About The City College

The City College of New York is a small university within The City University of New York, offering a rich program of undergraduate and graduate study through its College of Liberal Arts and Science and the Professional Schools. The College of Liberal Arts and Science consists of the following:

Division of Humanities and the Arts

Division of Science

Division of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences

The Professional Schools are the:

Spitzer School of Architecture

Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership (formerly the Division of Social Science)

School of Education

Grove School of Engineering

CUNY School of Medicine 

Founded in 1847 by a referendum of the people of New York City, City College’s mandate was to offer the best education possible to the children of the poor and working class, and to open to new immigrants the opportunities of America. The City College (CCNY) is the oldest college among the twenty-four public institutions that make up The City University of New York (CUNY), which was established in 1961.

The City College campus occupies thirty-five acres along tree-lined Convent Avenue from 131st Street to 141st Street in Manhattan. The College can be reached easily by several subway and bus lines. Many buildings in the area are landmarks, including the six historic Neo-Gothic structures and three archways on CCNY’s North Campus.

The College’s resources include the Morris Raphael Cohen Library, the largest library in the University system, with holdings of over one and a half million volumes; more than two hundred teaching and research laboratories; the Towers, a 600-bed residence hall; and an Information Technology Center that provides instructional and research-oriented services and student access through numerous student computer labs. The Aaron Davis Hall is the site of rehearsals, performances, exhibits and technical training for students in the arts, as well as presentations by professional artists. It is a major cultural asset for CCNY as well as the New York City community. We are also home to two recent science research additions: The Center for Discovery and the Advanced Science Research Center, both located on our South Campus

The Towers Residence Hall

The Towers, which opened in 2006, is the first residence hall built on the CCNY campus in its 169-year history. Located at the corner of 130th Street and St. Nicholas Terrace on the South Campus it offers accommodations to nearly 600 resident students. The Towers also includes studio apartments for faculty housing.

The residence hall consists of 164 fully furnished, air-conditioned apartments in a variety of configurations; all units have full kitchen facilities. The residence hall includes wireless lounges, a multi-purpose study/seminar room, a fitness center, a central laundry facility, convenience store and a community kitchen. Living at The Towers is all-inclusive and includes Internet, phone, cable, laundry and all utilities. The Towers has twenty-four hour security with cameras installed throughout the building. CCNY operates a complimentary shuttle/escort service, which connects residents to local subway stations and North Campus. Residence Life Staff provide supervision of the building in accordance with CCNY resident housing policies and procedures while Resident Assistants create a sense of community through educational and social programming.

Information regarding housing costs and the application process can be found at www.ccnytowers.com or prospective students can contact the Office of Housing and Residence Life at 917-507-0070. Tours are offered throughout the year through The Office of Admissions and The Towers leasing office.

Accreditation

All degree programs are registered by the New York State Department of Education. The College is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-2680; 267-284-5000; email: info@msche.org). Additionally, professional curricula are accredited by the appropriate professional educational agency or board including the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the National Architectural Accrediting Board, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

Continuing a Tradition of Excellence

The College continues today to pursue aggressively its joint goals of excellence and access in its undergraduate and graduate offerings as well as its research and community service efforts.

More than 89% of the City College faculty hold the Ph.D. and 18% Distinguished Professors teach at The City College, more than at any other City University college. The faculty are committed to active professional lives as teachers, researchers and scholars. At the same time, the College, through the efforts of its faculty, has developed important collaborative projects with other institutions and agencies in the New York City area to provide needed services in education, housing, health care and communications.

In recent years, The City College has become a major center for research and scholarship and leads all other colleges of the City University in attracting outside funding for research activities. In addition, many funded programs on campus seek to promote participation in the sciences, engineering and other fields, especially by students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds (or communities).

About Graduate Study

The City College master’s programs are designed both for the student seeking graduate training ending at the master’s level and for those interested in preparing for admission to doctoral degree programs. More than fifty different master’s degree programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Science and the Schools of Architecture, Education and Engineering offer students a wide range of specialized learning opportunities. Ninety percent of students enrolled in the College’s graduate programs are pursuing advanced degrees. Currently, more than eight hundred master’s degrees are conferred each year.

The City College’s student body of approximately 16,000 men and women is drawn from eighty different countries and represents over one hundred different language groups, bringing an international and cosmopolitan ambiance to the campus. An approximately equal number of men and women make up the graduate student body of over 3,000. A large percentage of these attend school on a part-time basis. The wealth of diversity and range of experience represented in the graduate student body is an important learning asset that enriches both classroom and out-of-class learning for all students.

Graduate programs are designed for individuals at different stages of career development. Students returning to school after time spent working or in other pursuits will find a particularly receptive environment. Schedules can accommodate both full-time and part-time students.

