Hofstra University

Colleges You May Like

• Adelphi University
• Fordham University
• Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus
• New York University
• Syracuse University

From the College

Hofstra University is a dynamic, private university where students find their edge to succeed in more than 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs of study. With an outstanding faculty, advanced technological resources, and state-of-the-art facilities, Hofstra enjoys a growing national reputation. Yet the average class size is just 22, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1. Professors teach small classes that emphasize interaction, critical thinking, and analysis.

Six undergraduate colleges at Hofstra offer students a broad array of academic offerings. Major University divisions are Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the School of Communication; the Frank G. Zarb School of Business; the School of Education, Health, and Human Services; Honors College; and New College for Interdisciplinary Studies.

Hofstra’s student body is diverse, with students on the main campus representing forty-seven states and territories and sixty-eight countries. Total enrollment at Hofstra is about 12,400, with 7,631 full-time undergraduates.

Residential facilities accommodate more than 4,000 students in thirty-seven modern residence halls. Hofstra is 100 percent program accessible to persons with disabilities. Necessary services are provided for students with physical, learning, and/or psychological disabilities who meet the University’s academic requirements for admission.

Hofstra has a vibrant campus life, with more than 180 student clubs and organizations, about thirty local and national fraternities and sororities, eighteen NCAA Division I athletic teams for men and women, and more than 500 cultural events on campus each year.

Recreational and athletic facilities include a 15,000-seat stadium, a 5,000-seat arena, a 1,600-seat field turf soccer stadium, and a new field hockey stadium. Students can also take advantage of a physical fitness center, a swim center with an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool and high-dive area, a softball stadium, and a recreation center offering a multipurpose gymnasium, an indoor track, a fully equipped weight room, spacious locker rooms, a cardio area, and mirrored aerobics/martial arts room. Extensive recreational and intramural sports are also available.

A nationally recognized arboretum, Hofstra’s distinctive 240-acre campus is situated just 25 miles east of New York City. Students have easy access by train or car to the incredible cultural resources of New York City as well as the corporate headquarters of some of the world’s leading companies, where many students secure internships that lead to future careers. The surrounding Long Island area offers world-class beaches and parks, golf courses, fine dining, and theaters. Long Island’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is just minutes from Hofstra’s campus and hosts the NHL’s New York Islanders and numerous concerts and cultural events each year.

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is awarded in African studies, American studies, anthropology, art history, Asian studies, audio/radio, biology, chemistry, Chinese, Chinese studies, classics, comparative literature and languages, computer science, creative arts, dance, drama, early childhood and childhood education (with dual major in another discipline), early childhood education (with dual major in another discipline), economics, elementary education (with dual major in another discipline), engineering science, English, English education, film studies and production, fine arts, foreign language education (French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish), French, geography, geology, German, global studies, Hebrew, history, humanities, Ibero-American studies, interdisciplinary studies, Italian, Jewish studies, journalism, labor studies, Latin, Latin American and Caribbean studies, liberal arts, linguistics, mass media studies, math education, mathematical economics, mathematics, music, natural sciences, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, public relations, religion, Russian, science education (biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics), social sciences, social studies education, sociology, Spanish, speech communication and rhetorical studies, speech-language-hearing sciences, University Without Walls, urban ecology, video/television, and women’s studies.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) is awarded in accounting, business, business education, entrepreneurship, finance, information technology, international business, legal studies in business, management, and marketing.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) is offered in applied physics, athletic training, biochemistry, biology, business economics, chemistry, community health, computer engineering, computer science, computer science and mathematics, electrical engineering, environmental resources, exercise specialist studies, fine arts, forensic science, geology, health education, health science, industrial engineering, mathematical business economics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, physician assistant studies, physics, University Without Walls, technology and public policy, urban ecology, video/television, video/television and business, and video/television and film.

The Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) is offered with specializations in dance, fine arts, music, and physical education.

The Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) is offered in engineering science with specializations in biomedical engineering and civil engineering.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) is awarded in theater arts with specializations in performance and production.

A combined Bachelor of Arts/Juris Doctor (B.A./J.D.) is awarded in engineering science/law.

Requirements for graduation vary among schools and majors. A liberal arts core curriculum is an integral part of all areas of concentration. The University calendar is organized on a traditional semester system, including one January session and three summer sessions. Some divisions offer part-time programs during the day and evening and on weekends.

Hofstra offers many innovative programs designed to meet the needs of its diverse student body. These include Honors College, New College for Interdisciplinary Studies, Legal Education Accelerated Program, and First-Year Connections.

Honors College provides a rich academic and extracurricular experience for students who show both the potential and the desire to excel. Honors students can elect to study in any of the University’s undergraduate programs; these students are involved in all fields of advanced study, including premedicine, prelaw, engineering, business, communication and media arts, humanities, and social sciences.

