Liberal Studies Core Advising

As a Liberal Studies Core student, you will be matched with a professional academic advisor to work with you closely throughout your two years in the program.

Your advisor helps you to navigate course registration, university policies and resources, and special academic opportunities. In addition, you will work with your advisor to register for courses. Each semester, you will need your advisor’s clearance to register for classes; and your advisor will be in contact by email about clearance requirements. Find out more about the registration process.

Your advisor is also the best resource about your transition to a baccalaureate program following the LS Core. NYU offers hundreds of majors and minors, and it can be overwhelming to consider all the options. Your advisor has current information about academic offerings and transition requirements for NYU’s many bachelor’s degree programs. Together you will identify the transition plan that best suits your interests and goals.

Before meeting with your advisor, make sure to read your Registration Guide.

Choosing Your Classes

LS Core students complete a core curriculum and several elective courses. The global great works curriculum has been carefully designed to build both interdisciplinary knowledge and critical skills that together create a foundation for further study in any field.

Depending on your intended major or bachelor’s degree school, you may focus your elective classes on pre-requisites for your major. Use the LS Core Advising Checklists below for guidance with planning your coursework accordingly.

*Science/Math Requirement: LS Core students are required to complete only one science or one math course prior to transition. However, because science and math requirements vary in the NYU schools and programs where you will ultimately  earn your bachelor’s degree, you should consult with your academic advisor for assistance in class selection.

Students planning to transition to CAS are encouraged to take both science courses required by CAS while in the LS Core. Your math requirement depends on the major you wish to pursue. Therefore, we recommend that you fulfill your science courses prior to taking a math course, unless you have a clear direction in your major choice. You should consult your intended baccalaureate school to determine the school’s math requirement.

  • Quantitative Reasoning (CORE-UA 100-199) or Calculus I (MATH-UA 121) fulfills the math requirement for many majors at NYU.
  • Algebra and Calculus (MATH-UA 9) does not fulfill the math requirement for CAS, but might for other NYU schools.
  • If you have an AP Calculus score of 4 or 5, you may also be exempt from Calculus I and/or Quantitative Reasoning, depending on the school. Please contact an academic advisor to request advanced standing credit for any eligible AP scores.
  • Students with a qualifying score on the Mathematics SAT-II subject test (Level I or Level II) may be exempt from the QR course requirement in the college core curriculum for CAS, but not for other schools. Please check with your advisor.

*Prehealth Students: Prehealth is a track, not a major, so prehealth students should plan to use their elective space to fill major and prehealth requirements. Consult the Prehealth Curriculum Sheet, which outlines the basic sequence of courses you will take no matter your transition school. Graduate professional schools require these courses, and the MCAT is based on the assumption that students have completed these courses. Some medical schools may require additional coursework, particularly in mathematics; you should familiarize yourself with the specific requirements for those schools to which you plan on applying. The best source for this information is the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Medical Schools Admissions Requirements.

All prehealth students should speak to an LS Core pre-professional academic advisor for advisement on course selection.

LS Core Advising Sheets

Current Course Offerings

Ready to choose your classes? Check out the Fall 2021 course descriptions for more detailed information about classes offered through Liberal Studies, including course themes and topics!

Archived Course Descriptions (for reference)

Spring 2020 Course Descriptions (please note: LS Core Cultural Foundations & Social Foundations sequence was updated to Arts and Cultures, and Global Works and Society sequences in Fall 2020)

Fall 2020 Course Descriptions

Spring 2021 Course Descriptions

Summer/Winter Classes

The LS Core generally offers a limited number of summer and winter courses; and students may take summer and/or winter courses through other NYU schools (most typically through CAS due to the number of offerings). If you plan to register for a summer or winter course, you must receive clearance from the LS Advising Center beforehand and should consult with your academic advisor first.

Completing the Liberal Studies Core

After successfully completing the core curriculum, students transition to one of NYU’s many bachelor’s degree programs to complete their studies in junior and senior year. Your academic advisor will work with you from your first semester to address questions that are most important as you consider your major options at NYU.

LS Core students have the opportunity to transition directly to degree programs in these NYU schools:

Students must meet the following criteria to transition:

  • Achieve good academic standing (minimum 2.0 GPA; not on academic probation)
  • Earn an expected 64 credits and 4 semesters in residence with Liberal Studies
  • Complete specific program requirements in their prospective major or school

Are you interested in a different program? You may apply for internal transfer to other colleges and degree programs at NYU not listed here; however, application and/or additional materials will be reviewed for admission. Consult your academic advisor as early as possible to discuss the internal transfer process.

Majors and Minors

Declaring a Major

As an LS Core student, you will need to confirm your transition school by March 1st of your sophomore year. Students who will be transitioning specifically to the College of Arts and Science (CAS) will then visit their intended major department in CAS to declare their major formally in spring of sophomore year. Other schools may designate the major as part of the transition process, so further declaration is not required.

The LS Core fulfills most general education requirements across NYU, except the math, science, and foreign language requirements specific to each school. The program prepares you for more focused study in your major after transitioning to your baccalaureate school. Upon transition, your LS grades remain calculated in your cumulative GPA.

Some courses in the LS Core can also be applied toward select majors in the College of Arts and Science. For more information, consult with your advisor or refer to the LS Advising Guide to Specific Majors (PDF).

Second Majors

You may have the opportunity to pursue a second major, depending on the particular combination of majors and the non-major elective credits you have earned. Since some majors entail only 9 courses, you can usually complete two majors within the standard 128 credits. There are majors, however, that require more than 9 courses, and may involved additional time and/or credits. Consult your academic advisor about your particular prospective majors.

Students transitioning into CAS may pursue a second major only in CAS, not any other NYU school. If you are bound for other NYU schools though, you may have the opportunity to pursue a secondary major at another NYU school. Consult an academic advisor or your transition school for more information about double major policies.

Minors

NYU offers more than one hundred minors across the University that are all open to you. As a Core student, you will typically declare minors after transitioning to your degree-granting school and declaring your major.