PhD Program Registration

This section is designed solely as a guide, and not a formal presentation of the rules. For a complete list of the requirements, you are referred to the GSAS and SEAS bulletins.

Registration for classes can be done by phone or web.  Read the Columbia Registrar HOWTO for instructions.

Entry into the PhD Program:

When you first arrive, you enter either the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). The school you enter depends on whether or not you already hold a recognized Masters degree. If GSAS accepts your prior Masters degree, you register in GSAS; otherwise you register in SEAS as an "MS/PhD track student" and remain there until you have fulfilled the requirements for your "MS along the way". At that point, you "transfer" to GSAS with "advanced standing" (recognizing your SEAS MS degree).

An important exception: Eng.Sc.D. (aka DES) students remain registered in SEAS throughout the doctoral program. The departmental DES requirements are identical to the departmental PhD requirements, but SEAS imposes registration and other administrative requirements that are different from those of GSAS.   Check the SEAS bulletin page here for further information, and feel free to contact the or the for assistance if this applies to you.

SEAS Registration:

While in SEAS, you are required to register for between 12 and 15 points of credit to maintain your full time status. It is strongly recommended that all MS/PhD students register for exactly 15 points each semester (so that it is plausible to complete the "MS along the way", which requires 30 points, within one academic year).  Registration for more than 15 points requires special approval from the department for those students funded by the department (e.g., TAs, Fellows, other "departmentally supported students").

First register for the classes you have decided to take. Whatever is left you should fill up with COMS E9911, Graduate Research II (this may be referred to as Doctoral Research II in older bulletins).  E9911 may be used for up to the entire 15 points, if you are not registered for any regular classes. (Do not register for E9910, Graduate Research I, that is only for "terminal" MS students. Also do not register for any of the other "project" courses, such as W4901, E6900, E6901, E6902, those are only for undergraduates and "terminal" MS students.)

Advanced Standing:

You are granted advanced standing during the semester in which you enter GSAS. To obtain advanced standing, you need to provide proof of your Masters degree, whether from Columbia or elsewhere. Upon receiving advanced standing, you are automatically credited with 2 residence units towards the 6 residence unit requirement for the PhD degree. The GSAS policy on advanced standing is given here.

GSAS Registration:

When you first enter GSAS you should register for one "residence unit" (RU) each semester (that is, each fall and spring semester, summer registration is handled differently). A total of 6 RUs is required for the PhD.  However, everyone is given 2 residence units upon obtaining advanced standing for their Master's degree, whether awarded here or elsewhere. Hence, you should register for a residence unit exactly 4 times.  Make sure to keep track of exactly how many RUs you have completed (over-payment of RU tuition will not be refunded!).

You cannot register for residence units while enrolled in SEAS. 

If you are appointed as a "student officer", which includes GRAs, DRAs, TAs, preceptors and teaching fellows, or otherwise financially supported through the university, such as graders and casuals, you must register for an extended residence (ER) unit each semester. Some external fellowships and scholarships may also require extended residence registration.

Generally, students who are not supported through the university can, optionally, register for matriculation and facilities (M&F) each semester instead of extended residency. M&F is significantly less expensive than ER. However, while registered for M&F, you will not be able to register for any courses at all: it is the residence unit (or extended residence unit) that entitles you to register for course points. The residence unit permits you to register for between 0 and 12 points of classes, and the extended residence unit between 0 and 6 points, but you are not required in either case to register for any classes. 

You are also not supposed to complete any other degree requirements, such as English proficiency, teaching, candidacy or proposal, while registered as M&F.  However, the degree requirements of distributing and defending the dissertation are treated differently, see below.

The GSAS policy on registration units and other registration categories is given here.

After you have accumulated 6 RUs, and completed all the other requirements for the PhD except the proposal, defense, and deposit, you should apply for your MPhil (Master of Philosophy) degree from GSAS.

Registration for the Thesis Defense:

It is not necessary to register during the semester of the actual defense.  However, students must be registered during the semester in which the dissertation is distributed to the defense committee (for this purpose, said "semester" continues through the day before the beginning of the following semester). Note this rule includes the summer semester, that is, you must be registered during the summer if your dissertation is distributed during the summer. The GSAS policy is given here.