The City University of New York is the nation’s leading urban public university. Founded in 1847, CUNY counts 13 Nobel Prize and 24 MacArthur (“Genius”) grant winners among its alumni. CUNY students, alumni and faculty have garnered scores of other prestigious honors over the years in recognition of historic contributions to the advancement of the sciences, business, the arts and myriad other fields. The University comprises 25 institutions: 11 senior colleges, seven community colleges, William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, CUNY Graduate Center, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, CUNY School of Law, CUNY School of Professional Studies and CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. The University serves more than 275,000 degree-seeking students. CUNY offers online baccalaureate and master’s degrees through the School of Professional Studies.
The University offers a bachelor’s degree through CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies (CUNY BA), which functions like an independent college with students taking courses throughout the CUNY system and conferring (through the Graduate School and University Center) its own degree. In collaboration with faculty mentors, students develop courses of study that are specific to their academic interests and goals. As a result, these concentrations can take on issues that are not typically offered as degree options in academic departments.