Individualized Study (MA)

Program Description

Gallatin’s Master of Arts program offers each student an opportunity to explore their unique interests. Working closely with a faculty adviser, the student creates an individualized, interdisciplinary program shaped according to their own vision. With diverse goals, Gallatin students are often intellectual and professional pioneers, mapping new relationships among fields of knowledge. Students are encouraged to draw on the educational resources of NYU’s graduate and professional schools and of New York City.

Admissions

Please consult the Admissions section of this bulletin for information on the requirements and process for admissions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

The graduate program requires the completion of 40 credits, comprised of the courses below. See Policies for additional program information and program-specific policies.

Course List
Course	Title	Credits
Graduate Core Requirements
CORE-GG 20XX	Proseminar ¹	4
Additional Gallatin Graduate course		4
CORE-GG 2401	Thesis Proposal seminar ²	2
CORE-GG 2402	Master's Thesis I	2
CORE-GG 2403	Master's Thesis II	2
Electives
Other Elective Credits		26
Non-Course Requirements
Thesis Proposal
Master's Thesis
Total Credits		40

¹: Offered fall only; must be completed before earning 12 credits.
²: Offered spring only; must be completed after earning at least 12 credits and before earning 24 credits.

Additional Program Requirements

Master's Thesis Proposal

Each graduate student in the Gallatin School completes a proposal for the Master's Thesis that describes the central elements of the thesis work. Those elements vary depending on the type of thesis (research, artistic, or project) that the student plans to write. For more information, please refer to the Gallatin Thesis Proposal website.

Master’s Thesis

Each graduate student in the Gallatin School completes a final thesis as the culmination of their work toward a Master of Arts degree. The thesis may take one of three forms: a research thesis, an artistic thesis, or a project thesis. In each case, the thesis represents a synthesis of the student’s accumulated knowledge and skill and an opportunity to display the ideas, practices and skills learned through the program. While the master’s thesis, unlike a doctoral dissertation, does not have to create new knowledge or break new ground, it does display the student’s ability to go beyond the mere collection of information into synthesis, analysis, judgment and interpretation. Moreover, it should demonstrate the student’s familiarity with a substantial body of thought and literature and illustrate mastery of some self-chosen field of study. For more information, please refer to the Gallatin Master's Thesis website.

Sample Plan of Study

Below is one of many possible configurations for a plan of study for the Gallatin MA degree. Students may opt to take more or fewer credits throughout the semesters, but should be aware that 12 credits is considered full-time by the Gallatin MA Program.

Courses listed below as "Elective" must be graduate-level courses. Students may choose from Gallatin Graduate Elective courses, Gallatin individualized project courses, or courses offered by other NYU graduate programs.

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester/Term		Credits
Proseminar		4
Elective Course		4
Elective Course		4
	Credits	12
2nd Semester/Term
CORE-GG 2401	Thesis Proposal seminar	2
Additional Gallatin Graduate Course ¹		4
Elective Course		3
Elective Course		3
	Credits	12
3rd Semester/Term
CORE-GG 2402	Master's Thesis I	2
Elective Course		4
Elective Course		4
Elective Course		2
	Credits	12
4th Semester/Term
CORE-GG 2403	Master's Thesis II	2
Elective Course		2
Thesis Defense		0
	Credits	4
	Total Credits	40

¹: Or Independent Study, Tutorial, or additional Proseminar.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

Create an individualized and integrated program of study drawing on theories, methods and practices from a variety of disciplines, schools of thought and professions.
Demonstrate familiarity with a substantial body of thought, academic and professional literatures, and related practices germane to their individually constructed programs.
Perform effectively the higher forms of cognitive and intellectual operations: not merely to know and understand facts, ideas, theories, and texts, but also to analyze, synthesize, render judgments (including, where appropriate, ethical and/or aesthetic judgments), and interpret them; to identify significant questions in their areas of concentration and to explore, investigate and respond to them in rigorous, imaginative and productive ways; for artists and practitioners, to approach their work with an understanding of the theoretical and scholarly tools that can inform it (following the artist/scholar or practitioner/scholar model).
Utilize effectively the technical skills and tools required for locating and employing appropriate informational, organizational and material resources for their work; to implement effectively the methods of research and practice demanded by their self-designed fields.
Present their ideas and practices effectively in oral, written, and, if appropriate, visual and virtual communication.
Produce a culminating work (viz., a research, artistic, or project thesis) that integrates and reflects a substantial portion of the ideas, practices and skills acquired through their individualized programs; in one of several forms of the thesis, students will demonstrate:

Policies

Program Policies

Information about Program Requirements

Degree requirements in the Gallatin School are subject to change. Students are required to complete the degree requirements in effect during the first semester in which they matriculate at Gallatin. Students who are readmitted must fulfill the degree requirements that are in effect when they are readmitted, unless their offer of readmission states otherwise.

