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Degree Requirements

The requirements listed below are special to this subcommittee and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School. More detailed information can be obtained from the chair of the subcommittee.

Students may be granted advanced standing if they have appropriate scholastic backgrounds or advanced degrees, such as the M.P.H., that meet the requirements of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and of the admissions committee. The decision to accept already completed work for credit toward the Ph.D. course requirements is made on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate School and the admissions committee.

For the M.A. Degree

The Master of Arts degree must be earned prior to any higher degrees unless a student receives two Residence Units of advanced standing.

A total of 32 points of course work is required in a combination of courses offered by Mailman School of Public Health and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences as stipulated by the Ph.D. subcommittee.

For the M.Phil. Degree

Completion of the requirements for the M.A. degree, or two Residence Units of advanced standing plus four additional Residence Units earned at Columbia, are required for the M.Phil. degree.

Course requirements: A minimum of 29 points of course work in Mailman School of Public Health beyond that required for the M.A. degree in one of three tracks (environmental and molecular epidemiology, environmental and molecular toxicology, or medical/health physics) is required as stipulated by the program subcommittee.

Teaching requirement: Participation in the instructional and/or research activities of the department for a minimum of one year.

M.Phil. examinations: Written and oral qualifying examinations in the form of two different research proposals are required.

For the Ph.D. Degree

After completion of all requirements for the M.Phil. degree, the student must prepare a doctoral research proposal. A faculty advisor, with the assistance of a faculty committee, provides consultation on an individualized study program for each student, approves the proposal, and supervises the required research and writing of the dissertation, which the student must then successfully defend and deposit in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Financial Aid

Financial aid includes traineeships, graduate research assistantships, and teaching fellowships. A comprehensive program of financial aid, including fellowships and appointments in teaching and research, is available.