During one of my many travels into the web last year, searching about universities that offer liberal arts in america (yes, I am set on going there, I must!) I found out about NYU Global Liberal Studies and realised that it was exactly what I was looking for. In an effort to find something to motivate me to study hard for the rest of this year, I did a little research today. I have never felt this excited about something for a really long time. It's kind of like finding out that the book you have been waiting for will be released soon, or shopping and finding something that's worth more then the price you paid. Anyway, NYU GLS is really quite perfect and I really hope that I'll get to study there/ that. But it's so incredibly hard to get in because the classes are small and it's a relatively new program, so they don't really accept many students. Those who got in are crazy clever people (from what I gather through the net).
If you want to know more about NYU GLS and why I'm almost desperate to get in:
(information via
gls.nyu.edu/page/home)
Students in Global Liberal Studies (GLS) complete an integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum that emphasizes direct engagement with the ideas of the past as well as the challenges of the contemporary world.
Core course work in the liberal arts, with a focus on the great works, is infused with global content and involves students in the study of not only Western tradition but also other cultures around the world. Students study the original works of philosophers, scientists, social scientists, historians, musicians, artists, writers, and other great thinkers as they become more active, critical thinkers themselves. Our faculty, who are distinguished scholars and professionals, carefully design courses that relate ideas from multiple fields of inquiry.
The junior year of international study is the centerpiece of the Global Liberal Studies B.A. In the first three semesters, students acquire a broad understanding of the interconnections between world cultures. In the fourth semester, students begin to explore in depth the cultural context and language of the site at which they will study as juniors. The sites available in a given year are carefully selected to coordinate with every aspect of students' four-year courses of study.
All GLS juniors spend a year studying at an NYU International site. GLS will select junior-year global study sites from among NYU's international programs. The sites are selected to insure that all courses and co-curricular programs are available. The sites in a typical year will be located in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
The senior year serves as the capstone of each student's education. Students return to New York for a year of coursework and guided research that integrates the work they undertook during their junior year of international study with the Liberal Studies foundation established in freshman and sophomore year. Careful, individual advising ensures that each student selects courses that relate coherently to each other and to the student's thesis. In effect, the senior year is tailored to meet the goals and aspirations of each student.
The Freshman Year
Students choose to begin Global Liberal Studies in New York, or at NYU in Florence, London, Shanghai or Paris.* During the freshman year, students examine the world’s major cultural traditions and the ways in which they are connected through eight core courses: Writing I and II; Cultural Foundations I and II; Social Foundations I and II; Global Cultures and a laboratory science course. Students participate in small, in-class discussions that encourage them to think in new and different ways. Students advance their communication and writing skills, which are emphasized in all courses.
*GLS’s programs abroad fit in seamlessly with the academic program at Washington Square so that course requirements are met on time for graduation in four years.
GLS Freshman Year in Florence
GLS Freshmen may choose to spend a year living and studying at La Pietra, NYU’s breathtaking 57-acre estate in Florence, Italy. Sir Harold Acton, a patron of the arts, bequeathed the amazing property that overlooks the city from a hillside to the University in 1994. On the grounds are five villas, containing residences for students and faculty, classrooms, computer labs, study lounges, and dining and exercise facilities. Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is a unique place in which to begin a humanistic education, and the experience of living and learning in Italy is an exciting way to start an undergraduate degree program. La Pietra is the home of a major international student community. Students from all over the world and from NYU’s campus in New York are engaged in learning at all levels. The academic program in Florence includes visits to many important museums and historic sites in the region.
GLS Freshman Year at NYU in London
As a world capital of banking, insurance, commerce, design, and theatre, London is a cosmopolitan city, home to institutions of global importance, including the London Stock Exchange, the Tate Modern, and the British Museum. GLS Freshmen who select the London program have the opportunity to begin their liberal arts education while exploring the city’s centuries-old historic landmarks and its contemporary wonders.
GLS Freshman Year at NYU in Paris
Incoming freshmen to Global Liberal Studies have the opportunity to study at NYU in Paris. Known as the City of Light, Paris is one of the most captivating cities in Europe. The Eiffel Tower, the symbol of the city, dominates the skyline. On the north bank of the Seine, the Right Bank (Rive Droite) is home to monumental buildings, grand boulevards, and major museums, including the Louvre, Beaubourg, and the Centre Georges Pompidou. The Left Bank (Rive Gauche) evokes a Bohemian and intellectual atmosphere with its artist communities, cafés, restaurants, jazz clubs, and hip boutiques.