Each graduate student works closely with a faculty adviser to design a curriculum that integrates course work throughout the University with the Gallatin graduate core courses and individualized project options.

The MA program begins with the proseminar, a graduate core course that is taken in the first or second semester of enrollment (must be taken before completing 12 credits). The majority of the curriculum will then consist of course work taken at the various NYU graduate schools and can also include options such as Gallatin elective courses, independent study, tutorials, internships, and private lessons.

The graduate program culminates with the MA thesis. Students begin the thesis process by writing the thesis proposal in the Thesis Proposal Seminar, which must be successfully fulfilled before completing 24 credits. Students then continue working on the thesis in Master's Thesis I and Master's Thesis II, which are independent studies overseen by the adviser.

Total Required Credits

To be eligible for the Master of Arts degree, students must complete 40 credits within six years of matriculating in Gallatin. While students are generally not permitted to exceed the required number of credits for the degree, if there are unusual circumstances requiring additional course work in excess of 40 credits, the student may petition the MA Program Committee to take the extra credits. Degree requirements may be completed in no fewer than three semesters.

Time Limit

Graduate students must complete all degree requirements within a period of six academic years from the first semester of matriculation in the Gallatin MA Program, inclusive of any leaves of absence.

Degree requirements may be completed in no fewer than three semesters.

Students who are readmitted after an extended absence from NYU will have their records evaluated upon readmission to determine the remaining time permitted to complete the degree.

Graduate-Level Courses

Graduate students will not receive credit toward the master’s degree for undergraduate courses. Courses that contain -G* in the subject area (e.g. CORE-GG, COLIT-GA, MCC-GE, etc.) are graduate-level courses. Courses with a -U* in the subject code are undergraduate courses (e.g., JOUR-UA, IDSEM-UG, MCC-UE, etc.).

Classroom Credit Requirement

Classroom learning is an essential component of the program, giving graduate students the opportunity for intellectual exchange with their peers. All Gallatin graduate students are required to earn a minimum of 14 credits in classroom courses. The Graduate Core courses do not count towards the classroom credit requirement as they form a separate requirement. Transfer credit generally counts toward this requirement. Individualized projects (independent studies, tutorials, internships and private lessons) do not count toward this requirement.

Transfer Credit Limit

Students may apply to transfer up to 12 credits of graduate-level coursework taken prior to admission to Gallatin, provided the courses do not already count toward a prior degree. A single course cannot count toward two separate degrees.

Individualized Projects Credit Limit

At Gallatin, students have the option to pursue individualized projects, which are learning experiences that are not available in the traditional classroom. The types of individualized projects include independent studies, tutorials, internships and private lessons. A maximum of 12 credits may be earned in individualized projects. Master’s Thesis I and Master’s Thesis II, which are required independent studies, are not counted toward these 12 credits. If a student chooses to complete the Additional Gallatin Graduate Course requirement through independent study, these credits will count toward the 12-credit maximum for individualized projects.

Students are permitted to earn a maximum of 6 credits in private lessons. Included in this total will be credits earned from Gallatin Private Lessons (INDIV-GG 2701) as well as credits earned from Steinhardt courses noted as “individual instruction in the performing arts” (e.g., Vocal Training (Private Lessons), Stringed Instruments (Private Lessons), etc.).

Residency Requirements

A minimum of 28 credits must be earned at NYU while the student is enrolled in the Gallatin School.

Thesis Advisement

Students who do not complete the thesis and defend it successfully during the semester in which they register for Master’s Thesis II are required to register for Thesis Advisement each fall and spring until the thesis has been completed and defended. Students who plan to graduate in September must also register for Thesis Advisement during the summer prior to their graduation. credits earned through Thesis Advisement are not included in the 40-unit requirement for the master’s degree.

