2008-2009 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
37
Office of Graduate Student Services
The Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science
Columbia University
524 S. W. Mudd, Mail Code 4708
500 West 120th Street
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 212-854-6438
Fax: 212-854-5900
E-mail: seasgradmit@columbia.edu
Apply online at: www.engineering.
columbia.edu
The basic requirement for admission
as a graduate student is a bachelor’s
degree received from an institution of
acceptable standing. Ordinarily, the
applicant will have majored in the field
in which graduate study is intended,
but in certain programs, preparation in
a related field of engineering or science
is acceptable. The applicant will be
admitted only if the undergraduate
record shows promise of productive
and effective graduate work.
Students who hold an appropriate
degree in engineering may apply for
admission to study for the Ph.D. degree.
However, students are required to obtain
the master’s degree first. Applications for
admission as a doctoral candidate may
be made after completion of 15 points
of work as a candidate for the master’s
degree.
Students may be admitted in one of
the following six classifications: candidate
for the M.S. degree, candidate for
the M.S. degree leading to the Ph.D.
degree, candidate for the professional
degree, candidate for the Doctor of
Engineering Science degree, candidate
for the Doctor of Philosophy degree (see
also the bulletin of the Graduate School
of Arts and Sciences), or special student
(not a degree candidate). Note: Not
more than 15 points of credit completed
as a special nondegree student may be
counted toward a degree.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Application materials may be obtained
by contacting the Office of Graduate
Student Services (see address above),
or from our Web site (also above). The
forms obtained should be filed in accordance
with instructions accompanying
the application. When filing the application,
the candidate should obtain one
official transcript from each postsecondary
institution attended and submit
them in the original sealed envelope with
the application forms. Consideration for
admission will be based not only on the
completion of an earlier course of study,
but also upon the quality of the record
presented and upon such evidence as
can be obtained concerning the candidate’s
personal fitness to pursue professional
work.
Additionally, candidates must provide
three letters of recommendation and the
results of required standardized exams.
The Graduate Record Examination (general)
is required for all candidates. GRE
scores are valid for five years from the
test date. The Test of English as a
Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of
all candidates who received their bachelor’s
degree in a country in which English
is not the official and spoken language.
TOEFL scores are valid for two years
from the test date. Applicants can only
apply to one degree program per admission
term.
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
REQUIREMENT
Admitted graduate students who are
required to submit official TOEFL results
must attain levels of proficiency as
described below. Students will not be
cleared for graduation unless they satisfy
the following requirements:
• M.S. and Professional Degree candidates
must reach level 8 on the
English Placement Test (EPT) offered
by Columbia’s American Language
Program (ALP).
• Ph.D. and Eng.Sc.D. candidates
must attain level 10 on the English
Placement Test (EPT) offered by
Columbia’s American Language
Program (ALP).
The EPT is administered in two parts.
Part I is a multiple-choice exam and
Part II is an essay. Students are required
to take both parts, and a level 8 must
be scored on Part I in order to take
Part II.
The EPT must be taken at Orientation
(the fee for this administration of the
exam will be covered by SEAS). A student
who misses this administration of
the EPT must take the exam at his or
her own expense at the beginning of the
first semester enrolled and submit the
official score to the Graduate Student
Services Office. (CVN students are
exempt from the EPT.)
SEAS 2008–2009