Autobiography Program ((Earn up to 8 Credits)

Autobiography Program (up to 8 credits)

The Autobiography Program enables students to tell their life story and earn up to eight tuition-free credits for writing an autobiography.

The Autobiography Program begins in the Fall semester with IAS 31170, the Seminar in Autobiography.  The course involves studying the basic types of life writing, completing some introductory life-writing exercises, reading and analyzing several memoirs, and, finally, creating a longer autobiographical story.  Students who are interested in submitting an autobiography for credit and who complete the course with a B or better are eligible to register for IAS 30100, Honors Research, in the Spring semester, to work on their autobiographical projects.  In the second semester, students work on several longer autobiographical pieces and begin to map their autobiographies, works that average between 50-150 pages when completed.  Students must receive a B- or above in the second semester to receive permission to write an autobiography for credit. 

After completing these two courses, students then have the summer and early fall to finish their autobiographies.  The deadline for submission is October 1.  Two anonymous readers will then evaluate the autobiography and award from 0-8 tuition-free credits.  These will appear as ungraded Life Experience Credits on your transcripts.

Students who are interested in the Autobiography Program should discuss their eligibility with their advisors.  Note that as the Autobiography Program requires strong writing skills, we recommend that students complete Writing for Interdisciplinary Studies I and II before taking either class, or The Essay/Advanced Composition.  Additionally, the Seminar in Autobiography has a prerequisite of at least one literature or creative writing class.

If you are interested in learning more about our alternative credit programs, please complete the intake forms and meet with your advisor or attend an information session. You can also email  ABLE@ccny.cuny.edu for more information.

Click here to download LEP Program information.

 

Last Updated: 08/01/2023 11:28