Oversight of Academic Programs

The Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Programs (OVPAP) works with schools to secure approvals for new academic programs and changes to existing programs. We encourage schools to seek guidance from OVPAP prior to completing proposals, and we will work with schools to complete the steps necessary for registration with the New York State Education Department (NYSED). This overview of the review and approval process summarizes each step and approximate time, while step-by-step guidance by which new programs are established and existing programs are modified can be found through the links provided below.

In administering academic programs, Columbia University is required to adhere to policies by NYSED and other regulatory bodies, including our accrediting agency, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The New York State's Regents' Rules define the curriculum expectations through NYSED at various levels of education: 

  • Bachelor’s degrees require at least 120 points of course credit, of which at least 75 percent must be liberal arts and sciences courses for a Bachelor of Arts and 50 percent for a Bachelor of Science.
  • For a Master’s degree, the minimum number of credits is 30.
  • The Regent’s regulations do not specify a minimum for doctoral degree but do require at least three academic years of full-time graduate studies or their part-time equivalent.
     

All internal Columbia University proposal forms and forms required for registration with NYSED are downloadable from this website on the right-hand menu. Please reach out to OVPAP at [email protected] for clarification regarding any part of this guidance or about which forms are most appropriate.

Educational Program Policies and Procedures

Columbia University offers the following degrees that are registered with NYSED. A list of all degree types approved for each school at Columbia is provided for information.

Columbia also offers Executive/Non-Credit Education non-degree programs that are not registered with NYSED but do require internal University review and approval.  

Please note that proposed new degree, certificate programs, and substantive changes cannot be advertised or marketed in any way (including websites), nor can students be recruited or admitted, until ALL approvals have been granted. For programs requiring NYSED approval, this means that NYSED must issue an official registration letter and program code. OVPAP collaborates with the Senate Education Committee on such internal reviews.

Once established, new degree and certificate programs are subject to further internal review. The Senate Education Committee completes a 5th Year Review to assess the programs. Substantive changes in existing programs may also trigger further University and NYSED reviews. 

APAS - Academic Program Approval System

All new program proposals as well as program changes, with the exception of Executive/Non-Credit education, are processed through our online review system, APAS. A school that wishes to launch or modify a program must submit an application through APAS, which then routes each proposal through the appropriate pathway of approvals that are needed before a new program can begin or an existing program can be modified. If you have questions about APAS, please contact OVPAP at [email protected]. 

Please note: Firefox is the recommended browser for APAS; functionality may be less than optimal when using Internet Explorer or Chrome.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Schools wishing to launch a new degree or certificate program should plan on a period of 18-24 months for completing all reviews, beginning when a proposal is uploaded to APAS. Submissions to NYSED may require a year or more beyond the completion of internal review processes.  

Comments and Concerns 

General Concerns about the academic programs offered at Columbia University please contact [email protected].

Distance Learning Complaints against an institution operating under SARA policies must first go through the institution’s own procedures for resolution of grievances. Students should first address complaints to the school within Columbia where they are registered. Additional information can be found on the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation's site: Complaints Regarding Distance Education

New York State Education Department The Office of College and University Evaluation handles only those complaints that concern educational programs or practices of degree-granting institutions subject to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. All complaints concerning colleges and universities in NYS must first be addressed by the institution’s administration, and all avenue of appeals exhausted, before being escalated to Office of College and University Evaluation. See NYSED’s complaint procedures: http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university

Please note that these guidelines are intended as a helpful supplement to University and New York State policies and regulations; however, changes to process or regulations may occur at any time, and the content here may not always be fully up-to-date. Therefore this information is subject to change.