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Full-Time Enrollment Requirement and Advanced Standing Policy
Full-Time Enrollment
In addition to requiring 54 credits for graduation, both the MIA and MPA degree programs require students to enroll full-time for four semesters and thereby earn four full-time residency units. Part-time attendance is not permitted. Students who receive advanced standing based on graduate course work completed before enrollment at SIPA may reduce their period of study to three semesters of full-time enrollment. Please see below for policies and procedures for requesting advanced standing.
Advanced Standing for non-Columbia University graduate course work
Advanced Standing for the MIA and MPA degrees is awarded based on graduate degrees in relevant fields completed at non-Columbia academic institutions before enrollment at SIPA.*
* With the exception of the MPA in Development Practice (MPA-DP) program, which does not award advanced standing. All MPA-DP students must complete four semesters of full-time coursework.
Examples are: MBA, JD, MPH, and Masters Degrees in Political Science, Economics, History, Urban Planning, Sociology, and/or Anthropology, although the Associate Dean for Student Affairs may grant advanced standing for other graduate degrees at her discretion.
The amount of Advanced Standing granted depends upon assessment by the Associate Dean of the quality and relevance of the work, but cannot exceed 12 credits/1 residency unit. Advanced standing will only be awarded for post-baccalaureate courses that were part of a completed graduate degree. Students must have a grade of B or better in courses for which they seek advanced standing credit. Advanced standing will not be granted for language courses, independent study credits or internships.
Advanced Standing for Columbia University graduate course work
Advanced standing for the MIA and MPA degrees is awarded based on graduate course work in relevant fields completed at other Columbia University schools before enrolment at SIPA.
Students may apply for advanced standing for graduate level course work completed at other Columbia schools, as long as those credits are not being applied towards another Columbia credential. The amount of Advanced Standing granted depends upon assessment by the Associate Dean of the quality and relevance of the work, but cannot exceed 12 credits/1 residency unit. Students who have earned a Columbia degree may not apply those credits towards a second Columbia credential except where an accredited dual-degree program exists between the two schools and programs and the student is matriculated as a dual-degree candidate. Please see http://sipa.columbia.edu/academics/degree_programs/dual_degree/ for a list of accredited dual degree programs.
Procedures for Applying for Advanced Standing
Requests for advanced standing are evaluated by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. No evaluation of prior graduate work can be performed until the student is matriculated at SIPA. Advanced standing should be evaluated and applied to degree requirements in the student’s first semester, observing the following deadlines. All Advanced Standing requests and official transcripts must be received by:
- October 15th for students who begin in the Fall term,
- March 1st for students who begin in the Spring term.
Requests for advanced standing will not be accepted after those dates. The Advanced Standing Request form is available online at: http://sipa.columbia.edu/resources_services/student_affairs/forms.html