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Degree Requirements

Degrees Offered

Associate Degrees

The college offers three degrees at the associate level: the associate in arts, the associate in science and the associate in applied science. The associate in arts is intended as a transfer degree for students who plan to continue their studies toward a bachelor’s degree and who do not plan to major in math or the sciences. The associate in science is offered in arts and sciences, chemical technology, computer science, and health science. As with the associate in arts, these degrees are intended for students who plan to pursue baccalaureate studies in math, science, or health. The balance of the associate degrees offered at the college are classified as an associate in applied science and are intended for career preparation. Requirements for each of these degrees are listed on the appropriate pages of this catalog.

Baccalaureate Degrees

The college offers five baccalaureate degrees: the bachelor of architecture, the bachelor of science, the bachelor of science in education, the bachelor of technology, and the bachelor of fine arts. The requirements for each of these degrees may be found in the second half of the catalog. In addition, City Tech students are eligible to participate in the CUNY BA program, a multidisciplinary program that allows the student to take advantage of the offerings at the several CUNY campuses. It is described below.

CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies.

All units of CUNY participate in a university-wide bachelor’s program which allows students, in consultation with their faculty advisors, to design majors that, while academically valid, differ from CUNY prescribed majors. Such programs will commonly combine coursework at more than one CUNY college.

If you are a matriculated City Tech student with demonstrated competence in reading, writing and mathematics, and you have completed more than 15 credits with at least a 2.5-grade point average, you may apply to this program. If admitted, you will work with two faculty members to plan an individualized course of study.

The program requires 120 credits consisting of both lower- and upper-level courses. The program allows students to take advantage of offerings at all CUNY colleges. You may also earn up to 30 credits for relevant non-classroom work. Although the program has been developed primarily for liberal arts areas, you may also take up to 60 credits in technical or business subjects. Further information can be obtained by contacting Prof. Aaron Barlow, at 718.260.5082.

CUNY Requirements

Proficiency in English and Mathematics

The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York stipulate that proficiency in English and mathematics are required for admission into any college baccalaureate program and as prerequisites for credit-bearing courses in English and mathematics. Refer to CUNY Testing Information (click here), for more detailed information. Students who have not demonstrated competency in one or more areas at the point of admission to the college will be assigned appropriate developmental and college English as a second language (ESOL) courses in preparation for college-level coursework. Students must complete all required developmental and ESOL courses before they may progress beyond 12 credits of credit-bearing coursework.

Students who have not yet completed all required developmental and ESOL courses must enroll in the remaining required courses each semester until all developmental and ESOL requirements are met. Any exceptions must be approved by the Office of the Provost, via the Associate Provost.

Math Waiver and Substitution Based on Math Disability

Students who are unable to fulfill the college readiness requirements in math, due to a disability and despite accommodations, can request an academic adjustment as per The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008, Section 504 an amendment of the Rehabilitation Act and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. A prior math waiver, indicated on the student’s record, will be honored.

The student should consult with an academic advisor since a waiver may preclude registration in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors or other degree programs with essential math requirements. Academic programs open to students granted the math disability waiver include Communication Design, Human Services, Liberal Arts, or Professional and Technical Writing with a specialization in Economics, Psychology, Social Science, Communication Design or Public Health (except specializations requiring Environmental Sciences I, II).

Math Waiver-Substitution Request Forms are submitted to the director of The Center for Student Accessibility. Documentation of unsuccessful attempts, despite accommodations, of the CUNY Math Assessment Test or a Math Quantitative Reasoning course, and an evaluation from a licensed psychologist indicating a math disability is required. If the waiver is granted, the provost will approve a non-math substitute course. Students seeking a waiver/substitution should consult a degree advisor, the Transfer Office, Advisement Office or the New Student Center, since a waiver- substitution is an alternate route to meeting the general education Math & Quantitative Reasoning graduation requirement and does not serve as meeting the prerequisites for additional math courses.

College Requirements

For All Associate and Baccalaureate Degrees

•  Fulfill the degree requirements listed in the catalog for the academic year in which the student was admitted to the college. Exception: Students who withdrew from the college in good standing and were readmitted must meet the degree requirements in effect at the time of their readmission. However, students who received an approved leave of absence and were absent for no more than two semesters, are eligible for consideration under the degree requirements in effect at the time of leaving. Students may also petition in writing to the Office of the Provost, Namm Hall, room N 320 for reinstatement of their original degree requirements.

•  Complete the required number of credits. Generally, the associate degree requires a minimum of 60 credits, although some majors require more than the 60 minimum. A minimum of 30 credits must be completed in residence, at least 15 of which must be in the major department.

Generally, the baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 credits, although some baccalaureate majors require more than the 120 minimum. A minimum of 30 post- associate degree credits must be completed in residence, at least 15 of which must be from among those listed as “Required Courses in the Major” in the catalog description of degree requirements.

•  Complete all degree requirements within ten years of the date of matriculation. Exception: dental hygiene and nursing students must complete degree requirements within five years of matriculation. To request to have the ten-year rule waived to receive credit for a course taken ten or more years ago, either at NYCCT or another accredited college, petition the Committee on Course and Standards to waive the rule. The waiver form may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office which will forward it to the Committee on Course and Standards.

•  Be in attendance at New York City College of Technology during the semester in which you complete the degree requirements. If one of the last courses is taken at another college (see courses on permit, click here), students are subject to the following regulations: (a) secure a permit from the registrar’s office; (b) take no more than two courses on permit to complete your degree requirements; (c) you must take the last course within two years of the last date of attendance at New York City College of Technology.

•  Confer with your department advisor to determine course distribution, corequisites (courses that must be taken along with another course) and prerequisites (courses that must be taken before you can take a more advanced one). A prerequisite must be completed successfully before registering for the next higher-level course that requires it; a corequisite must be taken concurrently with the course that requires it.

•  Complete the core curriculum program (general education requirements) for the degree. Click here for the core curricula for the associate and the baccalaureate degrees. In some cases, your departmental requirements may narrow the choices available to satisfy the core curriculum program.