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Enrollment Policies and Procedures
Students plan their programs in accordance with school policies and requirements. The first year of study consists of courses that form the foundation for advanced study in the second year. All students are encouraged to plan their program with their academic advisor. The student is responsible for tracking and meeting all degree requirements. The University Registrar is responsible for procedures related to registration. The CUSSW Office of Enrollment and Student Services works closely with the Registrar’s Office in overseeing the registration process and distributing the necessary materials for students to register.
General Information for M.S. Student Registration Full-time students at CUSSW usually enroll for 13.5 to 16.5 points each term in a combination of courses and field education. Those who wish to register for more than 16.5 points or less than 10.5 must secure the approval of their academic advisor and complete the Exception to Academic Policies Form, which is forwarded for review and approval by the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. To maintain full-time status, students must register for a minimum of 10.5 points. Prerequisites: Students are permitted to register for a course provided they meet all prerequisites. This includes all program changes subsequent to registration. If a student registers for a course without meeting the prerequisites, he or she will be withdrawn from the course and remain responsible for the tuition. Class Size Limits: The School endeavors to control the enrollment size of all classes and sections. Each term a sufficient number of sections of the required courses and electives are scheduled to permit students to meet the requirements. While the School offers a wide array of electives, it is not always possible to schedule multiple sections of an elective course. Only students officially registered for a course and section are permitted to attend that class. Individual professors do not have the authority to accept a student into a course. Billing and Payment: The University mails an estimated Term Invoice to each student prior to the beginning of each term. (See the Appendix for a complete billing schedule.) Payment for all charges not covered by financial aid must be received by the date indicated on the invoice. Late Payment Charges: If the University does not receive the total amount due for the term on or before the payment due date, students may be subject to late payment charges. If payment is not received by the due date, a one-time charge of $150 per term may be imposed. In addition, a charge of one percent per billing cycle may be imposed on any amount past due thereafter. Late Registration Fee: Students registering during the University’s late registration period will be assessed a $50 fee; those permitted to register after the late registration period pay a $100 fee. Returned Check Fee: Students are assessed a $20 fee for any check that is not honored by the bank.
Registration Procedures and Policies New students receive information on orientation and registration by e-mail prior to the start of the academic year. Information is also posted on the School of Social Work website. Students may complete and return forms electronically to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services and registration is processed manually. Continuing students register by telephone or online at Student Services Online according to instructions they receive via their Columbia University e-mail accounts. Registration information for continuing students is also available on the School of Social Work website. Each student is randomly assigned to one of three registration groups for the duration of her/his studies at CUSSW. Each term, the registration appointment time for telephone registration is rotated among the three groups to ensure that each student has an equal chance to have high, middle, and low priority for choosing classes. Course schedules are available via the Columbia University website. Complete registration instructions are available online at Student Services Online, or are available from The Registration Help Line (212 854-2424). Student Services, Room 525 (212 851-2364), is also available to help students once they have tried the telephone or online registration systems.
Registration for a Tutorial (Independent Study) A tutorial or independent study offers students an opportunity to study content not offered in the regular program. Students wishing to register for a tutorial (independent study) - T6002 - T6003 – make arrangements with a full-time faculty member who agrees to serve as instructor for the tutorial. The faculty member and the student’s academic advisor must sign a tutorial form, which is then submitted to the Associate Dean for approval. A description of the plan for the tutorial, including the content, objectives, time frame, assignments and plan for evaluation, must accompany the form. Once the tutorial is approved, the Associate Dean sends a copy of the form to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services for processing. Registration for Courses in Other Divisions of the University When registering for courses in other divisions of the University, students need to secure approval from their academic advisors and, when required, the academic department or instructor of the course using an Add/Drop Form. Some schools, such as the School of Public Health, require a separate signed instructor approval from, which can be obtained from the Public Health Registrar. If a student wishes to register for a course at Teacher’s College, approval must be obtained from the Associate Dean of CUSSW (via a signed Exception to Academic Policies form), the academic advisor, plus any approvals required by Teacher’s College. Students who cross-register at TC will be charged the TC tuition rate per credit, which may be more than the CUSSW rate. Students who are cross-registering at all other Columbia divisions are charged the CUSSW tuition rate per credit. The required approvals should be signed on the add/drop form. Completed forms should be returned to Room 525. Registration at Non-Columbia Graduate Schools Once matriculated at CUSSW, students are not permitted to enroll in courses at non-Columbia graduate schools for credit toward the M.S. degree. While students may apply for an exception to this policy using the Exception to Academic Policies Form through their academic advisor, who forwards it to the Associate Dean, such exceptions are rarely granted. Holds Students are permitted to register for courses only if there are no holds on their student account for prior terms. A hold blocks students from participating in telephone or online registration. Students can check to see if a hold has been placed on their account by calling 212 854-6464 or by logging on to their Student Services Online account (ssol.columbia.edu). Students will need to have activated their e-mail account in order to access SSOL. The login and password for SSOL is the student’s e-mail UNI and password. If a hold is in effect, students should contact the office that placed it, resolve the outstanding obligation, and make sure the office removes the hold from the computer system. Neither the Office of Enrollment and Student Services nor the Office of the Registrar can remove Bursar’s, Dean’s or Health Services holds.
