Academic Policies and Procedures
Registration
Student Honors
Resources
Academic Policies and Procedures
How do I calculate my GPA?
You can calculate your Grade Point Average (GPA) by determining the total of all grade
points earned and dividing that figure by the total number of credits completed. For
example, a student who has completed one 4-credit course with a grade of A, one
4-credit course with a grade of B+, and one 2-credit course with a grade of B has a
grade point average of 3.52. This was computed as follows:
Credits Point Value
4 credits x 4.0 (A) 16.0
4 credits x 3.3 (B+) 13.2
2 credits x 3.0 (B) 6.0
10 credits 35.2
Now, divide the total point value (35.2) by the number of credits earned (10). The total is
your GPA (3.52).
Grades for work done at other institutions including those earned while matriculating in
other institutions are not included in a student’s grade point average.
Can I take a course for Pass/Fail?
Yes. GLS students may elect one pass/fail option each term, including the summer session. A total of 16 points may be taken pass/fail while in the Global Liberal Studies Program. The pass/fail option is not available for courses completed at non-NYU institutions.
The pass/fail option is not available for any of the courses in the GLS Curriculum. The pass/fail option is not acceptable for courses in the minor.
To take a course pass/fail, students must submit a Pass/Fail Option form to the Liberal Studies Program Advising Center by the end of the fifth week of classes during the fall and spring terms, and by the end of the second week of classes for the summer sessions.
Can I take an incomplete in a course?
Yes. When a student has had a serious problem based on unpredictable circumstances, it is at the discretion of the instructor whether or not to grant an incomplete at the end of a semester. When such circumstances present themselves in other than the last few weeks of the semester, students will be expected to simply withdraw from the course. Incompletes are typically limited to circumstances arising in the last few weeks of the semester.
It is important to note that incompletes may only be awarded through prior written agreement (e.g. an Incomplete Contract) between the student and the professor before the end of the course. The awarding of an incomplete grade is at the discretion of the faculty. Initiation of this process is the responsibility of the student.
In order to remove an incomplete grade, a student is responsible for completing whatever work remains outstanding. An Incomplete Contract stipulating the work to be completed must be signed by both the student and professor. The student keeps a copy of the Incomplete Contract. A grade of IP or IF must be removed within the time limit set by the instructor, which limit may not exceed 6 months(one semester) after the close of the semester.
While the student is filling the terms of the contract, grades of IP (Incomplete Pass) or IF (Incomplete Fail) temporarily indicate grade status on the student’s transcript and that the student has completed at least 50% of the coursework. If no letter grade is submitted by the agreed upon date, the incomplete will automatically be changed to an N if the student was passing or to an F if the student was failing.
Can I withdraw from a course?
Yes. Keep in mind that these changes in schedule are your responsibility and that, if you have any questions about this process, you should discuss them with your advisor. In all instances of withdrawing from courses, be aware that dropping below 12 credits or going above 18 credits may have financial aid or bursar ramifications. For more details you can contact the Liberal Studies Program Advising Center.
Before and during the first two weeks of classes, you may drop or add classes yourself via ALBERT online. Courses dropped during the first three weeks of classes will not appear on your transcript.
After the second week of classes, you may still withdraw from classes, but must do so through the Liberal Studies Program Advising Center. After the third week of classes, you may no longer add a course and a W will be recorded on your transcript if you withdraw from it. This grade will not be included in the calculation of your grade point average.
After the ninth week of classes, students can withdraw from classes only in cases of severe emergency. Late withdrawals must be approved by the LSP Assistant Dean for Advisement. Undergraduates are not allowed to completely withdraw from all classes through ALBERT. For complete withdrawal from the university, you must see a member of the LSP Advising Center staff.
What happens if I fail a course?
If a GLS student fails a course required by GLS, that student must retake the course and receive a passing grade. In addition, failing non-required courses impacts students’ grade point averages such that they may need to retake them to satisfy GPA requirements.
What is a passing grade?
D.
Can I repeat a course?
