• A Message From The Deans
• Mission of the School
• About the School and University
• Undergraduate Studies
  • Undergraduate Programs
  • Undergraduate Tuition, Fees and Payment
  • Financial Aid for Undergraduate Study
  • Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Studies
• Faculty Administration
• Departments and Academic Programs
• Undergraduate Minors
• Interdisiplinary Courses and Courses in Other Divsions of the University
• Campus and Student Life
• Scholarships, Fellowships, Awards, and Prizes
• University and School Policies Procedures, and Regulations
• Directory of University Resources

Undergraduate Programs

The undergraduate programs at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) not only are academically exciting and technically innovative but also lead into a wide range of career paths for the educated citizen of the twenty-first century. Whether you want to become a professional engineer, work in industry or government, or plan to pursue a career in the physical and social sciences, medicine, law, business, or education, SEAS will provide you with an unparalleled education.

SEAS firmly believes that students gain the most when engineering is brought up front, early in the four-year curriculum. Therefore, first-year students use the networked, high-performance workstations and multimedia software of the Botwinick Gateway Lab as part of their technical core requirements. Here students apply fundamental principles of engineering design to modeling advanced engineering and applied science problems. Later in the four-year program, students often use the Laboratory's symbolic, numeric, and graphical computing power in ever deepening integration with classroom, laboratory, and research work of their chosen engineering program.

While pursuing their own interests, undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in a broad range of ongoing faculty research projects encompassed by the Undergraduate Research Involvement Program (URIP). An annual URIP publication sent to students describes faculty projects in which students may participate, lists necessary qualifications, and details whether the student's participation will be voluntary, for academic credit, or for monetary compensation.

In addition to in-depth exploration of engineering and applied science, SEAS undergraduates explore the humanities and social sciences with Columbia College students through intellectually challenging Core Curriculum courses taught by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. These courses in art, literature, music, major cultures, and economics, among others, provide students with a broad, intellectually disciplined, cultural perspective on the times they live in and the work they do.

Policy on Degree Requirements

The First Year—Sophomore Program

Liberal Arts Core for SEAS Students: 27-Point Nontechnical Requirement

This requirement provides a broad liberal arts component that enhances the SEAS professional curriculum to help students meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Our students are destined to be leaders in their professions and will require sophisticated communication, planning, and management skills. The SEAS Committee on Instruction established the school's nontechnical requirement so that students would learn perspectives and principles of the humanities and social sciences as part of a well-rounded and multiperspective education. Through discussion, debate, and writing, students improve their ability to engage in ethical, analytic, discursive, and imaginative thinking that will prove indispensable later in life.

• SEAS students must take 16 to 18 points of credit of required courses in list A and 9 to 11 elective points chosen from the approved courses in list B. The total combined number of nontechnical points (from lists A and B, below) must add up to at least 27. Neither list can be modified by advising deans or faculty advisers.

• Advanced Placement (AP) credit in appropriate subject areas can be applied toward the 9-point elective nontechnical requirement.

If electing Major Cultures sequence, students must take two courses from the Major Cultures List of Approved Courses (see pdf here) for a letter grade.

• Students must begin the Major Cultures requirement with a course chosen from List A.

• The second course, completing the requirement, may be chosen from List A again or from List B or C.

• If the second course is from List A, it may be drawn from any of the five civilizations.

• If the second course is from List B or C, it must be drawn from the same civilization as the List A course.

A. Required Nontechnical Courses (16-18 points of credit)

These courses must be taken at Columbia:

1. ENGL C1010 University Writing 3 Points

2. One of the following two-semester sequences:

HUMA C1001-C1002 Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy (All students registering for this course should be prepared to discuss the first six books of the Iliad on the first day of class.)

or

COCI C1101-C1102 Introduction to contemporary civilization in the West or any Major Cultures sequence (2 courses) from List A of the Major Cultures Requirement or a List A and a List B or C course in the same culture 6-8 Points

3. One of the following two courses:

HUMA W1121 Masterpieces of Western Art

or

HUMA W1123 Masterpieces of Western Music 3 Points

4. ECON W1105 Principles of Economics (This course can be satisfied through Advanced Placement; see the Advanced Placement chart on page 14.) 4 Points

B. Elective Nontechnical Courses (9-11 points of credit)

The following course listing by department specifies the courses that either fulfill or do not fulfill the nontechnical requirement.

