New Certificate Programs
Programs leading to a statutory certificate require a minimum of 20 credits for students who are simultaneously studying for a degree at Columbia and 24 credits if they are not.
Every new certificate program requires the approval of the School in which it will be offered, the concurrence of th eother schools, and several central University approvals, including the University Senate. Once the proposal has the necessary University approvals, it must be registered by the New York State Education Department. These programs do not require Trustee approval, nor is it ever necessary to submit them to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
To request approval of a new certificate program, its sponsors should complete the forms, forms Application for Registration of a New Certificate Program and Proposal for a New Degree or Certification Program. The first of these forms is mandated by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for new certificate programs. While NYSED has also electronically posted these forms, individuals preparing a proposal for a new certificate program should only use the ones on this web site since they also include information required for internal University purposes.
Five years after a new program has begun to admit students, the Education Committee of the University Senate conducts a further evaluation to assess its effectiveness in meeting its intended goals. The Vice Provost for Academic Administration informs a program when it is up for review and ask it to complete a questionnaire which is available at 5th-Year Questionnaire. The Vice Provost submits the completed questionnaire to a standing 5th-Year Review Subcommittee of the Education Committee which assesses the program's effectiveness and recommends to the full committee whether the program's approval should be affirmed. The chair of the Education Committee informs the program of the final outcome of its assessment. This review normally represents the last evaluation of a new program. However, a program may need to seek additional approvals if it materially changes its structure or purpose.