Programs offer a balance of coursework, research training and, where appropriate, supervised fieldwork. Graduate faculty engage with students in classrooms, tutorials, laboratories and independent inquiry to develop skills in creative thinking as well as in the academic discipline. Working in partnership with the faculty, students are in an environment where they are known personally and well, and where concern for them is strong.

Master's/Ph. D. Degree Admissions Requirements

Master’s level graduate study is open to qualified students who possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or the equivalent from a foreign institution, and an adequate background in the field of study that they wish to pursue. Normally the equivalent of an undergraduate major in the field is required but the final judgment of preparation remains with the department concerned and the divisional dean. For policies and information governing the Masters and Ph.D. engineering and computer science programs, please refer to the Grove School of Engineering section of the Bulletin.  Applicants will be evaluated based on the following:

• Previous academic record: a minimum of 3.0 in the undergraduate field of specialization and a 2.7 overall undergraduate minimum.

• A personal statement.

• International students whose native language is not English and who are not permanent residents (green-card holders) will be required to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Department score requirements vary; please visit the Graduate Admissions webpage for more information.

• Letters of recommendation.

• Some programs require writing samples, portfolios or auditions.

• GRE test scores are required for some programs. Contact the Office of Admissions for further information.

• Application procedures.

For further information on admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Science or the Grove School of Engineering contact:

The City College of New York
Office of Admissions
Wille Administration Building, Room 101
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
Telephone: 212-650-6977
graduateadmissions@ccny.cuny.edu

Information and applications for Architecture and Education programs may be obtained from:

School of Architecture
Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture
141 Convent Avenue, Room 120
New York, NY 10031
212-650-5663
archgrad@ccny.cuny.edu

School of Education
School of Education
NAC 3/223A
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
212-650-6236
edgradadm@ccny.cuny.edu

To apply for admission to a City College Graduate program, submit the following information:

• An online application for Graduate Admission with a $125 non-refundable fee.

• Of all undergraduate and graduate work.

• Letters of recommendation.

• A personal statement.

• GRE Scores (if applicable for transcripts).

• Master’s program, required for all Ph.D. programs).

• International Students Must Have A Minimum Passing TOEFL or IELTS Score (Please see Graduate Admissions webpage for more information).

• Some programs require writing samples, portfolios, and/or auditions. Please consult the Office of Admissions for the requirements of the program in which you are seeking admission.

Admissions decisions are made only after receipt of all valid credentials. The Office of Graduate Admissions encourages applicants to apply early. International students should apply a minimum of six months prior to the semester of enrollment. 

Admissions decisions are made by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the department and the divisional dean. Students may be admitted to the graduate program as fully matriculated or matriculated with conditions. Matriculant conditional students must fulfill requirements as specified by the academic department.

Application Deadline Dates

Please refer to the college website for the most up to date information on deadline dates, www.ccny.cuny.edu/admissions.

Applications received and completed after the deadline dates cannot be guaranteed a review and will be considered for the subsequent semester. Postponements cannot be made for the following programs: Fine Arts (Studio Art), Media Arts Production, and all PhD programs in Engineering. Applicants who cannot enroll after acceptance will be required to reapply for the next admissions cycle.

Official offers of admission are made by the divisional dean of each division or school. Admission is only for the semester requested. Formal requests for postponements should be made in writing to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

CUNY requires new students to pay a commitment deposit beginning Spring 2011

On June 28, 2010, the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York approved the implementation of a non-refundable commitment deposit of $100 for undergraduate students, and $250 for students in masters and professional programs, indicating their intention to enroll in such programs. This commitment deposit will be applied toward tuition upon enrollment. Students receiving full financial aid will receive a refund of the deposit upon final confirmation of aid eligibility.

Payment of the commitment deposit will ensure priority scheduling for orientation and registration.

The commitment deposit is due on December 15 (for Spring semester), May 1 (for Fall semester) or fifteen days after the date of the admission letter (whichever is later).

Please submit a money order or personal check (drawn on a U.S. bank) for this amount made payable to The City College of New York by the date indicated above to:

Office of the Bursar, Commitment Deposit
Wille Administration Building, Rm. A-103
The City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

Cash payments will also be accepted in person at the above location (do not send cash through the mail). The Commitment Deposit will be waived for students who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $3,000 or less. SEEK students, staff members receiving tuition waivers, veterans of the U.S. armed forces, Ph.D. candidates, as well as graduate students enrolling in the Rockland Teacher’s Center or NYC Teaching Fellows Program are not required to pay the commitment deposit. Deposit waivers based on financial hardship will be considered based on demonstrated financial need. Students will be required to document the hardship by submitting a letter of explanation along with supporting documentation to the college’s Tuition Refund Committee at the Office of the Registrar, Wille Administration Building, Rm. 102.