Gallatin Core Courses

All Gallatin graduate students are required to complete 14 credits in the five Gallatin Core courses:

Proseminar

Each fall semester, Gallatin offers three Proseminars that focus on theory and methods in the arts, the humanities or the social sciences. The Proseminar introduces students to key concepts and thinkers and emphasizes the reading of classic and contemporary works of theory in the arts, humanities, or the social sciences. Students should choose the Proseminar that aligns most closely with their proposed concentration for the program, keeping in mind that they have the option to take an additional Proseminar (if space allows) to fulfill the additional Gallatin graduate course requirement.

This course performs a number of functions:

It introduces students to the nature of individualized and interdisciplinary studies by engaging them in work on a broad theme or problem. Students learn how different kinds of scholars approach a common problem: how they ask questions, gather relevant information, conduct analysis and reach conclusions.
The Proseminar helps students think through their own programs of study by broadening their conception of the knowledge and skills they will need to pursue their plans and by encouraging them to clarify their own educational goals.
Finally, the Proseminar engages students in some of the academic processes—research, analytic thinking, scholarly communication—that they will need throughout their graduate studies.

The specific course descriptions may vary from semester to semester, but each class will raise issues of approach and method that every student needs to consider. The aim of the Proseminar is to broaden the student’s interdisciplinary inquiry and to suggest ways that the University’s resources can be used to attain the student’s goals.

Offered in the fall semester. This course is graded with letter grades (A-F). Students are required to complete the Proseminar before earning 12 credits. Students who have not completed the Proseminar within the first 12 credits may be prevented from registering for future courses.

Additional Gallatin Graduate Course

In addition to the Proseminar and Gallatin thesis courses (Thesis Proposal Seminar, Master’s Thesis I, and Master’s Thesis II), students must take another four credits in graduate courses offered by Gallatin.

This requirement serves several functions: to engage students more fully with the Gallatin community; to give them an opportunity to encounter and integrate wide-ranging theoretical, historical, and methodological insights; and to strengthen their academic and interdisciplinary skills. Students have considerable leeway in choosing how to satisfy this requirement, thus manifesting the individualized character of the program.

Students fulfill this requirement by completing one of the following courses:

a Gallatin graduate elective course (ELEC-GG);
a Gallatin independent study (INDIV-GG 2901 Independent Study) or tutorial (INDIV-GG 2925 Tutorial:) (internships and private lessons will not fulfill this requirement);
a graduate-level class offered by a Gallatin instructor at, or in conjunction with, another NYU department or program.
a second Gallatin Proseminar (CORE-GG 20XX) - if enrollment allows. With the permission of the MA Program a student may be able to complete a second Gallatin Proseminar. Students should contact gallatin.ma@nyu.edu to obtain permission.

Thesis Proposal Seminar

Each spring semester. Gallatin offers three sections of the Thesis Proposal Seminar (TPS). This course is taken after the student has completed a Proseminar and generally during the second semester of full-time study, or after completing 12 credits and before earning 24 credits.

As the first step in the sequence leading to the thesis, the Thesis Proposal Seminar meets regularly during the semester and moves students toward the completion of an acceptable thesis proposal.

Students learn about the structure and content of the thesis proposal as they:

consider ways of integrating their work and articulating a core problem;
discuss the conventions of scholarly discourse, documentation, and argumentation; and
formulate a plan for the thesis.

Multiple sections of this course are offered every spring. This course is offered only in the spring term. The course combines classroom instruction with special events (e.g., guest lectures, library visits, human subjects research instruction). The class also takes advantage of student research affinity groups formed before and during the students’ enrollment. For more information on the proposal itself, please consult this page, which details the three kinds of thesis proposals.

To fulfill the thesis proposal requirement, students must receive a grade of "P" from their instructor and submit an adviser approved draft of the thesis proposal to the program via Thesis Proposal Submission form. After completing the Thesis Proposal Seminar in the spring term, students are required to submit the adviser-approved thesis proposal to Gallatin by May 15.

Offered only in the spring semester. This course is graded Pass/Fail. Students are required to complete the Thesis Proposal Seminar after earning at least 12 credits and before earning 24 credits. Students who have not completed the Thesis Proposal Seminar within the first 24 credits may be prevented from registering for future courses.

Master's Thesis I

This course is generally taken in the third semester of full-time study, or after completing 24 credits. The faculty adviser supervises and grades Master's Thesis I.

Prerequisite: Thesis Proposal Seminar
To register for this course please follow these registration guidelines. Students must include this course on their Plan of Study and submit an MA Thesis I Registration Form.
To pass this course, students must demonstrate significant progress toward completing the thesis.