(Professional, workshop, lab, project, scientific, music instruction, and master's-level professional courses do not satisfy the 27-point nontechnical requirement.)

AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES: All courses

AMERICAN STUDIES: All courses

ANCIENT STUDIES: All courses

ANTHROPOLOGY: All courses in sociocultural anthropology All courses in archaeology except field work. No courses in biological/physical anthropology [V1010, V1011, W3204, V3940, G4147-G4148, W4200, G4700]

ARCHITECTURE: No courses

ART HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY: All courses

ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES All courses

ASTRONOMY: No courses

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: No courses

BUSINESS: No courses

CHEMISTRY: No courses

CHINESE: All courses

CLASSICS: All courses

COLLOQUIA: All courses

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND SOCIETY: All courses

COMPUTER SCIENCE: No courses

DANCE: All courses except performance classes

DRAMA AND THEATRE ARTS: All courses except performance classes and THTR BC2120 Technical production

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: No courses

EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURE: All courses

ECONOMICS: All courses except
W3211 Intermediate microeconomics
W3213 Intermediate macroeconomics
W3412 Introduction to econometrics
W2261-W4261 Introduction to accounting and finance
W3025 Financial economics
W4280 Corporate finance
W4918 Seminar in applied econometrics
W4930 Seminar in mathematical modeling in economics
BC1001 Introduction to macroeconomics
BC1002 Introduction to microeconomics
BC2411 Statistics for economics
BC3018 Econometrics
BC3033 Intermediate macroeconomic theory
BC3035 Intermediate microeconomic theory

EDUCATION: All courses

ENGLISH AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE: All courses

FILM STUDIES: All courses except: lab courses, and W3850 Senior seminar in screenwriting W4005 The film medium: script analysis

FRENCH AND ROMANCE PHILOLOGY: All courses

GERMANIC LANGUAGES: All courses

GREEK: All courses

HISTORY: All courses

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE: All courses

ITALIAN: All courses

LATIN: All courses

LATINO STUDIES: All courses

MATHEMATICS: No courses

MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE STUDIES: All courses

MIDDLE EASTERN AND ASIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURES: All courses

MUSIC: All courses except performance or instrument instruction classes (which do not count toward the 128 credits required for graduation)

PHILOSOPHY: All courses except: F1001 European literature-philosophical masterpieces I V3411 Introduction to symbolic logic V4431 Introduction to set theory CSPH W4801 Mathematical logic I: the completeness result Courses in logic

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: No courses

PHYSICS: No courses

POLITICAL SCIENCE: All courses

PSYCHOLOGY:
No lab courses. Only:
W1001 The science of psychology
W2235 Thinking and decision making
W2240 Human communication
W2280 Introduction to developmental psychology
W2610 Introduction to personality
W2620 Abnormal behavior
W2630 Social psychology
V2680 Social and personality development
W3615 Children at risk

RELIGION: All courses

SEAS:
Only:
SCNC W3010 Science, technology and society
BMEN E4010 Ethics for biomedical engineers
EEHS E3900 History of telecommunications

SLAVIC LANGUAGES: All courses

SOCIOLOGY: All courses except: SOCI V3212 Statistics and methods

SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE: All courses

SPEECH: No courses

STATISTICS: No courses

URBAN STUDIES: All courses

VISUAL ARTS: No courses

WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES: All courses

WRITING: All courses

Technical Course Requirements

The prescribed First Year-Sophomore Program curriculum requires students to complete a program of technical course work introducing them to five major areas of technical inquiry: engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computer science.