New College for Interdisciplinary Studies offers innovative block scheduling. The Legal Education Accelerated Program allows students to earn both a B.A. and a J.D. in just six years. First-Year Connections, an integrated academic and social program, helps first-year students connect to each other and all the resources and opportunities of the University.

Hofstra extends learning beyond the classroom through an active internship program and many study-abroad opportunities. The internship program takes advantage of the proximity of New York City, allowing students to gain on-the-job experience in areas such as finance, business, media, advertising, and entertainment.

Hofstra sponsors study-abroad programs in the Czech Republic, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain, as well as in Ecuador, Jamaica, Japan, and Mexico. Previous international locales have included Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the West Indies. Students wishing to pursue such study should contact the appropriate program director or the International Off-Campus Education program. Other overseas opportunities are organized by faculty members as part of credit-bearing courses. Recent courses have been held in China, Egypt, Greece, and Mexico.

Hofstra’s libraries contain more than 1.2 million print volumes and provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week electronic access to more than 47,000 journals and 33,000 books. There are special units for periodicals, reserve books, government documents, curriculum materials, special collections, and microfilm.

Hofstra University’s Student Computing Services provides students with a multitude of resources and learning opportunities. The Hofstra computer network provides individual accounts for all students for Internet, e-mail, and about 200 networked software programs. Almost 1,600 PC, Macintosh, and UNIX workstations are available to students in the various labs and classrooms on campus. The labs are staffed, and one computer lab is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All campus workstations have high-speed Internet access, and there are numerous wireless hotspots on campus. All resident students are provided with Internet and e-mail access from their residence hall rooms.

Other facilities include art galleries, an arboretum, an accredited museum, bird sanctuary, writing center, career center, cultural center, language lab, technology lab, six theaters, dance studios and performing arts classrooms, and a rooftop observatory with powerful telescopes. The state-of-the-art facilities in Hofstra’s School of Communication include a 24-hour, student-operated radio station, one of the largest noncommercial television broadcast facilities in the Northeast, audio production studios, a film/video screening room, film editing rooms, and a cutting-edge converged newsroom and multimedia classroom. C. V. Starr Hall, home to the Zarb School of Business, features one of the most advanced academic trading rooms in the nation, complete with Bloomberg terminals and Internet access at every student seat. The innovative School of Education, health and human services building, Hagedorn Hall, is a completely wireless environment featuring assessment centers for child observation and mock counseling and interactive Smart Boards in many classrooms.

The annual cost of tuition and fees at Hofstra University for 2008–09 for a full-time undergraduate student was $28,630. The average housing and meal plan was $12,560. Books and supplies cost approximately $1000; personal expenses and transportation generally amount to $2640. For the full tuition and fees schedule, students should visit http://www.hofstra.edu/tuition.

To help students achieve their educational goals, Hofstra University offers several financial aid options. Hofstra awarded nearly $60 million in financial assistance in 2008–09, and 83 percent of all Hofstra students received some type of financial aid, including nearly 90 percent of first-year students. For more detailed information, students should visit http://www.hofstra.edu/FinancialAid.

Hofstra has 1,185 faculty members, including 551 full-time members; 90 percent of the full-time faculty member holds the highest degree in their fields. The faculty is dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and research, and many have been recognized with the nation’s highest academic honors, including membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fulbright and Guggenheim Fellowships, and Emmy Awards. The student-faculty ratio is 14:1. The average class size is 22. All classes are taught by faculty members who are accessible to students outside the classroom; no courses are taught by graduate assistants.

The Student Government Association is a student-run governing body that supervises and coordinates all student activities and serves as a liaison with the faculty and administration. The Student Government Association sends representatives to the committees of the University Senate. A judicial board has responsibility for promoting justice in the conduct of student affairs.

Hofstra is a competitive institution that seeks to enroll students who demonstrate academic ability, intellectual curiosity, and the motivation to be successful and contribute to the campus community. Careful consideration is given to a student’s high school record, types of courses taken, SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation, extracurricular involvement, and the personal essay. The most competitive applicants will have followed a rigorous college preparatory curriculum within their high school and will have taken advantage of honors and advanced placement level courses where appropriate. The Office of Admission prefers to see a high school curriculum which includes 4 years of English, 3 to 4 years of social studies, 2 to 3 years of foreign language, 3 years of mathematics, and 3 years of science. Prospective engineering majors need at least 4 years of mathematics, 1 year of chemistry, and 1 year of physics. Campus visits are strongly recommended. Hofstra accepts applications from first-year, transfer, and international students.

The University offers an early action plan for students whose first choice is Hofstra. There are two early action periods: when submitted by November 15, notification is made to the student by December 15; when submitted by December 15, notification is made to the student by January 15. Students applying for regular decision are considered on a rolling basis.

First-year applicants must submit an application, $70 application fee, high school transcript, SAT or ACT scores, personal essay and letter of recommendation. Hofstra accepts applications via mail or online and participates in the Common Application; the online application fee is $50.