seminar

At Ramapo College, General Education isn’t a box to check or a list of random classes. It is a purposeful, two-year journey designed to help you grow from a curious first-year student into a confident, sharp thinker ready to take on the world. The curriculum is designed to build your skills step-by-step, moving you from guided discovery to connecting the big ideas across different subjects.

Your First-Year Seminar (FYS)

Your journey begins with the First-Year Seminar (FYS): a small, discussion-based class led by a professor who doubles as your academic mentor. FYS eases your transition to college, ignites curiosity, and introduces you to high-level critical thinking.

The Two-Year Progression

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  Year 1: Find Your Footing. Alongside FYS, you will master essential communication, reading, and problem-solving tools that every top employer and graduate school values.

• Year 2: Connect the Dots. Move beyond individual subjects to explore how they intersect. You will choose from fascinating, thematic courses in the categories of Global Awareness, Values & Ethics, and Social Systems and Society to look at real-world issues through multiple lenses.

General Education Program Requirements (10 Courses)

To build this well-rounded foundation, every Ramapo student completes 10 General Education courses tailored to inspire discovery, bridge different subjects, and fit your unique academic goals.

Specialized Academic Pathways

Once you step into our core curriculum, you have total flexibility to define where it takes you. Whether you are searching for the right fit, custom-building a degree, or elevating your studies, we guide your next steps.

Undeclared Student Support

Not sure what you want to major in yet? Still exploring? At Ramapo, “Undeclared” is an active, supported choice. We view your first year as a deliberate period of guided discovery. We will help you leverage your General Education classes to test-drive different fields, pairing you with specialized advisors to connect your passions to concrete majors.

Begin Your Major Exploration >

Interdisciplinary Studies Major (B.A.)

Today’s biggest challenges rarely fit into a single subject or academic area of study. If your passions span multiple schools—like combining computer science with business policy, or psychology with creative writing—the Interdisciplinary Studies major allows you to contract and custom-build your own major under faculty supervision.

See the Requirements to Build Your Own Major >

The College Honors Program

The Honors Program is a tight-knit community of scholars that deepens our foundational General Education framework. Honors students enjoy an enriched journey featuring First-Year Mentoring Teams, specialized discussion-driven seminars, and a year-long Senior Capstone Project tailored directly to your post-grad goals.

Discover the College Honors Program & Benefits >

Prestigious Fellowships & Scholarships

Your academic excellence deserves to be recognized and propelled forward. The Office of Prestigious Fellowships & Scholarships helps high-achieving students identify, prepare for, and secure highly competitive national fellowships and institutional scholarships. From research grants to post-graduate funding, we provide the mentorship you need to compete on a global stage.

Explore Fellowship & Scholarship Opportunities >

Next Steps

• Are you an incoming freshman? Learn more about our First Year Seminar.
• Ready to see what our scholars achieve? Read about the College Honors Program.
• Curious about building your own major? View requirements for the Interdisciplinary Studies Degree.

Contact Us

Michael Unger, PhD., Interim Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Honors
Email: UGStudies@ramapo.edu
Office: ASB-123
Phone: 201-684-7407