New York University
Student Guide To New York University Liberal Studies 726 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY 10003
This publication was produced using FSC-certified paper. For more information visit www.nyu.edu/about/green.html. Photography courtesy ŠNYU Photo Bureau unless otherwise specified.
This booklet is designed to help you navigate through your four years at NYU, beginning in the Liberal Studies Core Program. To guide you, it outlines a rich array of academic paths for you to travel key decisions you will make pivotal milestones Program requirements have been summarized, providing you with a convenient checklist for each. There is also information about other University resources that are available to you throughout your studies. Draw on this booklet to envision your journey through NYU, share it with your family and friends to talk about your options, and bring it with you to your meetings with your advisor to help you make an auspicious start to your academic and professional career.
Core program
Before Freshman Year
Choose a campus: New York Florence London Paris
Freshman Year
Explore academic interests and pathways Review transition requirements for your preferred BA school Meet with your academic advisor
Sophomore Year
Begin introductory coursework toward your major Complete Core Program transition requirements Identify and declare cross-school minors
Life beyond NYU
After graduation, join the LS alumni network and stay involved!
Senior Year
Junior Year
Prepare for graduate or professional school or the workplace
Begin studies in your BA school and meet with your new advisor
Explore intellectual boundaries in senior coursework
Explore graduate school, professional school, employment and fellowship options and deadlines
Complete BA requirements for the degree
Apply for major honors
The Plan
Prepare for global study
This is a year of discovery. The first year marks the beginning of a journey that will take you four years. It begins in the Core Program with the Liberal Studies core curriculum which introduces you to the history, literature, art, philosophy and politics of the worlds’ most important cultures. You will discover your own academic interests through these interdisciplinary courses, exploring multiple subjects while you build a foundation for further advanced study. During this year you will develop a close working relationship with your professional advisor as well as your faculty mentor. With them you will discuss your interests, your talents, your aspirations and together develop a plan for studies at NYU. You’ll also begin your online academic portfolio, collecting your academic work and drawing upon the many exciting experiences you will have outside of the classroom.
Choose a freshman year site prior to May 1: New York, Florence, London or Paris
Studying globally with liberal studies students in liberal studies have the unparalleled opportunity to spend their first year at one of four of the world’s cultural capitals. Unique at NYU and in the United States, the freshman year program abroad distinguishes students by grounding their learning in a global context from the beginning of their undergraduate degree. NYU’s Global Network University (GNU) fully supports students at each of its global academic centers with academic and student services that allow them to take full advantage of their year abroad. The Liberal Studies freshman sites include:
New York
Florence
London
Paris
Where Freshman Global Study Takes Our Students Alumni of the Freshman Year Abroad have gone on to pursue a wide variety of career paths. They include: Distinguished graduate programs at Oxford, University of Chicago, Columbia, Harvard, the London School of Economics, University College London, NYU, and Princeton Work in finance, venture capital, and consulting at Blackrock, Citibank, HSBC, and McKinsey Careers in media at Disney, the BBC, and other powerhouses of Global Media, as well as off-the-beaten path careers like translation in Saigon Founding the Bakhita Girls School non-profit for young women in Tanzania NYU Law after working at the Supreme Court, as well as other distinguished law programs in the US and abroad: Yale, George Washington, Columbia, Georgetown
Freshman year
During this first year, you will have to think about your academic interests, your career ambitions, and your personal goals as you review your BA options at NYU. Some students may identify multiple paths they may want to pursue and will develop a strategy for investigating their options and trying out different possibilities. For the time being, though, this is an exciting year of exploration and possibility as you look toward your future.
before freshman year
Freshman sites
1year overview st
the freshman year core program students are guaranteed direct transition to a number of NYU’s distinguished BA schools after the completion of two years with Liberal Studies.
Keys to success: consider your options Global Liberal STudies
eT i r H sch ur os Ce ism pit nte Ma a r na , & S lity ge po , me rt nt s
School of Social Work
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fo
th
Co ll nu eg rs e o in f g
Students who identify another degree at NYU that they would like to pursue should consult with their advisor in the freshman year. Application requirements vary for these programs and admission is not guaranteed. This includes all degrees in Tisch and Stern, as well as select programs at Steinhardt (among others).
