Maximize Your Winter Break: A Guide to CUNY Winter Session Courses

The City University of New York (CUNY) offers Winter Session courses as an opportunity for students to accelerate their degree progress or explore new subjects during the winter break. These intensive courses provide a focused learning experience. This article provides a detailed overview of CUNY Winter Session courses.

Key Dates and Enrollment Information

Classes for Winter Session '26 run from January 2 - 23, 2026.

The Winter session operates on an “Open Enrollment Period,” allowing students to register for classes without requiring an appointment. It is important to consult the Academic Calendar for specific deadlines and liability dates. Note that students are generally limited to taking one course during the winter session.

Registration Procedures

The registration process varies slightly depending on the student's status within the CUNY system:

Current John Jay Students

Log into CUNYfirst.
Click on "Student Center."
Click on "Schedule Builder."
Choose the appropriate semester.
Select your desired course(s).
Click "Enroll."
Click “Do Action”.

E-Permit Students

If you are a current CUNY student from another campus, you can apply for an E-Permit to study at John Jay College. An E-Permit allows you to take courses at a CUNY campus different from your home campus.

Read also: Exploring Camus's Philosophy

Non-Degree (Visiting) Students

Students from colleges or universities outside of the CUNY system can apply to study at John Jay College as Non-Degree (Visiting) Students. Separate applications are available for undergraduate and graduate students.

Senior Auditors

New York State residents aged 60 or older who have completed high school may attend John Jay College as Senior Auditors.

Important Notes for Non-Degree (Visiting) Students: Non-Degree (Visiting) Students are limited to a total of twelve credits (12) unless they are part of a registered certificate program or the Addiction Studies Program and pay a higher rate of tuition than degree students. They are not eligible for financial aid and must pay a $65 application fee.

Important Notes for Senior Auditors: Senior Auditors may enroll in up to two (2) courses on a non-credit basis and pay $80 per session/semester (application fee waived). Applications must be submitted online by the established deadline for each session/semester.

Affordability Initiatives

CUNY is committed to providing accessible and affordable education.

*Matriculated Students who are NYC & Nassau County residents. Excludes student fees. Visit How much does College Cost? for tuition and fees.

STEM Tuition Waiver for Queensborough Community College (QCC) Students

Queensborough students interested in taking a Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) course within their degree program, should apply for a winter STEM course tuition waiver to receive their course tuition-free after registering for that course via CUNYfirst. Current QCC and CUNY Students attending a CUNY College other than Queensborough should register via Schedule Builder on CUNYfirst. Advisement is not required, but we urge QCC students to make an appointment to speak with an adviser prior to registering.

To apply for a STEM Tuition Waiver, please read the eligibility information below carefully. When you fill-out the application, you will need to check the box indicating that you understand the eligibility requirements. Fill in the requested information on the application, and then click to submit. You must be registered for the STEM Winter 2026 course you wish to take before submitting the application, otherwise the online application will not allow you to apply. Please note, the database used for the application is refreshed daily, every Monday - Friday morning, and not over the weekend. Students will need to allow 24 hours for enrollment data to appear in the application database.

Eligibility Requirements for STEM Tuition Waiver:

Register for at least one course in Spring 2026. If you have not registered for at least one course during Spring 2026, please do so before submitting the application. If this is the final course that you need for graduation, then you do not have to register for Spring 2026.
Attend the STEM course in Winter 2026.
Understand that after applying, you may change your registration to a different STEM course offered during the Winter 2026 session.
Understand that the STEM Tuition Waiver only covers tuition.
Please note that the STEM course chosen must be needed for your degree.
STEM Tuition Waivers will be offered to students on a first come, first served basis.

Course Examples

CUNY Winter Session offers a diverse range of courses across various disciplines. Here are some examples of courses that may be available:

