2011-2013 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog (with addenda)

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Polytechnic Institute of New York University Mission Statement

To excel as a leading high-quality research university engaged in education, discovery and innovation  with social, intellectual and economic impact in the New York region, the nation and the world.

To achieve this mission, we educate, discover and invent. We engage students seeking educational  achievement and opportunity, faculty seeking excellence and relevance, and organizations seeking  solutions and talent. We creatively bring intellectual rigor, technological innovation and a passion  for science to the communities where we work and live and to the citizens of the world. 

We innovatively extend the benefits of science, engineering, management and liberal studies  to critical real-world opportunities and challenges, especially those linked to urban systems,  health and wellness and the global information economy.

Our learning environment develops the skills to discover and invent, stimulates innovation and encourages entrepreneurship. We refer to this environment of invention, innovation and  entrepreneurship as i²e.  It is what has produced generations of Poly Thinkers—action-oriented  learners who are capable of thinking globally and across multiple disciplines.

General Information

The Polytechnic Institute of New York University catalog is an official publication of the Institute. The catalog provides information about academic programs and a summary of Institute policies and procedures and selected activities and services. Information concerning admission, academic regulations and requirements, student services, academic offerings and a listing of the administrative officers and faculty are included. Every effort has been made to publish a complete and accurate catalog. However, requirements, deadlines, tuition, fees, curricula, courses and staffing are subject to change at any time without advance notice or obligation. Some course descriptions may vary from actual course content because of advancements in the discipline, emphasis of individual instructors or decisions of the faculty to change the scope or content of the course.

Institute Policies

Polytechnic Institute of NYU complies with the laws, regulations and orders that provide for and impose obligations on employers with respect to the management of their equal employment opportunity and affirmative action programs.

Accordingly, Polytechnic Institute of NYU will conduct its business and practices in a manner that fully complies with and supports Presidential Executive Order 11246, as amended. The Institute prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, veteran status including disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans, or any other status protected by law. The Institute takes affirmative action to employ, advance in employment and otherwise treat qualified individuals without discrimination based on their status as required by Executive Order 11246, as amended.

Inquiries about the above policies may be directed to the Office of Affirmative Action, Polytechnic Institute, Six MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201.

The Institute is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students.

This catalog is not intended to be, and should not be regarded as, a contract between Polytechnic Institute and any student or other person.

Note: This online version of the Catalog contains revisions and updates in courses, academic programs, academic requirements and policies, and staffing that occurred after the publication of the 2011-2013 Academic Catalog PDF  version in September, 2011. This web-based catalog is the official catalog of record of the Institute and will be amended on a yearly cycle as needed. Archives of all PDF-based catalogs are available under the “Archived Catalogs” navigation on the left sidebar.