The Director of Undergraduate Studies oversees SIPA's undergraduate major in Global Affairs and Public Policy and is available to students during designated office hours. Students should generally consult the undergraduate academic affairs and student affairs advisers as their primary source of academic advising. The Director of Undergraduate Studies serves as an additional resource for questions regarding the curriculum, academic planning, and opportunities within the major.

Admission to the Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) major is determined through a lottery process due to limited enrollment capacity. The major is open to students in Columbia College and the School of General Studies.

Students who wish to declare the major must submit a lottery application during one of the application periods listed below.

Early Round

Eligibility:

• Columbia College juniors
• School of General Studies students who have completed at least 45 credits 

Timeline:

• Application opens: December 1, 2026
• Application deadline: December 18, 2026
• Decisions released: By December 21, 2026

Regular Round

Eligibility:

• Columbia College sophomores and juniors
• School of General Studies students who have completed at least 45 credits

Timeline:

• Application opens: January 1, 2027
• Application deadline: March 2027 (date to be confirmed)
• Decisions released: Early March 2027, before Columbia's general major declaration process

Information Sessions 

Information sessions, offered both in person and virtually, will be held during October and November 2026.
 

Additional Lottery Entry

Students who have completed at least one of the following courses before the lottery application deadline will receive one additional lottery entry (for a total of two entries):

• GAPP IA2110 Contemporary Debates in Global Affairs and Public Policy
• GAPP IA2150 Policymaking: Politics, Ethics, and Communication
• SIPA IA6700 Inside the Situation Room

Enrollment in the inaugural cohort is limited to 100 students. Admission through the lottery does not guarantee enrollment in particular courses beyond the requirements of the major.

Students pursuing the major who have achieved a major GPA of 3.6 or higher may apply to participate in a year-long Honors Seminar (3 credits per semester). Through the seminar, students will complete an honors thesis addressing a significant policy issue. Completed theses are reviewed by the Honors Faculty Advisory Board for consideration for Departmental Honors. No more than 10% of graduating majors may be awarded Departmental Honors.

The Director of the Honors Program will oversee the seminar and ensure that each student is paired with a faculty adviser with relevant subject-matter expertise. The Honors Seminar fulfills 6 of the 15 elective credits required for the major.

As an alternative, eligible students may pursue a year-long independent study (3 credits per semester) under the supervision of a faculty member approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Independent study projects may also be submitted to the Honors Faculty Advisory Board for consideration for Departmental Honors. A year-long independent study fulfills 6 of the 15 elective credits required for the major.

• No more than two courses may be double-counted toward another major, concentration, or program. Policies about double-counting courses to fulfill requirements in more than one major may be found here:
  • Columbia College
  • School of General Studies
• Courses in Columbia College's Core Curriculum do not fulfill requirements for the Global Affairs and Public Policy major.
• A maximum of three courses (nine credits) may be applied toward the Global Affairs and Public Policy major from outside SIPA, including transfer credit from other accredited institutions and courses taken in other Columbia departments or schools. No more than one AP course may be counted toward the major. All such credits require approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) and may be applied to foundation or elective requirements as appropriate.