All first-year SEAS undergraduate students take ENGI E1102: Design fundamentals using the advanced computer technologies (4 points), in the Botwinick Gateway Lab. In this course, students learn the basics of engineering design along with professional and teamwork skills through participation in community service projects for real clients in local communities.

While students need not officially commit to a particular branch of engineering until the third semester, most programs recommend, and in some cases may require, that particular courses be taken earlier for maximum efficiency in program planning. For information concerning these requirements, students should turn to the individual program sections in this bulletin.

Professional-Level Courses for First- and Second-Year Students

First-year and second-year students are required to take at least one professional-level course chosen from the list below. The faculty strongly encourages students to schedule two of these courses. (The Botwinick Gateway Laboratory course in computer and engineering design technology, ENGI E1102, which is required of every first-year student, is not included in this list.)

Each course is designed to acquaint SEAS students with rigorous intellectual effort in engineering and applied science early in their academic careers. If a student chooses to take the second professional-level course, such a 1000-level course may, at the discretion of each department, be used as an upper-level technical elective normally satisfied by 3000-level or higher courses.

The courses stipulate minimal prerequisites. Each course serves as an introduction to the area of study in addition to teaching the subject matter. Each course is taught by regular department faculty and thus provides a double introduction to both subject area and faculty.

The courses are:

APPH E1300y Physics of the human body
The human body analyzed from the basic principles of physics: energy balance in the body, mechanics of motion, fluid dynamics of the heart and circulation, vibrations in speaking and hearing, muscle mechanics, vision, gas exchange and transport in the lungs, structural properties and limits, and other topics.

APAM E1601y Introduction to computational mathematics and physics
Mathematics and physics problems solved by using computers. Topics include elementary interpolation of functions, solution of nonlinear algebraic equations, curve-fitting and hypothesis testing, wave propagation, fluid motion, gravitational and celestial mechanics, and chaotic dynamics.

BMEN E1001x Engineering in medicine
The present and historical role of engineering in medicine and health care delivery. Engineering approaches to understanding organismic and cellular function in living systems. Engineering in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Medical imaging, medical devices: diagnostic and surgical instruments, drug delivery systems, prostheses, artificial organs.

CHEN E1040y Molecular engineering and product design
Examines the ways in which chemical and biological sciences are interpreted through analytical design and engineering frameworks to generate products that enhance human endeavor. Culture of chemical engineering and the wide variety of chemical engineering practices, through lectures by department faculty and practicing chemical engineers, trips to industrial facilities, reverse engineering of chemical products, and a chemical design competition.

CIEN E1201y Design of buildings, bridges, and spacecraft
Basic principles according to which many structures are designed, constructed, and maintained in service. How strength and safety are treated and the role of the computer at this design stage. Performance requirements, such as noise and motion limitations. Classic and new materials of construction, their important features, and laboratory demonstration of properties. Management of both design and construction projects, and follow-up assessment monitoring and control.

EAEE E1100y A better planet by design
Sustainable development and management of Earth resources (water, minerals, energy, and land) are now recognized globally as an essential goal. A "systems analytic" approach to understanding feedbacks and interactions between human activity and the environment is introduced. Elements of integrated assessment, modeling, forecasting and decision analysis are illustrated by means of case studies of current resource and environment concerns.

ELEN E1201x and y Introduction to electrical engineering, with laboratory in circuit design
Exploration of selected topics and their application. Electrical variables, circuit laws, nonlinear and linear elements, ideal and real sources, transducers, operational amplifiers in simple circuits, external behavior of diodes and transistors, first order RC and RL circuits. Digital representation of a signal, digital logic gates, flipflops.

GRAP E1115x and y Engineering graphics
Visualization and simulation in virtual environments; computer graphics methods for presentation of data. 3-D modeling; animation; rendering; image editing; technical drawing.

