New York University Shanghai

New York University Shanghai

Founded in 2012, New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai) is the first Sino-US research university in China, approved by the Ministry of Education and established by East China Normal University and New York University with the support of Shanghai Municipal Government and Pudong New Area Government, and one of the three degree-granting campuses in the global system of New York University.

Based in China and facing the world, NYU-SH is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and social service, and to becoming a “testing ground” for the reform of higher education in China by relying on NYU’s advanced educational philosophy and quality educational resources to train students to become global citizens with international perspectives, cross-cultural communication skills, and innovative abilities.

The philosophy of education: Be curious and rigorous, be virtuous and dedicated, take the world as your classroom, and take the world as your mission.

Overview of Undergraduate Education at NYU Shanghai

NYU Shanghai adheres to the philosophy of liberal arts education, responds to the characteristics of the era of economic globalization and rapid technological development, implements the principle of broad-caliber and thick foundation, and integrates the advantages of liberal arts training and professional training to create a unique undergraduate education model, which not only prepares students for the challenges after graduation, but also empowers lifelong learning and creativity, and builds a growth system that can benefit them throughout their lives.

NYU Shanghai’s undergraduate education breaks away from the traditional boundaries of majors and utilizes the most cutting-edge interdisciplinary and innovative training concepts in the international higher education community to carefully design a curriculum that suits the development of NYU Shanghai students.

Students are not divided into majors upon entry. The first two years of the four-year undergraduate program are devoted to the cultivation of the general core curriculum, which focuses on building a solid and complete knowledge base, training rigorous and active thinking skills, and cultivating a comprehensive and broad academic vision through six major courses, including social culture, natural science, mathematics, algorithmic thinking, language, and writing, allowing students to receive a complete core knowledge of human civilization and to be exposed to the content and development trends of various disciplines. Students will be able to fully understand their own academic interests and strengths, and choose the appropriate major or direction in a more focused manner.

Students can determine their major direction as early as the end of their freshman year. NYU Shanghai offers 12 majors (including 19 directions) at the undergraduate level, as well as a wide range of minors, covering various fields such as business, computer and engineering, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. The major curriculum is designed to cover the necessary expertise while leaving ample room for students to choose niche directions and interdisciplinary applications. Students can independently combine customized professional knowledge and skill modules to form a personalized professional development path and core competitiveness. Combined with the interdisciplinary vision and ability shaped by general education, students can become multi-disciplinary and versatile talents, creating maximum possibilities for their future personal development.

After completing their first two years of study, NYU Shanghai students may study abroad for one or two semesters at other campuses and study centers in the NYU global system. As one of the world’s first major international universities, NYU has three degree-granting campuses and 12 overseas study centers in 14 major cities on five continents. Students can choose their overseas study cities and locations according to their professional needs and academic interests, and seamlessly access NYU’s global curriculum, faculty and educational resources of uniform quality, as well as more global minors, to further enrich their minds, broaden their horizons, and realize both reading and traveling.

World-class faculty and a leading international per-student ratio

NYU Shanghai recruits faculty according to the standards of New York University and relies on the world-class faculty resources and selection system of NYU. As of 2018, NYU has built a highly qualified, internationalized and well-structured faculty of about 200 students, with a teacher-student ratio of about 1:6 (with a long-term goal of 1:8), which is a world leader. Since the establishment of the school, 23 academic masters of academician level from various countries have taught undergraduate students full time, and 8 masters have taught in the 2018 academic year alone. The world-class faculty and the ultimate small-class teaching model are all designed to create the best quality and efficient teaching experience for students and maximize learning outcomes.

Highly international teaching environment

As of 2018, NYU Shanghai has more than 1,300 undergraduate students, with a 50/50 split between Chinese and international students, and international students from more than 70 countries and regions around the world, making it one of the most international universities in the world. The university adopts English as the medium of instruction, and makes great efforts to create an environment and conditions for cross-cultural exchange in extracurricular activities and campus life, so as to maximize students’ ability to adapt to and live and work in an international environment.

Dual Degree System

NYU Shanghai awards two degrees, one in China and one in the U.S., with three certificates: the degree issued by NYU in the U.S., and the degree and graduation certificate issued by NYU Shanghai. The dual-degree system is one of the important features of the Sino-foreign joint university. Whether students choose to go abroad for further study or stay in China for employment after graduation, they can take advantage of the different advantages and practical convenience brought by the two sets of diplomas.

NYU Shanghai Graduate Education

NYU Shanghai offers graduate education at the master’s, doctoral, and non-degree levels in a range of influential disciplines and specialties. All graduate majors and programs collaborate with relevant NYU departments and leverage the rich, high-quality academic resources of NYU’s global education system, and are offered in Shanghai, New York, and other parts of the world.

Each year, hundreds of students from around the world receive graduate education at NYU, enrolling in master’s programs in data analytics and English education with a focus on professional education, and doctoral programs in chemistry and neuroscience with a focus on cutting-edge scientific research. Together with undergraduates, this dynamic and diverse student body constitutes a highly international student body at NYU Shanghai.