GLS Freshman Year at NYU in Shanghai
Located in a quiet and friendly neighborhood in downtown Shanghai, the Zhabei, the NYU in Shanghai center is located on the campus of East China Normal University. One of China's most beautiful universities, this idyllic campus has earned it the moniker "The Garden University" for its lush vegetation as well as its interesting mix of eastern and western architecture. Living together in NYU-arranged housing, freshmen students will still find the rest of Shanghai and China easily within reach. Just a short walk from one of Shanghai's busiest rail stations and several metro stops, students will benefit from their proximity to some of China's most important cultural, economic, and historic hotspots from which they'll draw inspiration for their globally-inflected studies.
The Sophomore Year
In the sophomore year, students pursue
the study of world culture. In Cultural and Social Foundations III, students continue their foundation courses and advance to Twentieth century great works. In their sophomore seminars,
students learn sophisticated methods of cultural analysis and explore issues facing a particular sector of the globe. The seminars are discussion-based, writing intensive, and interdisciplinary, and require the completion of a significant research project. In addition to the seminars, sophomores also take a second science course, advisor-approved electives, an intensive language course in preparation for the junior year of international study, and a Quantitative Reasoning course.
Language Study
GLS has a language study requirement as well as a language proficiency requirement. Students must both attain proficiency through at least the intermediate level and study in the language of their junior year site during each semester at the site; in addition, students must have proficiency through the beginning level (normally courses I/II in a sequence, which may be taught in a single intensive semester) before studying at an international site. Thus, a student who does not speak the language of the junior year site host country will be expected to take at least one semester of the appropriate intensive language course before the junior year; one year of the language if it is not offered in intensive format. But regardless of the level of prior fluency, study of the site language must continue in each semester of the junior year as well. Students who already have some level of proficiency in the language of the junior year site will take a placement test and either continue language study at a higher level (for example, in an advanced grammar class and one conversation class) or take one higher level language instruction class and one class taught in the language of the host country. Student who already have advanced or near-native proficiency will take two classes during the junior year taught in the language of the host country. Fluency is established by testing out of the intermediate level (normally, level IV) in the language department's placement test.
The Junior Year
The junior year of international study is a unique feature of the Global Liberal Studies B.A.
In the first three semesters, students acquire a broad understanding of the interconnections between world cultures. In their fourth semester, students begin to explore in depth the cultural context and language of the site at which they will study as juniors. The sites available in a given year are carefully selected to coordinate with every aspect of a student’s four-year course of study. Students don't just study at an international site -- the site itself becomes an important subject of study. Experiential learning, special topics, and language courses immerse students in the history and contemporary culture of the site.
Upon return, students join a senior colloquium keyed to their international experience while they use advanced research techniques to complete a senior thesis that grows out of the junior-year experience.
The junior year experience is integrated closely into students’ academic careers. Students take an Advanced Global Cultures course in either fall or spring semester at their global sites. These courses, which concern a wide variety of topics, connect the site experience with wider regional, national, or global phenomena; for instance, a student in Paris might choose a course on France and Islam, while a student at Buenos Aires might choose one on Latin American cinema. Students take an two-semester experiential learning sequence to immerse them in the current and historical character of the site; as a component of the class, they pursue an independent internship or equivalent with an on-site faculty director and work online with a GLS faculty member and students with similar interests from different sites to craft an independent research project, an important preparation for the senior thesis. Junior year also features foreign language courses in each term, and electives geared toward the particular academic emphases and geographic advantages of the site. Students thus attain a thorough working knowledge of the historical and contemporary culture and society of the site at which they study.
The Senior Year
The senior year provides students with both appropriate course work and opportunities for guided independent research and writing as part of the thesis project. The senior year consists of four major elements: the Senior Thesis; Senior Colloquia that emphasize great works related to the thesis topic; Capstone Seminars that use a selection of great works drawn from both traditional and modern global canons to provide a coherent overview of the four years of the program; and Electives specially chosen to complement each student’s individual program and career goals. Students will also have the chance to represent their educational achievements in an innovative and reflective electronic format that they can maintain throughout their four years in the Global Liberal Studies program and then take with them when they graduate.
Throughout each student’s academic career, a distinct thread will emerge based largely on where she has chosen to study abroad. The senior year thesis requires in-depth exploration of a subject that is related to both international study and to the body of work already completed in the program. Faculty work closely with each student to integrate all the major elements of the senior year, ensuring an educational experience uniquely tailored to the individual student’s needs and interests. Senior electives may include upper-level courses in the College of Arts and Science, including courses that are cross-listed with the Graduate School of Arts and Science.
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So there you go. I am not crazy to be excited about this right? It's amazing.
Labels: Musings, School, Wishlist
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