Keys to success: know the benchmarks for transition To transition to one of the BA schools, students must have: good academic standing (2.0 cumulative GPA or higher) a minimum of 64 credits (two years of full-time study) completion of the LS Core: Writing, Social Foundations, and Cultural Foundations one math or science
Freshman year
CAS (the college of arts and Science)
Media, culture, and communication (in steinharDT)
Ps Ap yc St ho plie ei lo d nh g ar y ( dt in )
in at f all l o ed e g o liz th ho a sc vidu dy di stu in
Core program
freshman year milestones 1 Meet with your academic advisor to discuss your academic plans and options 2 Request credit for any eligible advanced standing with your advisor 3 Explore your academic interests in the core curriculum 4 consult with your faculty mentor about different paths of study 5 Connect to career development resources for freshmen
Liberal Studies Co-curricular Events, Excursions and Clubs LS co-curricular events are developed by faculty and designed to introduce students to a rich array of cultural resources at their freshman campus and, in the sophomore year, in New York City. LS co-curriculars focus on immersion in the community, as well as on making real linkages between academic study and the world outside of the classroom. Students also have access to university-wide organizations from sports teams and greek life to music groups and professional organizations.
6 Begin work on your academic networking digital portfolio 7 Identify your study abroad options
excursions/events The New York Stock Exchange
We encourage Liberal Studies students to create a personal electronic archive within NYU’s online academic networking environment. Over their four years at NYU, students use this portfolio to save and organize material from coursework, extracurricular, co-curricular, and study abroad experiences. Among other benefits, this archive will help students choose their major and aid in the construction of a senior thesis (if they choose to pursue one through their BA). The electronic portfolio can serve as a work product that can also be presented to prospective employers and graduate schools as a demonstration of analytic, research, and writing skills.
International Film Festivals The Metropolitan Museum of Art the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay the Uffizi Gallery and Boboli Gardens the British Museum and the V&A the West End and Broadway theatres
Politics Club Film Club Tea and Philosophy Poetry Club Theatre Club International Relations Club Economics Club Commuter Students Club Astronomy Club
Liberal studies government & University senate Representing the global LS community, Liberal Studies Student Government operates and has an active participation in New York as well as at our first year academic centers in London, Paris, and Florence. This dynamic and active group hosts fundraisers, student events like the end of semester cruise, and information sessions about everything from majors and schools to global study opportunities. Students also have the opportunity to serve on the University Senate, representing Liberal Studies to the university at large.
Freshman year
the academic portfolio
clubs
2 year overview nd
This is a year of transition. You will complete the core curriculum sequence with Cultural Foundations III and Social Foundations III. You will finalize your choice of a BA program where you will begin your junior year. You will take courses in your intended major, minor, or program of study. You will hone the skills and develop the knowledge base that will equip you to study, learn, and succeed in your chosen academic path. Throughout the year, students will continue to meet with their academic advisors in Liberal Studies, but also begin to make contact with their BA school advising staff and faculty. By the end of the fall semester, students will confirm their BA choice, ideally having already taken a course or two there. In the spring, they will also select and declare their major. Many students will also complete the last of their general education requirements for their BA school at this time. During this year, you will consider declaring a cross-school minor, and begin required coursework. This year you should also continue to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Wasserman Center for Career Development. Some students may have their first internships this year, as well.
sophomore year milestones Fall
1 Confirm your intended BA transition school by the end of the fall semester 2 Begin your intended major coursework 3 Decide if you want to pursue a cross-school minor and map it out 4 Continue building your online academic portfolio 5 Apply for an internship, part-time job, summer job, and/or volunteer position Spring
1 Complete the Foundations Sequence and your science/math requirement 2 contact your BA advisor for the first time 3 wrap up your general education requirements
Global Liberal Studies An exciting four-year degree that brings traditional liberal arts education into the 21st century, the GLS BA uniquely equips students for a rapidly changing, global, networked world. Streams of interdisciplinary study called concentrations focus students’ academic inquiry through a full junior year abroad with its unique immersion opportunities and on to advanced analytical, creative and production work in the senior thesis. The College of Arts and Science (CAS) The largest of the BA options at NYU, CAS offers over 60 majors from which students can select: all the way from Africana Studies, Anthropology and Biology to Spanish. The Gallatin School of Individualized Study Through Gallatin, students work closely with a faculty advisor to create a plan of interdisciplinary study, culminating in a distinctive senior project of creative, theoretical, or applied work. Media, Culture, and Communication (in the Steinhardt School) Within the broad framework of communication, students pursue specialized fields of study to critically investigate the sociological, political, and cultural aspects of communication technologies and systems. Additional schools of transition Students may also choose to transition to the College of Nursing, the Silver School of Social Work, the Preston Tisch Center of Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, or Applied Psychology in the Steinhardt School.
