Program Structure

Summer Program

If you are a General Studies student, you must participate in either a six-week on-campus or online pre-college summer program prior to the start of your freshman year, as determined by Admissions. If required to be on-campus, students must successfully complete a six-week pre-college program on the NYU-Poly campus in Brooklyn, NY. This pre-college summer program does not carry course credit but seeks to provide the science, math, and writing background to promote preparation for the full rigor of an NYU-Poly education. The program is mandatory and free of charge.  The online summer program, also mandatory and free of charge, requires that students successfully complete an online mathematics program during the summer prior to the fall semester. This online program does not carry course credit either but seeks to introduce students to or remind them of math concepts necessary for success at this challenging engineering institution. Your formal acceptance letter indicates if you will begin your General Studies Program on-campus or online.

• On-Campus: For six-weeks in the summer before your first year, you will face an intense academic schedule, which includes tutoring, writing consultant sessions, group meetings, and individual advisement sessions, designed to equip you with the knowledge, tools, and skills necessary to meet the challenges of the NYU-Poly curriculum and make a smooth transition to college life. The following is a brief description of the courses you must complete during the summer program:

GS 101 Computer Skills for Engineers

Course focuses on the basic functions and intricacies of AutoCAD, MATLAB, Microsoft Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint. Course requirements consist of weekly lab assignments, a midterm, final, and an individual project synthesizing the course content.

GS 102 Pre-College Writing

Course is designed to prepare students for writing at the collegiate level. Class time is composed of reading and writing exercises, grammar quizzes and lessons, and a close examination of student writing (workshops).

GS 103 Pre-College Math

Course focuses on preparing students for the Introduction to Pre-calculus course. Course requirements consist of daily participation, weekly quizzes, daily homework assignments, a midterm, and final exam.

 GS 106 Pre-College Physics

Course introduces the foundational concepts and laws of physics and their connection to the engineering disciplines. Course requirements consist of daily participation, weekly quizzes, daily homework assignments and a midterm and final exam.

• Online: For four to six weeks in the summer before your freshman year, you will face an intense online mathematics regimen designed to refresh or introduce the mathematics topics necessary to meet the challenges of the NYU-Poly curriculum and make a smooth transition to college life.  Virtual interaction with instructors and peers is a must.

Fall Semester

After successfully completing the summer program, you will begin your freshman year of studies in the fall semester alongside other NYU-Poly students. You will be limited to 12 credits in your first semester and take the following courses: English, Math, Chemistry, and Engineering and Technology Forum. English and Math courses are based on placement exam results. Additionally, you are required to attend weekly tutorial sessions. Academic progress is monitored by the General Studies staff via weekly advisement sessions.

Spring Semester

You may take a full load of up to 16 credits if you have satisfactorily completed your first semester of studies. Courses to be taken will be determined in consultation with you and your General Studies Adviser. Tutoring and advisement sessions are also required in the spring semester.

Requirements to Enter a Major/Program

At the end of the freshman year, you must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of “C” or 2.0, and must complete a minimum of 24 credits in order to remain at NYU-Poly. If you successfully complete your first year according to the above-set standards and meet published programmatic requirements, you will be able to change your major from General Studies to any degree-granting NYU-Poly program.