Liberal Studies at NYU houses the Global Liberal Studies Bachelor of Arts and the Liberal Studies Program. Liberal Studies offers a unique educational opportunity that combines the advantages of a small liberal arts program with the resources of a major research university. Both programs at Liberal Studies are distinguished by small classes, creating an environment where faculty and student work closely together in a community dedicated to learning.

The Liberal Studies Program (LS), formerly known as the General Studies Program (GSP), is a two-year foundation program for students who will complete their education in one of the university's other undergraduate schools. It features an interdisciplinary core curriculum that fulfills the liberal arts requirements for bachelor's degrees in NYU's other schools.

The Global Liberal Studies Program (GLS) is a new, innovative bachelor's program that features core course work in the liberal arts with a focus on great works in a global context. All GLS students spend their junior year abroad at an NYU site. Graduates of GLS will be world citizens, proficient in a foreign language, engaged in international cultures, and well prepared to enter the world of work or for admission to professional and graduate schools.