Overview
The Gallatin School of Individualized Study Allows Students to Design Programs that Focus on Their Interests
The Gallatin School offers a Master of the Arts degree in Individualized Study. Working closely with a faculty adviser, self-motivated students have the opportunity to develop an individually-tailored, interdisciplinary educational program.
Students master an area of concentration that integrates study in several disciplines. For example, a student who is interested in the arts and community could combine courses in educational theatre, arts administration, and sociology. A student with an interest in the cultural history of the United States might combine English with history and museum studies. A student with an interest in communications might develop a program to include course work in cinema studies, gender studies, and media ecology. A student wishing to study the European Union might combine course work in politics, history, and social policy.
A student's course of study is not limited to these examples. Students are encouraged to design a program according to their individual needs and interests. With the help of an adviser, the student designs a 40-credit M.A. program consisting of course work and other options that may include independent study, tutorials, internships, and private lessons in the arts.
Traditional and Nontraditional Theses Cap Course Work at NYU, Along With Internships and Research
The course work at the Gallatin School is taken in the various graduate schools of New York University, such as the Graduate School of Arts and Science; the Stern School of Business; the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service; the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; the School of Continuing and Professional Studies; the Silver School of Social Work; and the Tisch School of the Arts.
In addition to course work, independent study and tutorials allow students to pursue in-depth research, while internships and private lessons enable students to take advantage of the resources of New York City.
The program requires 40 credits; students may apply for a maximum of 12 transfer credits and/or course-equivalency credits, which are based on previous work experience or training. A thesis is required and can be a traditional research paper, an applied project, or an artistic endeavor, such as a performance, a novel, or a work of visual art.
During the first year and a half, the curriculum for full-time students consists primarily of course work from the various schools of NYU, along with independent study, tutorials, and internships, if a student so desires. Students may attend on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students usually complete the program in two or two and one-half years; part-time students generally complete the program in three to four years, but are allowed up to six years.
Gallatin School Students Come from a Wide Range of Geographical and Intellectual Backgrounds
There are approximately 200 graduate students in the Gallatin School. Half of the students are from the New York metropolitan area, while the other half comes from across the country and from international locations. Because of the diversity offered in the Gallatin School, students come from a wide range of undergraduate disciplines. Additionally, because of the individualized nature of Gallatin, graduates embark on a wide variety of professions.
In the arts, graduates include choreographers, artistic directors of dance and theatre companies, performers, writers, arts administrators, curators, and museum directors. Graduates in the arts often remain in academia, teaching the arts at all levels, from elementary to university. In the field of finance, Gallatin graduates hold positions in such firms as Oppenheimer & Company, the Bank of America, and Citigroup. Others enter the fields of nutrition, psychotherapy, journalism, education, and communications, while many have obtained positions in government, social, and environmental agencies.
Graduates have also entered Ph.D. programs in such areas as literature, sociology, cinema, performance studies, cultural studies, educational theatre, history, music composition, and political science.
NYU Is Distinguished by Its Greenwich Village Location, Facilities, and Financial Aid
NYU's Gallatin School is located in historic Greenwich Village, which is known for its small-scale, European style of living. NYU's campus is within minutes of Broadway and off-Broadway drama and dance, art galleries, coffeehouses, restaurants, clubs, bookstores, and world-renowned museums and libraries. The Jerome S. Coles Sports and Recreation Center and the Palladium Athletic Facility serve the recreational needs of all students.
Scholarships, work-study opportunities, loans, and a deferred-payment plan are available. Financial aid is awarded on the basis of merit and demonstrated financial need to both full-time and part-time students. Resident Assistantships and student employment are also available. The university offers a comprehensive health insurance benefit plan. Full-time and international students are automatically enrolled in this plan unless they already have comparable coverage.