Yes. In some cases, you may need to repeat a course if, for example, you’ve failed one of the GLS required courses. In other instances, you may retake a course for a higher grade. If you do decide to retake a course, be advised that the grade for the second pass at the course will replace the grade that you received the first time around. Though both grades will still appear on your transcript, only the grade that you receive for the course the second time around will be factored into your grade point average.
How do I take a leave of absence from the University?
Students who wish to take a semester off must obtain an official leave of absence from the Assistant Director of Students, Leah Guarino-Ramirez, before the beginning of the semester. Those who do not obtain an official leave of absence must apply for readmission. A leave may be requested for one semester or for the entire academic year. Leave of absence applications may be obtained from, and should be returned to, Leah Guarino-Ramirez, 726 Broadway, 6th floor.
Students may apply for a medical leave of absence at any time. This will be granted upon the recommendation of a physician, the Student Health Center, or Counseling and Wellness. Program changes may also be requested based on medical conditions.
Students who left for medical or psychological reasons will be required to show medical documentation stating that the student is able physically and/or emotionally to continue school. In addition, students who took a leave of absence for psychological reasons must be evaluated by NYU’s University Counseling office before returning to school.
How do I take a military leave of absence from the University?
Students who need to take a military leave of absence should contact Leah Guarino-Ramirez in the Liberal Studies Advising Center.
How do I withdraw from the University?
Students withdrawing from the University should alert the Liberal Studies Program Advising Center as soon as possible. In addition, if students are staying in University housing, they will be asked to provide proof of withdrawal from the LSP Advising Center so they will not be charged for future semesters. Students should come to the Advising center in person to obtain the necessary paperwork.
I need a copy of my transcript. How do I get one?
For information on how to request a transcript, please see the information here. The University does not accept transcript requests via email.
Registration
How do I register for classes?
Students register for classes online, through ALBERT, the NYU students’ information website. ALBERT is easy to use and provides you with a wealth of current information that will help you make quicker and more informed decisions about your schedule.
After you have your faculty advisor’s approval and have been cleared to register, you may register via Albert, accessed through the NYU Home web portal.
What follows is a quick primer on key terms and procedures for registering on Albert:
REGISTRATION STATUS allows you to check your eligibility to register. Look here for any stops on your record, your registration appointment time and advisor approval posting. Please note that it is advisable to also check the Stops feature under the Personal Profile menu bar in order to see a comprehensive list of any stops that may exist on your record.
COURSE STATUS allows you to search for courses by subject area to help you create your schedule. You can also perform more specific searches by course meeting day(s) and times.
STUDENT SCHEDULE shows you your schedule by term.
REGISTER allows you to register for courses. Once you select the term and click SUBMIT you will be taken to the main registration page. The Current Schedule area of the page will show any enrollment to date for this term. Dropping courses takes place in this section. The Course Request portion of the page is used to register for courses by call number. If a course requires an access code, you will be prompted to enter that code after you click SUBMIT. If you are adding and dropping a course, we suggest you use the CONDITIONAL ADD/DROP feature. ALBERT will check to see if you will gain entry to a course BEFORE dropping a course.
The bottom portion of the page allows you to perform a section search. This is a useful search tool that will help you find available classes and the search results will indicate any course prerequisites and/or restrictions, as well as available spaces remaining in each class. You can either search for all available courses, or just the courses that are available AND fit your schedule. After you submit your registration requests, you will receive the results of your request. You will see the courses in which you are now enrolled, closed courses, waitlist option for courses with a waitlist, restrictions and time conflicts, and messages regarding linked activity courses (if, for example, you register for a lecture but not the corresponding lab or recitation, a message will be displayed).
WAITLISTING Some courses are set up with a waitlist that is offered when the course closes. If you choose to put your name on the waitlist, it is vital that you understand your responsibilities regarding the following two policies: the flat fee for full time students is based on enrollment for 12-18 points and that your school has established a maximum credit limit which is usually not more than 18 points. If you gain entrance into a waitlisted course, you are responsible for:
(1) Payment of all points generated by enrollment in the course, including points beyond the flat fee range for full-time students.
