A core program involving courses in the arts, humanities, sciences and mathematics serves as the foundation of the learning experience at Wagner College. Students at the small private school then often branch into more professional majors in nursing, business or the pre-law program. In all, Wagner offers its 1,600 undergrads and 400 grad students over 20 academic programs and five graduate departments. It's also nationally recognized for its top-tier theater program, which specializes in musical theater.
Set on a hilltop-campus in one of New York City's five boroughs, the proximity to Manhattan opens doors for Wagner students. (They can get there via a 25-minute ride on the free Staten Island Ferry.) Tall trees and well-tended lawns are clues that the school is built on former estates of the Cunard and Vanderbilt families, of 19th-century shipping fame. As students cross campus for class, they can catch some spectacular views of the city, New York Harbor and the Brooklyn Bridge.
The school’s academic program, the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, highlights Wagner’s emphasis on learning by doing. A central element of the program is its learning communities, known as LCs — clusters of courses with a single theme, taken by the same group of students. LCs include an experiential learning component, such as service learning, field trips or on-site research. Students are expected to take three LCs during their college career, culminating with a Senior Learning Community in their major.
