Proposing Your Area

I am enormously grateful to CUNY BA's interdisciplinary approach for affording me the opportunity to explore multiple disciplines - and through that approach, become a widely more dynamic and confident thinker.

Catherine Ryan, Social and Political Theory

How to Design Your Personalized Degree
Download the handout (PDF)

Area of Concentration 

Your Area of Concentration (AOC) is the title and courses for your unique course of study (major) in CUNY BA.

CUNY BA asks that you submit a detailed Area of Concentration (AOC) Proposal as part of your application so that we can assess how we can help you meet your academic goals.

** Students applying to CUNY BA don't need a faculty mentor when submitting the application. However, once accepted, students will be required to have a mentor and submit their official area of concentration (AOC) form by the end of their first semester in CUNY BA

Please follow these steps:

1. Propose a working title
2. Propose at least 8 actual courses if you plan to do a Single Area of Concentration OR Propose at least 6 actual courses in each if you plan to do a Dual Area of Concentration (like a double major)
3. Use intermediate or advanced courses in your Proposal (not introductory)
4. Use courses from bachelor's granting departments at senior colleges (community college courses are not eligible)
5. Provide all the details:  College,  Dept,  Course No.,  Course Title,  Number of Credits

* You can view all CUNY courses, college by college, department by department at this link; every course description is available:

Search for CUNY classes: CUNY Global Search Class Schedule
Browse CUNY Catalog: Browse Course Catalog

Applicants should be aware that courses in certain schools and departments are off limits to CUNY BA students.

Some AOC examples are below (you don't have to pick from the list here or in the application).

Sample Areas

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