Program Website
Program Description
XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement offers a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. It is a program designed for students whose research interests lie at the intersection of academic disciplines, creative practice, and social action. Our curriculum consists of small seminars on a range of topics including: social and environmental justice, media studies, literary theory, art and activism, gender and sexuality studies, creative writing, cultural anthropology, and international human rights. In addition to XE seminars, half of an XE student’s courses can be taken in programs and departments across New York University. For their culminating master’s projects, XE students can produce academic research papers or creative projects such as novels, films, digital projects, or curatorial proposals, all while refining their academic research and writing skills. XE is excellent preparation for doctoral training as well as a range of creative, academic, and professional careers.
XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement offers a range of small seminars that span a wide range of subjects: gender and sexuality studies, science studies, theories of the everyday, ethnography, literary theory, and interdisciplinary histories of photography, art, and print culture. In addition to XE seminars, half of an XE student’s courses can be taken in programs and departments across New York University.
Admissions
All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the general application requirements, which include:
See XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.
Program Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| CEH-GA 3015 | Interdisciplinarity 1 | 3 |
| CEH-GA 3005 | XE Master's Project 2 | 1 |
| 12 |
| 16 |
| Total Credits | 32 |
Additional Program Requirements
Master's Project
An XE student’s Master’s Project should represent their strongest scholarly, critical, and/or creative effort, serving as the culmination of the degree. Working closely with an NYU faculty member, students will produce a substantial academic research paper or creative project with an accompanying scholarly introduction on an approved topic in a field of their choosing. Formats can range from traditional scholarly papers (8,500-10,000 words long) to innovative creative projects (accompanied by a 2,500-word scholarly introduction), including works of fiction, photography, performance, film and digital media, as well as curatorial, community-based, and pedagogical projects. Students will have an opportunity to present their research at the annual XE Symposium.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have:
- Crafted a curriculum from the breadth of courses in XE and across NYU to inform their area/s of inquiry that reflect a grasp of the debates and critical concepts in their field/s of study.
- Honed writing and research skills that effectively communicate their scholarly and/or creative ideas within their chosen interdisciplinary course of study.
- Developed a set of interdisciplinary theoretical and analytic tools from which they identify intellectual, scholarly, and creative lines of inquiry, which can include a range of academic, artistic, socially-engaged, and/or public-facing methods.
- Identified and produced an original master’s project that draws on and intervenes in relevant fields of study, and developed a format that reflects the scholarly and/or creative field/s of their choosing.
Policies
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
Graduate School of Arts and Science Policies
Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page.