Special Programs

Preprofessional Advising

Berick Center for Student Advising
preprofessional@columbia.edu

Medical, dental, and other health professional schools prefer that undergraduates complete a four-year program of study culminating in a bachelor’s degree. All health professional schools require prerequisite coursework, but the specific coursework can vary somewhat from program to program and school to school. This coursework can be completed during the undergraduate years along with the Core Curriculum and the major.

Majors for Students Preparing for Health Professional School

There is no major preferred by medical school admissions committees. Students are encouraged to pursue a major in any field that appeals to them. Students majoring in a non-science area may wish to pursue additional coursework in a science area, or perhaps a minor in a science field, that overlaps with the coursework for their premedical requirements in order to demonstrate their interest and aptitude in the sciences. Students should work closely with their advising deans and preprofessional advisers from the Berick Center for Student Advising, as well as their departmental major adviser in planning a program that meets their interests.

Premedical Requirements

It is very important to note that each medical school in the United States and Canada individually determines its own entrance requirements, including prerequisite coursework or expected competencies. Each medical school also sets its own rules regarding acceptable courses or course equivalents. It is therefore essential that students confirm the premedical requirements for each medical school to which they intend to apply.

In addition to medical school course requirements, medical schools currently require applicants to sit for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Students preparing for medical school are advised to take the following courses, as they will meet the prerequisites for most medical schools and will prepare applicants for the MCAT:

• 1 year of General Chemistry and General Chemistry Lab;
• 1 year of Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Labs;
• 1 year of Introductory Biology and Biology Lab;
• 1 year of General Physics and Physics Labs; 
• 1 semester Biochemistry;
• 1 semester of Introductory Psychology

At Columbia, the following courses correspond to the above requirements:

Course List

Code	Title	Points
Chemistry
Select one of the following three options:
Option 1:
CHEM UN1403  - CHEM UN1404	GENERAL CHEMISTRY I-LECTURES and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II-LECTURES
CHEM UN1500	GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
Option 2: for students who place into the accelerated track:
CHEM UN1604	2ND TERM GEN CHEM (INTENSIVE)
CHEM UN1507	INTENSVE GENERAL CHEMISTRY-LAB
or CHEM UN1500	GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
Option 3: available to students depending on results of placement exam:
CHEM UN1507	INTENSVE GENERAL CHEMISTRY-LAB
CHEM UN2045  - CHEM UN2046	INTENSVE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and INTENSVE ORG CHEM-FOR 1ST YEAR (formerly CHEM W3045-W3046)
CHEM UN2545	INTENSIVE ORGANIC CHEM LAB
Organic Chemistry
CHEM UN2443  - CHEM UN2444	ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I-LECTURES and ORGANIC CHEMSTRY II-LECTURES (formerly CHEM W3443-W3444)
CHEM UN2493  - CHEM UN2494	ORGANIC CHEM. LAB I TECHNIQUES and ORGANIC CHEM. LAB II SYNTHESIS
Biology
BIOL UN2005  - BIOL UN2006	INTRO BIO I: BIOCHEM,GEN,MOLEC and INTRO BIO II:CELL BIO,DEV/PHYS
BIOL UN2501	CONTEMPORARY BIOLOGY LAB (or other Biology laboratory approved by premedical adviser)
Physics
Select one of the following three options:
Option 1:
PHYS UN1201  - PHYS UN1202	GENERAL PHYSICS I and GENERAL PHYSICS II
PHYS UN1291  - PHYS UN1292	GENERAL PHYSICS I LAB and GENERAL PHYSICS II LABORATORY
Option 2:
PHYS UN1401  - PHYS UN1402	INTRO TO MECHANICS ＆ THERMO and INTRO ELEC/MAGNETSM ＆ OPTCS
Or
PHYS UN1601  - PHYS UN1602	PHYSICS I:MECHANICS/RELATIVITY and PHYSICS II: THERMO, ELEC ＆ MAG
Also select one of the following laboratories:
PHYS UN1291  - PHYS UN1292	GENERAL PHYSICS I LAB and GENERAL PHYSICS II LABORATORY
PHYS UN1493	INTRO TO EXPERIMENTAL PHYS-LAB
PHYS UN1494	INTRO TO EXPERIMENTAL PHYS-LAB
PHYS UN2699	Experiments in Classical and Modern Physics
PHYS UN3081	INTERMEDIATE LABORATORY WORK
Option 3:
PHYS UN2801  - PHYS UN2802	ACCELERATED PHYSICS I and ACCELERATED PHYSICS II
Also select one of the following laboratories:
PHYS UN1493	INTRO TO EXPERIMENTAL PHYS-LAB
PHYS UN1494	INTRO TO EXPERIMENTAL PHYS-LAB
PHYS UN2699	Experiments in Classical and Modern Physics
PHYS UN3081	INTERMEDIATE LABORATORY WORK
Biochemistry
BIOL GU4501	Biochemistry
or BIOC UN3300	BIOCHEMISTRY
Psychology
PSYC UN1001	THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY

