collageGeneral Admissions Requirements
Columbia University School of the Arts is an innovative graduate professional school with a tradition of risk-taking, grounded in a deeply intellectual Ivy League university and energized by our location in New York City—one of the great cultural capitals of the world. The study and practice of art-making at the School is an immersive, constantly evolving process. Aspiring, emerging or established, our filmmakers, writers, theatre practitioners and visual artists grow individually through intensive engagement with their craft and lively, often profound exchanges of ideas and work.
The school welcomes applications for the fall semester of each year (no students are admitted for the spring semester). Please note, only complete applications are evaluated by each program’s Faculty Admissions Committee. Except in rare circumstances, students are accepted for full-time study only.
Residency Requirements
LENGTH OF RESIDENCE
All MFA degree programs at the School of the Arts require completion of at least two consecutive years of full-time study. Certain programs and/or concentrations may allow further semesters of study. All students must complete all work within five years of commencing coursework. Exceptions are granted only in medical emergencies on the joint authority of the divisional chair and dean. Other exceptions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but approval is rare and appeals are actively discouraged.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required for admission to the School of the Arts.
Please note that applicants in the fields of Music, Art History, Arts Administration and applicants to all undergraduate programs and non-degree programs should not apply to the School of the Arts, but should consult the websites of the schools in which these programs are located:
Applicants in Music and Art History should consult the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.
Applicants in Arts Administration should consult the Teachers College website.
Undergraduate applicants should consult the Columbia College website, the Barnard College website, or the School of General Studies website.
Applicants to non-degree programs should consult the School of Professional Studies.
Materials Required for Application
Please follow the instructions below to assemble and submit the online application.
Note that the applicant must submit all materials directly, not through an agent or third-party vendor, with the sole exception of submissions by the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program and its three partner agencies IIE, LASPAU and AMIDEAST, and by the Danish-American Fulbright Commission (DAF), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), and Vietnam Education Fund (VEF). In addition, the applicant will be required to attest to the accuracy and authenticity of all information and documents submitted to Columbia. If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact the admissions office at soaadmissions@columbia.edu.
Failure to submit complete, accurate, and authentic application documents consistent with these instructions may result in denial or revocation of admission, cancellation of academic credit, suspension, expulsion, or eventual revocation of degree. Applicants may be required to assist admissions staff and faculty involved in admission reviews in the verification of all documents and statements made in documents submitted by students as part of the application review process.
- Completed Application: Must be submitted online.
- Transcripts:
Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited undergraduate institution at the time they matriculate into the School of the Arts. You must upload a scanned copy of your transcript from the institution from which you received your bachelor’s degree. Do not mail paper transcripts prior to an offer of admission.
Official transcripts are only required after an applicant has been admitted to the School of the Arts, and must be received by June 30th. Once a student has accepted an offer of admission, he or she must submit an official electronic transcript from each university attended for at least one term, regardless of the number of credits received. Moreover, graduate students must provide an official transcript indicating bachelor’s degree conferral prior to entering graduate studies.
All students who have attended schools in the U.S. must have electronic transcripts submitted directly from their school, or from the vendor that provides that service for their school, to soaadmissions@columbia.edu. If the school does not offer electronic delivery, applicants must write to soaadmissions@columbia.edu and provide the link to their institution’s webpage concerning transcript orders. After verification, the School of the Arts Office of Admissions will respond with further instructions.
All students attending Chinese institutions will be required to contact CHESICC to arrange submission of a “Verification Report of China Higher Education Student’s Academic Transcript” and a “Verification Report of China Higher Education Qualification Certificate” (for those earning a degree in China) to the School of the Arts at soaadmissions@columbia.edu.
All other students who have attended an international university must submit an electronic transcript, if their school offers secure online delivery. If the school cannot send transcripts electronically via a secure, password-protected system, students must contact World Education Services (WES) and order a Course-by-Course Evaluation and International Credential Advantage Package to be sent to soaadmissions@columbia.edu.
Transcripts in any language other than English must be translated.
- Three Letters of Recommendation: Online submission of letters of recommendation is required. Recommenders should be academic or professional contacts who can speak to your creative ability and potential; personal/friend references are not permitted. If you received a degree in the past 5 years, you must provide at least 1 academic reference from faculty at that institution. Once you save their contact information, they will be sent an email with instructions on how to upload your letter of recommendation.
Letters of recommendation must be submitted online by one week after the application deadline. Letters submitted after this date may not be reviewed.
- Creative Materials Required for Application: Please click below for a list of creative materials that are required for each program. All submitted creative materials must clearly bear the applicant’s name, date of birth, name of program to which the applicant is applying, and title of the material (dramatic writing sample, autobiographical essay, etc). The School of the Arts does not provide portfolio or application material reviews.
Columbia University Graduate Programs
Master’s degrees
12
of 8
Business Administration Master
Prepare for an advanced business position with a mixture of business theory and methodologies of strategic management.
MBA
Business Administration Master with Accounting Emphasis
Go further with an MBA with Accounting emphasis from Columbia College.
MBA
Business Administration Master with Human Resource Management Emphasis
Go further with an MBA with Human Resource Management emphasis from Columbia College.
MBA
Business Administration Master with Real Estate Management Emphasis
Go further with an MBA with Real Estate Management emphasis from Columbia College.
MBA
Education Master with Principal Initial Certification Emphasis
Help shape the future of our schools with a M.Ed degree with Principal initial certification.
MED
Teaching Master
Engage in critical thinking and advance your understanding of best practices in the classroom.
MA
Criminal Justice Administration Master
Prepare for leadership roles in criminal justice and law.
MS
Criminal Justice Administration Master with Law Enforcement Administration Emphasis
Prepare for leadership roles in law enforcement.
MS
Certificates
12
of 11
Digital Marketing for Real Estate Certificate
Get a digital marketing foundation in the real estate industry from Columbia College.
Human Resource Management Certificate
Explore how organizations strategically plan for changes in the workforce.
Management Certificate
Gain a managerial perspective with a Management Certificate from Columbia College
Real Estate Leadership Certificate
Gain an introduction to leadership concepts and study the theory, evolution and practice of leaders and the principles of management as they apply to real estate at Columbia College.
Real Estate Negotiation Certificate
Enhance your negotiation skills and hone your ability to mediate and find common ground with a Real Estate Negotiation Certificate from Columbia College.
Beacon Art Education Certification
Earn a minor in art education certification through our Beacon program while completing your bachelor’s degree.
Beacon Elementary Education Certification
Earn a minor in elementary education certification through our Beacon program while completing your bachelor’s degree.
Undergraduate Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree, this program helps you fulfill the Missouri teacher certification requirements.
Marketing Management Certificate
Learn to provide value to consumers with a marketing management certificate from Columbia College.
Nursing Certified Medical Assistant Certificate
Enter the fast-growing healthcare field as a certified medical assistant with this flexible online program.
Crime Scene Investigation Certificate
Learn about the fascinating – and highly scientific – world of crime scene investigation with this certificate.
Entrepreneurship
Our Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship promotes mentorship and student innovation.
Education Abroad
Education Abroad allows you to experience other cultures through short or semester-long tours.
Student teaching & field experience
Add teacher certification to a bachelor’s program or degree to prepare to teach in Missouri.
English for Academic Purposes
Students needing to meet English proficiency standards may participate in the EAP program.
ROTC
We offer several ROTC programs on our traditional campus in conjunction with the University of Missouri.
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