SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Master of Public Administration Dual Degree Programs with
Graduate Divisions

Dual-degree programs can be arranged with some of the professional schools of the University. These include the School of Law, the School of Public Health, the School of Social Work, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Students must register for a minimum of  30 credits in the School of International and Public Affairs MPA program. The second professional degree can be accepted toward the MPA in lieu of a policy concentration.

Admission

Applications for admission must be filed separately to each school.  Admissions decisions are made independently by each school.  There is no special consideration for students applying to two schools at Columbia University.  Students are considered dual-degree students only after being admitted into two separate schools with a recognized dual-degree program at Columbia University.

Applicants may apply simultaneously to two separate schools at Columbia.  If admitted to both schools, a deferment must be request at one of the two schools.  Admitted students who do not begin their combined program at SIPA should send the acceptance form (without the deposit) and a request for a deferral to the SIPA Admissions Office.  Applicants may also enroll in one school first, and then apply to another school at a later date.  Students must, however, apply to the second school prior to completing half the course work of the first school.

Registration

Students can only be registered in one school per semester.  Residency Credits are credits earned and registered in a particular school.  Academic Credits are credits earned that fulfill the academic core or degree requirements.  A student may be in residence at one school while fulfilling academic requirements of another.

Students in residence at SIPA may register for SIPA courses on-line during registration.  Students must follow cross-registration procedures for courses outside the school in which they are in residence.  SIPA registration information is on the SIPA Registration Website at www.sipa.columbia.edu/academics/sipa_registration.  Students in residence at a school other than SIPA must follow the registration procedures of that school.

Degree Requirements

Dual-degrees require that students complete a minimum number of Residency Credits and Academic Credits in both schools.  Dual-degree candidates must complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at SIPA and fulfill all MPA core requirements. The second professional degree can be accepted toward the MPA in lieu of a concentration.

Tuition

Students pay the tuition and fees of the school in which they are registered each term. The schedule of Tuition/Fees/Expenses can be found on the Student Financial Services Web site at www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/University_Tuition_And_Fees/Tuition_Rate_and_Fees.html.

Financial Aid and Fellowships

Students are granted financial aid by the school in which they are registered each term.  Students should adhere to financial aid deadlines and procedures in each school. 

Dual-degree students are eligible to apply for SIPA Continuing Student Fellowships after completing two semesters of study at Columbia.  Students who did not complete their first two semesters at SIPA are still eligible to apply for fellowships.  The Continuing Student Fellowship Application is available on-line in January.  The application is due at the end of February for the next academic year's awards.  Dual-degree students who receive SIPA Continuing Student Fellowships must be in residence at SIPA to receive the fellowship award.

Dual-degree students are also eligible to apply for the Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship after their first two semesters of study at Columbia.  The FLAS Fellowship is for advanced training in modern foreign languages and is open to US citizens and permanent residents only.  The FLAS application is available on-line in January.  The application is due at the end of February for the next academic year's awards.  Dual-degree students who receive the FLAS Fellowship must be in residence at SIPA to receive the FLAS award.

Information on SIPA fellowships can be found  at: www.sipa.columbia.edu/resources_services/student_affairs/fellowship_application.html

Dual-degrees are offered with the Following Schools:

Public Administration and Law
MPA and JD
30 SIPA credits + 83 Law School credits 10 of the 83 credits required for the JD can be taken at SIPA

Public Administration and Public Health
MPA and MPH
30 SIPA credits, 30 Public Health credits, remaining 15 credits at either school

Public Administration and Social Work
MPA and MS Social Work
45 SIPA credits, 43.5 Social Work credits*

Public Administration and QMSS
MPA and MA Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences
37 SIPA credits, 30 QMSS credits

Public Administration and Jewish Theological Seminary Master of Arts
MPA and MA
30 SIPA credits, 24 JTS credits

* The number of credits required at social work will be between 43.5 and 46.5, depending on the student’s chosen method concentration area.

For information on the international dual-degree programs, click here.