While these courses are recommended for MCAT preparation, students should note the following additional information:

• English: Most medical schools require one year of English, emphasizing skill acquisition in writing. Columbia College students fulfill this requirement with UNIVERSITY WRITING (ENGL CC1010) and Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy (Literature Humanities) (HUMA CC1001-HUMA CC1002).
• Mathematics: Although not required by most medical schools, calculus is required for Columbia chemistry sequences and therefore all premedical students should have successfully completed the equivalent of one semester of Calculus. Medical schools that do have a mathematics requirement typically expect one semester of calculus and one semester of statistics. Any Columbia calculus and statistics classes will meet the requirement and it is sometimes possible to use AP credit toward this requirement.
• Biochemistry: An increasing number of medical schools require one semester of biochemistry. While Columbia's introductory biology sequence covers many foundational concepts of biochemistry, which may prepare students for the MCAT, many medical schools will require a course in Biochemistry prior to matriculation.
• Advanced Biology: A small number of schools require more than one year of introductory biology and many of these recommend specific advanced level classes.
• Social and Behavioral Science: A number of schools have begun to add social and behavioral science courses into their requirements, including, but not limited to, psychology and sociology.

Students should note that medical schools’ stated prerequisites are subject to change from year to year and it is the responsibility of students to confirm the prerequisite requirements for each of the medical schools to which they intend to apply. Most medical schools list their requirements in greater detail on their individual websites. More information can also be found from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Students interested in preparing for other health professions, including dental school, should consult a pre-health advisor in the Berick Center for Student Advising about curricular planning.

Barnard Courses

While it is preferred that students complete their premedical requirements with Columbia College courses, students may take premedical requirements at Barnard if course prerequisites have been satisfied in advance. However, students should keep in mind that the Columbia Biology and Chemistry Departments may not accept Barnard courses toward their departments' concentrations and majors. Students should consult their departmental advisers before registering for a Barnard course.

Students with Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement (AP) credit is accepted by some health professional schools, but not all. Students are responsible for monitoring the requirements of each school to which they intend to apply. 

Generally, students with AP credit are strongly advised to take further courses in the field in which they have received such credit.

Application to Health Profession Programs

For many health professions programs, students apply for admission more than a year in advance of matriculation. Most Columbia students take time between undergraduate and health profession school and thus wait to apply to these schools until after graduating. Students who are interested in going directly on to health professional school following graduation should complete all prerequisite courses which will prepare them for application by the end of the junior year.

Students planning to apply to medical or dental school should meet with preprofessional advisers prior to application and plan to go through the Premedical Advisory Committee process the year they plan to apply. For more information regarding this process, please consult with a preprofessional adviser in the Berick Center for Student Advising (preprofessional@columbia.edu).

Clinical and Research Exposure

Preprofessional Advising maintains an online list of many different clinical volunteer and research opportunities across New York City and beyond. These opportunities can offer students the chance to explore the health professions and to interact with patients, and these experiences are viewed by medical schools as essential preparation. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to spend time volunteering or working in clinical and research environments before applying to medical school.

The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science

The Combined Plan (3-2) Program

The Combined Plan (3-2) Program is a dual degree program that provides Columbia College students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College and a Bachelor of Science degree from The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science in five years.

