Colleges Union College

Union College www.union.edu

Union College is a private liberal arts college that was founded in 1795. It’s set on a 100-acre campus in the city of Schenectady in the northern New York region, and not far from Albany. New York City is about 150 miles away. School life is split into three 10 week terms, or trimesters. On the trimester schedule, students take three classes per term and have an extended winter break. All freshmen, who live in residence halls, are randomly assigned to one of seven Minerva Houses, an academic and social community. Upper-class students and faculty can reside in this community. All students can take classes and participate in extracurricular activities in the houses. Each house has its own kitchen for students who want to cook their own meals. There are more than 100 student clubs and organizations on campus, and more than 60 percent of students travel abroad before graduation. Union’s global offerings include year programs, trimester stays, and three-week trips known as mini-breaks.

Academics

Union College offers a wide range of academic disciplines and interdisciplinary programs in the liberal arts and engineering, as well as opportunities for self-designed organizing theme majors. The College offers ABET-accredited undergraduate degrees in computer engineering, bioengineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. In addition to its undergraduate majors, Union offers accelerated professional degree programs in conjunction with other schools, including a law degree from Albany Law School or medical degree from Albany Medical College. There are additional master’s degree accelerated programs in the business and education fields. The student-faculty ratio at Union College is 9:1, and the school has 70% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Economics, Mechanical Engineering, and Political Science and Government.

Special Highlights

Union Scholars. This program offers select students (at the time of admission) an opportunity to take additional classes and smaller, more intensive classes. Union Scholars in good standing may take a fourth course at no extra cost in any term except their first term at Union, and are allowed to graduate from Union in less than 12 terms if they meet all the program requirements. The program also offers social and intellectual events throughout the year especially for Union Scholars.

Theme Houses. Are you interested in making art, music or an inspired meal? Learning more about different religions and faiths? Promoting literature, sustainability or social awareness? Union’s 13 theme houses are on-and off-campus residences where like-minded upper-class students live together for the purpose of embracing and promoting a common theme. These unique, self-directed living environments provide campus-wide programs throughout the year. The houses, all co-ed, range from apartments of seven students to houses of 20 students or more.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

Union College was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and second in the state of New York, after Columbia College. Minerva, the name given to select student housing communities, was originally patroness of the arts and crafts, but had over time evolved to become an icon of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. By the late 18th century she had actually come to represent all of those qualities that might be wished for in a rational, virtuous, prudent, wise, and “scientific” man. The school’s nickname has undergone changes over time, from “Dutchmen” and “Dutchwomen” to “Garnet Chargers” as part of a branding update. Garnet has been the school’s official color for 150 years, and the name “chargers” is a reference to “Schenectady’s legacy as a leader in electrical technologies.” Nott Memorial, the centerpiece of the campus, bears some resemblance to the Radcliffe Camera at Oxford University, and is a National Historic Landmark.

Student Reviews…

“Union College provides the serious student everything needed to succeed in the professional world. It taught me to be a better researcher and problem solver and, in the spirit of liberal arts education, broadened my horizons by encouraging study in other disciplines.”