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PhD Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When was the PhD in Sustainable Development established?
The first group of six admitted students started in September 2004.
Does the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) offer another PhD besides this one?
This is the only PhD offered by the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Applications to this PhD program are handled through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia.
Application
What is the application deadline?
The deadline is always December 15. The online application form is reactivated in mid-September of every year.
How do I apply?
All applications must be submitted online via the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Web application. You can enter your data by setting up a registration ID and entering all relevant information online. Select "PhD in Sustainable Development" from the pull-down menu under the "Program Information" section on the online Web application form, and then submit your application electronically. Electronic submission of applications is required. The online application form will be activated on September 15.
How many students will be admitted to the program?
A maximum of six students will be admitted every year.
How many applications do you receive and what is the percentage of admissions?
The first year we received 190 applications and we admitted 6 students. The second year we received 240 applications and we admitted six students. We expect the number of applicants to grow every year, and we will still admit around six students per academic year.
What is the profile of the ideal candidate?
There is not one single ideal profile. The students we have admitted have different academic, professional, and national backgrounds. The essential common qualities are the ability to do extensive quantitative work and the interest in and commitment to sustainable development work.
Our current students have backgrounds in geography, environmental science, civil engineering, economics, chemistry and physics. Most of them already hold master's degrees, and most of them have professional experience.
What are the prerequisites for admission? Can I still apply if I haven't taken all the recommended courses? Is it all right if I have a primarily economics, engineering, biology, or chemistry background?
There is no single fixed prerequisite for admission. Students who were admitted to the program come with a variety of educational and professional backgrounds. Generally, applicants should have proficiency in mathematics, the natural sciences, the social sciences, and economics before embarking on the PhD program.
To fulfill prerequisites for the graduate-level natural science sequence required in the PhD program, students should have completed a total of six semesters of college-level math and science or have equivalent professional training. Specifically, course work should include two semesters of college-level calculus and demonstrated competence in multivariate calculus and linear algebra. GRE quantitative scores above 700 are considered an adequate measure of competence in the absence of that course work.
Applicants should also have completed four semesters of college-level social science courses, including two semesters of economics. However, candidates who do not have all the prerequisites may be considered at the discretion of the admissions committee.
Do I have to have a research proposal before I apply?
No, students will have to complete two years of course work, write a master's thesis, and take comprehensive exams before they have to formulate a PhD dissertation proposal.
Can I transfer from a SIPA program (MIA, MPA, PEPM) or from another PhD program at Columbia University to the PhD in Sustainable Development?
No. Columbia students will have to apply separately just like everyone else. All applications for the PhD in Sustainable Development go to GSAS admissions.
Is it good for my application that I have been working in the development field for several years?
We welcome applications from both professionals and students. Relevant prior professional experience does strengthen the application. We expect that the strongest applicants will have outstanding academic and professional qualifications.
Do I have to take the GRE? Can I submit GMAT scores instead of the GRE? Can I have the GRE requirement waived for my application?
The GRE General Test is required of all applicants. In fact, the quantitative scores should be well above 700, particularly for applicants who have not had prior calculus course work.
Do I have to take the TOEFL?
Yes. For students who are non-native speakers of English, the TOEFL or IELTS test is required. The only exception to this rule is for students who have completed a bachelor's degree at an institution where the primary language of instruction is English. Students who have completed only a master's degree with English as the language of instruction must still submit TOEFL or IELTS scores in support of their application.
Can I submit letters of reference from my employer instead of from former professors?
You are free to submit the references that you believe best support your application. The committee would prefer at least two academic references, but recognizes that professionals who have worked for several years may have difficulty obtaining references from their undergraduate studies. In those cases, relevant professional references are certainly acceptable, but at least one reference from a professor who knows your work is preferred. Personal references (e.g., family, friends) are not acceptable.
Can I apply to more than one doctoral program at Columbia?
Doctoral applications at Columbia University are handled through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). The school does not permit simultaneous doctoral applications to more than one department or subcommittee. Read more about doctoral admissions procedures for GSAS.
Can I enroll on a part-time basis?
No. This is a full-time, five-year program with residency requirements.
Finance
Is participation in the program funded?
Full-tuition fellowships with stipends (around $22,500 per year in 2009) are available for all admitted students who are not already sponsored by their governments, employers, or a foundation.
Are fellowships available for students from outside the United States?
The fellowships are open to all admitted students regardless of citizenship.
Is health insurance covered?
Health insurance is covered under the fellowship arrangement.
Is health insurance for dependents provided?
Health insurance is subsidized by 50% for dependents of students in the program.
Degree Requirements
I am currently enrolled in / I have already completed a master's degree program. Can this shorten the time that I would be enrolled in the PhD in Sustainable Development?
There is a high component of required core courses for this program. See the curriculum description. Credit for previous graduate work done elsewhere may be granted on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the program directors—after students have already been admitted to the program—and cannot exceed a total of 30 credits.
Can I transfer credits from other universities?
Transfer credits will only be discussed and approved after admission to the program. However, even if you obtain permission to transfer credits, you may not be able to complete the degree in less than five years because you would still have to take a large number of requirements in economics, the sciences, and social sciences, and complete both a master's thesis and a PhD dissertation.
For information on resources available to the students, see "Resources and Services."
Faculty and Advising
What is the advising structure for the program?
Students collaborate with faculty from many different departments of the university, so the advising structure varies. Some students work exclusively with a particular lab or research group; others collaborate with several faculty members, often from different fields. An orals committee of at least three faculty members, and a dissertation committee of at least five faculty members, will assess your completion of requirements for the M. Phil. and PhD.
Do I have to identify an adviser before I apply?
No, students will have to complete two years of course work, write a master's thesis, and take comprehensive exams before they have to identify a dissertation supervisor.
Who are the faculty involved with this program? How can I contact them to tell them about my research interests?
There is a listing of affiliated faculty. After you are admitted, you will be able to contact faculty to answer any questions you may have. The large number of inquiries during the application period do not allow for individual faculty responses.
Can I work with Joseph Stiglitz in this program?
Professor Stiglitz is a member of the program's executive committee and the admissions committee. He usually teaches at least one of the core courses and advises students as they develop dissertations.
Careers
What kind of jobs do you foresee for graduates of the program?
Many graduates will pursue academic careers jobs in interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate programs with a focus on policy and the environment as well as in the more traditional social science disciplines. Others will choose nonacademic positions, taking leadership roles in government ministries in the United States and throughout the world, working on environmental protection and sustainable development programs; in international institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank; in private firms engaged in large-scale development projects; or in consulting firms analyzing development issues for private and public clients. However, since the first group started in September 2004, we have no employment records yet.
Contact
Who should I contact if I have questions about the application process, the online form, documents, tests, fees, etc.?
For all these technical questions you should contact the GSAS admissions office.
Kevin Vaughn
kmv2114@columbia.edu
212-851-0716
For information about the program, write to sipa_phd@columbia.edu.
Who can I talk to about my application?
If you have read this page and still have questions, please feel free to e-mail sipa_phd@columbia.edu.