Columbia College students must apply in their junior year to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. In order to apply, students must have completed or be in the process of completing the prerequisite coursework for the relevant Engineering program of study, which will include the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Points
Mathematics
MATH UN1101  - MATH UN1102  - MATH UN1201  - MATH UN1202	CALCULUS I and CALCULUS II and CALCULUS III and CALCULUS IV
or
MATH UN1101  - MATH UN1102  - MATH UN1207  - MATH UN1208  - MATH UN1202	CALCULUS I and CALCULUS II and HONORS MATHEMATICS A and HONORS MATHEMATICS B and CALCULUS IV
or
MATH UN1101  - MATH UN1102  - MATH UN1205  - MATH UN1202	CALCULUS I and CALCULUS II and ACCELERATED MULTIVARIABLE CALC and CALCULUS IV
Chemistry
CHEM UN1403	GENERAL CHEMISTRY I-LECTURES
Some Engineering minors also require CHEM UN1404
Physics
Select one of the following three sequences:
PHYS UN1401  - PHYS UN1402	INTRO TO MECHANICS ＆ THERMO and INTRO ELEC/MAGNETSM ＆ OPTCS
or
PHYS UN1601  - PHYS UN1602	PHYSICS I:MECHANICS/RELATIVITY and PHYSICS II: THERMO, ELEC ＆ MAG
or
PHYS UN2801  - PHYS UN2802	ACCELERATED PHYSICS I and ACCELERATED PHYSICS II
Some programs require a third semester of Physics
Computer Science
Select one of the following two courses, depending on program:
ENGI E1006	INTRO TO COMP FOR ENG/APP SCI
COMS W1004	Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Java
Economics
ECON UN1105	PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
Laboratory Requirement (choose one of the following)*:
PHYS UN1494	INTRO TO EXPERIMENTAL PHYS-LAB
CHEM UN1500	GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
*Note that some majors require a specific lab in either Chemistry or Physics, or both

As a condition for admission to the 3-2 program, students must have also completed the requirements for a Columbia College major, as well as any additional pre-curricular requirements for the specific engineering major (see specific requirements on the Undergraduate Admissions website).

Students with more than 35 transfer credits are not eligible for the 3-2 program.

If accepted into the 3-2 program, students will be enrolled at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science in the fourth and fifth years of study. During those years, the students must complete the requirements for a major in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science in consultation with a faculty advisor for their engineering department. Students eligibility for housing and financial aid will continue throughout these years of study.

Each Fall, Undergraduate Admissions conducts information sessions in which students meet with the Combined Plan Program administrator. For more information, students should contact their advising deans in the Berick Center for Student Advising, or combinedplan@columbia.edu.

The 4+1 Program with Columbia College

The 4+1 Program provides students in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College, in addition to their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from SEAS, through the completion of one additional year of study. Students in the 4+1 program must complete four years of study and complete all requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering before enrolling in the fifth year of study in Columbia College.

The fifth year of study commences in the Fall semester, and students are required to conclude their studies after two full-time semesters of enrollment. Students must earn a minimum of 31 credits while enrolled at Columbia College

SEAS students who are interested in the 4+1 Program must declare their interest in the spring of their sophomore year and plan their next three years of study with the program adviser.

The program is selective, and admission is based on the following factors:

1. Granting of the B.S. at SEAS at the end of the fourth year
2. Completing all Columbia College Core Curriculum requirements by the end of the fourth year at SEAS
3. Maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0 in Columbia College Core courses as well as those courses counting toward the Columbia College major
4. Creating a plan to complete a Columbia College major or concentration by the end of their fifth year that is approved by the appropriate director of undergraduate studies.

For more information, students may contact their advising dean in the Berick Center for Student Advising.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

The B.A./M.A. option allows Columbia College students to enroll in graduate-level courses at Columbia and apply the earned credit toward a Columbia Master of Arts (M.A.).

Only students who have been accepted by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences into a B.A./M.A. program will be allowed to count graduate-level courses taken as an undergraduate toward the requirements for the M.A. Coursework taken toward the B.A./M.A. option is subject to the following guidelines:

1. The credit for the coursework must be in excess of the 124 points required for the B.A. degree.

2. A course used to fulfill a requirement for the B.A. degree may not be counted toward graduate credit.

3. The student must obtain the approval of both the graduate department(s) offering the course(s) and the undergraduate department in which they are majoring.

