• A Message From The Deans
• Mission of the School
• About the School and University
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
  • The Graduate Programs
  • Columbia Video Network
  • Graduate Admissions
  • Graduate Tuition, Fees, and Payments
  • Financial Aid for Graduate Study
• 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

The Graduate Programs

Graduate programs of study in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science are not formally prescribed, but are planned to meet the particular needs and interests of each individual student. Departmental requirements for each degree, which supplement the general requirements given below, appear in the sections on individual graduate programs.

Applicants for a graduate program are required to have completed an under- graduate degree and to furnish an official transcript as part of the admissions application. Ordinarily the candidate for a graduate degree will have completed an undergraduate course in the same field of engineering in which he or she seeks a graduate degree. However, if the student's interests have changed, it may be necessary to make up such basic undergraduate courses as are essential to graduate study in his or her new field of interest.

In order to complete the requirements for any graduate degree, the student must plan a program with the department of major interest and then have it approved by the Office of Graduate Student Services; the program may be modified later with the permission of the department and the Assistant Dean. No more than one term of course work or, in the case of part-time students, no more than 15 points of credit of course work, completed before the program is approved, may be counted toward the degree. Students registered in the School have a minimum requirement for each Columbia degree of 30 points of credit of course work completed at Columbia University. The student must enroll for at least 15 of these points while registered in the Engineering School. (See also the section "Special Nondegree Students" and the chapter "Columbia Video Network.") Students wishing to change from the Ph.D. degree to the Eng.Sc.D. degree must therefore enroll for at least 15 points while registered in the School. For residence requirements for students registered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or those wishing to change from the Eng.Sc.D. degree to the Ph.D. degree, see the bulletin of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Students admitted to graduate study are expected to enter upon and continue their studies in each succeeding regular term of the academic year. Any such student who fails to register for the following term will be assumed to have withdrawn unless a leave of absence has been granted by the Office of Graduate Student Services.

While many candidates study on a full-time basis, it is usually possible to obtain all or a substantial part of the credit requirement for the master's, professional, or doctoral degrees through part-time study.

Under special conditions, and with the prior approval of the department of his or her major interest and of the Assistant Dean, a student may be permitted to take a required subject at another school. However, credit for such courses will not reduce the 30-point minimum that must be taken at Columbia for each degree.

Competence in written and spoken English is required of every degree candidate. See English proficiency requirements.

For graduation, a candidate for any degree except a doctoral degree must file an Application for Degree or Certificate on the date specified in the Academic Calendar. Candidates for a doctoral degree must apply for the final examination. If the degree is not earned by the next regular time for the issuance of diplomas subsequent to the date of filing, the application must be renewed. Degrees are awarded three times a year—in October, February, and May.

The Master of Science Degree

The Master of Science degree is offered in many fields of engineering and applied science upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 30 points of credit of approved graduate study extending over at least one academic year.

While a suitable Master of Science program will necessarily emphasize some specialization, the program should be well balanced, including basic subjects of broad importance as well as theory and applications. The history of modern economic, social, and political institutions is important in engineering, and this is recognized in the prescribed undergraduate program of the School. If the candidate's undergraduate education has been largely confined to pure science and technology, a program of general studies, totaling from 6 to 8 points, may be required. Supplementary statements covering these special requirements are issued by the School's separate departments. An applicant who lacks essential training will be required to strengthen or supplement the undergraduate work by taking or repeating certain undergraduate courses before proceeding to graduate study. No graduate credit (that is, credit toward the minimum 30-point requirement for the Master of Science degree) will be allowed for such subjects. Accordingly, Master of Science programs may include from 35 to 45 points and may require three terms for completion. Doctoral research credits cannot be used toward M.S. degree requirements.

All degree requirements must be completed within five years of the beginning of graduate study. Under extraordinary circumstances, a written request for an extension of this time limit may be submitted to the student's department for approval by the department chairman and the Assistant Dean. A minimum grade-point average of 2.5 is required for the M.S. degree. A student who, at the end of any term, has not attained the grade-point average required for the degree may be asked to withdraw.

The 4-2 Master of Science Program

The 4-2 Master of Science Program provides the opportunity for students holding bachelor's degrees from affiliated liberal arts colleges (see the listing under the heading ‘‘The Combined Plan—Affiliated Colleges and Universities,'' ) with majors in mathematics, physics, chemistry, or certain other physical sciences to receive the M.S. degree after two years of study at Columbia in the following fields of engineering and applied science: biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, Earth and environmental, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering; applied physics; applied mathematics; engineering mechanics; operations research; materials science; and computer science.

Each applicant must produce evidence of an outstanding undergraduate record, including superior performance in physics and mathematics through differential equations. The program of study will be individually worked out in consultation with a faculty adviser and will be designed to integrate undergraduate work with the field of engineering or applied science the student chooses to follow. During the first year, the program will consist primarily of basic undergraduate courses; during the second year, of graduate courses in the selected field. The student must complete at least 30 credits of graduate study to qualify for the degree.

A student whose background may require supplementary preparation in some specific area, or who has been out of school for a considerable period, will have to carry a heavier than normal course load or extend the program beyond two years.

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 should also contact the Combined Plan liaison at your school for program information. You may, in addition, e-mail questions to .