In Master’s Thesis I, students will complete the basic research for and begin drafting the thesis. The course, which is a two unit course supervised by the student’s adviser, will entail independent work, supported by the writing resources of the MA Program.

Students enrolled in MA Thesis I:

Attend a meeting (registered students will be emailed information about place and time at the beginning of the semester) with the MA Program faculty and staff to discuss the overall goals of the course;
Immerse themselves in the relevant scholarly discourses and literatures and begin drafting the thesis and, in the case of artistic theses, developing the artwork and accompanying research essay;
Meet with their advisers, on a regular basis, to consult on the content, logic, organization and methods for the thesis;
Draw on the resources of the MA Program (e.g. individual consultations, organized peer writing groups, themed writing workshops) led by Gallatin M.A. program staff;
Have the option to present their work in progress at the Raw Forum. The MA RAW (Research and Writing) Forum gives Gallatin MA students the opportunity to share their research and ideas with students, faculty, and staff, making connections in an intellectually engaged, supportive environment.

Offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. This course is graded Pass/Fail.

Master's Thesis II

This course is generally taken in the final semester of study. The faculty adviser supervises Master's Thesis II. The Gallatin MA program submits grades for students in Master's Thesis II.

Prerequisite: Master's Thesis I
To register for this course please follow these registration guidelines. To register for this course, students must include it on their Plan of Study and submit a MA Thesis II Registration form.
To pass this class, which is supervised by the student’s adviser, the student must submit and defend the thesis.*

In the first months of the semester, the student continues to work in collaboration with the adviser to complete the thesis paper or, in the case of an artistic thesis, the artwork and accompanying research essays. All students are further expected to:

Attend one meeting at the start of the semester (registered students will be emailed information about place and time at the beginning of the semester) with MA Program faculty and staff to discuss the overall goals of the course.
Draw on the resources of the MA Program (individual consultations with writing specialists, peer writing groups, themed writing workshops) during the writing process.

As prescribed by the online thesis and defense calendar, students must receive approval for all work from their adviser far enough in advance of the defense so that the other panelists will have at least four weeks to read and inspect the submission. For more details, please see the additional information about Master's Thesis II on the Gallatin course website and refer back to the thesis and defense calendar as well your registration forms.

Offered in the fall, spring and summer. This course is graded Pass/Fail.

*Students who are not able to defend their thesis while registered for MA Thesis II will receive a grade of incomplete for the course. That grade will be changed once they successfully defend their thesis. If you need additional time to complete your thesis following MA Thesis II, you should register for Thesis Advisement.

Electives

Students complete 26 credits in elective graduate-level courses offered by Gallatin or other NYU schools, or Gallatin individualized projects. Gallatin students may take courses throughout the graduate degree-granting programs of NYU. It should be noted that some courses have prerequisites, and others may be limited to students in their respective departments. Graduate students will not receive credit for undergraduate course work.

Taking Courses Across NYU

Based on their individual needs and interests, Gallatin students take courses in graduate programs throughout the University, and are required to meet the prerequisites for any courses in other schools of the University. As long as they have met the prerequisites and the program does not limit enrollment to its own students, Gallatin students are eligible to enroll in courses in all the other graduate schools of NYU (except the School of Medicine and the College of Dentistry). Many Gallatin students take courses in several different NYU graduate schools.

Graduate students will not receive credit for undergraduate course work. Courses that contain -G* in the subject area (e.g. CORE-GG, COLIT-GA, MCC-GE, etc.) are graduate-level courses. Courses with a -U* in the subject code are undergraduate courses (e.g., JOUR-UA, IDSEM-UG, MCC-UE, etc.).

College of Global Public Health
Graduate School of Arts and Science
Leonard N. Stern School of Business
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
School of Law
School of Professional Studies
Silver School of Social Work
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Tandon School of Engineering
Tisch School of the Arts

For more information, see NYU Courses - Taking Courses Across NYU.

Additional Study Options

At Gallatin, students have the option to pursue individualized projects, which are learning experiences that are not available in the traditional classroom. The types of individualized projects include independent studies, tutorials, internships and private lessons (private lessons require approval of the MA program Faculty Co-Directors). A maximum of 12 credits may be earned in individualized projects. Master’s Thesis I and Master’s Thesis II, which are required independent studies, are not counted toward these 12 credits. If a student chooses to complete the Additional Gallatin Graduate Course requirement through independent study, these credits will count toward the 12-credit maximum for individualized projects.