(2) Adjusting your schedule so the enrollment in the waitlisted course does not take you above the maximum credit load of your school.
Waitlists are active through the first week of class. You should check your schedule frequently to see if you have been put in a waitlisted class. Be sure to adjust your schedule according to the rules above.
Some Departments choose to set priorities for their course waitlists by giving preference to certain groups of students.
These include graduating seniors, department majors or other classifications. If you place your name on a prioritized waitlist, your position on that waitlist may drop if your classification is outside the parameters set by the department.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding ALBERT registration, please e-mail albert@nyu.edu or registration@nyu.edu.
Albert says that I need to be cleared by my advisor to register. What do I do?
At GLS, students must meet with their assigned faculty advisor to be cleared to register. After you have your faculty advisor’s approval and have been cleared to register, you may register via Albert at your assigned registration day and time, accessed through the NYU Home web portal.
Deciding What to Take During the Freshman Year
The GLS curriculum has been carefully designed as a building process in which both knowledge and skills are layered in logical sequence. The structured coursework of freshman year at GLS provides students with a range of tools and skills from which to build their studies overall. That’s why, the first year, students will be expected to take GLS sections of Social and Cultural Foundations I and II, as well as Writing I and II. In addition, students are asked to take Global Cultures and to fulfill one of their science requirements (History of the Universe or Life/Environmental Science). These courses satisfy requirements for the GLS core curriculum. Taking these courses in the first year positions students to succeed in their later coursework.
The sequencing of your courses may be affected by other factors like starting your freshman year in Florence, London or Paris. In these cases, students should consult with their advisor to discuss their plans.
Deciding What to Take During the Sophomore Year
In the sophomore year GLS students will begin to prepare for their junior year abroad. This is also when students often begin to sample classes for potential minors and finish up the last few GLS core requirements. The four required courses—Cultural Foundations III and Social Foundations III—are to be taken in the fall semester and two sophomore seminars – are to be taken in the spring semester. . For the remaining coursework often students will be taking their remaining science requirement, begin language coursework that will prepare students for their junior year abroad, or fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
For all GLS students, it is important to make thoughtful decisions about your courses. As long as you fulfill the requirements for graduation, the essential determinant for your future will be how well you do in pursuing the choices you have made. Use the Advising Center, Counseling Center, or the Wasserman Center for Career Development to help you narrow your focus, and the Learning Center to enhance your performance.
What courses are students expected to take while at GLS?
A typical GLS student’s schedule for his/her time at GLS looks something like this, with variations depending on any Advanced Placement/IB credits she has, or other college coursework for which he/she has credit:
| FALL | SPRING | |
| 1st Year: | Writing I |
Writing II |
| 2nd Year: |
Elective (Science) |
Sophomore Seminar: Approaches Elective
|
| 3rd Year: | Elective
|
Language(Advanced) |
| 4th Year: | Elective
|
Senior Thesis Elective |
Students are encouraged to pursue a minor, most specifically in a foreign language. Students should educate themselves on the requirements for their intended minor and school to wisely structure their elective space.
What study abroad sites will I have an option to study at in my junior year? How will I select my site?
In the Junior Year, students will spend both fall and spring semester at one of NYU’s select GLS global campuses. The Liberal Studies Program requests that GLS students submit their Junior Year site preference in the freshman year so that students can make the appropriate academic plans both for language study and minor course selection. Currently, the sites that are available to GLS students are: Berlin, Buenos Aires, Florence, Madrid, Paris, and Shanghai, and Tel Aviv.
To plan for the junior experience away from New York, students should still do their research early, consult with an advisor, and consider their strategy in course planning, especially in completing their science and math requirements, as well as their language study.
I’m a GLS student and I’m thinking about a pre-health (pre-med) concentration. Will I be able to complete the pre-health concentration?
Technically, the pre-health concentration is available to any undergraduate. However, because there are limited elective opportunities in the GLS B.A., and because students must spend the junior year away from the Square, it will be very difficult for GLS candidates to complete the pre-health concentration in four years. For those who want to earn a B.A. from Liberal Studies and also apply to medical school, a much better option would be to complete the GLS degree and then to enroll in a post-baccalaureate pre-health program.