4. The maximum amount of graduate credit that an undergraduate can earn toward the M.A. degree requirement in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is 0.50 Residence Unit. For more information on the Residence Units for graduate programs, please consult the relevant website of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Students who are interested in pursuing the B.A./M.A. option must consult the director of graduate studies (DGS) or program director of their intended M.A. program before applying:  this consultation is a required part of the application process and must take place before a B.A./M.A. application may be submitted. Students should then plan to apply officially at least two months prior to the semester in which they intend to begin taking courses that will count toward the M.A., and it is important to note that some academic programs have more specific application deadlines.

The Juilliard School

Columbia College students who are exceptionally talented musicians have access to instrumental, composition, and voice instruction at The Juilliard School through two distinct programs.

The Cross-Registration Program

The Cross-Registration Program allows Columbia College students to enroll concurrently in weekly instrumental (classical and jazz), composition, and vocal instruction at The Juilliard School. The Cross-Registration Program covers weekly instruction only; ensembles and classes at Juilliard are generally not open to participants in the Cross-Registration Program. 

Applicants to the Cross-Registration Program may be incoming first-year students or continuing students in Columbia College. In addition to being accepted by Columbia College, Students interested in the Cross-Registration Program must submit a Juilliard Application for Admission, including pre-screening materials, and must audition successfully to be accepted into the Cross-Registration Program. 

Students in the Cross-Registration Program may participate in the program for up to four years of study. Annual juries will be held at Juilliard at the end of each academic year to determine that students are eligible to continue in the program.

Students participating in the Cross-Registration Program have the option of applying to the Joint B.A./M.M. Program in their junior year (see details below).

The Joint B.A./M.M. Program

The Joint B.A./M.M. Program allows students to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College and a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School in five years. While instrumentalists and composers are expected to complete the dual degree program in five years, voice students may need six years of study to complete the program, depending on preparation. 

Students interested in the Joint B.A./M.M. Program must have participated in the Cross-Registration Program for at least one year to be eligible to apply. Interested students must apply to the joint degree program in their junior year at the College. To be considered for the program, Columbia College students must have completed by the end of junior year 94 points of coursework, including all Core Curriculum requirements and all requirements for a major. There are no prerequisite courses for the courses in the M.M. program at Juilliard that are required to qualify for admission to the Joint B.A./M.M. Program, but students considering the program are encouraged to complement their cross-registration instruction at Juilliard with music classes and participation in ensembles at Columbia.

If accepted to Joint B.A./M.M. Program, students will become full-time graduate students at Juilliard in their fourth year and will be subject to Juilliard’s financial aid policies. While it may be possible to complete 1-2 courses required for the B.A. degree at Columbia College in the fourth year, students must receive permission to do so from the College and will not be eligible for financial aid from Columbia College in that fourth year.

Eligible students should submit the Juilliard Application for Admission by the appropriate deadline. The pre-screening (if applicable) is waived, and live auditions are held at The Juilliard School in early March.

Students who wish to pursue the joint program should consult with Alex España, Associate Dean, in the Berick Center for Student Advising. 

The Law School

Accelerated Interdisciplinary Legal Education Program

The Accelerated Interdisciplinary Legal Education (AILE) Program provides Columbia College students with outstanding records the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College and a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School in six years. 

To be eligible to apply, students must have enrolled in all six semesters of study for the B.A. from Columbia College on Columbia’s New York campus. Students with semesters of transfer credit or study abroad credit, even from Columbia programs, are not eligible to apply to the joint program.

Applicants to the program must have completed by the end of junior year 93 points of credit toward the B.A., including all Columbia College Core Curriculum requirements and also the requirements for a major. After formal admission to the Law School, students are withdrawn from the College to become full-time Law School students in their fourth year, and are subject to the financial aid and housing policies of the Law School from that point forward. In the fifth and sixth years of study (i.e., the second and third years at the Law School), students must complete 12 points of coursework through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the coursework must have the prior approval of the student’s pre professional adviser.

Interested students should submit an application in the spring of their junior year to the Preprofessional Advising in the Berick Center for Student Advising. Columbia College may nominate one or two juniors each year for consideration, and the final admission determination is made by the Law School Admissions Committee. Prospective participants in this program must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) no later than the February administration of either exam in the year of intended enrollment. 