MECE E1001x Mechanical engineering: micro-machines to jumbo jets
The role of mechanical engineering in developing many of the fundamental technological advances on which today's society depends. Topics include airplanes, automobiles, robots, and modern manufacturing methods, as well as the emerging fields of micro-electro-mechanical machines (MEMS) and nanotechnology. The physical concepts that govern the operation of these technologies will be developed from basic principles and then applied in simple design problems. Students will also be exposed to state-of-the art innovations in each case study.

MSAE E1001y Atomic-scale engineering of new materials
An introduction to the nanoscale science and engineering of new materials. The control and manipulation of atomic structure can create new solids with unprecedented properties. Computer hard drives, compact disc players, and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are explored to understand the role of new materials in enabling technologies. Group problem-solving sessions are used to develop understanding.

Physical Education

Music Instruction and Visual Arts Courses

Advanced Placement

Prior to entering Columbia, students may have taken the College Entrance Examination Board's Advanced Place-ment Examinations in a number of technical and nontechnical areas. Students may be assigned to an advanced-level course in mathematics, chemistry, or physics. A maximum of 16 points may be applied.

In the required pure science areas, the number of advanced placement academic credits awarded to students of engineering and applied science varies from the levels awarded for liberal arts programs, notably in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computer science. The benefit of advanced placement is acceleration through certain First Year-Sophomore Program requirements and thus the opportunity of taking specialized courses earlier.

Each year the school reviews the CEEB advanced placement curriculum and makes determinations as to appropriate placements, credit, and/or exemption.

Advanced Placement Credit Chart

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Study Abroad

Engineering is the most international occupation. Whatever career students choose, international opportunities will expand enormously during their lifetime and the experience gained through study abroad will prove invaluable. Achieving cultural literacy in another country—some substantive understanding of another perspective on the world—will, moreover, deepen their understanding of themselves, their own society, and their values. With proper planning, most engineering students can go abroad.

To be eligible for participation in a Columbia-approved study-abroad program, students must be in good academic standing and be making progress toward finishing their first year-sophomore requirements. It is essential that students begin planning with their adviser in their first year or early in their second. Information about how to prepare for study abroad and a listing of approved study-abroad programs are obtainable on the study-abroad Web site.

Generally, students go abroad the spring semester in their sophomore year or in their junior year. Students must consult with their adviser to discuss meeting their sophomore and junior course requirements and to ensure that the desired program is acceptable and suitable to their course of study. Students who wish to study abroad for more than one semester should plan to attend the summer session at Columbia following their spring term away, as well as getting approval from their adviser. To receive permission to study abroad, students must be cleared by Dean Scott Carpenter, assistant dean of academic affairs/study abroad, and then make an appointment with the Office of Global Programs. Students must register by November 15 for the spring semester and April 15 for the fall semester. Students who receive approval to study abroad remain enrolled at Columbia and tuition is paid to Columbia. Columbia will, in turn, pay tuition to the sponsoring institution up to the amount of Columbia tuition. Students on financial aid will receive their financial aid while abroad and must meet with a financial aid adviser before going abroad.

In order to obtain credit toward their Columbia degree for work done abroad, students must meet with their adviser and/or a departmental representative and obtain course-by-course approvals in advance. Due to the nature of the School's curriculum, students are generally advised to fulfill their nontechnical course requirements while abroad, although they may seek approval for technical courses as well. Students must receive a grade of C or better in order to be credited for any course work done outside of Columbia.

Combined Plan Programs

The Combined Plan (3-2) Program for Columbia University

Students who follow this program apply through their own school at Columbia College, Barnard College, or the School of General Studies for admission. Under this plan, the pre-engineering student studies in the appropriate college for three years, then attends The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science for two years and is awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering upon completion of the fifth year. This five-year program is optional at Columbia, but the school recommends it to all students who wish greater enrichment in the liberal arts and pure sciences.

A similar program can be planned for students at an affiliated liberal arts college. The Pre-Combined Plan Curriculum Guide is available online.

