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Frequently Asked Questions
Academic Certification/Transcript Request/Student Letter Request
1. I need a letter to certify that I am currently enrolled at SIPA. How do I do this?
An Academic Certification is an official document provided by the University Registrar verifying dates of attendance and student status (full-time, part-time, half-time) by term. There is no fee for this service. Students can request an academic certification through Student Services On-line or in person at the Office of the Registrar in 205 Kent Hall.
2. How do I order an official transcript?
The transcript is an official record of the student's entire tenure at Columbia. It reflects all coursework and grades per term for each school attended within the University. A transcript fee paid when the student first matriculate, covers all transcript requests. Transcripts cannot be produced for anyone whose record has been put on hold as a result of an outstanding obligation to the University. Students can request a transcript through Student Services On-line or in person at the Office of the Registrar in 205 Kent Hall.
Academic Calendar
1. When do classes begin?
What are the important deadlines I should be aware of?
Students may view the University Calendar on-line at www.columbia.edu/cu/registrar. Important Deadlines for SIPA can be found on the SIPA Registration Calendar on the SIPA Registration Web site.
2. Where can I find the final exam schedule?
Final exams are scheduled through the Office of the Registrar. You can go to their Web site (www.columbia.edu/cu/registrar/) for the final exam schedule each semester.
Advising/Degree Requirements
1. Who do I see for advising?
Assistant deans in Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs are available to advise students about general matters such as course load, degree requirements, course sequencing, academic problems, student services, advanced standing, grading options, leaves of absence, dual degrees and disciplinary issues. They can also assist students with generic questions about concentration requirements. Individual questions about concentration requirements and which courses can be used to fulfill concentration requirements should be addressed to concentration directors.
2. When can I see a Dean in the Student Affairs Office?
The Deans' Office hour schedule is sent to students via e-mail at the beginning of each semester. Generally, the Deans are available Mondays through Fridays from 10AM-5 PM. You can call the Student Affairs Office to check on the availability of a Dean at any time. The phone number is 854-8690.
3. How can I verify that I'm fulfilling my degree requirements?
Students should utilize the "Degree Requirements" webpage throughout their academic program. This webpage outlines the core and concentration requirements for students in the MIA and MPA two-year full-time programs. Students can also meet with a Dean in the Student Affairs Office to check on their academic progress.
4. How does a course fit into my degree requirements?
Students in the full-time two-year MIA or MPA program should use the SIPA On-Line Curriculum Guide to find what courses will fulfill a specific requirement.
Students in the full-time MIA or MPA two-year program can verify that a course will be used to fulfill a core requirement by viewing their Degree Audit Report on Student Services On-line.
5. There is a mistake on my Degree Audit Report, how do I get this changed?
To request revisions to the Degree Audit Report, please fill out the Degree Audit Report Correction Form on the "Degree Requirements" webpage and submit the form to the Student Affairs Office. It may take up to two weeks for DARS to reflect the corrections.
Internship/Fieldwork
1. Do I need to register for the Internship/Fieldwork? How do I register for Internship/Fieldwork?
Internship/Fieldwork is a requirement for the two-year full-time MIA and MPA programs. However, students are not required to register for fieldwork or internship credits. If you choose to register for fieldwork or internship credits, you must do so in either the semester in which you are currently interning or anytime after the fieldwork or internship has been completed. SIPA is not permitted to register students retroactively. For Continuing Students (students who matriculated prior to fall 2009), no more than 6 credits of fieldwork can count toward the MIA degree. For the students matriculating in fall 2009, the maximum is 3 credits. Check the SIPA Registration Calendar for the deadlines to register for fieldwork/internship.
Submitting internship paperwork to OCS does not constitute registration of the internship/fieldwork. If a student chooses to register internship credits, they must do so via phone/web registration during the first two weeks of classes, or in person at the Student Affairs Office by the registration deadline.
International students who plan to be paid for a summer internship must register for the internship during the preceding Spring Semester.
Grading Options: Pass/Fail and Audit
1. Can I Audit Courses? Am I still charged tuition for Audited Courses? How do I change the grading option of my course to Audit?
'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.
Business School Courses, Law School Courses, and some Language courses cannot be changed to Audit.
2. Can I change the grading option of a course to pass/fail? How do I do this?
Please be advised that MIA and MPA Core and Concentration requirements cannot be taken Pass/Failure Audit (R)! Courses are automatically registered as 'Letter Grade' option, unless otherwise specified.
Students may elect the grading option of Pass/Fail while registering for courses on-line. Instructor approval is not necessary. Students have until the fifth 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, it cannot be changed back to letter grade.
Some students elect to pursue a course for ‘R’ credit. ‘R’ stands for "Registered, not for Credit". In order to request ‘R’ credit for a course, students must have the 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 by the instructor to ensure that the student continues to attend the course.
3. What courses can I take as pass/fail or audit grading option?
Only electives can be taken for pass/fail or audit. Students cannot take core or concentration requirements for pass/fail or audit grading option. There is no maximum number of credits a student can take as pass/fail or audit grading option.
Proficiency Exams
1. As an MIA student, how can I show that I am proficient in a language other than English?
Proficiency in a language other than English is required for all MIA students prior to graduation from SIPA. This requirement may be met in any of three ways:
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As a native speaker of a language other than English, who can also read and write that language.
If you have taken the TOEFL when applying to SIPA, verification of proficiency will automatically be noted on your Degree Audit Report. -
By passing a language proficiency test.
Proficiency exams may only be taken once. Spanish, French and German proficiency exams are offered through the SIPA Student Affairs Office during the first week of registration each semester. Proficiency exams in other languages may be arranged through the departments teaching those languages. Please see posted listings of department contacts on the bulletin board outside the Student Affairs Office (SAO). -
By achieving a grade of B or better in an Intermediate Level II (fourth semester) language course at Columbia.
Note: Students may pursue any language course they wish at SIPA. However, elementary I or II courses cannot count toward the SIPA degree requirement of 54 points.
2. I am fluent in a language in which no SIPA proficiency exam is offered. How do I certify this?
Contact the specific language department and ask what their procedure for evaluation is. Have the department letter verifying that you are fluent in reading, writing and speaking at an Intermediate II or higher level. The letter should be submitted to the Administrative Coordinator in the Student Affairs.
3. As an MIA student, how can I show that I am proficient in Economics, Statistics and/or Accounting?
Proficiency exams allow SIPA students to demonstrate competence in a number of subjects so that they can be exempted from course requirements in either the core curriculum or their concentration. A student who takes and passes a proficiency exam is exempt from taking that course and may substitute another course. Passing a proficiency exam exempts you from taking a class, but does NOT grant you credit towards your degree. Note: Students who pass the proficiency exam for Economics are still required to take 6 credits of upper level Economics classes to substitute for the Economics core.
Proficiency exams may only be taken once; if you fail, you must take the course. Proficiency exams are offered during the first week of registration each semester. Students may sign up for proficiency exams in the Student Affairs Office during the first week of registration.
SIPA Listserve/Broadcast email
1. How do I send a broadcast email?
Student groups can send broadcast mail through sipa_studentgroups@columbia.edu. Faculty, administrators and departments can send notices through sipa_osa@columbia.edu. If an individual student has a message that meets broadcast mail criteria (events and activities that are on-campus and of interest to a significant part of the SIPA community) can forward it to a staff member in the Student Affairs Office and ask that it be broadcast. Broadcast mail cannot be used to send personal messages, advertise off-campus events or to lobby for various causes.
2. How can I be added to the SIPA e-mail listserve?
Students should fill out the on-line request form on the SIPA Computing page to be added to the SIPA email listserve.
Student Groups
1. How do I start/register a student group?
Students seeking to start a new student group should review the student group information on the SIPA Web site to make sure a relevant group is not already in existence, and consult with SIPASA about the feasibility of their idea for a group. Once it is established that the student(s) have a realistic plan for a new group, they should go to the Student Affairs Office to register the new group. Registering the group with the SIPA administration is an essential step in getting funding, access to space and broadcast email.
2. How does student group funding work?
The Student Activity fee charged each semester goes into an account which is managed by SIPASA. Each semester SIPASA conducts a funding application process and allocates money to deserving student groups. New groups generally receive nominal funding until they have established membership and support. Once funding is granted, each student group will be assigned an account number and will manage their own funds. Unspent allocations will be returned to SIPASA at the end of the fiscal year in June.
Graduation
1. Who can participate in graduation?
There are two ceremonies connected to your graduation from SIPA; our own graduation ceremony for graduates of the MPA, MIA, PEPM, EMPA and MPA/ESP programs, and the University Commencement where degrees are officially conferred on graduates from all Columbia schools. There is one SIPA graduation and University Commencement a year in May. Students who graduated in October or February are invited to participate in the May graduation ceremonies.
Only students who expect to complete all of their degree requirements before the May ceremony may participate in the May graduation and commencement ceremonies.
Student Services On-line/CourseWorks
1. How can I get access to course materials on New CourseWorks?
What if the courses that are listed on New CourseWorks are not the courses I am registered for this semester?
Students registered for a course will automatically have access to the New CourseWorks page. Ideally, New CourseWorks will reflect your class schedule, but this may not always be the case. You can verify your course schedule on Student Services On-line.
During peak registration times, it may take one or two days for the most current class schedule to be updated on New CourseWorks. If you would like a course that you are not registered for to be removed from your New CourseWorks page, contact New CourseWorks at newcourseworks@columbia.edu.
The Business School, Law School and Teachers College have separate course web systems. Please view the information on the SIPA Registration page for more information.
2. There's been a change in my courses or grades. Why isn't it reflected on SSOL or New CourseWorks?
Student Services On-line is your direct link to the University Registrar. Course schedules should be confirmed using the SSOL system. CourseWorks does not necessarily reflect your course schedule.
SSOL and New CourseWorks are not real-time systems, the information is downloaded and updated periodically. It may take 24hrs to a week for changes in the system to appear.
Advanced Standing/Transfer Credit
1. How do I get credit for graduate level courses that I took at another institution?
Students may be eligible to receive advanced standing for relevant graduate-level courses taken for credit any time after completion of their undergraduate degrees OR for graduate-level courses taken as an undergraduate when the credits exceeded those required for their undergraduate degree and were taken as electives (not to fulfill any degree requirements). Even courses completed while a student in another division of Columbia University must be transferred to SIPA. (This does not apply to dual-degree students).
All courses submitted for advanced standing credit must have an earned grade of B or better. Please note that language courses are not eligible for advanced standing.
Students requesting advanced standing should submit the "Advanced Standing Application" to the Student Affairs Office by the deadline during their first semester at SIPA. Go to the Student Affairs webpage to download the form.
Room Reservations
1. How do I reserve a room?
Students may request a room by downloading the "Room Reservations" form from the Student Affairs webpage. Forms should be submitted to Awilda Medina am887@columbia.edu.
Continuing Student Fellowships
1. What is the SIPA Continuing Student Fellowship? When are the applications available?
Students in the two-year full-time MIA and MPA programs may apply for the SIPA Continuing Student Fellowships. The SIPA Fellowship Committee grants awards to its continuing students based on academic achievement, financial resources and extracurricular commitments. These awards include Teaching Assistant, Course Assistant and Program Assistant positions. The Teaching Assistant award requires a time commitment of approximately 20 hours per week and provides $10,500 toward the cost of tuition per term, a $5,000 salary per term, $2,500 stipend per term, and basic health benefits. The Course Assistant award requires a time commitment of 5 hours per week and provides $3,700 toward the cost of tuition per term and a $1,300 salary per term. The Program Assistant award is for the full academic year and requires a time commitment of 15 hours per week and provides $14,200 toward the cost of tuition and a $4,800 salary for the academic year. All of these fellowships are managed by SIPA's Office of Student Affairs.
The application materials and information on the Continuing Student Fellowship is on-line for current students in December. During the academic year, there is a fellowship informational meeting in late January, the applications are due at the beginning of March, and fellowship results are announced in late April.
2. What is the FLAS fellowship? When are the applications available?
The Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) is open to graduate students of Columbia University who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents concentrating in world area studies. The FLAS award offers fellowship assistance to meritorious students undergoing beginning, intermediate or advanced training in modern foreign languages and related international or area studies. University wide Regional Committees evaluate applications, one for each regional grouping of languages. These fellowships require the continued study of the language and area. The academic year FLAS award covers tuition, health service fees, and medical insurance fees (basic coverage only) plus a stipend of $14,000. The FLAS fellowship is coordinated by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Financial Aid Office in 107 Low Library.
The application materials and information on the FLAS Fellowship is on-line for current students in December. During the academic year, there is a fellowship informational meeting in late January, the applications are due at the beginning of March, and fellowship results are announced in late April.