NYU Abu Dhabi announces launch of its first master's degree courses

The university has announced two new masters in economics and fine arts, with classes set to start in 2020

New York University Abu Dhabi will launch its first master’s degree programmes in 2020. NYU Abu Dhabi

New York University Abu Dhabi has launched two full-time master’s degrees in economics and fine arts - with classes set to start in the next academic year.

Students can now enroll in the Master of Science in Economics and Master of Fine Arts in Art and Media programmes which are aimed at supporting regional growth in these industries.

In August 2020, the department of Social Science will introduce a full-time, one-year Master of Science in Economics, while the Arts and Humanities division will introduce a full-time, two-year Master of Fine Arts in Art and Media.

NYU Abu Dhabi Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann, said the new courses will be 'unparalleled' in the region.

“These two new graduate programs, offering the University’s first master's degrees, inaugurate our next stage of growth and development," she said.

"Building on the strengths of NYU’s economics and arts programs in Abu Dhabi and New York, these courses of study are unparalleled for the region and infused with global perspectives."

In an interview with The National last month, Dr Westermann said the university was to undergo a major expansion, enrolling more than 40 per cent more students over the next five years.

She said new degrees and subjects wiould be offered as part of the expansion.

This year, 429 new students joined the university, a record high, bringing overall undergraduate numbers to around 1,500. The university plans to increase this number to 2,200 by 2024.

Dr Westermann became NYUAD’s first ever provost in 2007 and, after returning to the US for more than a decade, has now returned to see the university’s growth through.

"We have to mature now into an enduring institution. I think that's always been the intention, but securing that is really important," the 57-year-old academic, who is originally from Holland, said in an interview with The National.

The masters programme in Economics will offer students a blend of theoretical and analytical modules, enabling them to solve economic problems, theories and to understand key economic issues and policies. They will also learn how to assess regional socio-economic challenges and opportunities.

The full-time, one-year masters in Economics would offer a two-path degree for policy makers and prospective doctoral candidates and graduates would be able to enroll in a PhD or pursue opportunities within policy making institutions, research institutes or international organizations.

“This programme will establish a generation of academic and professional economic researchers who  would fundamentally understand the region and its needs," said NYUAD Dean of Social Science, Hervé Crès.

The MFA in Art and Media programme allows students to integrate art, media, and design in a creative processes that combines theory with practice, the university said.

Students can choose to focus their work in-depth in a particular area or across multiple arts disciplines, including sculpture, photography, printmaking, fiber art, painting, drawing, digital art, design, digital media, and transmedia, all taught by internationally-renowned artists and scholars.

The university has said programme launch dates are contingent upon successful completion of CAA (Commission for Academic Accreditation) accreditation.