About Independent Study

INDIV-GG 2925 Tutorial:

An independent study provides students with the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member on a topic or creative project for the purpose of deepening or sharpening the student’s concentration. Independent Studies are student-generated. While they may arise out of coursework, they should not duplicate courses on oﬀer to undergraduates/graduate students at NYU. At the end of the semester, all students are evaluated by the instructor and assigned a letter grade (A through F).

Before proposing an Independent Study, students and instructors should become familiar with the policies and procedures listed below. Faculty who are asked to mentor an Independent Study should also carefully review the Independent Study Instructor Guidelines below before agreeing to be a mentor.

Independent Study Policies for Graduate Students

INDIV-GG 2901 Independent Study

Student & Faculty Eligibility for a Gallatin Independent Study

The Gallatin program is designed for a careful balance between independent and classroom experience. Graduate students may therefore take a maximum of 12 credits of Individualized Projects. This includes any combination of Independent Study, Tutorial, Internship and Private Lesson credit.
Students enrolled in another NYU school are not permitted to apply for a Gallatin Independent Study.
Gallatin Independent Studies are offered for students in residence at the Washington Square campus only. Remote independent studies are not permitted.
Only instructors currently employed by NYU and located at the Washington Square campus can be the instructor for a Gallatin Independent Study.
Students are required to submit an Independent Study Proposal form by the published deadline listed for each semester.
1. For Summer and Fall: April 1
2. For Spring: November 1
3. Independent Studies are not offered in the January term.
Submission of a proposal does not guarantee approval.

Academic Requirements for an Independent Study

Independent studies are student-generated.
The independent study proposal cannot duplicate an existing class, nor may a student take a course as an independent study. If an NYU course exists that covers the content of a student's proposed independent study, the student is expected to enroll in the NYU class.
Independent studies may be taken for two, three, or four credits.
The number of credits determines the number of readings and the amount of work assigned. The work for an independent study, including readings, preparation, assignments, grading, and due dates, should be comparable to that of a Gallatin graduate-level classroom course.

Location, Grades, Deadlines

Meeting spaces for an Independent Study are identified and secured by the student and/or instructor. Please note that personal spaces (i.e., an apartment or dorm room) are not suitable. It is recommended that the instructor or student book an NYU space through Bobst Library.
Independent studies may be conducted during the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. No Gallatin Individualized Projects are allowed in the January term.
Independent Studies are graded with letter grades (A through F).

Designing an Independent Study and Completing the Proposal

INDIV-GG 2901 Independent Study

Develop a description of the study: Like the course description in a college catalog, this part of the proposal should describe the general theme and scope of the independent study, and should not exceed 250 words.
Identify an appropriate instructor: Only instructors currently employed by NYU and located at the Washington Square campus can be the instructor for a Gallatin Independent Study.
Determine the number of credits: Generally, independent studies are two, three, or four credits.
Articulate the work to be evaluated by the instructor: The work for an independent study, including readings, preparation, assignments, grading, and due dates, should be comparable to that of a Gallatin classroom course for the same credits.
1. Readings: The student must provide a reading list with authors and titles, along with the proposal, roughly equivalent to the following:
  1. 4 credits: 10-13 books
  2. 3 credits: 7-10 books
  3. 2 credits: 5-7 books
2. Written Work: The proposal should indicate the kinds of work (response papers, research essays, creative works, etc.) to be evaluated by the instructor. The scope, length, and number of assignments should be comparable to a similar classroom course, roughly equivalent to the following:
  1. 4 credits: 25-30 pages of written work
  2. 3 credits: 20-25 pages of written work
  3. 2 credits: 15-20 pages of written work
3. Independent Studies that produce creative work must also produce academic writing in the form of response papers or an essay that explains the creative work in relationship to the theories explored in the readings, roughly equivalent to the following:
  1. 4 credits: 8-10 pages of academic writing
  2. 3 credits: 6-8 pages of academic writing
  3. 2 credits: 4-6 pages of academic writing
Determine the syllabus: Instructors and students are expected to meet regularly throughout the semester. The student must provide a schedule of the meetings with the instructor, which includes the topics, the readings, and the assignments to be covered during each session.
1. The required minimum number of meetings for independent studies of various credit values are:
  1. 4 credits: 7 meetings
  2. 3 credits: 5 meetings
  3. 2 credits: 4 meetings
Prepare other elements of the proposal: Students are asked:
1. to identify classroom courses on offer in the Independent Study area, and explain why these are not sufficient for the student’s needs;
2. to explain what motivates them to undertake this Independent Study and the relevance of the Independent Study for their concentration;
3. which courses they have taken to prepare them for this Independent Study.
Secure written approvals: Both the instructor’s and adviser’s approval of the proposal is required. While the instructor may agree to supervise the student’s work, the student’s adviser determines whether it is appropriate for the student to undertake an independent study. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that approvals are received by the deadline.
Meet the proposal submission deadlines and requirements: All components of the Independent Study proposal must be submitted by the deadline to be considered. Complete proposals are reviewed by the Gallatin Faculty Committee on Individualized Studies. Submitting a proposal does not guarantee approval.
Title of the Independent Study: It should be a useful, descriptive title that reflects the unifying theme and content of the study. It should not duplicate an existing NYU course. The title is limited to 26 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

