New York University Bulletin - Gallatin School of Individualized ...

NEW YORK UNIVERSITYof these formats, the student displays what he or she has learned through the program in arigorous and creative piece of work.A cornerstone of the Gallatin program is faculty advising. Because a program of individualizedstudy requires faculty consultation and input, Gallatin offers several forms of advising.Each student is assigned a primary adviser, a faculty member with expertise in thestudent’s core area of inquiry.The administrative director and the faculty co-directors of theprogram also serve as general program advisers and are available to clarify the aims and policiesof the M.A. program. Students may consult with the program directors at any point duringtheir time at Gallatin. Additionally, students may seek advice from the Gallatin facultymember who reviews the thesis proposal or sits on the thesis committee.THE PROGRAM OF STUDYThe first step students should take when contemplating their program of study is to freethemselves from the notion that Gallatin will tell them what to do.The essential spirit of theprogram lies in the word individualized: the student determines what he or she will learn andhow this will be accomplished.When graduate students begin their Gallatin program, they already have a sense of theireducational goals. As they proceed through the program, these goals become further defined.What do they want to know when they finish the program? Working backward fromthere, what strategies will enable them to achieve that goal? Students need to ask themselvesthese questions each term.Answers evolve over time, gaining clarity and providing direction.Students must take the initiative to work through these issues, to make decisions andact on them and to revise them if necessary.Students should search carefully for the best resources and opportunities. NYU is a complexuniversity, with myriad courses and programs. Students are encouraged to find the onesthat best meet their needs.The search should not be limited to one school or department. Students should examineall the course listings and locate all the relevant classes, organize them into categories,weigh them by priority and then make choices. Independent studies, tutorials, internshipsand private lessons should be considered. Students should also consult regularly with theiradvisers and talk to their teachers and classmates.This process requires imagination, intelligenceand resourcefulness.These are the qualities that students bring to Gallatin and that theprogram cultivates and celebrates.58 NewYork University Bulletin 2012-2013