COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
ADMISSION OVERVIEW
FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
This information has been prepared to help prospective students
from other countries make their educational plans and decide whether they wish
to make a formal application for admission to Columbia University. Please read
this information carefully. The University comprises undergraduate (first) degree
schools, graduate (postgraduate) degree schools, non-degree programs, and the
American Language Program, Columbia's internationally recognized
program for the study of English as a second language. Each Columbia school
or program has a separate admissions office, admissions application, and bulletin.
It is important to determine the degree to be studied and the school in which
the program is offered. Some subjects (mainly liberal arts and sciences) are
offered in more than one school. The degree received or the emphasis of the
major focus of studies differs depending on the school in which the student
is registered. The information that follows briefly describes Columbia's program
offerings and degree structure. Detailed information on the application process
for international students, including links to the testing services offering
required admission examinations, is available in Application
Overview for International Students. Specific school application information
and useful references or bulletins are linked to the school or program names.
Overview of Undergraduate Studies:
A bachelor's degree earned in the
United States usually takes a minimum of four years. Degrees are earned
by taking a combination of required courses which meet liberal arts distribution
requirements (humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences), a required
number of courses in the major field of study (called a "major"in
the United States), and the balance of courses as electives. Each course
taken is assigned a value called "points" (also called "credits"
or "units"). To earn a bachelor's degree, one must earn a minimum
of 124 points (usually more) and, at the same time, meet the distribution
and major requirements. Advisement on course selection is available in each
school at the time of registration.
Undergraduate studies are offered in three divisions of the University. Each
division offers a distinct program of studies. The divisions that offer the
undergraduate (B.A. or B.S.) degree are:
1. Columbia
College (CC) - Study of the liberal arts and sciences leading to
the B.A. degree traditionally, but not exclusively, for students just out
of secondary school, usually between the ages of 17 and 22. With an enrollment
of approximately 4,000, Columbia College is the smallest college in the
Ivy League.
2. Fu Foundation
School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) - Offers the B.S.
degree in engineering and applied science fields.
3. School
of General Studies (GS) - Offers the B.A. or B.S. degree
to students who have had a break of a year or more in their education since
high school.
Overview of Graduate Studies:
All other divisions of the University are graduate schools and, as such,
offer degrees beyond the bachelor's degree, usually master's or doctoral
degrees.
Master's degrees take from one to three years to earn depending on the
course work and research/writing requirements.
Ph.D. requirements may vary but usually require one to two years of course
work beyond the master's degree, comprehensive examinations, a major original
contribution to research in the field of study, and oral defense of one's
research. The research and writing requirement can take from two to five
years beyond the course work. A Ph.D. candidate should plan on a minimum
of four and an average of six years of study to complete the degree requirements.
It is not unusual for a student to be at Columbia seven or eight years to
complete a doctorate.
To be admitted to these schools, the applicant must have completed a
degree considered in the United States to be equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's
degree with a strong academic record. There are also other admissions requirements.
The Columbia schools and programs that offer graduate degrees are:
Overview of Non-Degree Programs:
The School of Continuing Education offers, in addition to its masters' degree program, opportunities for non-degree study
at Columbia to qualified applicants. Both undergraduate and graduate level
courses from the University's arts and sciences course offerings may be
taken for credit. This option is particularly appropriate for international
students who wish to visit at Columbia for a semester or two.
To qualify for an I-20 to be in F-1 student status in the U.S., students must
register for at least 12 points of credit-bearing coursework each semester.
This is usually equivalent to four courses each semester.
Of particular interest to international students is
the School of Continuing Education's American Language Program. The ALP is one of the oldest
English as a Second Language programs in the United States and offers a
carefully integrated sequence of courses to students, business and professional
people, and international visitors who wish to improve their command of
English.
Affiliated Institutions:
There are two institutions which are affiliated with, located adjacent
to, and bear the name of Columbia University. They are administered separately
and applications for admission must be made directly to these institutions.
Barnard College,
Columbia University An undergraduate liberal arts college for women
affiliated with Columbia University. For more information, write to Barnard
College Admissions, 111 Milbank,3009 Broadway, New York, NY 10027, U.S.A.
Teachers College, Columbia
University A graduate school for students interested in education, offering
only the master's and doctoral degrees. For more information, write to Teachers
College Admissions, 146 Horace Mann, 551 West 120 Street, New York, NY 10027,
U.S.A.