Degree Requirements
A more extensive explanation of each degree requirement can be found below the chart, or by clicking on each topic.
| Total Credits | 128 credits |
| Academic Good Standing | A final minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 |
| Gallatin K-Credit Requirements | 32 credits in Gallatin courses distributed as follows: 16 credits taken in K20 interdisciplinary seminars (note: the first-year seminar counts toward this total) and 16 credits taken in any Gallatin curricular offering including first-year program courses (K10), interdisciplinary seminars (K20), advanced writing courses (K30), arts workshops (K40), community learning courses (K45), study abroad programs (K95), and nonclassroom study (K50). |
| Liberal Arts Core Requirements |
32 credits in the liberal arts distributed as follows:
|
| Intellectual Autobiography and Plan for Concentration | Approved by adviser, between the completion of 32 and 81 credits. |
| Classroom Credit Requirement | A minimum of 64 classroom credits |
| Residency Requirement | The last 32 credits must be taken at NYU |
| Transfer Credits | A maximum of 64 credits |
| Senior Colloquium | Two-hour presentation and discussion with faculty. |
For information on academic policies not listed here, see Other Academic Policies.
EXPLANATION OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Total Credits
To be eligible for the Bachelor of Arts degree, students must complete 128 credits within 10 years of matriculating in Gallatin.
Academic Good Standing
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to remain in good standing. A final minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation. For more information about academic standing, see Academic Standing.
Gallatin K-Credit Requirement
Students must complete 32 credits in Gallatin School courses, all of which are prefixed with the letter “K.” In fulfilling this requirement, students must earn 16 K-credits in interdisciplinary seminars, identified by the registration code K20. First-year seminars count toward both the interdisciplinary seminar requirement and the liberal arts core requirement (see below). Students who have successfully completed one or more Gallatin interdisciplinary seminars before entering Gallatin must earn 12 additional credits in interdisciplinary seminars after matriculating.
In addition to earning 16 credits in interdisciplinary seminars, Gallatin students must earn 16 credits in other Gallatin curricular offerings. To fulfill this requirement, students may take first-year seminars (K10); writing seminars I and II (K10); additional interdisciplinary seminars (K20); advanced writing courses (K30); arts workshops (K40); community learning courses (K45); study abroad courses (K95); and nonclassroom courses (K50) including independent studies, tutorials, internships, and private lessons.
Transfer students who have taken substantial course work in interdisciplinary modes of study and/or in great books may apply for a reduction of their K-credit requirement. The absolute minimum for all students is 20 K-credits, 12 of which must be in interdisciplinary (K20) seminars. Entering students who have earned the associate’s degree or 64 credits from the General Studies Program of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies are required to complete a minimum of 24 K-credits, 16 of which must be earned in interdisciplinary seminars. Students who have successfully completed one or more Gallatin interdisciplinary seminar before entering Gallatin must earn 12 additional credits in interdisciplinary seminars after matriculating.
Liberal Arts Core Requirements
All students must complete a minimum of 32 credits in liberal arts courses, ordinarily earned through course work in Gallatin or the College of Arts and Science. Courses taken to fulfill the liberal arts requirement may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. For entering first-year students and transfer students with fewer than 32 credits, the liberal arts core must be distributed as follows: 4 credits in a first-year seminar; 8 credits in expository writing (writing seminars I and II); 8 credits in the humanities; 8 credits in the social sciences; and 4 credits in either mathematics or science.
Entering first-year students are required to take one of the first-year seminars and writing seminars I and II during their first year; the remaining liberal arts requirements should be fulfilled by the end of the sophomore year. Transfer students will have their transcripts reviewed upon admission to determine which, if any, of the liberal arts core requirements they have fulfilled. Transfer students entering with 32 credits or more may take a liberal arts elective in lieu of the first-year seminar. AP course credit and credit earned from other similar programs, including the IB Program, may not be used to fulfill the liberal arts requirement. Students wishing to take courses toward the liberal arts core in schools other than Gallatin and the College of Arts and Science should submit a Petition form to the Office of Student Services.
In addition to Gallatin School courses, students may fulfill the liberal
arts requirement through courses offered in the following College of Arts
and Science departments:
HUMANITIES
Africana Studies
American Studies
Asian/Pacific/American Studies
Classics
Comparative Literature
Dramatic Literature, Theatre History, and the Cinema
East Asian Studies
English
European Studies
Fine Arts
French
German
Hebrew Language and Literature
Hellenic Studies
History
Irish Studies
Italian
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
Music
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Russian
Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures
Morse Academic Plan
(V55.0400–0599 and V55.0700–0799)
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Anthropology
Economics
Gender and Sexuality Studies
International Relations
Journalism
Linguistics
Metropolitan Studies
Politics
Psychology
Sociology
Morse Academic Plan (V55.0600–0699)
SCIENCE
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Earth and Environmental Science
Mathematics
Neural Science
Physics
Intellectual Autobiography and Plan for Concentration
Students who entered Gallatin in the fall 2003 term or later are required to write a two- to three-page essay called the Intellectual Autobiography and Plan for Concentration after completing 32 credits and before completing 81. Students write the essay in consultation with their advisers, and the essay must be approved by the adviser.
This essay has several purposes. First, students are expected to compose an intellectual history that describes the trajectory of their interests and education thus far. Second, students are asked to frame a plan for future study, including classroom course work and nonclassroom study. In constructing this essay, students should describe their educational experiences, the central idea or ideas informing their concentration, and the course work relevant to their concentration. Finally, this essay should be understood as an opportunity for students to reflect on how they learn as individuals and to consider what they find academically interesting and worthwhile. For more information about this topic, see Intellectual Autobiography and Plan for Concentration
Classroom Credit Requirement
Students must complete at least 64 credits in classroom courses. Transfer credits and course equivalency generally count toward this 64-credit requirement, but independent study, tutorial, internship, and private lesson credits do not.
Residency Requirement
Students must complete their last 32 credits at NYU, either by taking courses at NYU in New York City or in an NYU program abroad. Students who wish to study abroad through a school other than NYU or who wish to take courses outside of NYU should therefore do so before they complete 96 credits. Such arrangements require prior permission, which may be requested by submitting a Petition form to the Office of Student Services.
Senior Colloquium
Students must successfully complete a two-hour presentation and discussion
with the student’s adviser and two other faculty members on a list
of 20 to 25 books chosen by the student.
For more information about this topic, go to http://www.nyu.edu/gallatin/current/ba/colloquium.html.