Classes
- Schedule your classes.
- Take classes in the first semester.
- Choose classes that interest you, and take a wide variety of them–from art history to computer science, French literature to the physics lab.
- Choose courses to help you graduate on time and get into grad school (or law school).
Columbia University Undergraduate Curriculum
The curriculum at Columbia is one of the most rigorous in the country, with an emphasis on a solid liberal arts education. The University offers over 50 majors, with many of them being unique to Columbia. Students must take a core curriculum that includes courses on history and literature, as well as math and science classes.
Students can access some of the most prestigious professors in their fields through departmental seminars and independent studies programs. There is also an honours program for students who want more specialized coursework than what’s offered through general education requirements like Humanities or Social Sciences Core Courses (HUMSCC).
Honors Program
Honours students may participate in any departmental honours program that offers an appropriate significant concentration (such as History or Economics) or may choose instead to design their interdisciplinary program of study under the guidance of a faculty advisor from multiple departments within the University.
The latter option allows students maximum flexibility in pursuing personal interests while still receiving academic credit for their efforts through regular consultation with their advisors about course selection and progress toward graduation requirements, such as thesis defence presentations before members of both student bodies (undergraduates) as well as outside experts invited by us every year.
Student Life at Columbia University
At Columbia University, you’ll have a diverse student body and various opportunities to get involved. There are more than 1,000 registered student organizations on campus–from sports teams to cultural clubs–that you can join. If more is needed, over 50 academic societies (including Barnard’s Women in Mathematics Forum) offer classes and events for students interested in their respective fields.
Columbia has plenty of resources available for its students: health services, financial aid information, and tutoring services through the Writing Center or other resources like peer advising programs where upper-level students mentor first-year students about college life at Columbia before they even arrive on campus!
Housing at Columbia University
Undergraduate housing is guaranteed for all first-year students, and you can choose from a variety of options:
- dorms located in Morningside Heights and Manhattanville
- suite-style residence halls with shared rooms and bathrooms (men’s, women’s or coed)
- Apartments that are furnished but don’t have kitchens or laundry facilities
Undergraduate students may request gender-inclusive housing if they wish to live with someone of any gender identity or sexual orientation. Housing options include single occupancy rooms; suites with shared bathrooms; various types of doubles; triples; quads, and quints (for those who want a more private space). The Office of Residential Life does not offer family-style housing under any circumstances.