State University of New York at New Paltz

The State University of New York at New Paltz is a public university in New Paltz, New York, and a member of the State University of New York system. Located in the Hudson Valley between Albany and New York City, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs across the liberal arts, sciences, business, education, engineering, and the fine and performing arts. It began as a teacher training institution and continues to have strong programs in education, while also emphasizing liberal arts and professional studies. Students are often drawn to its small-town campus setting, focus on undergraduate teaching, and access to cultural and professional opportunities in the broader New York region.

The State University of New York at New Paltz traces its origins to 1828, when the New Paltz Classical School opened in New Paltz, New York. After becoming the New Paltz Academy, the institution was reorganized in 1885 as the New Paltz Normal and Training School to prepare public school teachers following a campus fire. In 1938, it was authorized to grant bachelor’s degrees and renamed the State Teachers College at New Paltz. When the State University of New York system was created in 1948, the college became a founding member. Over the following decades, State University of New York at New Paltz expanded beyond teacher education, adding liberal arts and professional programs and adopting its current name in 1994. In 2023, the institution was formally reclassified as a university, reflecting its broader academic offerings and graduate education mission.