Stony Brook University | Courses and rankings

Stony Brook University | Going beyond the expected

Stony Brook University is New York’s flagship university and No. 1 public university. It is also one of America’s most dynamic public universities. Stony Brook is a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and an internationally recognized research institution that provides a world-class education to all students.

Its campus consists of 213 buildings spread across 1,454 acres (588 hectares) of land in Suffolk County, making it the state’s largest (by area) public university. Founded in 1957, the State University College of Long Island in Oyster Bay relocated to Stony Brook in 1962.

The Association of American Universities elected Stony Brook as a member in 2001, a select group of North America’s major research universities. It also belongs to the larger University Research Association. It is one of the ‘R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity’ universities.

Stony Brook University | A brief overview

Stony Brook University, or SBU, is a public university that was established in 1957. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 17,999 students (fall 2021), a suburban setting, and a campus spanning 1,454 acres. The academic calendar is semester-based. Stony Brook University is ranked #77 in National Universities in the Best Colleges 2022-2023 edition. It charges $10,556 for in-state tuition and fees and $28,476 for out-of-state tuition and fees.

Stony Brook University is one of 64 colleges and universities in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. The university lies on Long Island’s North Shore and is accessible by car, train, and ferry, and many students choose these modes of transport to commute. Freshmen are not required to live on campus. Every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., academic activity is paused for ‘Campus Life Time,’ when students can attend free concerts, sample free food, and take a break from classes.

Students gather each year for events such as the Roth Pond Regatta, a race of cardboard boats built by students, and the Shirley Strum Kenny Student Arts Festival, a week dedicated to showcase the work of art students. Students can also explore the campus’s more than 300 student organizations, which include more than 30 fraternities and sororities. The Stony Brook Seawolves compete in the NCAA Division I America East Conference on the athletic fields. Students can bike and hike around Stony Brook’s large, wood campus, which includes the Ashley Schiff Park Preserve, for a workout away from the athletic field. New York City is about 60 miles away from the university for an urban experience.

Stony Brook is home to the SUNY system’s only undergraduate journalism school and the highly regarded Stony Brook University Medical Center. The university has a campus in Southampton and a classroom building in Manhattan. 

Campus

Stony Brook University became one of the top 100 American research universities by U.S. News & World Report in 1998. This university joined the Association of American Universities in 2001. The university also serves as a public sea-grant and space-grant research institution. SBU is located 60 miles from Manhattan and close to the Atlanta beaches. Stony Brook University occupies 1,039 acres on Long Island’s northern shore.

Stony Brook’s beautiful campus is located on Long Island’s North Shore, halfway between Manhattan and Montauk. A train station on campus makes it simple to travel to New York City, which is only 60 miles away. SBU is also close to parks, beaches, and shopping malls.

The College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Graduate School, Renaissance School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, School of Health Technology and Management, School of Journalism, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Professional Development, and School of Social Welfare are among the many schools at this university. More than 200 undergraduate programs, over 100 master’s programs, and over 50 doctoral programs are available at the university.

Courses

SBU has over 60 majors and over 80 minors. Biology, Psychology, Business Management, Health Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Economics, Biochemistry, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering are some of the important undergraduate majors offered by this university.

There are 30 residence halls and 23 apartment-style buildings at Stony Brook University. Approximately 98 percent of tenured or tenure-track faculty hold doctoral or equivalent degrees in their respective fields of expertise. There have been 2,330 inventions within the walls of this university since its inception.

Popular programs

Arts and Humanities

• Art History & Criticism (BA)
• Creative Writing & Literature (BFA)
• English (BA)
• French Language and Literature (BA)
• History (BA)
• Italian Studies (BA)

Engineering and Technology

• Biomedical Engineering (BE)
• Chemical & Molecular Engineering (BE)
• Civil Engineering (BE)
• Computer Engineering (BE)
• Computer Science (BS)
• Electrical Engineering (BE)

Life Sciences and Medicine

• Anthropology (BA)
• Biology (BA and BS)
• Health Sciences (BS)
• Human Evolutionary Biology (BS)
• Nursing (BS and BS-MS)
• Pharmacology (B.S.)

Natural Sciences

• Applied Mathematics & Statistics (BS)
• Astronomy/Planetary Sciences (BS)
• Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (BS)
• Biochemistry (BS)
• Chemistry (BA and BS)
• Clinical Laboratory Sciences (BS)

Social Sciences and Management

• Africana Studies (BA)
• Asian & Asian American Studies (BA)
• Economics (BA)
• Education (Teacher Certification) (BA and BS)
• Globalization Studies & International Relations (BA)
• Journalism (BA)

Rankings

• QS World University Rankings- 416
• QS WUR Ranking by Subject- 451-500
• Graduate Employability Ranking- 201-250
• US UNI (universities)- 39

Alumni

Stony Brook University has a network of alumni who have made a name in their fields.

Some of the notable alumni are

• Patricia S. Cowings, the first woman to be trained as an astronaut in the United States
• Craig Allen, a meteorologist for WCBS Newsradio 880 in New York City
• Chris Algieri, professional boxer, and former WBO junior welterweight titleholder
• Joy Behar, co-host of The View
• Mark Bridges, Academy Award-winning costume designer
• Adrien Brody, the youngest winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Pianist 
• Steve Cuozzo, journalist, contributor for the New York Post
• Dabuz, a professional Super Smash Bros. player
• Buck Dharma, lead guitarist and sole constant member of the rock band Blue Öyster Cul
• Diane Farr, actress on Numbers and Rescue Me
• Lee A. Fleisher, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Center for Clinical Standards and Quality.
• Keiko Fujimori, Peruvian politician
• Steven K. Galson, former acting Surgeon General of the United States
• David Gelernter, a computer science professor at Yale and Unabomber victim
• Richard Gelfond, CEO of IMAX Corporation

Key takeaways

• Stony Brook is New York’s flagship university. It is a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and is a globally renowned research institution offering world-class education to all its students.
• Stony Brook University occupies 1,039 acres on Long Island’s northern shore, halfway between Manhattan and Montauk. There is a train station on campus that makes commuting to New York city easier. Parks, beaches, and shopping malls are in close proximity to SBU.
• SBU offers 60 majors and over 80 minors. Biology, Psychology, Business Management, Health Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics, are some of the undergraduate majors available at SBU.

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FAQs

Q1. What GPA is needed to get admission at Stony Brook?

Ans- Stony Brook expects you to be near the top of your class and well above average with a GPA of 3.84. You’ll need mostly A’s, ideally with a few AP or IB classes to show your college-level preparation.

Q2. Is it difficult to get admission to SBU?

Ans- Stony Brook has a 49% average acceptance rate. Students admitted to Stony Brook should have an average SAT score of 1230-1440 or an ACT score of 26-32.

Q3. What are the scholarships available for SBU’s international students?

Ans- International students at SBU are eligible for the Global Excellence Scholarship, which is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional performance in high school academic programs, SAT/ACT scores, co-curricular activities, research experiences, or even the display of special talents or skills.