Bachelor's-Master's Degree Options

Accelerated Bachelor's-Master's Degree Options

Are you ready to earn your undergraduate degree? The New School makes it easy for working adults and others who want to complete their degree and go on to pursue graduate studies. If you're admitted to our New School Bachelor's Program, you can transfer up to 84 credits. You can study part-time or full-time, on campus in Greenwich Village or online. You can create a path of study tailored to the goals and issues that matter to you.

Financial aid and scholarships are available to qualified students.

Go Further Faster

The New School's Bachelor's-Master's option enables undergraduate students to earn up to 12 credits towards their BA or BS degree for courses taken in a participating New School graduate program. After completion of your NSPE bachelor's degree and upon acceptance to the New School graduate program, the same 12 credits will also count toward the MA or MS degree. The program also gives students a strong foundation to pursue graduate studies at another institution, although the credits are probably not transferable to graduate programs outside The New School.

Participating New School Graduate Programs

Anthropology
Economics
Historical Studies
International Affairs
Liberal Studies
Media Studies
Nonprofit Management
Organizational Change Management
Philosophy
Politics
Psychology
Sociology
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Urban Policy Analysis and Management

Getting Approval for the Bachelor's-Master's Degree Status

Continuing students can apply for Bachelor's-Master's status after one full semester and/or 12 credits completed in residence in the NSPE Undergraduate Program. At the time of application, the student must have accumulated at least 60 credits towards the bachelor's degree, including transfer credits.

Students approved for Bachelor's-Master's status can earn up to 12 credits required to complete their bachelor's degree by taking courses in a participating New School graduate program. After graduation, if the student applies to and is accepted to that graduate program, the same 12 credits will also count toward the MA or MS degree, shortening the time and cost of the master's degree program.

Note however, that students approved for Bachelor's-Master's status are not guaranteed acceptance to the corresponding graduate program at The New School. A separate application must be made to the graduate program after completion of the bachelor's degree.

Note: The maximum of 12 graduate credits applies only to the number of credits that can be applied to the MA or MS degree. There is no limit to the number of graduate credits an undergraduate student can take and apply to the bachelor's degree, assuming the student is ready to do work at the graduate level and the courses are approved by the student's advisor.

Application Criteria for Bachelor's-Master's Status

  • The student must be pursuing either a BA or BS degree at The New School (there is no combined option for the BFA degree).
  • At the time of application, the student must have completed at least 60 credits towards the bachelor's degree, including a significant amount of coursework in the subject area for which the student is applying.
  • At the time of application, the student must have completed at least 12 credits in residence at The New School.
  • The student must have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
  • The student must have an interest in matriculating in a participating graduate program at The New School. (See the list above; other universities are unlikely to accept these credits toward their graduate program requirements.)

Any student who is interested in the Bachelor's-Master's option should

  1. Consult with his or her New School advisor about the nature of graduate work, the student's qualifications and preparation for it, and the area most appropriate to the student's educational and career plans
  2. Carefully review the appropriate New School graduate program catalog
  3. Compose a thorough and thoughtful essay explaining the importance of the Bachelor's-Master's option for the student's education; the essay should establish that
  • The student has significant knowledge of the New School graduate program in question
  • The area of study makes sense given the student's interests, preparation, and career plans
  • The student has good reasons for taking graduate courses now rather than waiting until the undergraduate degree is completed.
  • The student's prior study and experience provide a sufficient basis for believing that the student would do well in graduate-level courses

Applications for Bachelor's-Master's Status must include

  • The application for Bachelor's-Master's Status (also available in the the New School Bachelor's Program office).
  • The essay as described above (2-3 pages).
  • A writing sample (an academic paper of 10-20 pages, preferably written for a course relevant to the requested graduate program)
  • Applicants to New School for Social Research programs must submit TWO letters of recommendation
  • Optional: You may submit a résumé if you feel it would aid your application.

Note: Please staple or clip the materials together—do not submit binders or folders. Make sure the envelope containing all your materials is clearly marked BA/MA Application. Mail or deliver all materials to

Marlene Petlick
The New School for Public Engagement
Bachelor's Program Office
BA/MA Application
66 West 12th Street, 9th floor
New York, NY 10011

Registration for Approved Bachelor's-Master's Students

If a course is cross-listed, Bachelor's-Master's students must use the graduate CRN number to register for the course.
They register for graduate courses with their undergraduate academic advisor along with the rest of their courses. Depending on the program into which the student was accepted, the student may also receive assistance from the graduate program staff: the Media Studies program advisor, the assistant to the director of the International Affairs program, the assistant dean of Milano, or the student advisor of the academic department at The New School for Social Research. However, the graduate program advisors cannot sign the registration forms for Bachelor's-Master's students. The official registration must be done with the student's advisor in the undergraduate program.
For all graduate courses with limited enrollment, Bachelor's-Master's students must consult first with the designated graduate program advisor for permission to take the course (not, please note, with the department chair or the instructor).

Note: For New School for Social Research courses, PhD students are always given priority when enrollment is limited.