The Stern Community Awaits a New Course Next Fall

By Christopher Navarro-Baraja

Starting with the Class of 2024, there are significant differences in the BS in Business Curriculum worksheets online. The Global Business Core is now Global Business Requirement. The International Studies Program is no longer present. There is a new course called Senior Capstone that sparks curiosity because it can impact our undergraduate experience. 

Before COVID-19, the International Studies Program allowed Stern Juniors to study a company  in a foreign country. They would embark on a trip abroad during Spring Break. Since the pandemic started, studying abroad has been difficult. There were uncertainties about whether studying abroad would become different or return to what it was for Stern students. The International Studies Program was a huge component of the Global pillar, which is one of the five pillars at the NYU Stern Undergraduate College that guides the student experience.  

In addition to the elimination of the International Studies Program, the Senior Capstone will also alter the Stern student experience. I talked with Professor Matthew Statler on February 22, 2023, who coordinates the Business & Society class under the Social Impact Core Curriculum. The two main questions I asked to receive more clarification about the Senior Capstone were what it is and what it entails. All seniors must take the course during the Fall or Spring semester to graduate from Stern. Each section number represents industries like Finance and Marketing, fitting all our interests and concentrations. He stated that the official title of the course was called ‘NYC Consulting Capstone.’ Statler broke down each keyword in the course title to help us better understand the new course. 

The Capstone term means experiential learning. All students will apply the skills they learned  from the classes they took at Stern in this course. For example, Organizational Communication & Its Social Context is one course teaching us communication and collaboration skills to succeed in business, which is knowledge students might take advantage of in the capstone. Nothing is strict in the capstone course, and every class will be engaging. 

Next, the term Consulting will elevate the course because everyone will become a consultant for the assigned company. The purpose of this is to solve the problems companies provide us with and come up with solutions throughout the semester. The course will emphasize presentations and other assignments. 

One question I asked about the companies was whether we will be working inside the organization. Statler clarified that we will not be official employees or interns. The company will  connect with us, but not in the workplace. 

Statler spoke about NYC last, which represents the location of the companies. We will only work  with companies inside New York. The official list of companies is unknown, but they will all operate in NYC and represent an array of industries. Stern is also looking for professors to teach the course before it begins in the Fall.

The Senior Capstone is not a replacement for the International Studies Program, despite being similar, because it will not include the study abroad component for the Class of 2024 and 2025.  The curriculum for the Class of 2026 will include the Global Experience requirement.

Professor Statler expressed his excitement for the Senior Capstone at the end of the talk because  he is leading the course. The first year of the NYC Consulting Capstone course will be exciting  to witness. I look forward to hearing more about how the course went in the next academic year  and taking this course as a Senior. 

To all Stern Students, change can be a good thing. Everything will look different quickly. The  future is bright, and we shall look ahead with eagerness.