Spring Admission

The Liberal Studies Core curriculum allows you to explore NYU's vast offerings with the benefits of a traditional liberal arts college. Small classes and individualized advising encourage you to tailor your NYU experience to your goals and interests. The interdisciplinary academic foundation provided by our liberal arts curriculum, and classes you select in NYU's other colleges and programs, prepare you for transition into your chosen degree program as a junior.

As a student in Liberal Studies, you'll complete your core requirements and take courses in your major area of study during your first four terms. Upon successful completion of the LS Core curriculum you will transition to another participating NYU school to complete your final two years at the University. Your academic advisor will guide you each semester through course selections in order to prepare you for transition into your desired major.

In the spring semester, you will enroll in the first three LS Core classes: Arts and Cultures Across Antiquity, Global Works and Society: Antiquity, Writing as Exploration and a 4th class/elective in consultation with your Academic Advisor.

Your mandatory summer semester will complete your first year curriculum requirements and consist of three LS Core courses (12 credits) in a special 10-week summer session: Arts & Cultures towards the Crossroads, Global Works and Society in a Changing World, and Writing as Critical Inquiry. The LS Core classes are scheduled for 10 weeks, from late May through early August. You may, with guidance from your Academic Advisor, choose to take a 4th class in the summer as well - which would be in a 6-week session. This schedule should provide students with a full month of summer break before the start of the Fall semester. Use this time to recharge!

During your first two semesters, you will take classes primarily in Liberal Studies to establish a foundation in the liberal arts while fulfilling degree requirements for most NYU programs. We have compiled course descriptions for you to get an idea of the topics covered in some of the classes you are able to take in Liberal Studies.

Writing as Exploration and Writing as Critical Inquiry focus on expository writing, the presentation of argument, and the elements of research to equip you with communication skills essential to every field.

Arts and Cultures and Global Works and Society are based on the study of great works from antiquity to the Enlightenment. In Arts and Cultures, you study literature, art history, and music; course examples include Death, Divinity and Power in the Cultures of the Ancient World and Global Arts at the End of Representation. In Global Works and Society you focus on philosophy, religion, political and social theory, and history; sample courses include Mythic Origins of Philosophy and Science and Politics, Ethics, and Epistemology in Ancient Times. The sequences provide an introduction to skills in critical analysis and synthetic thinking that are essential to successful study in all academic disciplines.

Additionally, your curriculum will consist of several elective courses which can be chosen from Liberal Studies as well as other NYU schools. Your advisor will guide you in choosing from NYU’s extensive offerings such as Microeconomics, Power & Politics in America, Middle Eastern Cultures, Introduction to Psychology, Environmental Studies, Chinese Language and hundreds more! These electives are designed to help you select a major or begin work in a particular field.

New Student Orientation will begin in late January and continues during the first three weeks of the semester! We’ll welcome you to NYU with activities that familiarize you with Liberal Studies, the University, and the city. Start your undergraduate education with Liberal Studies Convocation. Make a difference in your new home by volunteering on Day of Service. Your NYU journey begins here.

New Student Experience
Liberal Studies Advising Groups offer first-year students the opportunity to establish a small community during orientation and throughout their first semester. The advising groups provide a welcoming and supportive environment through which to build relationships with your peers, your academic advisor, and your student leaders, in addition to learning important information about advisement and registration. In particular, your new student experience will include:

• Registration. Registration for your first Spring semester opens for new students in November. In mid-October, you will be contacted by your academic advisor about the process for selecting classes. You should also review the LS Core Registration Guide provided by your Academic Advisor, which will help you prepare for registration, understand program requirements, and arrange for any placement exams and advanced standing credits.
  
• Liberal Studies Orientation. Orientation for Liberal Studies is scheduled to start in January. Together, new students will learn more about the academic mission and values of Liberal Studies, and establish meaningful relationships with peers. Throughout orientation week, you will enjoy many events and programs, academic sessions and workshops, and activities designed to help you acclimate to Liberal Studies and New York City. You will receive more detail in December. For information about orientation, as well as other important dates and checklists preparing for your arrival, visit Next Stop NYU.
  
• Student Leaders. The Liberal Studies Student Leader program is designed to assist students new to the Washington Square campus with their academic, social, and personal transition through helpful upper-level peer mentors to each Advising Group.

Residence Hall Move-In: 
For students living on-campus, look for an email from Residential Life and Housing Services which will provide you information on your housing assignment, as well as move-in instructions in early January.  For more details and deadlines, visit Next Stop NYU

NYU Spring Welcome: 
NYU Spring Welcome hosts over 200 events for new and returning students! The welcome activities take place during the first few weeks of the spring semester, offering a series of special events, information sessions and meetups for all students to kickstart the new semester. Recommended activities will be highlighted in welcome materials from your advisor, though you are welcome to attend as much as possible. 

Upcoming Communications
Throughout the summer and fall, we will outreach to help keep you informed about opportunities, expectations and deadlines, preparing for your enrollment with NYU Liberal Studies. Please remember to check your NYU email account periodically, and watch out for messages from your advisor. Additionally, throughout the Fall semester, you will receive the monthly Spring Into LS newsletter.

• June Welcome Message from Advisor & Gap Semester Planning
  
• October Webinar about Registration for Spring
  
• November Course Selection & Registration for Spring
  
• Late December Preparing for Your Arrival
  
• January New Student Orientation