Registration Policy and Implementation David I. Yam Karma Lowe University Registrar
In addition to the autumn and spring semesters, the School offers select M.S. courses during its summer session, which begins the Monday following the May commencement. Offerings include required courses and a variety of electives. Courses are held either once or twice a week. To enroll in more than two courses during the summer session, students must secure approval of their academic advisor and file an Exception to Policies Form with the Office of Student Services. It is the policy at CUSSW to permit full-time students to unofficially audit one non-required course at the School per academic year (not including the Summer session). An unofficial audit will not appear on the student’s academic records. Auditors must meet course pre-requisites. Students must complete all requirements as requested by the instructor. Audit requests are approved only if there is space in the course after students registering for credit have been admitted and the Office of Enrollment and Student Services has obtained instructor approval. To audit a course at CUSSW, students need to complete an Audit Request form prior to the beginning of the term. If approved, the audit request is returned to the student mail folder and should be presented to the course instructor. Auditing Courses at Another School of the University To audit a course in another school of the University, students must follow the University
Audit Policy, and obtain a Permission to Audit form from the University Registrar after completing registration. The form must be approved by the Office of the Dean at the school offering the course and presented to the instructor at the first class session. Matriculated M.S. students do not generally register for an official audit, designated "R" by the University. Students registering for "R" credit must pay for the course. Once registered, students may change their program using the telephone dial-up system, the online registration system (SSOL) or by going to the Registrar’s Office (205 Kent) during the change of program (add/drop) period. Once registered, students may drop courses up to and including the last day of class. If a course is dropped during the official add/drop period, a student will receive a full refund. No refund is given for courses dropped after the official add/drop period. If a student has registered for non-social work courses, he/she must complete an add/drop form and return it with the academic advisor’s signature to Room 525. Failure to attend classes or to notify the instructor does not constitute a formal withdrawal or drop of a class. Students will be financially responsible and will receive a mark of UW (Unofficial Withdrawal) for the course. Students are not allowed to add or make changes to their schedule after the official Add/Drop period has ended. Students needing to add a course after the official Add/Drop period must get approval from the Office of Enrollment and Student Services. Students dropping field education and their practice course must first consult with the academic advisor and the Field Education Department. An add/drop form must be completed and returned to Room 525.
Withdrawal from the School Withdrawal is an option for students who do not wish to continue in the program or for students who are not in good academic standing and are required to withdraw. Students who withdraw voluntarily from the School must meet with their faculty advisor, a member of the Field Education Department and must contact Ms. Karma Lowe in the Office of Enrollment and Student Services to arrange for an exit interview. Students who voluntarily withdraw from the School, must apply for readmission to the School. Taking a Leave Students who are in good academic standing both in class and in field education may request a leave of absence because of personal reasons. A request for a leave of absence must be recommended by both the student’s faculty advisor and the Field Education Department and forwarded to the Senior Assistant Dean for Enrollment and Student Service Systems for review and approval. The maximum time period for a leave of absence is one year. For further information and appropriate forms please contact Karma Lowe, Assistant Director of Student Services at 212 851-2364. Requests for medical leave must follow the above procedures; however, medical documentation must be provided to the University’s Health Services. Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence from the program after the add/drop period has ended, will be responsible for paying the tuition owed according to the University’s Refund Schedule. In addition, a $75.00 withdrawal fee is charged to all students who withdraw. This is a University Administrative Fee and no exceptions are made. Dropping down to zero (0) points does not constitute a withdrawal from the University. See withdrawal policy above.
Withdrawal Adjustment Schedule Based on the week of withdrawal, the refund percentage is as follows:
University charges such as tuition and fees and residence halls and board plans are due and payable in full by the date announced before the beginning of each term. Late payments are subject to a one-time $150 late fee, after which 1% of the remaining balance is charged as a late fee. If tuition and fees are not paid in full by or at registration, students will not be permitted to register. It is the policy of the University to withhold diplomas, certificates, and transcripts until all financial obligations have been met. Candidates for graduation are urged to pay their bills in full at least one month prior to graduation. In the event a diploma, certificate, or transcript is withheld because of an unpaid bill, a student will be required to use a certified check, money order, or cash to release any of the documents.
Tuition and Fees 2006-2007
Application Fees
Late Registration Fees
Payment of the health service fee, which is merely contributory to the total cost of health service, and of the health insurance premium is compulsory for some students and optional for others. Students for whom payment is compulsory may waive participation in one or both of the health plans by showing proof of comparable coverage. Consult the School’s website for benefits attainable under and cost associated with these plans, for regulations governing waiver of participation, and for other information. Health Service Fee Fall 2006 and Spring 2007: $356/semester Student Immunization Under New York State Law, any student born after January 1, 1957 and enrolled for six or more points must be vaccinated twice after his or her first birthday against measles. If a student cannot prove either the two required vaccinations or immunity from having had the measles, the student may not attend classes, participate in university-sponsored events or come onto campus. For information, contact the University Health Service Immunization Records Office at 212-854-7210. Such students must also demonstrate immunity for mumps and rubella (German measles). Columbia also recommends a recent tuberculosis skin test (PPD) and several other vaccines. A form outlining the specifics is available. Meningitis Vaccination Decision Under a New York State public health law enacted in 2003, college and university students must receive information from their institutions about meningococcal meningitis and the vaccine that protects against most strains of the disease seen on university campuses. The law requires all students registered for 6 or more points to decide whether or not to be immunized and to provide formal certification of their decision. (Proof of immunity will NOT be required.) Columbia University provides an online system designed to make it easy for students to comply with this requirement: |
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