Race, Class, and Gender in American History and Culture: Explores race, class, and gender in American history and culture.
20th and Early 21st Century Visual Arts: Introduces students to 20th and early 21st century visual arts. Examines the biographies of artists and their cultural settings, and explores the products of creative expression as they have been realized through the eyes of painters, photographers, sculptors and architects.
Introduction to Business: The purpose of this survey course is to develop a fundamental understanding of the role of business in a global society. This course provides valuable exposure to the major functional areas of business including the global business arena, management, finance, accounting, and marketing.
Principles of Marketing: This survey course explores the various environments in which contemporary marketers operate, including the online digital world of e-marketing, and the problems and practices related to the planning of marketing strategies in the exchange process.
Principles of Management: The purpose of the course is to develop an understanding of the four functions of management (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) in today's rapidly-changing global environment. The course will emphasize the importance of effective and socially responsible management for all types of organizations.
Human Resource Management (HRM): Human Resource Management (HRM) bridges policies that impact human behavior with those that drive business strategy to make the most of an organization's human capital. HRM includes the functions of recruitment and selection, employment law, training, career development, labor relations, equal employment opportunity (EEO), labor, affirmative action, performance management, health and safety, compensation, and benefits management. Through exposure to a broad range of topics, Students are prepared to deal with a variety of issues that may be encountered in careers such as an HR manager or team leader.
Introduction to E-Commerce: This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of e-commerce from both a business and technical standpoint.
Operations Management: The course focuses on solving common operations and production management problems faced by business decision-makers. Use of the computer for solving operations management problems will be stressed. Topics covered include decision theory, project scheduling, linear programming, forecasting, inventory control, queuing models, simulation, and quality control.
Media Design for the World Wide Web: Examines the technical, functional and aesthetic principles of media design for the world wide web. Outlines the use of design tools, industry-standard guidelines, and access and interaction conventions.
Film and Television Analysis: Examines methods for analyzing film and television. Introduces the elements of film form and the language of film studies. Analyzes a nation's culture and social history through its film. Assesses the impact that historical events, and social, cultural and political movements had on a nation's cinematic expression. Introduces the discipline of film studies.
Madness, Disability and Society: This course is offered from the perspective of those who have been coined as mad, crazy or mentally ill. The importance of narrative expressions are reviewed in order to educate the student how Mad Peoples encounters with unconventional thoughts and behaviors are viewed by society as odd, unusual or peculiar. Their personal experiences and challenges with stigma, stereotypes, prejudice, oppression, discrimination, and lack of inclusion are examined from the early history of abuse and institutionalization, to current societal beliefs. The impact of Mad People simultaneously living with individual psychological factors, which are perceived as out of the ordinary, and the general publics misunderstandings are evaluated. This course will explore how the public views disabled individuals, and how they view themselves. Students will learn to analyze how disability is portrayed in journalism, photography, film, comic art, advertising and the Internet. The impact of stigma on mass media imagery and representation will be explored.
Microeconomics: An investigation of the microeconomy as seen through the eyes of the individual consumer and firm.
Desktop Support Fundamentals: Computer system downtime raises the costs of doing business and lowers productivity. For technology vendors, good customer support is a driver of sales. This introductory course builds on the foundational skills needed by computer desktop support personnel. A particular emphasis is placed on helping the student to build the technical skills required to take the CompTIA A+ certification exams, which include the ability to install, build, upgrade, repair, configure, optimize, and maintain computer and mobile systems. The course also prepares students to support popular software applications. Designed for individuals with minimal technical understanding of computer hardware, software, networks, processes, and portable devices, students learn these essentials for helpdesk management.
Introduction to Computer Security: In an increasingly networked world, computer security, which consists of the practices and policies intended to prevent and monitor unauthorized access, misuse, modification, or denial of a computer or network, is more critical than ever. This introductory course provides a general overview of various computer and network security topics and concepts, including standards and protocols, cryptography, network- and infrastructure-level security, authentication and remote access considerations, securing wireless networks, identifying tools for security management and threat abatement, the role of change management, user security awareness, business continuity planning, privacy rights, and security, legal issues and challenges, and computer forensics. Students explore fundamental concepts associated with security planning and design, security risk analysis and mitigation, and security operational considerations.
E-Commerce Strategies, Operations, and Technologies: The Internet and an assortment of information technologies have led to the development and continuing evolution of electronic commerce (e-commerce), which has revolutionized the way people, organizations, and governments interact with each other. This course approaches the study of e-commerce strategies, operations, workflows, and technologies from a value-creating perspective. Through lectures, case studies, and hands-on projects, students develop an understanding of the special characteristics that identify the similarities and differences between e-commerce and other forms of commerce, such as hybridized models. Students develop a conceptual foundation to help them identify and evaluate new trends, innovative business opportunities, and the potential impacts to various industries, as well as the fundamental technological structures required for implementation. In addition, students learn to assess the potential limitations, issues, and risks associated with various e-commerce initiatives.
