Academic Procedures and Standards
Registration and Enrollment
Registration is the mechanical process that reserves seats in particular
classes for eligible students. It is accomplished by following the procedures announced
in advance of each term’s registration period.
Enrollment is the completion of the registration process and affords the
full rights and privileges of student status. Enrollment is accomplished by the payment
or other satisfaction of tuition and fees and by the satisfaction of other obligations
to the University.
Registration alone does not
guarantee enrollment; nor does registration alone guarantee the right to participate in
class. In some cases, students will need to obtain the approval of the instructor or of
a representative of the department that offers a course. Students should check this
bulletin, their registration instructions, the Directory of Classes, and also with an
adviser for all approvals that may be required.
To comply with current and
anticipated Internal Revenue Service mandates, the University requires all students to
report their Social Security number at the time of admission. Newly admitted students
who do not have a Social Security number should obtain one well in advance of their
first registration. International students should consult:
International Students and
Scholars Office (ISSO)
524 Riverside Drive
212-854-3587
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/isso/
Special billing authorization is
required of all students whose bills are to be sent to a third party for payment.
Students who are not citizens of the United States and who need authorization for
special billing of tuition and/or fees to foreign institutions, agencies, or sponsors
should go to the International Students and Scholars Office with two copies of the
sponsorship letter.
University Regulations
Each person whose enrollment has
been completed is considered a student of the University during the term for which he or
she is enrolled unless his or her connection with the University is officially severed
by withdrawal or for other reasons. No student enrolled in any school or college of the
University shall at the same time be enrolled in any other school or college, either of
Columbia University or of any other institution, without the specific authorization of
the dean or director of the school or college of the University in which he or she is
first enrolled.
The privileges of the University
are not available to any student until enrollment has been completed. Students are not
permitted to attend any University course for which they are not officially enrolled or
for which they have not officially filed a program unless they have been granted
auditing privileges.
The University reserves the right
to withhold the privileges of registration and enrollment or any other University
privilege from any person who has outstanding financial, academic, or administrative
obligations to the University.
Continuous registration until
completion of all requirements is obligatory for each degree. Students are exempted from
the requirement to register continuously only when granted a voluntary or medical leave
of absence by their Committee on Academic Standing (for undergraduate students) or the
Office of Graduate Student Services (for graduate students).
Registration Instructions
Registration instructions are
announced in advance of each registration period. Students should consult these
instructions for the exact dates and times of registration activities. Students must be
sure to obtain all necessary written course approvals and advisers’ signatures before
registering. Undergraduate students who have not registered for a full-time course load
by the end of the add period will be withdrawn from the School, as will graduate
students who have not registered for any course work by the end of the add period.
International students enrolled in graduate degree programs must maintain full-time
status until degree completion. back to top
Degree Requirements and Satisfactory Progress
Undergraduate
Undergraduate students are
required to complete the School’s degree requirements and graduate in eight academic
terms. Full-time undergraduate registration is defined as at least 12 semester credits
per term. However, in order to complete the degree, students must be averaging 16 points
per term. Students may not register for point loads greater than 21 points per term
without approval from the Committee on Academic Standing.
To be eligible to receive the
Bachelor of Science degree, a student must complete the courses prescribed in a
faculty-approved major/program (or faculty-authorized substitutions) and achieve a
minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.0. While the minimum number of
academic credits is 128 for the B.S. degree, some programs of the School require a
greater number of credits in order to complete all the requirements. Undergraduate
engineering degrees are awarded only to students who have completed at least 60 points
of course work at Columbia.
Undergraduates in the programs
accredited by the Engineering Accredita-tion Commission of the ABET (chemical
engineering, civil engineering, Earth and environmental engineering, electrical
engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering) satisfy ABET
requirements by taking the courses in prescribed programs, which have been designed by
the departments so as to meet the ABET criteria.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend
their classes and laboratory periods. Instructors may consider attendance in assessing a
student’s performance and may require a certain level of attendance for passing a
course.
Graduate
A graduate student who has
matriculated in an M.S. program or is a special student is considered to be making
normal progress if at the completion of 9 credits, he or she has earned a cumulative GPA
of 2.5. Candidates in the Doctor of Engineering Science (Eng.Sc.D.) and professional
programs are expected to achieve a 3.0 grade point average at the completion of 9 points
of course work.
Thereafter, graduate students are
considered to be making minimum satisfactory progress if they successfully complete at
least 75 percent of all courses they have registered for as candidates for the degree
with grades of C- or better. Students placed on academic probation because of their
grades are nonetheless considered to be making minimum satisfactory progress for their
first term on probation (see chapter ‘‘Academic Standing,’’ below).