Joint Program with the School of Business in Operations Research

Joint Program with the School of Business in Earth Resources Engineering

Special Studies with the Harriman Institute

The Professional Degree

An undergraduate engineering degree is prerequisite for admission to the professional degree program. The program leading to the professional degrees in chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical, metallurgical and mining engineering, and engineering mechanics is planned for engineers who wish to do advanced work beyond the level of the M.S. degree but who do not desire to emphasize research.

The professional degree is awarded for satisfactory completion of a graduate program at a higher level of course work than is normally completed for the M.S. degree. Students who find it necessary to include master's-level courses in their professional degree program will, in general, take such courses as deficiency courses. A candidate is required to maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.0. A student who, at the end of any term, has not attained the grade-point average required for the degree may be asked to withdraw. At least 30 points of credit of graduate work beyond the M.S. degree, or 60 points of graduate work beyond the B.S. degree, are required for the professional degree.

The final 30 points required for the professional degree must be completed in no more than five years.

Doctoral Degrees: Eng.Sc.D. and Ph.D.

Requirements for the Degrees

A student must obtain the master's degree (M.S.) before enrolling as a candidate for either the Ph.D. or Eng.Sc.D. degree. Application for admission as a doctoral candidate may be made while a student is enrolled as a master's degree candidate. The minimum requirement in course work for either doctoral degree is 60 points of credit beyond the bachelor's degree.

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must register full time and complete six Residence Units. A master's degree from an accredited institution may be accepted in the form of advanced standing as the equivalent of one year of residence (30 points of credit or two Residence Units) for either doctoral degree. An application for advanced standing must be completed during the first semester of study. Candidates for the Eng.Sc.D. degree must (in addition to the 60-point requirement) accumulate 12 points of credit in the departmental course E9800: Doctoral research instruction. A holder of the professional degree who wishes to continue work toward the Eng.Sc.D. degree will be required to complete not less than 30 additional points of credit in residence. All doctoral programs are subject to review by the Committee on Instruction of the School. In no case will more than 15 points of credit be approved for the dissertation and research and studies directly connected therewith without special approval by this Committee. Normally, a doctoral candidate specializes in a field of interest acceptable to a department of the School.

Departmental requirements may include comprehensive written and oral qualifying examinations. Thereafter, the student must write a dissertation embodying original research under the sponsorship of a member of his or her department and submit it to the department. If the department recommends the dissertation for defense, the student applies for final examination, which is held before an examining committee appointed by the Dean. This application must be made at least three weeks before the date of the final examination. A student must have a satisfactory grade-point average to be admitted to the doctoral qualifying examination. Consult the department requirements for details.

The candidate for the degree of Doctor of Engineering Science must submit evidence that his or her dissertation has been filed in compliance with requirements set by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

The defense of the dissertation constitutes the final test of the candidate's qualifications. It must be demonstrated that the candidate has made a contribution to knowledge in a chosen area. In content the dissertation should, therefore, be a distinctly original contribution in the selected field of study. In form it must show the mastery of written English which is expected of a university graduate.

Ph.D. candidates should obtain a copy of the bulletin of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, in which are printed the faculty requirements for the Ph.D. degree. These are supplemented by the requirements of the department of major interest.

Doctoral Research Instruction

In order that the University may recover the costs that are not defrayed by the University's income from tuition, charges for research required for the Eng.Sc.D. are assessed as given below.

Ph.D. candidates should consult the bulletin of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for the research instruction requirements that apply to them.

An Eng.Sc.D. candidate is required to do the following:

1. At the time the student begins doctoral research, the student is eligible to register for E9800 (3, 6, 9, or 12 points of credit). Twelve points must have been accumulated by the time the student is to receive the degree.

2. Registration for E9800 at a time other than that prescribed above is not permitted, except by written permission of the Dean.

3. Although 12 points of E9800 are required for the doctoral degree, no part of this credit may count toward the minimum residence requirement of 30 points (or 60 points beyond the bachelor's degree).

4. If a student is required to take course work beyond the minimum residence requirements, the 12 points of doctoral research instruction must still be taken in addition to the required course work.

5. A student must register continuously through the autumn and spring terms. This requirement does not include the summer session.

Completion of Requirements

The requirements for the Eng.Sc.D. degree must be completed in no more than seven years. The seven-year time period begins at the time the student becomes a candidate for the Eng.Sc.D. degree or a candidate for the professional degree, whichever occurs first, and extends to the date on which the dissertation defense is held.

Extension of the time allowed for completion of the degree may be granted on recommendation of the student's sponsor and the department chairman to the Dean when special circumstances warrant. Such extensions are initiated by submitting a statement of work in progress and a schedule for completion together with the sponsor's recommendation to the department chairman.

Special Nondegree Students

Qualified persons who are not interested in a degree program but who wish only to take certain courses may be permitted to register as special students, provided facilities are available.

Many graduate courses in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science are offered in the late afternoon and evening in order to make them available to working individuals who wish to further their knowledge in the areas of engineering and applied science. Individuals who find it difficult or impossible to attend classes on the Columbia campus may be able to receive instruction from the School through the Columbia Video Network without leaving their work sites. Individuals interested in this program should read the section describing the CVN, which follows in this bulletin.

Special students receive grades and must maintain satisfactory attendance and performance in classes or laboratories and will be subject to the same rules as degree candidates. Should a special student decide to pursue a degree program, work completed as a special student may be considered for advanced standing, but no more than 15 points of course work completed as a special student may be counted toward a graduate degree.

For additional information and regulations pertaining to special students, see “Graduate Admissions.”