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In order to connect your area of academic interest at Columbia with your courses abroad, Columbia College students are required, prior to the abroad experience, to take a course in the country or region where you intend to study. The regional course provides background knowledge about the historical, cultural, or social foundations of the country or region where you intend to study. Developing a focused course of study related to your host country will help you establish a path of academic inquiry that you will build on while you are abroad. Take a look at the list of Spring 2013 Regional Courses which is updated each semester and read the guidance notes for the regional course. Since there are many options, you should visit consult with the relevant regional advisor the Office of Global Programs to have your selection approved. Special registration procedures are in place for some courses, notably seminars in English and History, so make sure to follow departmental instructions.

For students studying in countries where less commonly taught languages are spoken, taking one semester of that language can fulfill the regional requirement for you. Please discuss this with your regional advisor in the Office of Global Programs.

Columbia College Eligibility

3.0 Cumulative GPA

To ensure that study-abroad students can adapt to the challenges of the foreign university system and successfully integrate their major work abroad into their Columbia curriculum, only students with a GPA of 3.0 or above can be considered for study abroad. A minimum GPA of 3.0 in foreign-language courses is required. Most approved study-abroad programs involve direct enrollment in foreign university courses. To ensure academic success abroad—and to facilitate cultural immersion—students need to be capable and motivated language learners.

Clearance to study abroad is conditional on maintaining good standing and the minimum GPA of 3.0. Every study-abroad candidate is subject to review at the end of the semester prior to study abroad. If you experience academic difficulty just before studying abroad, it is likely that you are facing challenges that will significantly impede your performance abroad.

Progress in the Core Curriculum

The sophisticated thinking, personal judgment, and cultural awareness that make a successful study-abroad student are forged in the common experience of the Core. Study abroad represents an outgrowth of the liberal arts and allows you to put into practice the cultural competencies and strategic thinking you’ve honed in Core courses.

In order to study abroad, both semesters of Literature Humanities, Contemporary Civilization, as well as University Writing and Frontiers of Science must be completed. Students must also complete the language requirement before studying abroad (even if you plan to study in an English-language setting). Beyond these courses, it is highly recommended that you complete at least one Global Core course and one additional science course. You are reminded that you should complete Art Humanities and Music Humanities by the end of the junior year. Ideally, only one or two Core courses should remain for the senior year.

Foreign Language Requirement

Intensive language study and immersion in the foreign environment are hallmarks of the study-abroad experience at Columbia. Taking courses abroad in the target language gives you a chance to perfect your skills and to push yourself to the next level of competence. Most programs carry a minimum of four semesters of language study, meaning that you must complete the Intermediate sequence before studying abroad. Many programs require one or two courses beyond this level, so you should check each program’s requirements.

You must take a language course the semester before studying abroad, no matter your level. Continuing to develop your language skills will ensure that you are maximally prepared to study abroad and will facilitate your immersion into the host culture.

There are a few study-abroad programs where the language of instruction is English and where the local language is not commonly taught at Columbia. In these cases, only one semester of the language is required.

For students embarking on study-abroad programs in the English-speaking world, you must complete the Core language requirement prior to studying abroad. This ensures that you achieve a high level of proficiency without a significant break in your progress.

Regional Course Requirement

In order to connect your area of academic interest at Columbia with your courses abroad, Columbia College students are required, prior to the abroad experience, to take a course in the country or region where you intend to study. The regional course provides background knowledge about the historical, cultural, or social foundations of the country or region where you intend to study. Developing a focused course of study related to your host country will help you establish a path of academic inquiry that you will build on while you are abroad. Take a look at the list of Fall Regional Courses which is updated each semester and read the Guidance Notes for Regional Courses. Since there are many options, you should visit consult with the relevant regional advisor the Office of Global Programs to have your selection approved. Special registration procedures are in place for some courses, notably seminars in English and History, so make sure to follow departmental instructions.

For students studying in countries where less commonly taught languages are spoken, taking one semester of that language can fulfill the regional requirement for you. Please discuss this with your regional advisor in the Office of Global Programs.