Global Liberal Studies (GLS) students have the opportunity to earn both the bachelor's degree and a master's degree in a number of departments in a shorter period of time and at less cost than is normally the case, adding another area of expertise or academic study to the GLS educational experience. These optional programs supplement the GLS bachelor’s degree and do not replace GLS requirements.
Combined Bachelor/Master Degrees
NYU's Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) offers undergraduates the opportunity to begin a master's degree while completing the bachelor's degree. This program is intended for students whose career goals will be furthered by graduate-level training but do not plan—at least not immediately—to go on for doctoral work in the field of their M.A. degree. Students are typically accepted into the master's program toward the end of the sophomore year or the beginning of the junior year and, in their remaining undergraduate semesters, can take M.A. courses. After earning the bachelor's degree, they can qualify for a one-year scholarship covering up to 50 percent of the tuition for the M.A. studies. Students typically complete the dual-degree program in five years.
Admission and Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must have completed a minimum of 48 credits toward the bachelor's degree but not more than 96 credits or six semesters. GSAS requires the submission of a formal graduate school application for admission, but the GRE requirement and the application fee will be waived. Students will be officially admitted to the Graduate School when they have completed their undergraduate requirements, which must be no later than their eighth semester.
To apply, students must complete:
- a version of the GSAS admissions application
- two letters of recommendation
- a statement of purpose.
After the student has successfully completed the B.A. requirements, the GSAS Graduate Enrollment Services office is notified to begin next steps.
Liberal Studies and NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service offer dual-degree programs to enable students to earn both a B.A. in Global Liberal Studies (GLS) and either a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree in Wagner’s Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy Program or Health Policy and Management Program, or a Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.), in less time than it would take to complete the degrees separately. This program is designed for students with a strong commitment to public leadership who wish to enhance and focus their education while building a career in public service or urban development. Earning both degrees separately would typically require 188 credits. The combined B.A./M.P.A. and B.A./M.U.P. programs allow a GLS student to complete both degrees in as few as 160 credits by permitting GLS students to earn credits toward their graduate degree as part of their GLS undergraduate degree.
Admission and Eligibility Criteria
Students wishing to pursue either degree program must complete a regular Wagner admissions application during their senior year in GLS. Applicants will be expected to meet the same admissions standards as other Wagner applicants, which include strong academic qualifications and the equivalent of at least one year of relevant professional experience (i.e. internships, volunteer work, part-time jobs). As such, after completing the B.A. degree in GLS and before matriculating at Wagner, students admitted to Wagner’s M.P.A. program may be required to complete at least one additional year of full-time professional experience relevant to their anticipated field of graduate study. In short, GLS B.A./M.P.A. students may need to defer starting their M.P.A. by at least one year after graduating from GLS, depending on prior work experience. For any questions or an application, students should contact their GLS academic advisor.
The Georgina and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Service Fellows Program
For students completing the BA/MPA or BA/MUP combined degree with Wagner, this fellowship prepares high-potential students with the skills, knowledge, and networks to be impactful public service leaders. Selected fellows receive full-tuition scholarships for full-time study, a funded summer internship, professional development programming and career guidance, and educational cohort meetings)
Liberal Studies and NYU's School of Global Public Health offer a dual-degree program to enable students to earn both a B.A. in Global Liberal Studies (GLS) and a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree in less time than it would take to complete the degrees separately. This program is designed for students with a strong commitment to global leadership and offers an innovative approach to public health study from dynamic global and interdisciplinary perspectives.
A full-year of global study with experiential learning and internship opportunities allows students to discover the frontier of public health and global studies in an ever changing global world and prepare for careers in Public Health Services, Social Services, NGOs, Wellness, and more. It gives students the opportunity to integrate public health and global studies research methods to impact the future of sustainability, health, and the environment.
The dual degree option is available to students going into the following MPH concentrations: Biostatistics, Community Health Science and Practice, Environmental Public Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Global Health, Public Health Nutrition, Public Health Policy and Management, Social and Behavioral Sciences
Earning both degrees separately would typically require 174 credits. The combined B.A./M.P.H. program allows a GLS student to accelerate through this program, and finish both degrees in 159 credits. See Advising Guide, or review guides for all the available M.P.H. concentrations.
Admission and Eligibility Criteria
Students wishing to pursue the M.P.H. degree must complete an admissions application during spring semester of sophomore year or fall semester of junior year in GLS. Admission to the dual-degree program is open to GLS undergraduate students with 64 units earned or in progress toward the BA degree, and with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Interested students should first schedule an appointment with their academic advisor to request an application. The application process entails an additional advising appointment with GPH, a one-page statement of purpose, an academic transcript and a short application form. The deadline is February 15th (sophomore applicants) or October 1st (junior applicants).
Students in the dual-degree program must earn grades of C or higher in all the MPH graduate courses to receive credit toward the MPH, and also maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA during the remainder of their undergraduate program. If either standard is not met, the student would be subject to an additional review and may be dismissed from the dual-degree program, but would still earn the BA upon completion of the requirements for that degree.
The NYU x NYU / Stern program offers highly qualified and motivated undergraduate students from the College of Arts and Science, Global Liberal Studies, Tandon School of Engineering, and Stern School of Business the opportunity to pursue their full-time 2-year MBA at NYU Stern within 2-5 years after graduation. Students accepted into this early admission program will automatically receive a $10,000 Early Advancement Award to be applied to their full-time MBA tuition upon enrolling at NYU Stern. Admitted students will also be eligible for consideration of further NYU Stern scholarships, including a specially designated one-year Berkley Early Advancement Fellowship covering full tuition and fees, in the year in which they confirm their enrollment at Stern.
Questions about eligibility for, or application to, the B.A./M.A. program or the B.A./M.P.A. program should be directed to the Liberal Studies Advising Center. Students interested in these programs are also encouraged to discuss with their academic advisor and faculty mentor how the dual-degree program would fit into their curricular and professional plans.
Earning both degrees separately would typically require 174 credits. The combined B.A./M.P.H. program allows a GLS student to accelerate through this program, and finish both degrees in 159 credits. See Advising Guide for Global Health, or review guides for all the available M.P.H. concentrations.