Independent Study Instructor Guidelines

Only instructors currently employed by NYU can be the instructor for a Gallatin Independent Study. All instructors must be located at the Washington Square campus.

Before agreeing to work with a student on an independent study, instructors should review the above policies and processes.

Designing an Independent Study

Independent Studies are student-generated. While you should work with the student on developing appropriate readings, assignments, and timelines, the Independent Study should connect directly to a student’s concentration and should be driven by their interests.

Grading Student Work

In the fall and spring semesters, faculty are asked to complete both midterm and final grades. For the summer semester, there is only a final grading period and the grades are due at the end of each summer session.

Confirmation and Payment

After a student submits the online Independent Study Proposal form, instructors will receive a copy of the proposal at the email address listed by the student on the form. Please verify that the information on the proposal is correct prior to emailing your approval.

Payment for the Independent Study is processed after the student has officially registered. Instructors are paid per credit for each student. An email confirming student registration and the payment amount will be sent to all instructors in the fourth week of the semester. Prior to this time, you should confirm student registration in Albert.

Please Note: Instructors should not begin working with students until the student is officially registered and appears in the instructor’s roster in Albert.

Tutorial

INDIV-GG 2925 Tutorial:

Tutorials are small groups of two to ﬁve students working closely with a faculty member on a common topic, project, or skill for the purpose of deepening or sharpening the students’ concentrations. Tutorials are student-generated. While they may arise out of coursework, they should not duplicate courses on oﬀer to graduate students at NYU. Students may collaborate on creative projects as well. The tutorial group meets in person regularly throughout the semester, and students follow a common syllabus: all participants complete the same readings, write papers on similar topics, etc. At the end of the semester all students are evaluated by the instructor and assigned a letter grade (A through F).

Tutorial Policies for Graduate Students

INDIV-GG 2925 Tutorial:

Student & Faculty Eligibility for a Gallatin Tutorial

The Gallatin program is designed for a careful balance between independent and classroom experience. Graduate students may therefore take a maximum of 12 credits of Individualized Projects. This includes any combination of Independent Study, Tutorial, Internship and Private Lesson credit.
Tutorial groups must include at least two students, but no more than a total of five students. At least two members of a Tutorial group must be Gallatin students.
Gallatin tutorials are offered for students in residence at the Washington Square campus only. Remote tutorials are not permitted. Students who will be studying at one of the NYU global locations may not enroll in any Gallatin tutorial.
Only instructors currently employed by NYU and located at the Washington Square campus can be the instructor for a Gallatin Tutorial.
Each student who wishes to participate in a tutorial is required to submit a Tutorial Proposal form by the published deadline listed for each semester.
1. For Summer and Fall: April 1
2. For Spring: November 1
3. Tutorials are not offered in the January term.
Submission of a proposal does not guarantee approval.

Academic Requirements for a Tutorial

Tutorials are student-generated.
The tutorial proposal cannot duplicate an existing class, nor may a student take a course as a tutorial. If an NYU course exists that covers the content of a proposed tutorial, the student is expected to enroll in the NYU class.
Tutorials may be taken for two, three, or four credits. All students enrolled in a tutorial must be enrolled for the same credits.
The number of credits determines the number of readings and the amount of work assigned. The work for a tutorial, including readings, preparation, assignments, grading, and due dates, should be comparable to that of a Gallatin classroom course.

