The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science curriculum consists of the Pathways general education curriculum, the major (at least 24 credits), and elective credits for a total of 120 credits. Included in this total are 9-11 credits of additional requirements (see below), which constitute the Weissman Core. A minimum of ninety (90) credits must be in arts and sciences courses and a minimum C (2.00) average – cumulative, and in the major, are required for graduation.
There is no GPA requirement for College Option courses, but in order to graduate with the liberal arts minor, a student must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the three courses that make up his or her minor. The liberal arts minor cannot be within the same area of study as the major. This is also true for students who are required to complete part of the minor for the College Option. The same course cannot be applied to both a student's major and minor.
At least 60 percent of the credits in the major must be taken at Baruch. Transfer students must meet all degree requirements and take a minimum of 30 credits at Baruch.
Note: The Financial Mathematics major is the only degree program in the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences that awards a Bachelor of Science degree.
The Weissman Core
The three courses forming the Weissman Core are required for all students completing a BA or BS degree within the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences.
Communication Skills (3 credits)
COM 1010 Speech Communication
Foreign Language: two courses (6-8 credits of the same language)
Students may not use proficiency and/or exemption exams to satisfy this requirement. Baruch College does not award any credits based on the Jerusalem Exam.
Placement Information:
Students should review the guidelines below, and see a faculty advisor in the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature to confirm proper placement if they intend to continue a language to which they have prior exposure. Students have the option of taking a placement exam to ensure that they are placed at the correct level.
Students who have studied a foreign language in high school for fewer than three years must take one year of language as follows:
- If only one year of a language was taken in high school, the student must take two semesters of elementary or intermediate language
- If two years of a language were taken in high school, the student must take two semesters of intermediate or advanced language or take two semesters of a new language on the elementary level.
Students who have studied a foreign language in high school for three years must choose one of the following options:
- Continue the language on an intermediate or advanced level for one semester and take one literature course in the target language
- Continue the language on an intermediate or advanced level for two semesters
- Start a new language on the elementary level for two semesters
Students who have studied a foreign language in high school for 3 1⁄2 or more years must choose one of the following options:
- Take 6 credits of literature in the target language
- Continue the high school language on the advanced level for two semesters
- Take one semester of advanced foreign language and one literature course in the target language
- Take two semesters of a new language.
Admissions Process
In order to be considered for admission, students must have an intended Weissman BA or BS plan (major) on their CUNYfirst record. Students may check their CUNYfirst Student Center (click “My Academics”) to see if their plan (major) is correct. If a student's current program plan on record is not an intended Weissman plan, they must submit an intended major change form to the Registrar's Office before the deadline listed on the Registrar’s Office academic calendar. Students who fulfill all major eligibility requirements will automatically be reviewed for admission.
Major/Specialization Forms
Certain programs within the Weissman School require completion of major /specialization forms with faculty advisors. These include the Graphic Communication and Business Writing Specializations of the Business Communication major, the Management of Musical Enterprises Specialization of the Music major, the Creative Writing Specialization of the Journalism major, and the Liberal Arts Ad Hoc major. Students are expected to complete the major requirements in place at the time they are officially accepted into their program. Any request to deviate from the official major requirements must also be approved by a faculty advisor and the Weissman Associate Dean’s Office.
Advisement
Students follow a uniform set of general education requirements known as CUNY Pathways. Students should use the DegreeWorks system or schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Center for Academic Advisement and New Student Orientation (NVC 5-215; 646-312-4260) to review their Baruch College Pathways curriculum requirements and/or general elective requirements.
Students with questions or concerns about their Weissman Core requirements may consult the Office of the Associate Dean (VC 8-265; WSAS.AssocDean@baruch.cuny.edu; 646-312-3890).
Although sessions with faculty advisors are not required, students are encouraged to consult faculty advisors in their major and minor departments.
Double Majors
A double major will appear on a student's transcript only if the courses from both programs are completed at the time of graduation. Students who want to combine courses from two disciplines into a single major should consider the Arts and Sciences ad hoc major option. Students who want to combine a discipline at Baruch College with another at a different senior college should consider the CUNY BA option.
Students who complete two majors are waived from College Option requirements other than Great Works of Literature (
, , , or ).Non-Arts and Sciences Courses
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires that 75 percent (90 out of 120) of the credits toward the degree will be designated arts and sciences courses.
No courses from this list can be used to satisfy the 90-credit liberal arts and sciences requirement at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, or to satisfy minimum arts and sciences requirements at the Zicklin School of Business or at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.
- ART 5010, ART 5011, Art Studio Elective
- All CIS courses except the following: CIS 3270; CIS 3700; CIS 3810; and CIS 4910
- COM 4059
- CSE (Consumer Education)
- ECO 5010 and ECO 5011
- All Education courses except the following: EDU 1100; EDU 1101; EDU 3001; EDU 3002; IDC/EDU 5210; IDC/EDU 5220; IDC/EDU 5230; IDC/EDU 5240
- FPA 5070 and FPA 5071 (Fine and Performing Arts)
- HCA (Health Care Administration)
- HED 1810, HED 2920, and all Physical Education courses
- IST 3012 (Library)
- Law courses except the following: LAW 1011; LAW 1012; LAW 3122; LAW 3400; LAW 4900; LAW 4905; and LAW 4906
- Military service credits (MIL)
- MSC 2061-MSC 2064, MSC 5050, MSC 5051, and Music Studio elective
- All PAF courses except the following: PAF 1250; PAF 3015; PAF 3040; PAF 3102; PAF 3103; PAF 3105; PAF 3106; PAF 3401; PAF 3442; PAF 4402; and PAF 5452
- All PUB courses except PUB 1250
- SPS/SDC
- All statistics courses except STA 2000 and STA 2100
- Theatre studio elective
- Work-study (WST) or business experience in any areas
- Credits listed as business, non-arts and sciences, professional electives, and/or credits listed as "elective" without any additional designation on transfer evaluation
- All courses in the following disciplines: accountancy (ACC), finance (FIN), insurance (INS), international business (IBS), business policy (BPL), management (MGT), business administration (BUS), marketing (MKT), operations management (OPM), operations research (OPR), quantitative methods (QNT), real estate (RES), and taxation (TAX).
Questions about the non-liberal arts courses, business courses, and free electives should be directed to an advisor prior to registration. Appeals regarding the liberal arts status of courses should be directed to the Weissman Committee on Academic Standing.
Second Degrees
Students may earn a second baccalaureate degree provided that they complete 30 additional credits at Baruch, that they meet all the requirements for the Baruch BA degree, and that they choose an entirely new major. None of the courses in the second major can have previously been applied to the major.