CUNY Graduate School and University Center

The CUNY Graduate School and University Center, commonly known as the CUNY Graduate Center, serves as the principal doctorate-granting institution within the esteemed City University of New York system. Located in the vibrant heart of Midtown Manhattan, within the historic B. Altman and Company Building, it is recognized nationally as an "R1: Doctoral University–Very High Spending and Doctorate Production" institution, underscoring its significant research output and scholarly impact. The center offers an impressive range of academic pursuits, encompassing 32 distinct doctoral programs and 18 master's programs, all designed to foster groundbreaking research and intellectual inquiry.

Students at the Graduate Center immerse themselves in a rich intellectual community, guided by an exceptional faculty. This includes a dedicated core of approximately 130 professors, augmented by over 1,700 faculty members appointed from other CUNY colleges across New York City, which cultivates a dynamic interdisciplinary environment. The faculty boasts numerous prestigious accolades, including Nobel, Pulitzer, and Abel Prize winners, as well as recipients of the National Medal of Science and memberships in leading academic academies. With over 30 research centers and institutes, the Graduate Center provides unparalleled opportunities for students to engage in cutting-edge research across diverse fields.

Established in 1961 as the Division of Graduate Studies and formally renamed in 1969, the Graduate Center has a proud history of advancing scholarship. Its profound commitment to student success is reflected in its substantial student support, which reached $51 million by Fall 2013, including a significant number of dissertation-year fellowships. Doctoral students, numbering over 2,600, benefit from access to the extensive Mina Rees Library, whose holdings, combined with the broader CUNY library network, exceed 6.2 million volumes. Additionally, a unique long-standing agreement with the New York Public Library grants enhanced borrowing privileges, providing access to one of the world's most comprehensive research collections. The campus also actively contributes to public life through venues like the James Gallery and studios for NYC Media and CUNY TV, embodying its motto that knowledge is a public good.