CUNY Hunter College

What is the history of CUNY Hunter College?

CUNY Hunter College began in 1870 as the Normal College of the City of New York, established to prepare women to teach. It was renamed Hunter College in 1914 in honor of its first president, Thomas Hunter, and later became part of the City University of New York. The college subsequently broadened its academic offerings and began admitting men.

Those changes help explain Hunter's present identity: it remains a public college with teacher preparation programs, but it now offers a much wider range of undergraduate and graduate study. Its Upper East Side campus is the best-known location, while health professions and social work programs also use facilities elsewhere in Manhattan.

What are the faculties and departments at CUNY Hunter College?

Hunter offers bachelor's, master's, and selected advanced professional and doctoral-level programs across the liberal arts, sciences, education, health professions, nursing, and social work. Its academic organization includes the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Health Professions, Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing, and Silberman School of Social Work.

Undergraduates can consider fields such as biology, computer science, English, psychology, economics, film, and studio art. Professionally oriented options include nursing, medical laboratory sciences, nutrition, and teacher education. Some programs admit students to the college first and require a separate application, prerequisites, or a competitive review before entry to the major. Applicants should distinguish admission to Hunter from admission to a particular professional program.

What is the location of CUNY Hunter College?

Hunter College is a public CUNY institution headquartered at East 68th Street and Lexington Avenue on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City. Its main campus is urban rather than a self-contained residential campus; academic buildings sit within the surrounding street grid.

The 68th Street subway station provides a direct commuting option, and city buses serve the area. Other Hunter facilities, including sites used by health professions and social work students, are elsewhere in Manhattan. A student's daily trip may therefore depend on the program and course schedule, not just the main campus address. The location offers access to city employers, cultural institutions, and clinical settings, but students should budget for New York City transportation and allow time to move between sites.

What is the mission and vision of CUNY Hunter College?

Hunter's stated mission centers on accessible public higher education, intellectual inquiry, and service to New York City's diverse communities. As a CUNY college, it combines liberal arts and sciences with professional education and research.

That purpose appears in its mix of academic programs: students can pursue traditional disciplines alongside preparation for teaching, nursing, and social work. A mission statement describes institutional priorities, not a promise about an individual student's experience. Prospective students can evaluate those priorities through the curriculum, advising arrangements, fieldwork requirements, and opportunities available in their intended major.