Liberal Studies Capstone (Part 1): First in a two-part capstone sequence for the B.A. in Liberal Studies. Reinforces senior-level undergraduate research methods and skills, leads to the definition of a research question for use in LBL 499, and emphasizes sound project planning. The first part of the capstone guides students through the process of refining their ePortfolios, and requires students to select and thoughtfully reflect on their major projects from throughout the program.
Introduction to Statistics and Probability: Introduces the basic principles of statistics and probability, with an emphasis on understanding the underlying concepts, real-world applications, and the underlying story that the numbers tell. Uses Microsoft Excel's statistical functions to analyze data.
Nursing as Educator: This course is designed to explore the role of the professional nurse as an educator for a population with a specific health problem within a community. Education theory, evidence-based teaching strategies, and the use of appropriate interventions for culturally diverse or at risk populations will be discussed.
Nursing Informatics: This course combines knowledge and skills from nursing science, computer science, and information science in the practice of nursing. Major topics focus on informatics concepts and communications that are most critical to therapeutic nursing interventions. The course assignments will familiarize students with both the theoretical concepts and the practical application of the scholarship of nursing informatics in health care management and/or health services delivery.
Case Management: Case management is a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client's health and human service needs. It is characterized by advocacy, communication, and resource management and promotes quality and cost-effective interventions and outcomes.
Health Care Policy Development: This course will enhance students' knowledge of the ongoing changes in health care and policy development including discussion and analysis of issues related to health care around the world. Discussion will be related to health care access, disparities, and human rights. The course will look at ways of promoting access, especially for the most vulnerable individuals and groups in society.
Reasoning and Analytical Judgment: Focuses on the techniques of rational inference and analytical judgment. These include the study of informal logic (arguing cogently and recognizing common informal fallacies), formal patterns of reasoning (syllogistic and propositional logic), and some distinctive analytical methods used in scientific and professional disciplines.
Introduction to Psychology: This course examines behavior and mental processes. Topics include research methods, biological bases of brain and mind, sensation-perception, sleep and states of consciousness, learning and memory, development, cognition-intelligence, motivation-emotion, personality, abnormal psychology, and social psychology.
Biological Psychology: This course will introduce the biological structures and processes that provide the foundation for human behavior including: brain cell processes, neurotransmitters and chemical circuits, embryogenesis, sensory-motor processes, gender differentiation, and neurocognition.
Lifespan Development: This course examines the physical, perceptual, motor, cognitive, emotional, and social developments that interact across the lifespan to determine psychological functioning.
Abnormal Psychology: In this course, students will analyze the characteristics of various psychological disorders, along with their origins and diagnoses. Disorders covered will include anxiety disorders, dissociative and personality disorders, mood disorders and schizophrenia.
Social and Behavioral Science Research: This course provides an introduction to research approaches characteristic of the social and behavioral sciences. These involve observations of behavior and other strategies that result in descriptive accounts, including field studies, content analysis, and surveys. Statistical methods for analyzing descriptive data, including measures of central tendency and variability and graphing will be included, along with questions about validity and research ethics.
Sociology of Food: This course uses the theoretical and methodological tools of sociology to explore issues of food: what we eat, who consumes it and how it is created. Students will explore how the ways our food is produced, marketed, distributed and consumed affect health and living.
Spanish Grammar and Vocabulary: This course in conjunction with SPAN 102 provides a thorough grounding in Spanish grammar and vocabulary, including intensive practice in speaking and listening through the use of audio-video resources.
Community and Youth Organizing: This course gives a historic and contemporary analysis of community and youth organizing models in social change movements. Students will gain an understanding of what community and youth organizing is; articulate its value and purpose; roles of an organizer at different phases of a project; explore strategies, introduction of skills (consensus building, listening sessions, needs and asset mapping, etc.), activities and tactics of organizing; identify their own strengths and challenges; and think about evaluation and social justice marketing. This course will incorporate case studies of contemporary activist movements (both local and national), talks from prominent activist-scholars, skill-building workshops, and online engagement.

*Please note that courses offerings are subject to change. For the most current information, CUNY SPS students should check CUNYfirst. CUNY SPS undergraduate degree students may qualify for federal aid.

Strategic Persistence Initiatives

The Office of Strategic Persistence Initiatives advances student success by promoting seamless educational pathways, strengthening cross sector collaborations, and supporting academic departments that are developing innovative, data informed programs. We cultivate strong relationships with community colleges through articulation agreements, pre-transfer advising, and the Bronx Transfer Affinity Group, ensuring that transfer students are welcomed, prepared, and empowered to achieve their academic goals. We support academic departments by providing course demand projections, reviewing curriculum proposals, and developing articulation agreements that strengthen existing programs and facilitate the creation of new ones. Through the coordination of Lehman’s Summer and Winter Sessions, we provide accessible and flexible learning options for visiting students, current students, and pre-college learners.

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