New York University

Gallatin School of Individualized Study

• Welcome from the Dean
• New Student Questionnaire
• Understanding your "Statement of Transfer Credit"
• "Undergraduate Plan of Study" form
• Albert, NetID, NYUHome
• Building an Academic Program
• Finding Available Classes Using Albert
• Obtaining Adviser Approval and Registration Clearance
• Registering for Classes Using Albert
• Tuition Payment and Financial Matters
• Degree Requirements
• Pre-Registration Workshop Schedule
• Student Life

What should you keep in mind as you choose courses for the coming term? The ideal semester will be different for every Gallatin student, but here is some general advice:

1. Work closely with your adviser. As a transfer student just entering Gallatin, you will discuss your academic goals and select classes with an adviser in Gallatin’s Advising Office. As soon as the semester begins, you will be assigned to a primary academic adviser whom you can work with until you graduate.
   

   Sophomores should contact Patrick McCreery at Patrick.mccreery@nyu.edu or 212-998-7351.

   Juniors should contact Justin Lorts at Justin.lorts@nyu.edu or 212-998-7333.

2. Understand the idiom of NYU. Building an academic program requires an act of translation. In order for you to locate courses that speak to your interests, you will need to understand the NYU’s academic structures. Students interested in literature, for example, will need to learn that NYU has a number of different departments where courses in writing and literature are offered: English, Comparative Literature, Dramatic Writing, all of the foreign language departments, American Studies, and of course, Gallatin itself. Similarly, your adviser will also want to get to know your native idiom, in order to help you develop your instincts, passions and ideas.
   
3. Do not expect to know everything right away. No one expects you to know during your first term exactly what you will do over the next few years. Find courses that seem interesting to you now, and let those courses teach you more about those interests. College happens in sequential terms, and honors the fact that you learn as you go.
   
4. Choose courses that require different kinds of learning. Too much of a good thing can be too much: taking four courses that demand a lot of reading and writing can make for a term that seems repetitive and exhausting. Think about taking a course in Art, Music or Math—or whatever might stretch your mind and change your routine.


5. Save materials that document the introductory courses you have taken. Most NYU departments that offer upper-level courses require that you fulfill necessary introductory courses first. Your NYU transcript will not indicate exactly which courses you took at another institution, so you should save photocopies of earlier transcripts. These will usually suffice if a department wants to ascertain that you really completed “Intro to Psychology” or “Economic Principles II.”
   
6. Remember your Gallatin requirements. As a Gallatin student, your goal is to create a plan of study that will help you develop your interests and build a concentration, while making sure that you fulfill the liberal arts requirement and K-credit requirement. But you have plenty of room in your schedule for exploration. One important note: if you are considering attending medical school or veterinary school, your program may require more careful planning, so please visit the Pre-health Program website for more advice. You can also contact the Gallatin Office of Advising with any questions you might have about this information or other general concerns.