Location, Grades, Deadlines

Meeting spaces for a tutorial are identified and secured by the student and/or instructor. Please note that personal spaces (i.e., an apartment or dorm room) are not suitable. It is recommended that the instructor or student book an NYU space through Bobst Library.
Tutorials may be conducted during the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. No Gallatin Individualized Projects are allowed in the January term.
Tutorials are graded with letter grades (A through F).

Designing a Tutorial and Completing the Proposal

INDIV-GG 2925 Tutorial:

Coordinate with at least one other student: Tutorial groups must include at least two students, but no more than a total of five students. At least two members of a tutorial group must Gallatin students. Please note:
1. All students enrolled in the same tutorial must register for the same number of credits and follow the same syllabus.
2. Each student should submit their own proposal, and students in the same tutorial should coordinate the submission of their proposal forms; every student who wishes to join a tutorial must submit a proposal by the deadline.
Develop a description of the study: Like the course description in a college catalog, this part of the proposal should describe the general theme and scope of the tutorial, and should not exceed 250 words.
Identify an appropriate instructor: Only instructors currently employed by NYU and located at the Washington Square campus can be the instructor for a Gallatin Tutorial.
Determine the number of credits: Generally, tutorials are two, three, or four credits.
Articulate the work to be evaluated by the instructor: The work for a tutorial, including readings, preparation, assignments, grading, and due dates, should be comparable to that of a Gallatin classroom course for the same credits.
1. Readings: The student must provide a reading list with authors and titles, along with the proposal, roughly equivalent to the following:
  1. 4 credits: 10-13 books
  2. 3 credits: 7-10 books
  3. 2 credits: 5-7 books
2. Written Work: The proposal should indicate the kinds of work (response papers, research essays, creative works, etc.) to be evaluated by the instructor. The scope, length, and number of assignments should be comparable to a similar classroom course, roughly equivalent to the following:
  1. 4 credits: 25-30 pages of written work
  2. 3 credits: 20-25 pages of written work
  3. 2 credits: 15-20 pages of written work
3. Tutorials that produce creative work must also produce academic writing in the form of response papers or an essay that explains the creative work in relationship to the theories explored in the readings, roughly equivalent to the following:
  1. 4 credits: 8-10 pages of academic writing
  2. 3 credits: 6-8 pages of academic writing
  3. 2 credits: 4-6 pages of academic writing
Determine the syllabus: Instructors and students are expected to meet regularly throughout the semester. The student must provide a schedule of the meetings with the instructor, which includes the topics, the readings, and the assignments to be covered during each session.
1. The required minimum number of meetings for tutorials of various credit values are:
  1. 4 credits: 7 meetings
  2. 3 credits: 5 meetings
  3. 2 credits: 4 meetings
Prepare other elements of the proposal: Students are asked:
1. to identify classroom courses on offer in the tutorial area, and explain why these are not sufficient for the student’s needs;
2. to explain what motivates them to undertake this tutorial and the relevance of the tutorial for their concentration;
3. which courses they have taken to prepare them for this tutorial.
Secure written approvals: Both the instructor’s and adviser’s approval of the proposal is required. While the instructor may agree to supervise the student’s work, the student’s adviser determines whether it is appropriate for the student to undertake a tutorial. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that approvals are received by the deadline.
Meet the proposal submission deadlines and requirements: All components of the Tutorial proposal must be submitted by the deadline to be considered. Complete proposals are reviewed by the Gallatin Faculty Committee on Individualized Studies. Submitting a proposal does not guarantee approval.
Title of the Tutorial: It should be a useful, descriptive title that reflects the unifying theme and content of the study. It should not duplicate an existing NYU course. The title is limited to 26 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

Tutorial Instructor Guidelines

Only instructors currently employed by NYU can be the instructor for a Gallatin Tutorial. All instructors must be located at the Washington Square campus.

Before agreeing to work with students on a tutorial, instructors should review the above policies and processes.

Designing a Tutorial: Tutorials are student-generated. While you should work with the student on developing appropriate readings, assignments, and timelines, the Tutorial should connect directly to a student’s concentration and should be driven by their interests.

Grading Student Work: In the fall and spring semesters, faculty are asked to complete both midterm progress assessments and final grades. For the summer semester, there is only a final grading period and the grades are due at the end of each summer session.