AILE students receive Columbia College and Law School degrees at the same time, at the end of six years. AILE students must apply for the B.A. degree the term before they expect to graduate with the J.D. degree. Students should inform their advising deans in the Berick Center for Student Advising of their plans to graduate in in the sixth year in order to be considered that year for honors and Phi Beta Kappa from the College. 

For more information, students may contact Preprofessional Advising, preprofessional@columbia.edu.

The Mailman School of Public Health

The 4+1 program between Columbia College and the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health is a dual degree program that allows students to earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Columbia College and a Master of Public Health degree (M.P.H.) from the Mailman School of Public Health (Mailman) in five years. 

Students accepted into the program spend the Fall term of their fourth year taking the multidisciplinary Public Health Core Curriculum at Mailman, then complete their undergraduate coursework for the College’s B.A. degree in the spring semester of their senior year. After graduation from the College, students in the program enroll full-time at Mailman and engage in coursework, thesis work, and a practicum. The practicum takes place in the summer following the academic year of coursework and thesis work at Mailman.

College students may apply to the program in their junior year.  The application requires a personal statement and three letters of recommendation (two letters from academic instructors). The deadline for application is December 1st. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5, and are expected to have taken at least one semester of calculus, statistics or other appropriate quantitative course. Particular M.P.H. disciplines – specifically, the Biostatistics program and the Environmental Health Sciences program – have additional prerequisites. More information can be found on the Mailman website.

For more information, students may contact their advising dean in the Berick Center for Student Advising. 

The School of International and Public Affairs

The International Affairs Five-Year Program

The International Affairs Five-Year Program offers Columbia College students the opportunity to earn both a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) and a Master of International Affairs degree (M.I.A.) from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) in five years.

If admitted to the joint program, students complete their senior year at Columbia College by taking mostly graduate-level courses that are approved by SIPA to count toward the M.I.A. degree, in addition to any remaining courses needed to complete their B.A. requirements.

To be eligible for the program, students must have, by the end of their junior year, been enrolled in Columbia College for at least four semesters, completed a minimum of 93 credits, achieved competence in a modern foreign language, and completed all Columbia College Core Curriculum requirements. They must also have satisfied all requirements for a major, with the possible exception of two courses (i.e., needing no more than 6-8 credits to complete the major or concentration). These two courses toward the major may be taken during the senior year while completing 24 points of other coursework that will be accepted by SIPA.

One 3-point course approved by SIPA may be taken in the junior year. It may be possible to take courses toward the M.I.A. degree during the summer between the junior and senior year with prior approval.

To move formally into the M.I.A. program in the fifth year of study, students must receive the B.A. from the College with a satisfactory GPA. Upon formal admission to SIPA after their senior year, students may apply for housing and financial aid through SIPA.

Interested students should apply to this joint program during their junior year through the School of International and Public Affairs Admissions Office. Admission to the joint Five-Year Program does not constitute immediate admission to SIPA; students remain Columbia College students through their senior year. 

For more information, students may contact their advising deans in the Berick Center for Student Advising.

Public Administration Five-Year Program

The Public Administration Five-Year Program is a dual degree program that offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) from Columbia College and a Master of Public Administration degree (M.P.A.) from the School of International and Public Affairs in five years. 

Once admitted to the joint program, students complete their senior year at Columbia College by taking mostly graduate-level courses that are approved by SIPA to count toward the M.P.A. 

To be eligible for the program, students must have, by the end of their junior year, been enrolled in Columbia College for at least four semesters, completed a minimum of 93 credits, achieved competence in a modern foreign language, and completed all Columbia College Core Curriculum requirements. They must also have satisfied all requirements for a major, with the possible exception of two courses (i.e., needing no more than 6-8 credits to complete the major or concentration). These two courses toward the major may be taken during the senior year while completing 24 points of other coursework that will be accepted by SIPA. 

One 3-point course approved by SIPA may be taken in the junior year. It may be possible to take courses toward the M.P.A. degree during the summer between the junior and senior year, with prior approval.

Please note: This Columbia College Bulletin page will be updated as information on exchange programs is confirmed. Thank you.