Public CUNY college in Queens offering 70+ undergraduate majors and 100+ graduate programs with strong arts and music traditions.
Queens College offers over 70 undergraduate majors, more than 100 graduate degree programs and certificates, 40+ accelerated master's options, and 20 doctoral degrees through the CUNY Graduate Center. The college is organized into seven schools spanning Arts & Humanities, Math & Natural Sciences, Education, Social Sciences, Business, and specialized programs. The Aaron Copland School of Music is a notable strength, housing the largest music collection in the CUNY system with over 35,000 scores and 30,000 books.
The 83-acre campus in Flushing features six original Spanish-style buildings from the early 20th century alongside modern facilities. Key venues include the Kupferberg Center for the Arts (hosting performances by major artists), Benjamin Rosenthal Library (840,000+ books), and the Godwin-Ternbach Museum—the only museum in the CUNY system. The college maintains the Summit Apartments residence hall (506 beds, opened 2009) and a Child Development Center. Queens College competes in NCAA Division II with 15 varsity teams.
Established in 1937 as a free public college, Queens College opened with 400 students and 21 faculty members. Its motto, 'Discimus ut serviamus' (We learn so that we may serve), reflects founder Paul Klapper's vision of public service. The college played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement; student Andrew Goodman was murdered in Mississippi in 1964 while registering voters. The Chaney-Goodman-Schwerner Clock Tower in Rosenthal Library honors these three civil rights workers.
Alumni and faculty have received over 100 Grammy Award nominations, including composer Arturo O'Farrill and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. The college houses the Louis Armstrong archives and maintains the largest music collection in CUNY. The Godwin-Ternbach Museum holds works by Rembrandt, Picasso, Matisse, and Warhol, serving as an encyclopedic art resource for the borough of Queens.