Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College (BC) is a public university located in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is part of the City University of New York system and had nearly 14,000 students studying on its 35-acre campus in the Midwood and Flatbush areas as of fall 2023.

The college was created in 1930 by joining two older schools: the Brooklyn branch of Hunter College in Manhattan, which mainly served women, and the City College of New York in Manhattan, which mainly served men. It was the first public college in New York City where both men and women could study together.

Many important people have graduated from Brooklyn College. These include US senators, judges, leaders in finance, Olympic athletes, business leaders, and winners of top awards such as Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and Nobel Prizes.

College history

Early decades

Brooklyn College started in 1930 when the city combined two schools: one for women and one for men. It became the first public college in New York City where both boys and girls could study together. Students had to pass a special test to join.

Brooklyn College Library, situated on the East Quad, was designed by campus architect Randolph Evans.

In 1932, an architect named Randolph Evans made plans for a big campus. Construction began in 1935, and the new buildings opened in 1937. During this time, important people like the mayor and the president visited to help start the construction.

1960s

During the Vietnam War, students at Brooklyn College, like at many other schools, protested. Some protests were about rules that seemed unfair. In 1968, students also protested about wanting more students from different backgrounds to attend the college.

View from the West Quad looking onto the East Quad (from left to right, James Hall, Boylan Hall, the library, Ingersoll Hall, and Roosevelt Hall)

1970s-1990s

In the 1970s, students continued to protest about wanting more open admissions and diversity. There were also changes in leadership at the college. Despite financial challenges, the college kept improving its programs and was recognized for its strong education.

Modern history

The East Quad under renovation.

In recent years, Brooklyn College has built new buildings and improved its campus. It has also created new programs and increased its enrollment. The college has been recognized for having a very diverse student body.

2020s

In 2025, there were protests on the college campus about different issues. Students also had some problems with recent changes to the campus layout.

Organization

Entry gate

West Quad Center

James Hall

Brooklyn College has five schools. These are:

Murray Koppelman School of Business
School of Education
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
School of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts

Public transit access

Brooklyn College is easy to reach by public transportation. You can take the subway to the Flatbush Avenue-Brooklyn College station, where certain trains stop. The college is also close to the Avenue H station for the Q line. Several buses, including the B6, B11, B41, B44, B49, B103, and Q35, pass nearby as well.

Academics

Brooklyn College has special classes for all students called "Core Studies." These classes cover topics like art, music, literature, and science. In 2006, these classes were updated, and in 2013, the college started using a new set of courses called the Pathways curriculum.

The college also offers many programs for students who want to continue studying after getting their first degree. One special program is the B.A.–M.D. program, which lets students study to become doctors over eight years. There is also an honors program for students who are excellent writers and students, called The Scholars Program.

Students interested in engineering can join the Coordinated Honors Engineering Program, which prepares them to transfer to other top engineering schools to finish their studies.

The Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema is a public film school that opened in 2015. It offers different degrees in cinema studies and film making.

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023
Race and ethnicity	Total
Asian	25%
White	24%
Hispanic	24%
Black	21%
International student	3%
Two or more races	3%
Economic diversity
Low-income	59%
Affluent	41%

Athletics

Brooklyn College's athletic teams are called the Bulldogs. The college competes in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, mainly in the City University of New York Athletic Conference since 1996–97. Before that, they were part of the East Coast Conference at the Division I level in 1991–92.

The teams include men’s and women’s sports such as basketball, soccer, swimming, and tennis. A notable moment in the basketball program happened in 1945 when there were reports about a possible attempt to change the result of a game. Later, in 1961, a former player was linked to a gambling issue in college basketball.

Mascot

In 2010, Brooklyn College chose the Bulldog as its new mascot. Before that, the teams were called the Kingsmen, and later the Bridges. The change to the Bulldog happened after the school built new facilities and made other updates.

Notable people

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Brooklyn College alumni

Brooklyn College has many famous graduates. In government, you can find Senate Majority Leader and 1996 Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole (1943–1944), Vermont senator Bernie Sanders (1959–1960), California senator Barbara Boxer (B.A. 1962), and the first black woman elected to US Congress, Shirley Chisholm (B.A. 1946).

In business, notable alumni include CEOs of major companies such as Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Adobe Inc., Warner Bros., New York Mets, and CBS Records.

Notable faculty

Brooklyn College’s faculty has also included many well-known figures. Actors like F. Murray Abraham and Itzhak Perlman have taught there. The college has also been home to writers such as Michael Cunningham, Allen Ginsberg, and poets like John Ashbery.