The Combined Plan at Other Affiliated Colleges

There are over one hundred liberal arts colleges, including those at Columbia, in which a student can enroll in a Combined Plan program leading to two degrees. Inasmuch as each liberal arts college requires the completion of a specified curriculum to qualify for the baccalaureate from that institution, students interested in this program should inform the liaison officer as early as possible, preferably in the first year.

The 3-2 Combined Plan Program, B.A./B.S., at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science is designed to provide students with the opportunity to receive both a B.A. degree from an affiliated liberal arts college and a B.S. degree from SEAS within five years. Students complete the requirements for the liberal arts degree along with a pre-engineering course of study in three years at their college and then complete two years at Columbia. Admission to SEAS at the end of the junior year is guaranteed for those students who have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better; are recommended by the liaison officer; and have completed the appropriate preparation successfully.

Another available option is the 4-2 B.S. degree program. This is designed to allow students to graduate from their liberal arts college with a B.A. degree and then transfer to SEAS to complete a B.S. degree in two years. Students should have followed a related course of study at their liberal arts college.

For further information on the 3-2 B.A./B.S. program and the 4-2 B.S. program, contact:
The Assistant Director of Admissions
212 Hamilton Hall, Mail Code 2807
1130 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
You may also e-mail questions to: .

The 4-2 M.S. program is designed to allow students to complete an M.S. degree at SEAS in two years after completion of a B.A. degree at one of the affiliated schools. This program will allow students the opportunity to take undergraduate engineering courses if necessary. Please contact:
The Office of Graduate Student Services
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
524 S. W. Mudd,Mail Code 4708
500 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027.
You may also e-mail questions to .

The following colleges are affiliated with SEAS in the Combined Plan; admission requirements and other information may be obtained from them or by contacting the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Click here for more information. 

The Combined Plan—Affiliated Colleges and Universities
Adelphi University
Albertson College
Albion College
Alfred University
Allegheny College
Arcadia College
Augustana College
Austin College
Baldwin-Wallace College
Bard College
Barnard College
Bates College
Beloit College
Bethany College
Birmingham-Southern College
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Carleton College
Carroll College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centre College
Claremont McKenna College
Clark University
Colgate University
College of Notre Dame of Maryland
College of the Holy Cross
College of William and Mary
Colorado College
Columbia College Columbia University
Columbia University General Studies
Davidson College
Denison University
DePauw University
Dillard University
Doane College
Drew University
Earlham College
Eckerd College
Elon College
Fairfield University
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College
Georgetown University
Gettysburg College
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Hartwick College
Hastings College
Hendrix College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Jacksonville University
Juniata College
Kansas Wesleyan University
Knox College
Lawrence University
Lewis and Clark Community College
Loyola Chicago
MacMurray College
Manchester College
Marietta College
Miami University: Oxford Campus
Middlebury College
Millsaps College
Morehouse College
Muhlenberg College
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Pacific Lutheran U
Providence College
Queens College
Randolph-Macon College
Reed College
Rollins College
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps College
Seattle Pacific University
Sewanee—The University of the South
Simon's Rock College of Bard
Spelman College
St. John Fisher College
St. Lawrence University
SUNY Binghamton
SUNY Fredonia
SUNY Geneseo
Sweet Briar College
University of Puget Sound
University of Richmond
University of the Virgin Islands
Ursinus College
Wabash College
Washington and Jefferson College
Washington and Lee University
Wells College
Wesleyan University
Whitman College
Whitworth College
Willamette University
William Jewell College
Williams College
Wittenberg University
Wofford College
Yeshiva University

The Junior-Senior Programs

Students may review degree progress via DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) as presented on Student Services Online. Required courses not completed by this time are detailed as deficiencies and must be completed during summer session or carried as overload courses during the final two years of study.

Having chosen their program major, students in their third and fourth year are assigned to an adviser in the department in which the program is offered. In addition to the courses required by their program, students must continue to satisfy certain distributive requirements, choosing elective courses that provide sufficient content in engineering sciences and engineering design. The order and distribution of the prescribed course work may be changed with the adviser's approval. Specific questions concerning course requirements should be addressed to the appropriate department or division. The Vice Dean's concurrent approval is required for all waivers and substitutions.

