Effective FY13, SIPA students are required to have a laptop with operating system in English language. 

Purchasing Equipment

Students can purchase laptops at educational prices from the CU approved vendors. Columbia University has educational discounts with several vendors. 

System Requirements

SIPA IT recommends the following minimum requirements for students at SIPA:

HARDWARE  
Manufacturer An Windows computer or a Mac (a Chromebook may be used)
CPU 2 GHz dual Core mor higher processor
Memory 8 GB minium (16 GB recommended)
Hard Drive 250 GB minimum
Wired Network Adapter Any make or model
Wireless Network Adapter Any 802.11b/g/n-compatible Ethernet card
Webcam and mic

Webcam or HD Webcam - built-in or USB plug-in

Over the ear Headset with microphone
SOFTWARE  
Operating System (OS) Windows 10 or Mac OS X High Sierra 10.13 or higher
Software Microsoft Office Suite*, Adobe Reader, Windows Media Player, Google Chorme, Think-Cell*
Anti-Virus Malwarebytes* or a comparable program
WARRANTY Recommended for authorized dealer support

*Available free to SIPA students for download while at SIPA.

Notes: 

  • All systems must have an anti-virus software installed;
  • The Operating System must have the latest patches installed to access the SIPA network.
  • Only English-language versions of Windows and Applications will be supported.
  • Check with SIPAIT before major system and application updates (latest releases are supported only after SIPAIT has tested them).
  • Beta versions of software are not supported.
  • Students should backup the data on laptops regularly.

Software Downloads

Registered SIPA Students can download Microsoft products available under the MS Campus Agreement. Applications available for download include Microsoft Operating System and MS Office. Malwarebytes anti-virus software and Think-Cell chart are available free to all students. UNI authentication is required for download. Additional software are accessible for use via the Citrix portal.