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Current Curriculum

The new curriculum is mandatory for majors who will graduate in 2028.  Majors graduating in 2027 may choose either the current or new curriculum.

The 14 required courses for a major in Urban Studies, divided into 7 categories; U, A, B, C, D, E and F, are as follows:

U  (1 course)

Introduction to Urban Studies (UN1515) 

A (3 courses)

Social Sciences (with a substantial urban focus).  For students who declare the major after Fall 2018, one A course must be History.

Each course should be chosen from the following disciplines: Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, Public Health, Sociology, or Urban Studies and be focused on urban issues. The three courses must be selected from three separate disciplines and they must appear on the Urban Studies approved list to fulfill the 'A' requirement for the major (if a course does not appear on the list that you believe should, please contact the Associate Director). Each course should also be taken with a different professor (i.e. you may not use two courses with the same professor to fulfill two of your A requirements).  We recommend that you complete at least two of your three ‘A’ courses before taking the Junior Seminar, but this is not a hard requirement.

Barnard College students can double-count one of their ‘A’ courses toward their specialization.

Columbia University and General Studies students cannot double-count.

B (1 course)

Humanities (with a substantial urban focus)

One course from a discipline not listed under Requirement ‘A’ (such as Africana Studies, Art History, Dance, Education, English, Religion, etc.) dealing primarily with urban subject matter.

  • The course must appear on the Urban Studies approved list to fulfill the 'B' requirement for the major.
  • You can complete this requirement at any point in your undergraduate career.

Barnard College students can double-count a 'B' course toward their specialization. 

Columbia University and General Studies students cannot double-count.

C (1 course)

Methods of analysis

One methods course, such as URBS UN2200 — Intro to GIS: Methods (other GIS by petition)

Many other departments offer quantitative analysis courses that fulfill Requirement C, including:

  • Economics
  • Environment and Sustainability
  • Political Science
  • Sociology

Barnard College students can double-count their 'C' course toward their specialization (Requirement D). 

Columbia University and General Studies students cannot double-count.

D (5 courses)

Specialization

All Urban Studies majors choose a particular disciplinary approach as their academic concentration.  Please see course requirements by area of specialization for Barnard College students here.

The requirements for Columbia College, General Studies, and Barnard students vary somewhat.  Barnard College students can double-count one ‘A,’ ‘B,’ or ‘C’ course toward this requirement (only one of five), with the approval of the Director.  Columbia University and General Studies students cannot double-count.

You must take at least five courses from one of the following departments, and you must fulfill the department requirements as outlined below.

  • Africana Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Architecture
  • Economics
  • Education
  • English
  • Environment and Sustainability
  • History
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Religion
  • Sociology

Your selection of courses must be approved by your adviser.  If you wish to specialize in a different department, consult with the Urban Studies Director, Prof. Aaron Passell.

E (1 course)

Junior Seminar

URBS UN3545 — We recommend that you complete at least two of your three ‘A’ courses before taking the Junior Seminar, but this is not a hard requirement.

F (full-year course equal to 2 courses)

Senior Research Seminar + Thesis 

URBS UN3992 (Fall) and URBS UN3993 (Spring) — An original senior thesis written in conjunction with a two-semester research seminar on a topic of your choice.  

Students who, for some reason, will not be able to complete the Fall-Spring Senior Seminar sequence should consult with the Associate Director about alternatives.

REQUIREMENTS FOR COLUMBIA STUDENTS

Columbia College students please see requirements on the Columbia University website.

  • Your selection of courses must be approved by the Columbia University Adviser, Prof. Amy Chazkel.

General Studies students please see requirements on the General Studies website.

  • Your selection of courses must be approved by the General Studies Advisor/Urban Studies Director, Prof. Aaron Passell.

Urban Studies Major Requirement D - Specialization

Course requirements by area of specialization for Barnard students:

Africana Studies

  1. One (1) of the Africana Studies introductory courses, either AFRS BC2004 — Introduction to African Studies, AFRS BC2005 — Caribbean Cultures and Societies, or AFRS BC2006 — Introduction to the African Diaspora

  2. One (1) course on Harlem, e.g. AFRS BC3528 — The Political Economy of Harlem, ENGL BC3196 — Home to Harlem: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance, AFRS BC3550 — Gay Harlem

  3. One (1) Africana Studies colloquium (AFRS BC3110 — Critical Race Theory, Diasporas of the Indian Ocean, and The New Black)

  4. Any two (2) other Africana Studies courses

Anthropology

1.  ANTH UN1002               The Interpretation of Culture

2.  Select one of the following introductory courses:    

  • ANTH UN1007          The Origins of Human Society
  • ANTH UN1008          The Rise of Civilization
  • ANTH UN1009          Introduction to Language and Culture
  • EEEB UN1010            Human Origins and Evolution   

3. Select three other Anthropology courses, two of which must be 3000-level.  See course listings here.

Architecture

  1. One introductory studio course (either UN1020, UN2101, UN3101 or UN3103)
  2. Any three history and theory courses
  3. One additional architecture course, either a studio or history/theory.