I’d like to take a course that requires an access code. What do I do?
Some courses require special approvals or codes (called access codes) from the sponsoring departments. Courses that require access codes are noted in the NYU Directory of Classes by a '>' before the course call number. Access codes must be obtained directly from the department or school offering the course.
Can GLS students take courses in other schools at NYU?
Yes. Students can take courses in other schools. Generally, this begins during students’ sophomore years, when students initiate coursework for language study and their intended minors.
What happens if a course is closed that I would like to take?
In this instance, students have several options. If the course has a waitlist, students may put themselves on the waitlist, following the above procedures. Students choosing this option would be wise to have a back-up plan, another course that they might take if they aren’t able to get in the waitlist class.
If a course does not have a waitlist option, students should sign up for another course with their major and degree requirements in mind. Because course rosters change, even prior to the start of the semester, it may also help for them to check back on Albert from time to time, to see if space has opened up.
What about 2 credits classes? Can I register for any 2 credits classes in the course schedule handbook?
Yes, students can register for up to 18 credits with no additional tuition. Therefore a 2-credit course can be added to a 16-credit schedule of coursework for no additional cost during the fall or spring semester. Some schools (Steinhardt, Tisch, and SPCS) offer 2 credits courses. Students who are interested should consult the University Directory of Classes for the semester in question.
Can GLS students take summer courses?
LSP generally offers its own science summer courses; in addition GLS students may take summer courses through other NYU schools, most typically through CAS. Most summer courses are posted in February and registration typically opens in March. GLS students must receive clearance for summer courses from the LSP Advising Center beforehand.
Students receiving Financial Aid should be aware that there might be some financial aid available for taking summer courses. We strongly advise them to visit the financial aid office to discuss these potential opportunities before registering for summer.
Student Honors
Are there honors programs for GLS students?
Yes,
DEAN’S HONORS LIST
At the end of each academic year, a Dean’s Honors List is compiled. This is an honors roll of matriculated students who have achieved an average of 3.650 or higher for that academic year (September-May) in at least 28 graded points. In order to be listed, a student must not have any grades of Incomplete or N at the time the list is compiled. Note that grade point averages are not rounded off.
Resources
I’m having trouble in one of my classes. What can I do? Is there anywhere I can get help?
The Academic Resource Center offers students help in math, science, computer science, economics, foreign languages through the University Resource Center as well as workshops in study skills, test taking strategies and time management.
Also, the NYU Writing Center offers tutoring in a range of writing needs, from planning and revising essays and research papers to preparing a resume or letters for employment. It is located at 411 Lafayette, 3rd floor. Math tutoring is available through the CAS Math Department located in the Courant Institute, 251 Mercer Street.
I don’t know what kind of job I want to get after graduation. How do I decide!?
First, students can be reassured that the jobs that they have after graduation may surprise them, and may not be an obvious extension of their undergraduate major. It is recommended that students pursue work in fields that interest them. With an NYU degree in hand, they will attract employers who can see that they have not only applied themselves to their studies, but have an interest in the employers field. What’s more, employers often expect to train new hires, stocking their tool kits with the tricks of the trade and showing them how to navigate their chosen industry.
A demonstrated ability to learn—as evidenced by students’ GPAs, extracurricular activities, and internships—will indicate to employers that a student is a good prospective hire.
For additional information about careers and various professions, students can go to the Wasserman Center for Career Development, whose mission is to assist students make sound career decisions and help them explore employment opportunities. Located at 133 East 13th street – 2nd floor, the Center Office aids students in learning more about various careers, helps them build resumes, hosts career fairs, and assists students with job searches. They also offer assessment tests that guide students toward particular professions based on their skills and interests.
I would like to do an internship. Where can I find out more?
The basic guidelines under which sophomores in the Liberal Studies Program may receive credit for an internship can be found on the GLS Advising website.