Fast Facts

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.
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