Admission to a Master's Degree Program

The college reserves the right to deny admission to any student if in its judgment, the presence of that student on campus poses an undue risk to the safety or security of the college or the college community. That judgment will be based on an individualized determination taking into account any information the college has about the crime committed by the student and the particular circumstances of the college, including the presence of a child care center, summer camp, public school or public school students on the campus. In addition, the college may consider factors such as the amount of time since the crime was committed, the amount of jail time served by the student, the number of years the student was on probation or parole, whether the student has satisfied probation or parole requirements at the time of the student's application, whether the student has completed drug, alcohol, sex offender or other treatment, and what work or educational experience the student has had after the conviction. Finally, if the student is known to have been assisted by CUNY-sponsored or other re-entry program or initiative, the college will consult with a counselor or representative from said program.

Non-Matriculated Status

The Graduate Admissions Committee of the department and the divisional dean may also admit students on a non-matriculated (non-degree) basis. Applicants who do not meet the requirements for admission as matriculated students may be allowed to take courses as non-matriculants. There are two types of non-matriculated students: (1) a student who has submitted a formal application with official documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions and has received a formal letter by the divisional dean accepting him/her as a non-matriculated student. These students may subsequently achieve matriculation by meeting one or more of the condition(s) specified in the letter or by meeting matriculation requirements or (2) a "walk-in non-matriculated student" is for students who have not submitted official documents or who are unable to complete their application by the deadline date. "Walk-in" non-matriculation is also available for students who wish to take graduate courses for personal or professional enrichment and who do not seek matriculation.

Students who require an F-1 visa are not eligible to be in non-matriculated status.

Walk-in Non-Matriculate Status Admissions Process and Matriculation Process

To apply as a "walk-in non-matriculant", a student must complete the online application  and provide a transcript indicating proof of a baccalaureate degree. Approval is based on space availability and adequate prior preparation. Once the necessary approval has been received, the student pays the $125 application fee and may register. Students who obtain approval in this status are limited in the number of credits they may take, as follows:

School of Education – nine credits

School of Engineering – six credits

Liberal Arts & Science – twelve credits

A student may apply to the College of Liberal Arts and Science, the Grove School of Engineering and the School of Education as a "walk-in non-matriculant" during the Fall, Spring and Summer registration period. The following programs do not accept non-matriculated applications: All Ph.D. programs, all Architecture programs, Branding + Integrated Communication, Computer Science-Information Systems, Digital and Interdisciplinary Art Practice, Media Arts Production, Mental Health Counseling and Public Service Management.

Education students who are planning to matriculate must take the New York State Teacher Certification Examination (NYSTCE) of the Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST formally LAST) before completion of the 9 credit maximum as a non-degree student.

To obtain degree candidacy and obtain a master’s degree a student must be matriculated. Walk-in non-matriculants are encouraged to apply for matriculated status if they wish to continue graduate study at City College. Students must submit a Graduate Admissions application and official documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions in order to have their application reviewed.

Advanced Standing

Students who have completed graduate work at other regionally accredited institutions may receive advanced standing toward the master’s degree, pending approval of the CCNY departmental graduate advisor and the divisional dean. Courses considered for advanced standing must have been taken within a five-year period preceding matriculation at City College. The maximum number of credits awarded for advanced standing is:

Requirements:

1. Up to six credits in advanced standing may be allowed for graduate work satisfactorily completed at institutions other than The City College of New York, provided that the program head deems the work appropriate to the student’s program of study. An official transcript must accompany this completed form and submitted to The Admissions Office.

2. The course or courses for which such credit is sought must have been completed within the three-year period prior to the date of matriculation in the graduate program.

*Advanced standing will be granted for graduate courses in visual arts from accredited art schools.

Immunization

New York State Public Health Law (PHL) 2165 requires proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) as a condition for attendance. The College reserves the right to prevent the registration of any applicant who fails to provide a record of immunization or who otherwise provides a health risk to the College community. It is University policy that all students who register for six or more credits/equivalent credits and were born after December 31, 1956 must provide proof of their immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. Students may fax their immunization records and the forms to 212-650-8227.

Recently, New York State passed Public Health Law 2167, addressing meningococcal meningitis. In compliance with PHL 2167, all New York State students, regardless of how many credits they take in college, must fill out a Meningococcal Meningitis Response form within 30 days of registration or at the same time they send in their MMR compliance document.

Students may download forms at https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/shs. If submitting the forms by fax, be sure to include the student’s name, social security number (or assigned City College identification number) and birth date. Applicants are advised to confirm the receipt of the fax by calling 212-650-8222

Students may download forms from the Wellness website, which can be accessed from the CCNY homepage. If submitting the forms by fax, be sure to include the student’s name, social security number (or assigned City College identification number) and birth date. Applicants are advised to confirm the receipt of the fax by calling 212-650-8222.