Combined Plan Programs

Undergraduate Admissions
212 Hamilton Hall, MC 2807
1130 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
212-854-2522
combinedplan@columbia.edu
undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/combined-plan

Columbia Engineering maintains cooperative program relationships with institutions nationwide and with other Columbia University undergraduate divisions. The Combined Plan programs (3-2 and 4-2) allow students to receive a degree both in the liberal arts and in engineering. Combined Plan students complete the requirements for the liberal arts degree along with required prerequisite coursework for their studies in engineering during the three or four years at their liberal arts college before entering the School of Engineering and Applied Science. They then must complete all the requirements for the B.S. degree within four semesters.

The Combined Plan Program within Columbia University

Under this plan, the pre-engineering student studies in Columbia College, Barnard College, or the School of General Studies for three or four years, then attends The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science for two years, and is awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering upon completion of the fifth or sixth year. This program is optional at Columbia, but the School recommends it to all students who wish greater enrichment in the liberal arts and pure sciences.

The Combined Plan with Other Affiliated Colleges

There are more than one hundred affiliated liberal arts colleges, including those at Columbia, in which a student can enroll in a Combined Plan program leading to two degrees. Each college requires the completion of a specified curriculum, including major and degree requirements, to qualify for the baccalaureate from that institution. Every affiliated school has a liaison officer who coordinates the program at their home institution. Students interested in this program should inform the liaison officer as early as possible, preferably in the first year, in order to receive guidance about completing program requirements. Applicants from nonaffiliated schools are welcome to apply.

Visit the Undergraduate Admissions website for a complete list of affiliated schools, admission application instructions, information on financial aid, and curriculum requirements for Combined Plan program admission. Please note that no change of major is allowed after an admission decision has been rendered.

For more information, see 4-2 Master of Science Program, BS/MS Program, MS Express Application, and Barnard 4+1 Pathway, which are administered through the Office of Engineering Student Affairs.