The Murphy Institute is built on a partnership between the City University of New York and organized labor for the purpose of expanding higher education opportunities for working adults and meeting some of the City’s most critical workforce development needs.
The Institute offers a wide range of academic programs at its mid-Manhattan Center and satellite locations; provides a host of pre-admission services and an extensive system of academic support; creates a small-college environment within a large urban setting; and develops new programs to meet the needs of workers for personal growth and career advancement. At the same time, our Gateway Services match students with programs and colleges throughout the five boroughs. Students enrolled in our programs, develop their communication, technical, and critical thinking skills, deepen their understanding of the world, and obtain the tools they need to advance themselves and those around them in their workplace and communities.
The undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs at our 43rd street Center focus on the liberal arts, social sciences, urban studies, government and public service, and labor studies. Students enrolled in our Worker Ed programs at Queens College, the College of Staten Island, or City Tech have access to hundreds of other programs as well. By taking advantage of our gateway services, students can select from over 1,400 degree programs to meet their professional goals and intellectual interests. These include degree programs in such diverse fields as health science, teacher education, construction, computer science, business, and engineering.
Exceptional Faculty
Faculty who teach in our programs are chosen for their expertise and their dedication to teaching. More than 80% of CUNY professors at senior colleges have earned the highest degrees possible in their fields and many have won prestigious national and international awards.
Convenient Locations throughout the City
The Institute’s own facility is in the heart of Manhattan—one and a half blocks from Times Square. We also have offices and programs at Queens College, the College of Staten Island, and City Tech. Worker Ed students enjoy access to campuses throughout the five boroughs, making it easy to attend classes and events close to work or home.
A college degree is essential to moving up in the workforce, and a CUNY degree provides a strong foundation for professional success as well as for post-graduate education. CUNY graduates have an outstanding record of achievement nationwide in many fields, including government, education, social service, industry, science, and the technical trades. It is our experience and hope that our students will use their enhanced skills and wider knowledge not only to better their own lives, but also to become informed and active participants in their unions, workplaces, and communities.
Two factors make college affordable for workers and union members who enter CUNY through the Institute: 1) as a publicly funded institution, CUNY offers one of the lowest tuition rates available anywhere, and 2) most of our students receive tuition support from their unions, and those who don’t, receive help in exploring other avenues for financial assistance.