sophomore year
Where Our Students Go: Guaranteed Transition
The gls Difference Core Program students have the unique opportunity to transition to Global Liberal Studies, a pioneering undergraduate degree that integrates global study, immersive on-site learning, language study, innovative classroom technology, and independent research, together leading to a thesis of creative or analytic work.
Extensive global study & cultural immersion
advanced language learning
Senior THesis GLS degree
experiential Learning
Together, these aspects of the GLS experience make students extraordinarily competitive for a range of graduate and professional schools as well as the global workplace. If you’re interested, make sure to speak to an advisor as early as possible. Site selection for the junior year and language study begins in the freshman year to prepare students for their advanced coursework, year abroad, and senior thesis.
The gls Senior Thesis GLS senior theses span multiple subject areas and disciplinary approaches and can include creative work. To craft their theses, students often draw on their experience studying outside of the US at one of NYU’s abroad sites where they conduct independent research, take courses to deepen their knowledge of their junior year home, and immerse themselves in the local community to understand it from the local’s point of view. A Sampling of GLS Senior Theses Global Health Paradigms Through the Lens of Tuberculosis Control by Ronni Two Effects of the Global Economic Recession (2008–2012) on Models of Funding for the Contemporary Visual Arts in New York City and Madrid by Ami Mehta The United Soybean Republic and Argentina’s Indigenous Peoples: The Impact of Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries by Stephanie Tye
sophomore year
Digital portfolio building
course requirements Freshman Year: fall
Freshman year: Spring
Writing I
Writing II
Social Foundations I
Social Foundations II
Cultural Foundations I
Cultural Foundations II
Elective
Elective
Sophomore year: spring
Cultural or Social Foundations III
Cultural or Social Foundations III
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
Your BA School of the future Electives Students’ elective options include coursework from a variety of schools and programs at NYU. Most often, students select electives that go toward graduation or transition requirements like science, math, or foreign language. In the sophomore year, students are also advised to begin introductory coursework toward their intended major or program of study.
Core Program curriculum
sophomore year: Fall
3year overview rd
junior year milestones 1 Decide if you will apply to graduate schools in the senior year; start researching graduate programs
Having just transitioned to your BA school, now is the time to think about what comes after NYU: will you apply to graduate or professional schools? If this is your plan, then you should research programs and prepare for the applications process. If you decide to take an examination (like the GRE or LSAT), you may choose to enroll in a prep course to help prepare.
and admissions requirements
2 Continue developing your online portfolio 3 consult with your BA school about applying for Honors or post-graduate BA/MA options
Will you enter the workplace? Continue to work with the Wasserman Center and craft your résumé to reflect the breadth of the academic and professional achievements developed through coursework, internships, volunteer work, and student activities and clubs. Make sure to draw on your online portfolio to gather experiences, as well as creative and academic work to share with potential schools or employers. Most importantly, gather key internal and external application deadlines for fellowships, employment, or graduate schools. Make up a timeline to help you stay on track with whatever postgraduation plans you intend to pursue.
available to you
4 participate in the first round of On-Campus Recruiting for eligible juniors and seniors 5 STUDY ABROAD—take advantage of one of your last opportunities to study away!
Photographs of Sydney & Washington, D.C.: Photos.com
Abu dhabi
Paris
Accra
Prague
Berlin
Shanghai
Buenos Aires
Sydney
Florence
Tel Aviv
London
Washington, D.C.