Dance

1. Three required courses:

  1. Dance in New York City (DNCE BC2570)

  2. Western Theatrical Dance from the Renaissance to the 1960s (DNCE BC3001)

  3. World Dance History (DNCE BC2565)

2.Two of the following courses: 

  • Performing the Political: Embodying Change in American Performance (DNCE BC3577)

  • Tap as an American Art Form (DNCE BC2580)

  • Choreography for the American Musical (DNCE BC2575)

  • George Balanchine and the Reinvention of Modern Ballet (DNCE BC3575)

  • Traditions of African-American Dance (DNCE BC3578)

  • Inventing the Contemporary: Dance Since the 1960s (DNCE BC3574)

  • Composition: Site Specific and Experimental Methods (DNCE BC3566)

Economics

  1. BC1002 Intro to Microeconomics or BC1003 Intro to Economic Reasoning or UN1155 Principles of Economics
  2. BC3035 or UN3211 Intermediate Microeconomics
  3. UN4228 Urban Economics
  4. Two of the following electives:
  • ECON BC3019 or UN4400 Labor Economics
  • ECON BC3011 Inequality and Poverty
  • ECON BC3012 Economics of Education
  • ECON BC3029 or UN4321 Development Economics
  • ECON W4438 Economics of Race in the U.S.
  • ECON W4465 Public Economics

Education

1. EDUC BC1510 Educational Foundations

2. URBS UN3310 Race, Space & Urban Schools

3. Three courses from the list below:

  • EDUC BC3030 Critical Pedagogies
  • EDUC BC3051 Seminar in Urban Education
  • EDUC BC3032 Contemporary Issues in Education
  • EDUC BC3040 Migration, Globalization, and Education
  • EDUC BC3045 Complicating Class: Education and the Limits of Equity
  • EDUC BC3250 Education in a Polarized and Unequal Society
  • ECON BC3012 Economics of Education
  • EDUC BC3044 Education and Social Change in Comparative Global Contexts
  • SOCI UN3225 Sociology of Education
  • SOCI UN3974 Sociology of Schools
  • EDUC BC3055 section 001 ARTS AND HUMANITIES IN THE CITY: CRITICAL
  • EDUC BC3034 section 001 FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND SCHOOLS

English

A minimum of five English courses, three of which must be qualifying Barnard or Columbia courses:

  1. One from either Chaucer (ENGL BC3154 or 3155), Shakespeare (ENTH BC3136, ENGL BC3163 or 3164), or Milton (ENGL BC3167.)
  2. Two additional courses in literature before 1900, including ENTH BC3137, certain seminar courses from ENGL BC3129 through ENGL BC3137 if the seminar topic is historically appropriate (please check with the English Department), ENGL BC3141, and ENGL BC3154 – 3180. (For more details, visit the English department's Substitutions page.)
  3. Two electives from ENGL BC3103 – 3810 (excluding 3191.) 

Environment and Sustainability

Five EESC, SDEV or EEEB courses, including as least 3 classes at the 3000 level or above.  Consult the Environmental Science Department with questions about additional course selections.

History

Four courses in an area of concentration (for example American History or European History) and one course outside of the area of concentration. At least one of these three courses must be a seminar.

Political Science

Any five Political Science courses.

Psychology

Five courses in Psychology (at least three credits each) plus a 1.5 credit laboratory section.

  1. PSYC BC1001 Introduction to Psychology
  2. PSYC BC1101 Statistics (lecture and recitation, 4 points)
  3. One PSYC lecture course chosen from Groups 1 or 2 listed for the major (3 points)
  4. One PSYC laboratory course (1.5 credits).
  5. One PSYC lecture or seminar course of your choice (3 or 4 points) listed for the major.

Substitutions can be made with permission of the Psychology Department chair.

Public Health

Any five of the following courses:

  • AFRS GU432 Pandemics of Harlem
  • HIST W3437 Poisoned Worlds: Corporate Behavior and Public Health
  • MESAS UN304 Pandemics: A Global History
  • HRTB BC3850 Human Rights and Public Health
  • PUBH UN2950 Social History of American Public Health
  • PUBH UN3100 Fundamentals of Global Health
  • PUBH W3200 Introduction to Public Health
  • PUBH P6020 Foundations of Public Health

Religion

Any five Religion courses.

Sociology

  1. SOCI BC1000 The Social World
  2. Any four 3000-level courses

REQUIREMENTS FOR COLUMBIA STUDENTS

Columbia College students please see requirements on the Columbia University website.

  • Your selection of courses must be approved by the Columbia University Advisor Professor Amy Chazkel.

General Studies students please see requirements on the General Studies website.

  • Your selection of courses must be approved by the General Studies Advisor/Urban Studies Associate Director, Prof. Aaron Passell (apassell@barnard.edu)

Step 1. Complete the Major Declaration Form for your school.

Step 2. Please consult with Associate Director of Urban Studies, Prof. Aaron Passell apassell@barnard.edu, for your Urban Studies advisor assignment.  Professor Passell will consider requests for particular advisors, if you have one.

Step 3. Please fill out the Urban Studies Program Major Declaration form.

Step 4. Download the Program Planner and make an appointment to meet with your adivisor.