Degree requirements for master’s
and professional degrees must be completed within five years; those for the doctoral
degrees must be completed within seven years. A minimum cumulative grade-point average
of 2.5 (in all courses taken as a degree candidate) is required for the M.S. degree; a
minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for the professional degree and the Doctor of Engineering
Science (Eng.Sc.D.) degree. The minimum residence requirement for each Columbia degree
is 30 points of course work completed at Columbia.
Changes in Registration
A student who wishes to drop or
add courses or to make other changes in his or her program of study must obtain the
signature of his or her adviser on an add/drop form. The deadline for making program
changes in each term is shown in the Academic Calendar. After this date, undergraduate
students must petition their Committee on Academic Standing; graduate students must
petition the Office of Graduate Student Services. For courses dropped after these dates,
no adjustment of fees will be made. Failure to attend a class without officially
dropping the class will result in a grade indicating permanent unofficial withdrawal
(UW).
Transfer Credits
Undergraduate students may obtain
academic credit toward the B.S. degree by completing course work at other accredited
institutions. Normally, this credit is earned during the summer. To count as credit
toward the degree, a course taken elsewhere must have an equivalent at Columbia and the
student must achieve a grade of at least C. The institution must be an accredited
four-year college. To transfer credit, a student must obtain prior approval from his or
her adviser and the department before taking such courses. Courses may only be taken
elsewhere if a student is behind in points. A course description and syllabus should be
furnished as a part of the approval process. Courses taken before the receipt of the
high school diploma may not be credited toward the B.S. degree. A maximum of 6 credits
may be credited toward the degree for college courses taken following the receipt of a
high school diploma and initial enrollment.
Graduate students are not eligible
for transfer credits.
Examinations
Midterm examinations: Instructors generally schedule these in late October
and mid-March.
Final
examinations: These are given at the end of each term. The Master University
Examination Schedule is available on line and is confirmed by November 1 for the fall
term and April 1 for the spring term. This schedule is sent to all academic departments
and is available for viewing on the Columbia Web site. Students should consult with
their instructors for any changes to the exam schedule. Examinations will not be
rescheduled to accommodate travel plans.
Note: If a student has three final examinations scheduled during one calendar
day, as certified by the Registrar, an arrangement may be made with one of the student’s
instructors to take that examination at another, mutually convenient time during the
final examination period. This refers to a calendar day, not a twenty-four-hour time
period. Undergraduate students unable to make suitable arrangements on their own should
contact their adviser. Graduate students should contact the Office of Graduate Student
Services.
Transcripts and Certifications
The University abides by the
provisions of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974.
This act ensures a wide range of rights, including but not limited to information about
student records that the University maintains, who maintains them, who has access to
them, and for what purposes access is granted. The act also permits the University to
release “directory information” without a student’s consent. In addition, the act
guarantees students access to their records and restricts the access of others.
Students who wish to restrict access to their directory information may do so on the Morningside campus at the Student Service Center, 205 Kent. The guidelines are available on ColumbiaWeb and in FACETS, the University student handbook. Questions about the interpretation of the guidelines should be referred to the University’s General Counsel, 412 Low Library.
You may obtain an official transcript of your academic record at Columbia University by writing to:
Student Service Center
Columbia University
Mail Code 9202
1150 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
Attention: Transcripts
Please include the following
information with your request: current and former names; personal identification number
(PID) if known; schools attended and dates of attendance; degrees awarded and dates
awarded; number of transcripts desired and complete address for each; your current
address and telephone number; your signature authorizing the release of your transcript.
You may also order transcripts in person at 205 Kent Hall on the Morningside campus
(9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday– Friday). Currently enrolled students may order transcripts
for themselves and for colleges and universities via the Student Services Web page. There is no charge for issuing transcripts; however, all
students pay a one-time transcript fee of $75 upon their first registration at the
University. The normal processing time for transcripts is two to three business days. If
you mail in your request for a transcript, you should allow several additional days for
delivery to and from the University.
Currently enrolled students may
order certifications of their enrollment and degrees in person or on the Student
Services Web page as described above. Certifications are provided while you wait if you
come to 205 Kent to request them. There is no charge for certifications.
The Student Service Center no
longer handles requests by noncurrent students, by alumni, or by third parties. Their
requests should be made directly to NSC:
National Student Clearinghouse
13454 Sunrise Valley Drive - Suite 300
Herndon, VA
20171
703-742-4200
email:
Report of Grades
Students are notified by e-mail when grades are submitted. Grades can then be viewed the following day by using the Student Services Online feature located on the Student Services home page. If you need an official printed report, you must request a transcript (please see Transcripts and Certifications above). All graduate students must have a current mailing addresson file with the Registrar’s Office.
