Academic Guidelines

Four intercollegiate, interdisciplinary seminars are the cornerstones of Macaulay Honors College study: The Arts in New York City, The Peopling of New York, Science and Technology in New York City, and Shaping the Future of New York. These must be taken in sequence, one during each semester of the first two years. Over the course of their four-year program, University Scholars will select a minimum of four additional honors-level courses (usually 3 credit courses) from a variety of offerings on their home campus or another CUNY campus, or a doctoral course at the CUNY Graduate Center.

University Scholars who major in a field that offers an honors option must select that option. In other fields, Scholars will write an honors thesis, submit an honors project, or participate in a senior colloquium.

University Scholars will work with their campus-based Macaulay Honors Academic Advisor and Director to create a semester-by-semester individualized course of study and to develop an overall academic plan. University Scholars are required to meet with their Honors Advisor at least once a semester and to have their course schedules approved.

With the permission of the Macaulay Honors Advisor, University Scholars may take courses on any CUNY campus that offers a baccalaureate degree and at the CUNY Graduate Center. Additional campus and faculty approvals may be required.

University Scholars who contemplate adding, changing, dropping or withdrawing from a course, or electing a non-grade option for a course must obtain written permission from their Macaulay Honors Advisor/Director. University Scholars should consult with their Macaulay Honors Advisor/Director as early as possible as there may be financial or other consequences for these actions.

Except in exceptional circumstances, University Scholars are required to start their course of study with their class and to graduate with their class in four years.