Transfer of Credit & Advanced Standing
Transfer of Credit & Advanced Standing
Overview
Master of International Affairs & Master of Public Administration
Enrollment and Residency Requirements
In addition to requiring 54 credits for graduation, the MIA and MPA degree programs require students to complete the equivalent of four semesters of full-time enrollment, thereby earning four residency units.
Students pursuing part-time study must still satisfy the total residency requirement. Part-time enrollment typically accrues one-half of a residency unit per semester.
Students who receive advanced standing based on prior graduate coursework may reduce their period of study to the equivalent of three semesters of full-time enrollment, subject to the policies outlined below.
Advanced Standing (Non-Columbia Graduate Coursework)
Advanced standing for the MIA and MPA degrees may be awarded based on completed graduate degrees in relevant fields completed at non-Columbia academic institutions prior to enrollment at SIPA.
Examples include MBA, JD, MPH, and master’s degrees in Political Science, Economics, History, Urban Planning, Sociology, or Anthropology. Advanced standing for other graduate degrees may be granted at the discretion of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
The amount of advanced standing granted depends upon an assessment of the quality and relevance of the prior work and may not exceed 12 credits (equivalent to one residency unit). Credit is awarded only for post-baccalaureate coursework that was part of a completed graduate degree. Students must have earned a grade of B or higher in courses considered for advanced standing.
Advanced standing is not granted for language courses, independent study, or internships.
Advanced Standing (Columbia University Graduate Coursework)
Students may apply for advanced standing for graduate-level coursework completed at other Columbia University schools prior to enrollment at SIPA, provided that such credits have not been applied toward another Columbia credential.
As with non-Columbia coursework, advanced standing is limited to a maximum of 12 credits (one residency unit) and is subject to review for quality and relevance by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Students who have earned a Columbia degree may not apply those credits toward a second Columbia credential, except in cases where the student is formally enrolled in an approved dual degree program.
Dual Degree Programs
Dual degree programs are distinct from advanced standing. They are formally structured academic pathways established between SIPA and partner schools or institutions, in which students are admitted to and complete the requirements of two degree programs in a coordinated manner.
Students enrolled in an approved dual-degree program complete a prescribed curriculum at both institutions. In this context, certain credits may be shared or counted toward both degrees under the specific agreement governing the program. These arrangements are defined at the program level and are not subject to the advanced standing limits described above.
Dual-degree students must be formally admitted as dual-degree candidates and follow the requirements, timelines, and residency expectations established for their specific program.
A current list of approved dual degree programs is available at: https://sipa.columbia.edu/academics/dual-degree-programs
Procedures for Applying for Advanced Standing
No evaluation for advanced standing can be conducted until a student has matriculated at SIPA.
All requests for advanced standing, along with official transcripts, must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs during the student’s first semester of enrollment. For students entering in the Fall term, submissions must be made between September 1 and October 15. For students entering in the Spring term, submissions must be made between January 1 and February 15.
Students who do not apply within these timeframes during their first semester are not eligible for advanced standing.
Approval and the number of credits awarded are determined by the Committee of Deans in the Office of Student Affairs. A syllabus must be provided in English, or with an English translation, for each course submitted for review.
Submission of an application does not guarantee approval. Decisions of the Committee of Deans are final and not subject to appeal.
MPA-EPM
MPA in Economic Policy Management
MPA-EPM Students who have previously completed a graduate degree in economics or a related discipline may apply to transfer up to 12 credits from their previous graduate degree toward the MPA-EPM degree. Requests for advanced standing will be reviewed by MPA-EPM’s directors and will include only courses from a completed graduate degree, with grades of B or better, and which the MPA-EPM directors deem as fully satisfying the requirements of MPA-EPM coursework. Students who wish to apply for such transfer of credit should contact the MPA-EPM Office prior to orientation or as early as possible in the fall semester. Criteria for determining whether credits may be transferred will include: whether the course(s) in question was part of a completed graduate degree, the degree to which the course(s) in question relates to the MPA-EPM course(s) for which a transfer is requested, and the student's performance in the course(s) elected to be transferred.
EMPA
Executive MPA
Advanced Standing for Professional Experience
EMPA students are required to complete a total of 54 points. Students with two or more years of full-time, professional or management experience may apply for credits to be awarded for full-time professional and management work experience. In no case will more than nine points be awarded. Decisions about the number of credits to be awarded are made by the Program Director and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, based on the quality and length of experience.
Advanced Standing for Prior Graduate Degree
Students who have completed a master's degree at another university (before enrolling in EMPA) may apply to transfer up to two courses (six credits) from the other degree program toward the EMPA degree. Examples of relevant degrees include: MBA, JD, MPH, and Master’s Degrees in Political Science, Economics, History, Urban Planning and Sociology; courses completed for other graduate degrees may be considered. The amount of credit granted for work completed in another graduate program cannot exceed 6 credits and is determined by an assessment of the quality and relevance of the work by the EMPA Director and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Credit 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. Credit will not be granted for language courses, independent study credits or internships.
Cross-Registration at Columbia
Students may take a total of two courses (six credits) from another graduate program at Columbia University. Courses must be approved in advance by the EMPA Assistant Director and the respective student’s Concentration Director.