CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies (CUNY BA, estab. 1971) is a University-wide, individualized degree. It’s an exciting, versatile, rewarding degree route for highly-motivated, self-directed students whose academic goals transcend traditional majors. CUNY BA attracts many of the best students from within and from outside the University.
Admissions and Recruitment
- Minimum eligibility requires at least 12 college credits completed with at least a 2.8 GPA and an idea for one (or two) viable individualized area(s) of concentration.
- The average GPA of admits has risen each year over the past 10 years. Cohorts now enter, on average, with a transfer GPA of 3.2 and 66 credits.
Enrollment and Retention
- About 300 students, both full-time and part-time, are enrolled. In 2019, 62% are women, 47% are under-represented minorities and more than half of the students are over 23 years old; the average age is 28.4.
- CUNY BA students may be matriculated in a community college; at 68 credits, they must transfer to one of CUNY’s senior colleges.
- Each CUNY BA student has an assigned full-time academic advisor from the CUNY BA office; each also chooses and works with at least one full-time faculty member who serves as their faculty mentor.
Graduation Rates
- On average, students graduate in 2 years.
- Students graduate with a University-wide degree and alumni privileges at their home college.
- The graduation rate for more than 10 years has been over 70%.
- 66% of students graduated with academic honors over the last 5 years
Faculty Mentors
- Approximately full-time CUNY faculty members are serving as mentors to CUNY Baccalaureate students at any given time.
- Faculty members frequently report that mentoring students is a highly rewarding aspect of their career.
- CUNY’s 7,600 full-time faculty members include world-renowned experts in virtually every field.