Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2018 Catalog and Handbook 
    
2017-2018 Catalog and Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Community Studies


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Academic Director: Michael Javen Fortner, PhD
CUNY School of Professional Studies
Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education
25 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Email Contact: June Cumberbatch, june.cumberbatch@cuny.edu

The Program

The BA in Urban and Community Studies is designed for students with interests in urban, social, economic, and political issues, especially as they relate to diverse working-class communities. The program explores the dynamics of urban life, public policy and administration, the structure of urban government and agencies, the delivery of social services, and community and labor organization.

The field of urban and community studies draws on sociology, economics, political science, and anthropology to analyze our global economy and culture. Students in the program have opportunities for experiential and applied learning, including fieldwork and workplace based projects in New York City. They study with nationally known faculty from CUNY as well as with expert practitioners in the fields of public and health care administration, municipal politics, workforce development, labor, and community organizing. Additionally, students develop their special interests within the field by selecting one of three areas of concentration: Urban Studies, Community Studies, or Labor Studies.

The program is offered through CUNY SPS’s Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies.

Note: Contingent upon the availability of General Education classes during a given semester, students may need to enroll in online courses to fulfill General Education curriculum requirements.

Admissions Criteria

Applicants must possess at least 24 transferrable credits from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants need to demonstrate basic proficiency in reading, writing, and math.

Program Requirements


120 credits are required for the B.A. in Urban and Community Studies.

  • General Education - See below
  • Urban and Community Studies Courses - 36 credits
    • Core requirements - 20 credits
    • Concentration - 16 credits
  • Free Electives - 42-48 credits.

Note: The required number of College Options credits and free elective credits each student will be required to take will be dependent upon his/her transfer credit evaluation.

General Education Requirements


General Education    

  • 12 credits Required Core
  • 18 credits Flexible Core
  • 6-12 credits College Option

Concentration Courses


Students select one of the following three concentrations:

Urban Studies


Community Studies


Labor Studies


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