Confirmation and Payment: After a student submits the online Tutorial Proposal form, instructors will receive a copy of the proposal at the email address listed by the student on the form. Please verify that the information on the proposal is correct prior to emailing your approval.

Payment for the Tutorial is processed after the student has officially registered. Instructors are paid per credit for each student. An email confirming student registration and the payment amount will be sent to all instructors in the fourth week of the semester. Prior to this time, you should confirm student registration in Albert.

Please Note: Instructors should not begin working with students until the student is officially registered and appears in the instructor’s roster in Albert.

Internships

INDIV-GG 2801 Internship

Information about graduate internships can be found on this Bulletin page.

Private Lessons

INDIV-GG 2701 Private Lesson

Gallatin Private Lessons permit students to earn academic credit for their studies at performing or visual arts studios in the metropolitan area. By studying with professional, New York City-based artist/teachers, students are offered the opportunity to learn and perfect their craft. Private lessons are possible in a variety of areas such as voice, music, dance, acting, and the visual arts. Foreign languages are not available as private lessons. At Gallatin private lessons are arranged and paid for by the student.

Students interested in private music instruction may be able to register for a private lesson course offered by Steinhardt’s Music and Performing Arts Professions Department (MPAP). Steinhardt courses provide NYU instructors and have separate registration and academic requirements from the Gallatin Private Lessons course. Students interested in a Steinhardt private lesson should not follow the instructions on this page for Gallatin’s Private Lessons course. For more information, students should contact the department at MPAP-Registration-Services@nyu.edu.

Arranging Gallatin Private Lessons

Private lessons require the approval of the student's adviser and the MA Program. The Director of Internships coordinates this approval process. The student must submit the studio's brochure, (or the instructor's resume or curriculum vitae), before they register for the course. Studios and instructors must meet the criteria of the Gallatin School.

Upon finding an appropriate studio or instructor, it is the student's responsibility to make arrangements for the lessons, including the schedule of lessons, registration for the course, and payment to the studio or instructor. Please note: The student is responsible for full payment to the studio or instructor for the cost of the lessons, as well as to New York University for the tuition expenses incurred by the number of private lesson course credits.

The number of credits for private lessons will be determined by the number of instruction hours per semester. The student must provide Gallatin with all details of the arranged lessons on the proposal form.

Students should note the following policy: Graduate students may not take more than 6 credits in private lessons during their studies at the Gallatin School. Included in this total will be credits earned from Gallatin Private Lessons as well as credits earned from Steinhardt music courses noted as “individual instruction in the performing arts” (e.g., Participation in NYU Orchestra, Vocal Training (Private Lessons), etc.).

The Private Lesson Instructor

In addition to confirming the student's schedule of lessons, the Gallatin private lesson instructor must complete and return a written evaluation of the student's performance. The Private Lesson Performance Evaluation form will be sent to the private lesson instructor, who must return this form before the end of the semester. The instructor's evaluation of the student will be considered when the faculty adviser determines the final grade.

The Role of the Adviser

In addition to approving registration for private lessons, the faculty adviser is the grading instructor. The student should meet with the adviser at the beginning of the semester to discuss the required assignments (the student's journal and assessment paper), to set the due date for these assignments, and to arrange a schedule of meetings during the course of the semester. At the end of the term, an anecdotal grade report will be sent to the adviser requesting a brief description and final evaluation of the student’s work to accompany the assignment of the final grade. The student's grade will be based upon the journal, the paper, and the performance evaluation (see above). Private lessons are graded on a pass/fail basis only.

The Student's Responsibilities

In addition to taking private lessons, the student has two other responsibilities:

During the semester, the student must keep a daily or weekly journal which describes the student's studio work and artistic progress in the lessons.
At the end of the semester, the student must submit a two to three-page evaluative paper, developed from the journal. The paper is an artistic self-assessment documenting the student’s path of development over the course of the semester and should:
- describe and summarize the nature of the work undertaken and the overall experience;
- analyze how the private lesson training contributed to the student’s overall educational goals for the semester; and
- discuss how it has prepared the student for the next level of artistic work.

Deadline for Submitting the Proposal

Students must adhere to the following deadlines for submitting a private lessons proposal to Gallatin:

Fall and Spring semester: the last day of the first week of classes
Summer Session: the first day of classes of the session

NYU Policies

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

Gallatin Academic Policies

For a full list of school-specific related academic policies, please see the Gallatin School of Individualized Study Academic Programs page.