Tau Beta Pi

The Tau Beta Pi Association, a national engineering honor society, was founded in 1885 "to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as undergraduates in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges." Columbia's chapter, New York Alpha, is the ninth oldest and was founded in 1902. Many Columbia buildings have been named for some of the more prominent chapter alumni: Charles Fredrick Chandler, Michael Idvorsky Pupin, Augustus Schermerhorn, and, of course, Harvey Seeley Mudd.

Undergraduate students whose scholarship places them in the top eighth of their class in their next-to-last year or in the top fifth of their class in their last college year are eligible for membership consideration. These scholastically eligible students are further considered on the basis of personal integrity, breadth of interest both inside and outside engineering, adaptability, and unselfish activity.

Taking Graduate Courses as an Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Science Degree

Students who complete a four-year sequence of prescribed study are awarded the Bachelor of Science degree. The general requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree is the completion of a minimum of 128 academic credits with a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C) at the time of graduation. The program requirements, specified elsewhere in this bulletin, include the First Year-Sophomore course requirements, the Junior-Senior major departmental requirements, and technical and nontechnical elective requirements. Students who wish to transfer points of credit may count no more than 68 transfer points toward the degree, and must satisfy the University's residence requirements by taking at least 60 points of credit at Columbia.

The bachelor's degree in engineering and applied science earned at Columbia University prepares students to enter a wide range of professions. Students are, however, encouraged to consider graduate work, at least to the master's degree level, which is increasingly considered necessary for many professional careers.

The Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), an organization formed by the major engineering professional societies, accredits university engineering programs on a nationwide basis. Completion of an accredited program of study is usually the first step toward a professional engineering license. Advanced study in engineering at a graduate school sometimes presupposes the completion of an accredited program of undergraduate study.

The following undergraduate programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. For a complete listing of all programs registered with the State of New York, including ABET programs, see here .

The 4-1 Program at Columbia College

Students who are admitted as first-year students to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and subsequently complete the four-year program for the Bachelor of Science degree, have the opportunity to apply for admission to either Columbia College or Barnard College and, after one additional year of study, receive the Bachelor of Arts degree.

The program will be selective, and admission will be based on the following factors: granting of the B.S. at SEAS at the end of the fourth year; fulfillment of the College Core requirements by the end of the fourth year at SEAS; a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the College Core and other courses; and the successful completion of any prerequisites for the College major or concentration.

Interested students should contact their Advising Center for further information.

Minors

Undergraduates in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science may choose to add minors to their programs. This choice should be made as early as possible, but not later than the fall of their sophomore year, when they also decide on a major.

In considering a minor, students must understand that all minors are not, and cannot, be available to all students. In addition, the School cannot guarantee that a selected minor can be completed within the usual residence period needed for a major. Indeed, students choosing minors should expect to encounter scheduling difficulties. The potential for the successful completion of a minor depends on the student's major and the minor chosen, as well as the course schedules and availability, which may change from year to year. The list of minors, as well as their requirements, appear in the section "Undergraduate Minors".

Programs in Preparation for Other Professions

The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science prepares its students to enter any number of graduate programs and professions outside of what is generally thought of as the engineering field. In an increasingly technological society, where the line between humanities and technology is becoming increasingly blurred, individuals with a thorough grounding in applied mathematics and the physical and engineering sciences find themselves highly sought after as professionals in practically all fields of endeavor.

Engineering students interested in pursuing graduate work in such areas as architecture, business, education, journalism, or law will find themselves well prepared to meet the generally flexible admissions requirements of most professional schools. Undergraduate students should, however, make careful inquiry into the kinds of specific preparatory work that may be required for admission into highly specialized programs such as medicine.

