CUNY Graduate Center, Fifth Avenue at 34th Street

What do we mean when we say “public good”? We mean that the research and teaching of Graduate Center faculty and students center on making meaningful contributions beyond the walls of academia. Our location in the heart of New York City provides students with countless opportunities to participate in one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in the world.

Innovative research, rigorous scholarship, and collaborative and interdisciplinary learning define graduate education here, preparing students with the creative, problem-solving expertise necessary to thrive in and beyond the academic experience.

Located in the heart of Manhattan and set within the large and multi-campus City University of New York, the Graduate Center fosters advanced graduate education, original research and scholarship, innovative University-wide programs, and vibrant public events that draw upon and contribute to the complex communities of New York City and beyond.

Through a broad range of nationally prominent doctoral programs, the Graduate Center prepares students to be scholars, teachers, experts, and leaders in the academy; in the arts; and in the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. Committed to CUNY’s historic mission of educating the children of “the whole people,” the Graduate Center provides access to graduate education for diverse groups of highly talented students, including those who have been underrepresented in higher education.

MISSION, VISION, AND HISTORY

OUR DEFINING PILLARS
POWERFUL EDUCATION
The Graduate Center has been a trailblazer in graduate education since its founding in 1961. With highly ranked programs across our disciplines, learning here is immersive and agile. Our doctoral and master’s programs inspire students to follow their passions with a deep sense of purpose. Students collaborate with faculty experts to build the knowledge needed to solve critical challenges, advance the public good, and launch meaningful careers in every field imaginable.

OUR PROGRAMS
Students at the GC Library
RENOWNED FACULTY
The Graduate Center is renowned for our faculty — recipients of the Nobel Prize, Guggenheims, Pulitzers, and other accolades. They are groundbreaking scholars, top researchers in their fields, and bestselling authors. A unique consortium, we are home to a core faculty of approximately 140 teachers and mentors, virtually all senior scholars. The GC also draws on approximately 2,200 faculty members from across the CUNY colleges, as well as from cultural, academic, and scientific institutions throughout New York City and beyond.

OUR FACULTY
GC faculty speaking at event
REMARKABLE STUDENTS
Due to our competitively funded doctoral programs, our emphasis on research, and wide-ranging professional training, the Graduate Center is made up of a highly ambitious and diverse student body. About 85 percent of our more than 3,500 students are enrolled in doctoral programs, and a growing number of our students pursue degrees in master’s programs, many in unique, cutting-edge disciplines.

STUDENT NEWS
Students at orientation
RESEARCH FOR A BETTER WORLD
Research and the creation of theoretical and applied knowledge stand at the heart of the Graduate Center. Research by our faculty and students has garnered millions of dollars in grants as it advances the public good. Through our Advanced Science Research Center and over 30 research centers and institutes, the GC influences public policy and discourse and shapes innovation.

Degree