SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. When does registration begin?
   Please refer to the academic calendar for complete information about the registration schedule. For classes that require in-person registration, the SIPA registration desk in the Office of Student Affairs on the sixth floor of the International Affairs Building (IAB). Please refer to the SIPA academic calendar for hours of operation.

2. What is Student Services Online (SSOL)?
   Student Services Online (SSOL) is an online portal. Students register online through SSOL using their University network ID. The University network ID (UNI) is the beginning portion of a Columbia e-mail address (e.g., "rom23"). The password is the same password used to access Columbia e-mail. Students may only register during their designated registration appointment times.
   
   SSOL also gives students access to their personal information, including student account balances, grades, degree audit reports (DAR), course schedules, and registration appointment schedules. Students are able to request transcripts, account balance refunds, and certification of enrollment through SSOL.

3. How do I register a course online?
   Each Columbia University course has an assigned five-digit number. This is the course call number. Call numbers change each semester. Students must enter the call number for each course to be added to their schedule to register for classes.
   

4. Can I register all my courses online?
   SIPA students can register all SIPA course online with the exception of instructor permission courses. There are some non-SIPA courses which can be registered online however, the majority of non-SIPA courses require permission and are blocked from online registration. Please refer to the cross-registration webpage for more details. 

5. I missed my registration appointment time. What should I do?
   Registration appointment times are assigned during the first three weeks of the semester. You should register during your next appointed time. To view your registration schedule, go to Student Services Online (SSOL).
   

6. I missed registration. What should I do?Youwill need to see your Advisor in the Office of Student Affairs on the sixth floor of the International Affairs Building. Note: A late registration of $50 is assessed for students who register after the first day of classes.

   There is a $100 late registration fee if a student registers after the end of the change of program period.

7. Can I register outside my listed registration times?
   No. If you attempt to register online before your appointment time begins or after your appointment time ends, you will not be able to register.
   

8. Can I register more than one time per appointment?
   Yes. You can make as many changes as you like during your appointment times.

9. There is a hold on my account. Can I register?
   Students on registration hold are not able to register. To view your hold status check the Student Services Online Web site and contact the appropriate office to have the hold removed.

10. What are short courses and when can I register for them?
    Short courses are courses that do not meet for the entire semester. In most cases short courses range from one to one and a half (1.5) credits. Students can register for short courses during the registration period online. After registration ends, students can register for short courses as long as the course has not yet started. 
    

11. How do I register my concentration and specialization?
    To register your concentration and specialization, you should use the five-digit call number listed in the Online Curriculum Guide and Directory of Classes to add it to your schedule. This is the same process you use to add all SIPA courses.
    
    All students must register their concentration and specialization every semester they are registered at SIPA. The concentration and specialization registration will be for zero academic credits and will not affect or be affected by fees or financial charges. Once you are registered, you will automatically be on the listserve to receive important information and notice of events. 
12. How do I register my internship and/or fieldwork for credit?
    To register your internship, you should use the five-digit call number listed in the Online Curriculum Guide and Directory of Classes to add the internship to your schedule. Students can register an internship in either the semester in which the internship is being completed or any semester thereafter. Internships completed in the summer must be registered either in the Spring semester prior or in any of the semesters following the completion of the summer internship.
    
    No more than 3 credits of fieldwork can count toward the degree. Submitting internship paperwork to the Office of Career Services (OCS) does not constitute registration of the internship or fieldwork. 
    
    Note for International Students:

    F-1 international students are not required to register for internship credits for their first paid U.S. internship.  Students may register internship credits in the semester of completion of CPT or in a future semester. 

    If a second CPT is secured, registration of internship credit is required during the semester of the CPT and will count as an elective.  If interning during the summer and planning to register that internship for internship credit, you must register for credit during the prior spring semester. 

13. How do I change sections of a course?
    If you would like to change sections of a course (for example, INAF U6804, the discussion section of Conceptual Foundations, has twenty sections) you may use the "Replace" option on the online registration menu. You will be prompted to enter the five-digit call number for the new section. The system will check your program for the old section of the same course and attempt to replace it with the new one. If the section you want to transfer to is full, the system will indicate that this is the case, and you will remain in your original section.

14. Why was I charged a late registration fee? How can I avoid being charged?
    You must be registered for at least one class prior to the first day of classes. Otherwise you will be charged a late registration fee of $50. As long as you have activated the term by registering for any class, you may add and drop throughout the change-of-program period without a fee.

15. When are finals? How can I determine my final exam schedule?
    The final exam schedule can be found on the registrar's Web site.
    

Instructor Permission and Cross-Registration (for detailed Cross-Registration instructions, please click here)

1. How do I know which courses require instructor approval?
   The Online Curriculum Guide, the Directory of Classes, and the SIPA Registration Web site each specify the types of approval required before registering for classes.
   