Pre-Med

Engineering students seeking admission to dental, medical, optometric, osteopathic, or veterinary schools directly after college must complete all entrance requirements by the end of the junior year, and should plan their program accordingly. Students should consult with their adviser and the Office of Pre-Professional Advising to plan an appropriate program. Students should also connect with the Office of Pre-Professional Advising to learn more about extracurricular and research opportunities related to premed studies.

It is necessary to apply for admission to health professions schools a little over one year in advance of the entry date. If candidates are interested in going directly on to health professions school following graduation, they should complete all requirements and the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) by the summer following the junior year. It is, however, entirely acceptable to delay application and entrance to these schools several years beyond graduation, if desired.

Candidates planning for an application to medical or dental school will also need to be evaluated by the Premedical Advisory Committee prior to application. A Premedical Advisory Committee application is made available each year in December. Please consult with the Office of Pre-Professional Advising for more information regarding this process.

The Engineering School's curriculum covers many of the premedical courses required by medical schools. However, in addition to completing the mathematics, chemistry, and physics courses required by the First Year-Sophomore Program, most medical schools ask for a full year of organic chemistry, a full year of biology, and a full year of English.

The following courses are required by medical schools:

One year of calculus for some schools
One year of physics, with lab
One year of general chemistry, with lab
One year of biology, with lab (BME labs will qualify)
One year of organic chemistry, with lab
One year of English
Biochemistry or additional biology
(required by some schools)

Pre-Law

Students fulfilling the curriculum of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science are well prepared to apply to and enter professional schools of law, which generally do not require any specific pre-law course work. Schools of law encourage undergraduate students to complete a curriculum characterized by rigorous intellectual training involving relational, syntactical, and abstract thinking. A sound liberal education is best for most pre-law students. While selecting courses, keep in mind the need to hone your writing skills, your communication skills, and your capacity for logical analysis.

Courses in history, political science, economics, statistics, and anthropology help students understand the structure of society and the problems of social ordering with which the law is concerned. The study of philosophy, literature, fine arts, foreign languages, and other cultures imparts familiarity with traditions of universal thought and trends that influence legal developments nationally and internationally. The examination of human behavior through sociology and psychology will aid a prospective law student in understanding the types and effects of behavior to which the law relates.

The systematic ordering of abstractions and ideas in logic and the sciences contributes much to a pre-law student’s ability to analyze, understand, and rationally organize his or her thoughts. Finally, it is useful in some fields of law for a student to have a fundamental knowledge of technology, engineering, computers, and accounting.

New York State Initial Certification in Adolescence Education Grades 7–12 for Teachers of Mathematics and the Sciences or in Childhood Education Grades 1–6

The Barnard Education Program provides courses leading to certification to teach in New York State (with reciprocal agreements with forty-one other states) at either the elementary or secondary level. Students gain experience and develop skills in urban school classrooms. Interested students should apply for admission to the program and supply an essay and letters of recommendation no later than the first Monday in October of the junior year. These forms may be downloaded from the Barnard College Office of Education Web site or picked up in the 336 Milbank Hall office. Coursework required includes courses in psychology and education, including practicum and student teaching, totaling 23–26 points of credit depending on level of certification sought.

Certification to teach mathematics requires 36 points in mathematics. Pure science courses required are: 36 points in the sciences, of which 15 must be in the area of the certification sought: chemistry, biology, physics, or Earth science.

Application deadline is the first Monday in October of the student’s junior year. Students who plan to study abroad during their junior year should apply during the fall semester of their sophomore year. Students should decide on their interest in teacher certification by the end of the first year in order to start course work in the sophomore year.

Barnard College Education Program
336 Milbank Hall
212-854-7072

Joint Programs

School of Law

School of International and Public Affairs

Registered Programs

The New York State Department of Education requires that this bulletin include a listing of registered programs, both undergraduate and graduate (see chart here). Enrollment in other than registered or otherwise approved programs may jeopardize a student’s eligibility for certain student aid awards.

The letter “X” or the name of a degree on the chart indicates that a
program is registered with the New York State Department of Education.