Urban Studies and Anthropology (BA)

Department Website

Program Description

Urban studies is an established and interdisciplinary area of inquiry—focusing on cities and their regions, urban social life, cultures, the built and natural environment, economics, politics, and policy—that is strengthened when students are strongly grounded in a traditional academic discipline. Anthropology, meanwhile, is the study of human societies and cultures, including their built environments, and a rich vein of anthropological thought has engaged the city, its institutions, and everyday urban livelihoods. Its central method of inquiry, ethnography, is also regularly deployed within urban studies as an important means of accessing urban worlds. Archeology, a pillar of anthropology, also allows us to understand past urban histories and societies. The joint major in Urban Studies and Anthropology introduces students to different approaches to the study of cities, metropolitan areas, and human societies and cultures and provides an overview of the diversity of social scientific and humanistic theories that inform much research on the city, human settlements, and societies. 

The major takes full advantage of NYU’s location and builds on the University’s long-standing relationships with key urban institutions, both public and private, ranging from planning agencies to urban arts and culture institutions. 

This program of study trains students in geographic information systems (GIS), a powerful mapping tool that many will find useful in their future careers. The major prepares students for careers in urban policy and planning; community organization and advocacy; civic affairs; urban arts and culture; immigration policy and social justice; housing and real estate; scholarly research in urban humanities, urban archaeology, and social science; and careers in teaching and academia. 

Students should consult with advisers in both the Department of Anthropology and the Program in Urban Studies.

Honors Program

This major program of study does not currently offer an honors track.

Admissions

New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply