SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

SIPA's Academic Calendar Student Affairs

Student Affairs provides a broad array of important services for current students at SIPA. The deans and staff of Student Affairs take great pride and care in overseeing your entire SIPA experience—from orientation through graduation. The online resources are your link for staying informed about current academic news, reviewing policies and procedures, and downloading frequently used forms. The information provided through our office will be a constant point of reference and will ensure that your experience at SIPA is a positive one. We encourage you to refer to the Academic Calendar to plan your life at SIPA.

Orientation Program for New Students

An orientation program for all new students is held at the beginning of each term. Attendance at orientation is mandatory and is essential to understanding the options available for fulfilling degree requirements. At orientation, students receive registration information, are briefed on course selection, and are assisted with registration procedures. Students also have the opportunity to speak with faculty members and advisers who can assist them with their curricular choices.

New international students in the School of International and Public Affairs are expected to participate in the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) orientation program for new international students, which is offered as part of the school's orientation process.

MIA Orientation Schedule | MPA Orientation Schedule

Registration

Students must register for classes at the beginning of each term. During the three-week registration period, students typically meet with their advisers to design an appropriate course schedule given their educational objectives while at SIPA. This is also the time to cross-register with other divisions of the University:  the Schools of Business, Law, Journalism, Public Health, Social Work, Teachers College, and Urban Planning.

Each semester, students typically take between 12 and 18 credits (four to six courses), depending on their requirements and desired course load, in order to maintain full-time student status at the University. Full-time matriculation is required of all students in the MIA and MPA programs. Students who cannot maintain full-time matriculation should consult with an adviser in Student Affairs for information about taking a leave of absence and the limited circumstances in which part-time status is possible.

Students may register online, via the telephone, or in person at the registration help site. SIPA's telephone registration and online registration process gives students greater flexibility when registering for classes at Columbia. The SIPA Registration Web site is an important source for information such as registration times and procedures, lists of SIPA application and business school cross-enrollment classes, and important registration deadlines. The Registration Web site also allows students to submit SIPA applications for SIPA instructor permission courses and business school cross-enrollment forms electronically, which will facilitate the process of enrolling for these classes.

SIPA students are able to register online or by phone for the majority of SIPA and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) classes. Although students will not be able to register online or via phone for classes at other schools at Columbia, such as Law or Business, nor for certain designated SIPA or GSAS classes, phone and online registration does allow students to select the majority of their courses more easily and minimize the time involved for in person registration.

All students are asked to give their PID number when registering. PID numbers are assigned to students when accepted and can be found on Student Services Online (SSOL).

PEPM students are automatically registered by the program administrator for their first semester in the program, which begins in July. For the subsequent fall and spring semesters, they follow the registration procedures for MIA and MPA students as outlined above.

Students in the Executive MPA program receive registration information during their orientation at the beginning of each semester and should contact the Picker Center for Executive Education for further details.

You can view the SIPA Bulletin Online.