Academic Director: Michael Fortner
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.