DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM: Associate Professor Brenner

The Program in Metropolitan Studies, which is administered by the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, is an undergraduate, interdisciplinary program for the study of cities, urban issues, and urban culture. Using New York City as their laboratory, students work to understand the relationship between people and the built environment. In their course work, students develop a critical understanding of how metropolitan areas evolve while examining those areas’ core problems.

The program exploits one of NYU’s major assets—its New York City location—in a variety of ways. Students learn through assignments involving independent fieldwork, observation, and analysis in both Manhattan and the greater metropolitan area. All majors participate in an internship program enabling them to work in state agencies while participating in a seminar linking their practical experience with theoretical and historical issues. There is an honors program for qualified students culminating in an extended senior thesis.

The program draws on faculty active in the city’s government, community, and non-profit agencies. The major provides particularly valuable preparation for students interested in law, health, teaching, journalism, social work, architecture, city and regional planning, public policy, public administration, nonprofit administration, and community organization.

An accelerated B.A./M.P.A. arrangement exists with NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. For more information, see Preprofessional, Accelerated, and Specialized Programs.

Faculty

Professors:
A. Ross, Molotch, Walkowitz

Associate Professor:
Brenner

Assistant Professor:
Zaloom

Assistant Professor/Faculty Fellow:
Rademacher

Adjunct Faculty:
Brettschneider, Haff, Lasdon, MacBride, Silberblatt

Affiliated Faculty:
Bender, Broderick, Cohen, Conley, Davila, Green, Horowitz, Klinenberg, Moss, Nagle, Otter, Poitevin, Ross, Siu, Tchen, Townsend, Zhang