CUNY Undergraduate Programs: An Overview
The City University of New York (CUNY) is the public university system of New York City, United States. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 26 campuses: eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges, and eight professional institutions. The university enrolls more than 275,000 students. At the heart of CUNY’s mission rests its commitment to providing all New Yorkers with access to a rigorous undergraduate education and ensuring a successful, enriching academic experience. Please explore CUNY’s undergraduate program offerings.
A History of Accessible Education
The oldest constituent college of CUNY, City College of New York, was originally founded in 1847 and became the first free public institution of higher learning in the United States. The integration of CUNY's colleges into a single university system took place in 1961, under a chancellor and with state funding.
Historians Willis Rudy and Harry Noble Wright identify "the growing democratization of American life," rapid urban development and increased immigration as the socio-cultural trends leading to the founding of the Free Academy. They note that "the birth of the Free Academy in the metropolis of the New World came at the very time that European revolutionists were struggling for freedom and democracy in the Old." The first free denominational schools were established on Manhattan Island in 1633; a system of secular schools was established in 1805. The Free Academy received its charter from the New York State Legislature on May 7, 1847.
The experiment is to be tried, whether the children of the people, the children of the whole people, can be educated; and whether an institution of the highest grade, can be successfully controlled by the popular will, not by the privileged few. The Free Academy was renamed the College of the City of New York in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, at the behest of students who felt that the name "Academy" did not carry the same prestige in the real world as the word "College."
The next school to be established was the Normal College, later Hunter College. The Female Normal and High School was opened on February 14, 1870, on the third floor of a building at the southeast corner of Broadway and Fourth Street. The school was established by Irish schoolmaster and exiled republican Thomas Hunter as a normal school, who "insisted on admitting students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and teaching a combined curriculum of liberal arts, science, and education." The school's name was soon changed to Normal College and in September 1873 it moved into a Gothic revivalist building designed by Hunter himself, between 68th and 69th Street on Park Avenue. Under the leadership of George Samler Davis, the Normal College would be renamed Hunter College to honor its founder.
Read also: The New CUNY Logo
Following the passage of the Nicoll-Hearn Bill in 1926, the board approved the opening of new City College and Hunter College branches in downtown Brooklyn. Four years later, Brooklyn College emerged from the merger of these Brooklyn annexes.
Diverse Program Offerings
CUNY offers more than 2,800 top-notch academic programs for degree-seeking students - leading to either an associate or bachelor’s degree. CUNY enrolls more than 15,000 students in education programs: one-third of these students study at the undergraduate level and two-thirds are graduate students. With a commitment to teaching and learning, our campuses prepare a culturally diverse pool of students to be effective educators in a variety of settings. Graduate students at CUNY have unique access to outstanding academic departments, distinguished faculty, research opportunities, and a wealth of future job prospects.
CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS)
At the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS), we have undergraduate degree programs for students who have already earned 24 or more credits at a previous accredited institution. Our degree programs include Business, Communication and Media, Disability Studies, Health Information Management, Human Relations, Information Science, Nursing, Psychology, Sociology, Liberal Studies, and more. Offered both online and on campus, our programs meet the needs of adults who are looking for a seamless way to finish a bachelor's degree program, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Offering quality online bachelor's degree programs since 2006, we've been noticed for our excellence.
ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs)
ASAP is offered at nine CUNY community and comprehensive colleges. As students approach graduation, they receive customized support to transfer to their bachelor’s degree or transition into the workforce, depending on their goals.
Honors Programs
CUNY offers two dozen honors programs university-wide.
Read also: CUNY Admission Guide
CUNY BA (Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies)
CUNY BA offers students the opportunity to work with faculty mentors and academic advisers to design a unique BA or BS degree that takes advantage of courses, programs, and resources across the entire university.
Study Abroad
Study Abroad programs may be semester-long, year-long, or short-term (during the summer or winter intersession).
Transfer Opportunities
Change can be a good thing. If you’re thinking of making a move, we’ve got transfer friendly policies and a flexible core curriculum comprised of courses that are guaranteed to transfer across the university. Students can see how their courses will transfer between colleges using CUNY Transfer Explorer, a web-based for the most up-to-date information about how CUNY colleges transfer and apply credit for both CUNY and non-CUNY courses, as well as for other learning experiences, like exams and certifications.
A Diverse and Inclusive Community
37% of our freshmen were born outside of the United States. CUNY has historically provided accessible education, especially to those excluded or unable to afford private universities. Located in the city that launched the modern gay rights movement, CUNY is proud of the contributions and diversity that its LGBTQ faculty, students, and staff bring to our campus communities.
Partnerships and Pathways
We’ve got 26 colleges located in the greatest city in the world, with each campus offering a unique college experience. They’ve all joined forces to create career pathways for CUNY students through the NY Jobs CEO Council. The City University of New York’s commitment to the education of all New Yorkers begins long before the start of freshman year. Through its School-College Partnerships, CUNY invests substantial human and financial resources in the service of public school students and out-of-school youth.
Read also: CUNY GPA Guide
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