Madrid
Beyond the Core program
Study Away with NYU Global Programs
4year overview th
The end of the journey—no matter where you began your studies, no matter where you studied in between—is back on Washington Square in New York City. You will need to hit the ground running, ready to finish your last two semesters of coursework—including those remaining requirements—while you prepare for life after college.
senior year milestones 1 decide on what types of full time positions you want to pursue and sign-up for job interviews, submit your résumé to Wasserman for the NYU résumé book, and/or begin the application process for graduate school
2 identify faculty members who will write references for graduate school applications, employment, and/or post-college fellowships
Students apply to graduate or professional school, typically in the fall semester. For students wanting to go into the workplace, Wasserman guides students through On-Campus Recruiting as well as the general job application process including job interviews with prospective employers, networking, and polishing their online profiles through LinkedIn or other social media venues.
3 meet with your advisor to confirm you’re on track to graduate
GLS students and students pursuing honors in their majors will also be deeply engaged in crafting their senior theses or final projects. All students will balance completing their academic study at NYU with next steps for life beyond graduation.
5 graduate and become an active, engaged LS alumnus
4 complete any last requirements necessary for graduation
Visit www.nyu.edu/careerdevelopment Sign up for your class listserv Join CareerNet (full and part-time job search database system) take advantage of Wasserman’s Global Resources if you’re abroad or if you’d like to pursue a global career Search iNet (Internship Network) Participate in NYU LEADS Program: Learn, Empower, Act, Discover, Succeed Explore NYU Peace Corps Options go Global with Career Resources
Beyond the Core program
wasserman center for career development
contact information Liberal Studies: the core program 726 Broadway, 6th Floor 212-998-7259 core.info@nyu.edu core.ls.nyu.edu
Housing, Off-campus Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square South, Room 210 212-998-4620 www.nyu.edu/housing/offcampus
Academic Resource Center (ARC) 18 Washington Place 212-998-6749 www.nyu.edu/arc
Housing, On-campus 726 Broadway, 7th Floor 212-998-4600 www.nyu.edu/housing
BOBST LIBRARY 70 Washington Square South 212-998-2500 www.library.nyu.edu
LOST & FOUND Department of Public Safety 14 Washington Place 212-998-1305 www.nyu.edu/public.safety/safety/lostandfound
BOOKSTORE, MAIN 726 Broadway 212-998-4667 www.bookstores.nyu.edu
CAMPUS SAFETY & TRANSPORTATION SERVICES 14 Washington Place 212-998-2222 www.nyu.edu/public.safety/index.html Center for Multicultural Education and Programs (CMEP) Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square South, Room 806 212-998-4343 www.nyu.edu/cmep Center for Student Activities, Leadership & Service Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square South, Room 704C 212-998-4700 www.osa.nyu.edu
Office of Global Services 561 LaGuardia Place 212-998-4720 ogs@nyu.edu www.nyu.edu/ogs REGISTRAR’S OFFICE 25 West 4th Street, 1st Floor 212-998-4800 www.nyu.edu/registrar STUDENT HEALTH CENTER 726 Broadway, 3rd & 4th Floors 212-443-1000 www.nyu.edu/shc Student Resource Center Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square South, Room 210 212-998-4411 www.nyu.edu/src
COUNSELING AND WELLNESS SERVICES 726 Broadway, Room 471 212-998-4780 www.nyu.edu/shc/counseling
TICKET CENTRAL Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square South, Room 206 212-998-4941 www.nyu.edu/ticketcentral
FINANCIAL AID 25 West 4th Street, 1st Floor 212-998-4444 www.nyu.edu/financial.aid
WASSERMAN CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT 133 East 13th Street, 2nd Floor 212-998-4730 www.nyu.edu/careerdevelopment
Global Center for Academic & Spiritual Life 238 Thompson Street www.nyu.edu/life/student-life/diversity-at-nyu/spiritual-life
WELLNESS EXCHANGE 726 Broadway, Room 402 212-443-9999 (ext. 3-9999 on a campus phone) www.nyu.edu/999
contact information
BURSAR 25 West 4th Street 212-998-2800 www.nyu.edu/bursar
MOSES CENTER FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 726 Broadway, 2nd Floor 212-998-4980 www.nyu.edu/csd