NYU, or New York University, is one of the top private research universities in the world — and one of them most innovative, bringing together the sciences, the arts, and the humanities at the highest level. It is deeply respected for offering leading programs across nearly every field. Basically, NYU is a big deal. It is also the largest private research university in the country, with more than 65,000 students across 20 schools and colleges. Plus, it’s in the heart of one of the best cities in the world for young professionals who are hungry for success. In addition, there are campuses (not just programs) in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, which augment the New York City offerings while also hosting many cutting-edge programs that are exclusive to those campuses. Add another 12 global academic centers across the globe, and you’ve got one of the best networked universities anywhere.
All these opportunities and resources don’t come easy. The 2023 acceptance rate was 8%, which continued a steep decline in the acceptance rate over the past decade. In this post, we spotlight the top five majors at New York University and share why they are such exceptional options for top students who want to succeed at a high level in college and beyond.
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What do we mean by best major?
First, let’s clarify what we mean by ‘best’ major. NYU offers a ton of majors — over 270 areas of study in total — and all of them are amazing, but there are some programs that stand above the rest for the innovation, uniqueness, resources, and depth of program that they offer. Most major universities offer a public health degree, for example, but NYU does things differently enough that theirs is truly one-of-a-kind (see below for more on that). We also look at what resources are available to students in a program after graduation. Excelling on campus is great, but what happens after is really what will define the next stage of your life.
We also focused these majors on programs that are available at the New York City campus of NYU. There are many amazing majors and minors that are only available on the NYU Abu Dhabi or Shanghai campuses that you should definitely explore, but this post is focused on NYC.
Let’s dive in!
Collaborative Arts
Art is “a way of life” at NYU. Through NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, the Collaborative Arts major is a Bachelor of Fine Arts program that brings together forms of expression and artistry, along with the business of art, into one program. The program was “founded on the tenet that an aptitude in more than one discipline combined with an openness toward play and experimentation will best prepare the artist of the future,” and it is one of the only majors like this in the country. Students pursue courses in the Institute of Performing Arts, the Emerging Media division, and the Kanbar Center for Film & Television. You are encouraged to excel in your areas of interest, and yet required to explore outside of your comfort zone. In the program, you would study the business of art in conjunction with the expression of art, and they want students who are thinking big about their future in the art world.
Media, Culture, and Communication
The Bachelor of Science in Media, Culture, and Communication is available through the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development as well as the NYU Abu Dhabi campus — and is one of the only majors of its kind at a top university. The degree is grounded in the liberal arts tradition, using that as a foundation for understanding “the sociological, political, and cultural dimensions of our media landscape.” Courses like “History of Media and Communication” and “Visual Culture and Sound Studies” provide depth and breadth, while professional electives are focused on facets of social impact, public relations, marketing. There are also numerous opportunities for internships, empowering students to begin building their careers before they’ve even walked across the stage at graduation.
Global Public Health
The School of Global Public Health at NYU is a pretty awesome place. Not only do they offer an astonishing education, but they are also actively working to improve the world. The college “crosses disciplinary boundaries to address the world’s most pressing health problems.” Students can pursue the Global Public Health major with focuses in either anthropology, history, or sociology, which are offered as joint programs between the School of Global Public Health and the College of Arts and Science. Across the major, the courses bring together past and present, offering students what they need to change the world in the future. The program offers an amazing foundation for students who are considering a future in medicine and who care about global issues, while also wanting a liberal arts foundation that keeps their options open.
Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship
The Stern School of Business offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, which we are more than a little obsessed with. This is a business degree, but with focus. A focus on technology and entrepreneurship, to be specific, which is an astonishing field to pursue in New York City where so many start-ups and technology companies are based. The program is great for students who want to start companies, but also for those who want to work with an entrepreneurial mindset within a bigger organization. Students take courses in social impact in addition to business, entrepreneurship, and tech, and are required to complete a Global Experience requirement that can be filled through a semester away, a short-term immersion course, or another NYU exchange program. Students in the major are required to take classes outside of Stern, so you aren’t pigeon-holed into business, and you can even take a second major in the College of Arts and Sciences if you have the support of your adviser.
Communicative Science and Disorders
The major in Communicative Science and Disorders through the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development teaches students to assess and treat speech, voice, language, and related disorders. Graduates in the program go on to a wide swath of careers across speech-language therapy, medicine, education, psychology, engineering, and more. The program is bolstered by a leading speech-language-hearing disorders clinic that provides services to the public, offering undergraduate students the opportunity to shadow and observe in the field. If you want to take your education global, study abroad is available through 13 global sites. One of the most popular is the “Contemporary Issues in Health Services in the United Kingdom: An Experiential Approach” program offered each fall on the NYU London campus.
NYU has nearly 300 amazing programs, but these five majors are amazing entry-points that span colleges and career paths on the New York City campus. We encourage students to explore each — and then dig deeper to find your perfect fit.
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