Bachelor of Arts
The majority of Manhattanville’s undergraduates pursue the Bachelor of Arts degree. Some freshmen know the academic area or areas in which they want to concentrate; most do not. Consequently, it is possible to begin work in a major field the first year, but there is no need to declare a major until the second semester of the sophomore year. All students must complete a minimum of 90 credits in the liberal arts and sciences to meet New York State requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. All courses listed under the various programs are considered “liberal arts” unless an asterisk follows the course title.
The Self-Designed Major:
If a student‘s interests lie outside or between the areas of existing programs, he or she may propose to the School of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee (SASCC) a self-designed major program of study. The SASCC approves all self-designed majors. The student’s proposal must include a carefully thought-out rationale stating the goals of the program and the means of attaining them with the courses chosen. Self-designed majors are by nature interdisciplinary and involve courses from two or more departments. The student must consult with faculty from the programs from which courses are drawn and obtain their signatures on all portfolio forms requiring major program approval. Students considering self-designed majors are advised to discuss their case with the Academic Advising Office or the chairperson of the SASCC. Examples of recent self-designed majors include Social Justice, Ethics and Society, the Economics of the Performing Arts, Political Economy, Art and Society, Italian Civilization, and German Cultural Studies.
Double Major:
Students pursuing the requirements for a double major must complete the academic requirements for both majors and/or both degrees. Completing two majors that result in the same degree (e.g., both majors award a B.A.) will result in a double major being listed on the transcript. Completing two majors that result in two different degrees (e.g., a B.A. and a B.S.) will result in both degrees being listed on the transcript. Students majoring in Education are required to be double-majors: they must have a second major of education with a primary major in a liberal arts field. The only exceptions are students in Music Education and Art Education.
Teacher Certification:
A major in Education is available, with which students acquire provisional New York State teacher certification at the elementary or secondary school level. All students considering a teaching career are strongly encouraged to discuss their plans with an advisor in the School of Education as soon as possible. Also, since not all states have uniform requirements, students wishing to teach in a state other than New York should contact the appropriate state’s education department to learn what specific requirements they will need to meet. All majors in Education, except for Music Education and Art Education, are necessarily double majors: they must also have a second major in a liberal arts field. (For further information please see the School of Education Undergraduate Catalog.)
Preparation for Professional and Graduate Study:
A Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee advises students who are preparing for medical school and careers in health. (See Pre-Professional Studies for pre-health requirements.) Students preparing for law school can consult with the Pre-Law advisor; students preparing for business school or other types of graduate study should work with a faculty advisor in the appropriate program.
Joint Programs with Graduate Schools:
Manhattanville College’s close relationship with various graduate institutions can facilitate a student’s progress toward a career in physical therapy, speech language pathology, social work, dentistry, computer science, or publishing. (For more information, see separate section on Joint Programs.)
Bachelor of Fine Arts
The Bachelor of Fine Arts is designed to prepare the Art student and the Musical Theatre student for graduate study or for professional work in a wide variety of related areas. Art students may specialize in painting, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, or photography. All students must complete a minimum of 30 credits in the liberal arts and sciences to meet New York State requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Bachelor of Music
The Department of Music offers a professionally oriented Bachelor of Music degree program in Music Education for students interested in entering the teaching profession. The Bachelor of Music degree may be taken together with the Master of Arts in Teaching in a combined degree program offered by the Music Department with the School of Education. All students must complete a minimum of 30 credits in the liberal arts and sciences to meet New York State requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree. Please consult the Music Department and its Handbook for Music Majors for details of this program.
Bachelor of Science
The Division of Economics, Finance and Management offers B.S. degrees in Accounting, Finance, Management and Marketing. This is in addition to the B.A degrees available in these programs. The major requirements for the B.S. degree are identical to those for the B.A. degree. The difference is in the number of liberal arts credits that students in the B.S. program will be required to take, namely 60 out of 120 credits, rather than the 90 out of 120 credits required for the B.A.
Part-Time Study
Degree requirements for part-time undergraduates are identical to those for full-time students. Part-time students must:
- complete a minimum of 120 credits, with a minimum of at least 30 credits at Manhattanville.
- complete the minimum number of liberal arts credits required by their specific degree program
- satisfy the criteria set by the departments selected as their major field. If students choose to pursue a minor, those criteria must also be satisfied
- complete half of their major or minor coursework at Manhattanville
Adult Accelerated Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Program
Manhattanville offers three Bachelor of Science degrees in an accelerated format for adult students over the age of 23. Students who have completed thirty undergraduate credits with a G.P.A. of 2.5 and have a minimum of two years work experience are eligible for the program. The degrees are in Behavioral Studies, Organizational Management and Communications Management. To earn the B.S. degree in an accelerated format at Manhattanville College, the student must complete 120 credits. Students who have completed an Associate’s degree or who have accumulated from sixty to ninety undergraduate credits with a G.P.A. of 2.5 and have a minimum of two years work experience are eligible for the program. Students who have transferred into Manhattanville with more than 60 credits will be required to:
- complete at least the final 30 semester credit hours and at least half of the major and minor “in residence” with at least a 2.0 G.P.A. in courses in which they are enrolled at the College.
- demonstrate that they have satisfied the Manhattanville College general education requirements — either in courses for which they have enrolled at Manhattanville College — or at another accredited college/university.
- complete all State-mandated Bachelor’s degree/certification requirements.
Classes meet in the evenings and/or weekends and are scheduled in eight-week modules. The program may be completed in less than two years. A new term begins in September, October, January, February, April and June. Applications are accepted throughout the year under Manhattanville’s rolling admissions policy.