Program Overview

Urban Studies and Anthropology (BA)

The joint major in Urban Studies and Anthropology introduces students to different approaches to the study of cities, metropolitan areas, and human societies and cultures and provides an overview of the diversity of social scientific and humanistic theories that inform much research on the city, human settlements, and societies.

Program Description

Urban studies is an established and interdisciplinary area of inquiry—focusing on cities and their regions, urban social life, cultures, the built and natural environment, economics, politics, and policy—that is strengthened when students are strongly grounded in a traditional academic discipline. Anthropology, meanwhile, is the study of human societies and cultures, including their built environments, and a rich vein of anthropological thought has engaged the city, its institutions, and everyday urban livelihoods. Its central method of inquiry, ethnography, is also regularly deployed within urban studies as an important means of accessing urban worlds. Archeology, a pillar of anthropology, also allows us to understand past urban histories and societies.

Taxonomy Codes

• NYSED: 43980
• HEGIS: 2214.00
• CIP: 45.1201

Program Requirements

The joint major requires twelve courses (48 credits) completed with a grade of C or better (courses graded Pass/Fail do not count). It comprises six courses in urban studies (24 credits) and six in anthropology (24 credits) as outlined below. All major electives must be chosen from a list of approved courses and/or in consultation with a major adviser.

Course List

• General Education Requirements
  • First-Year Seminar
  • EXPOS-UA 1: Writing as Inquiry
  • Foreign Language 1
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Physical Science
  • Texts and Ideas
  • Cultures and Contexts
  • Expressive Culture
• Major Requirements
  • Urban Studies Requirements
    • URBS-UA 101: Social and Cultural Analysis 101
    • URBS-UA 102: The City
    • URBS-UA 201: Geographic Information Systems
    • URBS-UA 301: Urban Lab
    • Urban Studies Major Electives: Select two designated urban studies electives
  • Anthropology Requirements
    • ANTH-UA 1: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
    • ANTH-UA 2: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
    • ANTH-UA 3: Introduction to Archaeology
    • ANTH-UA 4: Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
    • Anthropology Major Electives: Select two designated anthropology electives

Sample Plan of Study

The sample plan of study outlines the courses to be taken over eight semesters, including general education requirements, major requirements, and electives.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of program requirements, students are expected to have acquired:

1. Broad knowledge of the development over time of cities, metropolitan areas, human settlements, and cultures.
2. Familiarity with the diversity of social scientific and humanistic theories that inform urban ethnographic research.
3. An understanding of the relationship of urban life to human cultures, race and gender, kinship, and social reproduction—all topics central to both anthropology and the study of the city.
4. The ability to conduct research on urban topics using anthropological theory and research methods, such as urban ethnography and urban archaeology.

Policies

Program Policies

• Double Counting of Courses: Majors may share (double count) two courses with a second major (or a minor) with permission from the other department/program.
• Restrictions on Declaring Other Majors and Minors: Students majoring in Urban Studies and Anthropology cannot declare a second major and/or a minor in certain fields.
• Advanced Standing Credit by Examination: Credits from Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and any other similar examinations cannot count toward the requirements of this major.
• Transfer Students: In accordance with College of Arts and Science policy, transfer students must complete at least one-half of this major while in residence at New York University.

College of Arts and Science Policies

A full list of relevant academic policies can be found on the CAS Academic Policies page.

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.