Transcript Notations
The grading system is as follows:
A, excellent; B, good; C, satisfactory; D, poor but passing; F, failure (a final grade
not subject to re-examination). Occasionally, P (Pass) is the only passing option
available. The grade-point average is computed on the basis of the following index: A=4,
B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0. Designations of + or – (used only with A, B, C) are equivalent to
0.33 (i.e., B+ =3.33; B– = 2.67). Grades of P, INC, UW, and MU will not be included in
the computation of the grade-point average.
The mark of R (registration
credit; no qualitative grade earned): not accepted for degree credit in any program. R
credit is not available to undergraduate students. In some divisions of the University,
the instructor may stipulate conditions for the grade and report a failure if those
conditions are not satisfied. The R notation will be given only to those students who
indicate, upon registration and to the instructor, their intention to take the course
for R, or who, with the approval of the instructor, file written notice of change of
intention with the Registrar not later than the last day for change of program. Students
wishing to change to R credit after this date are required to submit the Dean’s written
approval to the Registrar. A course which has been taken for R credit may not be
repeated later for examination credit. The mark of R is automatically given in Doctoral
Research Instruction courses.
The mark of UW: given to students
who discontinue attendance in a course but are still officially registered for it, or
who fail to take a final examination without an authorized excuse.
The mark of INC (incomplete):
granted only in the case of incapacitating illness as certified by the Health Services
at Columbia, serious family emergency, or circumstances of comparable gravity.
Undergraduate students request on INC by filling out the Incomplete Request Form with
their advising dean. The deadline is the last day of class in the semester of
enrollment. Students requesting an INC must gain permission from both the Committee on
Academic Standing (CAS) and the instructor. Graduate students should contact their
instructor. If granted an INC, students must complete the required work within a period
of time stipulated by the instructor but not to exceed one year. After a year, the INC
will be automatically changed into an F or contingency grade.
The mark of YC (year course): a
mark given at the end of the first term of a course in which the full year of work must
be completed before a qualitative grade is assigned. The grade given at the end of the
second term is the grade for the entire course.
The mark of CP (credit pending):
given only in graduate research courses in which student research projects regularly
extend beyond the end of the term. Upon completion, a final qualitative grade is then
assigned and credit allowed. The mark of CP implies satisfactory progress.
The mark of MU (make-up
examination): given to a student who has failed the final examination in a course but
who has been granted the privilege of taking a second examination in an effort to
improve his or her final grade. The privilege is granted only when there is a wide
discrepancy between the quality of the student’s work during the term and his or her
performance on the final examination, and when, in the instructor’s judgment, the
reasons justify a make-up examination. A student may be granted the mark of MU in only
two courses in one term, or, alternatively, in three or more courses in one term if
their total point value is not more than 7 credits. The student must remove MU by taking
a special examination administered as soon as the instructor can schedule it.
The mark of P/F (pass/fail): this
grading option is designed to allow students to extend their academic inquiry into new
areas of study. No course taken for pass/fail may be used to satisfy a student’s program
and degree requirements. The P/F option does not count toward degree requirements for
graduate students.
Credit for Internships
Students who participate in
noncompensated off-campus internships may have the internships noted on their
transcripts. Approval for this notation may be obtained from your adviser. Formal
notification from the employer is required. Graduate students may petition the office of
Graduate Student Services for this notation.
Name Changes
Students may change their name of
record only while currently enrolled in the University. There is no charge for this
service, but students must submit a name change affidavit to the Student Service Center.
Affidavits are available from this office. When you graduate or cease to enroll in the
University, your name of record is considered final and may not be changed unless you
enroll again at the University. back to top
Graduation
Columbia University awards degrees three times during the year: in February, May, and October. There is one commencement ceremony in May. Only students who have completed their requirements for the degree may participate in graduation ceremonies.
Application or Renewal of Application
for the Degree
In general, students pick up and
file an application for a degree at their schools or departments, but there are several
exceptions. Candidates for master of science and professional degrees must pick up and
file their application for the degree with the Student Service Center, 205 Kent Hall.
Candidates for doctoral and master of philosophy degrees should inquire at their
departments but must also follow the instructions of the Dissertation Office, 107 Low
Library.
General deadlines for applying for
graduation are November 1 for February, December 1 for May, and August 1 for October.
(When a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business
day.) Doctoral students must deposit their dissertations two days before the above
conferral dates in order to graduate.
Students who fail to earn the
degree by the conferral date for which they applied must file another application for a
later conferral date.
Diplomas
There is no charge for the
preparation and conferral of an original diploma. If your diploma is lost or damaged,
there will be a charge of $100 for a replacement diploma. Note that replacement diplomas
carry the signatures of current University officials. Applications for replacement
diplomas may be requested by calling: Student Service Center
Graduation, Degree Audit, and Diploma Division
212-854-4400 back to top