CUNY Graduate Center

A PUBLIC GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE CENTER OF NYC

The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, a leader in public graduate education, is committed to doctoral and master’s education for the public good.  
 
Innovative research, rigorous scholarship, and collaborative and interdisciplinary learning define graduate education here and prepare students with creative, problem-solving expertise to thrive in and beyond the academy.

OUR MISSION

The Graduate Center is located in the heart of Manhattan and set within the large and multi-campus City University of New York. It 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 School prepares students to be scholars, teachers, experts, and leaders in the academy, the arts and in the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. Committed to CUNY‘s historic mission of educating the children of the whole people, we work to provide access to graduate education for diverse groups of highly-talented students, including those who have been underrepresented in higher education.

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.

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 Graduate Center 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.

REMARKABLE STUDENTS

By virtue of 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.

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 Graduate Center influences public policy and discourse and shapes innovation.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

The Graduate Center is enriched by our home in the center of Manhattan and as part of the multi-campus City University of New York, the nation’s largest urban university system. Our public programs engage New Yorkers in our most timely and compelling conversations. And, each year, our doctoral students gain unparalleled experience teaching and sharing their research with hundreds of thousands of undergraduates throughout the CUNY system, advancing our public mission.

365 FIFTH AVENUE

The Graduate Center provides an administrative home for five CUNY schools and one program. We are located in the former B. Altman building at 365 Fifth Avenue, between 34th and 35th streets, a landmark structure redesigned to meet the specific needs of a 21st- century institution of advanced learning and to provide public spaces for cultural and conference purposes.