Undergraduate Options
@ CUNY
If you're entering college for the first time, you need to choose an undergraduate college. (Graduate schools—such as law schools, medical schools, and many, many others—usually only accept students who have already earned an undergraduate degree.)
Types of Undergraduate Colleges at CUNY
With a few exceptions, CUNY's undergraduate colleges fall into one of 3 categories below. Before choosing a specific college, you'll probably need to decide which general type best suits your needs.
| Senior College | Community College | Comprehensive College |
|---|---|---|
Degree Offered: bachelor's degree |
Degree Offered: associate's degree |
Degrees Offered: associate's degree; |
Qualifications for Admissions & Notes
Note: There are some exceptions to the college-readiness requirement |
Qualifications for Admissions & Notes
If test scores show that you are not quite ready for college-level work, a CUNY community college will allow you to take remedial classes. Many students who start out at community colleges eventually transfer to a senior college or comprehensive college to get their bachelor's degrees. |
Qualifications for Admissions & Notes
Often students will start off by receiving an associate's degree and then continue on to earn their bachelor's. They might choose to stay at the same school to do this, or transfer to another campus. If test scores show that you are not quite ready for college-level work, a CUNY comprehensive college will usually allow you to take remedial classes. |
Learn more about these senior colleges |
Learn more about these community colleges |
Learn more about these comprehensive colleges |
Of special note:
CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies
This is an individualized, University-wide degree where highly motivated students work one-on-one with faculty mentors to design their own courses of study. Part of the eligibility criteria is a desire and plan to pursue a major beyond the traditional college offerings. Students must enroll in one of the CUNY colleges in order to participate; they then have access to courses and opportunities across the University. The degree has a separate admissions process. Learn more about the CUNY Baccalaureate Degree.
Macaulay Honors College
These are highly selective self-contained programs that are housed on the campuses of several senior colleges. They have a separate admissions process. Learn more about the Macaulay Honors College.
Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
This school is unique in that it integrates undergraduate education with the first two years of medical school. Students receive a bachelor's degree from City College and then transfer to one of six designated New York State medical schools for the third and fourth years of medical school training. Learn more about Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.
Types of Degrees
Associate's Degree
At CUNY, this degree, sometimes known as a 2-year degree, can be earned at a community college or comprehensive college. It is generally equivalent to the first 2 years of a bachelor's degree.
CUNY offers several types of associate's degrees:
- an A.A., an associate's in the arts or humanities
- an A.S., an associate's in science or math
- an A.A.S., an associate's that combines a core education with professional education and training
Bachelor's Degree
Also known as a baccalaureate degree or 4-year degree, this is the degree that CUNY students earn upon completing their studies at a senior or comprehensive college. A bachelor's degree usually requires twice as much time to complete as an associate's degree. CUNY offers several types of bachelor's degrees:
- a B.A., a bachelor's in the arts or humanities
- a B.S., a bachelor's in science or math
- a specialized bachelor's, that combines a core education with professional education and training