2. How do I apply for instructor permission courses?
   All instructor permission courses require that interested students submit an online application form. Please refer to the SIPA Registration Web site for complete information on the process including the deadline.
3. I am a dual degree student registered at another school this term. How do I register for SIPA courses?
   You should follow the registration guidelines for your current school to register for their courses. To cross-register for SIPA courses, you should contact Dean Barrett (geg41) in the Office of Student Affairs with a list of the SIPA courses you plan to cross-register for each term. 
4. I'm from another school. How do I cross register for SIPA courses?
   Please refer to the "Non-SIPA Students" section on the SIPA registration Web site.
5. How do I cross-register for non-SIPA courses .
   Detailed information on the various cross-registration processes is located on the Cross-Registration for SIPA students webpage.
   

Classes

1. What classes should I take?
   For information on classes, degree requirements, and advice, you can look to one of the following sources:
   
   • The Online Curriculum Guide which provides a complete listing of available courses and the requirements they satisfy.
   • The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) for questions related to Core Requirements
   • Concentration or Specialization directors
   • Columbia University Directory of Classes. This is available online.
   • The bulletins and Web sites of other Columbia schools. While every effort has been made to include all offerings in the Directory of Classes and Online Curriculum Guide, an individual school's bulletin or home page is the best place to find course information.
2. How can I view syllabi and course evaluations?
   

   Students can view syllabi or course evaluations for SIPA classes regardless of whether they have registered for the class.
   
   To view syllabi go to the New CourseWorks home page and log in using your user ID and password.
   
   The link to course evaluations is available on the Online Curriculum Guide webpage.
   

    
3. How does a course fit into my degree requirements?
   Students in the full-time two-year MIA or MPA program are encouraged to use the Online Curriculum Guide that categorizes courses by requirement. 
   
   Students in the full-time MIA or MPA two-year programs can verify that a course will be used to fulfill a core requirement by viewing their Degree Audit Report on Student Services Online.
   
4. What is a closed class?
   Once the number of enrollments in a given class has equaled the capacity of that class, a class becomes closed. For example, if there are 30 seats in a class, the class is closed when 30 students register for that class.
   
5. The class I want to take is full, but I have the professor's signature. What should I do?
   When a class is full it means that all available spaces have been registered for. Unfortunately, a professor's signature alone cannot overcome that obstacle. When a class is full, the professor can contact the Office of Academic Affairs and authorize an increase in the class size. As this might require a larger classroom or increased teaching support, it is not generally possible to accommodate such requests. You should bring the form to the registration help site to see if an increase in class size is possible.
   
6. What if there are empty seats in the classroom?
   A class may be still be closed even when there are empty seats in the classroom.
   
7. What if two classes I want to take overlap?
   The online registration system will not permit students to register for classes that meet at the same time or for classes that overlap by even one minute. Beginning the second week of classes, the dean at the registration help site will consider course overlap requests, but only with the specific, written permission of both instructors.
   
8. How many credits can I take as a full-time student? What is the maximum number of credits I can without having to pay extra tuition?
   SIPA students may not be registered for more than 18 credits at any given time without the authorization of the dean at registration. Students who regiser in excess of 18 will be charged per point for every point over 18.
   
9. How can I see which classes I have registered for?
   To see your schedule, go to Student Services Online. Changes are not necessarily immediately available on SSOL.  You will need to wait 24 hours to view changes to your schedule.  CourseWorks information may not be accurate. It can take up to two weeks for information to be updated to your profile.
   

Grading Options

1. What is R credit?
   Some students elect to pursue a course for R (audit) credit. R stands for "registered, not for credit." In order to register for R credit, you must have the written approval of the course instructor. Please be advised that classes taken for R credit do not count toward completion of your degree. Students enrolled for R credit receive no academic credit, and R credit courses may not be repeated later for credit.
   
   R credit courses do, however, appear on your transcript (with the grade of R), and the University does charge full tuition for R credit registration.
   
   The grade of R will be posted at the end of the semester to ensure that the student continues to attend the course.
   
2. Can I take a course pass/fail?
   Please be advised that MIA and MPA core, concentration and specialization requirements cannot be taken pass/fail. Students can choose the pass/fail or audit (R) option when registering for courses. Students have until the tenth week of classes to change their grading option to pass/fail. Students should consult the academic calendar each semester for the deadline to change grading options. Once the grading option is changed to pass/fail or audit (R), it cannot be changed back to letter grade.
   
   If a student opts to change the grading option to pass/fail after the add/drop deadline, they will need to complete a University Add/Drop form and submit it to the Office of Student Affairs. 
   
3. When are the add/drop deadlines?
   Please refer to the academic calendar for scheduling information.
   
4. Do I need instructor's permission to drop a class?
   No. However, if it is past the drop deadline, you will receive a W on your transcript and must drop the class in the Student Affairs Office.
   
5. When can I change the grading option to pass/fail or R credit?
   Please check the academic calendar for dates each semester.