Students in the Human Rights Studies program fall under the general supervision of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).

Students follow regulations of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in all academic matters. Selected policies and procedures are listed in this section. The full set of regulations is contained in the GSAS Bulletin. Further information about rules and regulations at Columbia can be found in Essential Policies for the Columbia Community.

All HRS students are responsible for familiarizing themselves and complying with the regulations of the University, of the Graduate School, and of the HRS program. Please be aware that lack of knowledge about GSAS and/or departmental rules and policies cannot excuse students for failure to comply with these regulations.

Academic Standards

HRS students must maintain an average of B (GPA: 3.0) or better and make continual progress towards the completion of the degree to remain in good academic standing. All courses must be taken for credit.

Academic records are reviewed each term to determine whether candidates are making satisfactory progress. Those who do not maintain good academic standing may be placed on academic probation or asked to discontinue their studies.

Students must avoid cheating on examinations, plagiarism, and improper citation and paraphrasing; they cannot purchase papers from or post papers on online term paper sites; nor should they submit the same paper to more than one class. Failure to observe these rules of conduct can result in dismissal. See the Academic Integrity and Responsible Conduct of Research webpage for more information.

Incomplete Grades

Students who do not complete the necessary work for a course because of forces beyond their control receive a grade of IN (Incomplete) for the course.  It is the student’s responsibility to arrange with his or her professor what needs to be completed for the course and when.

Students have one calendar year to complete work for a course; after one year, the incomplete grade becomes an F.

Pass/Fail and Audit

Courses taken for pass/fail or for a grade of R (audited) do not apply toward the Human Rights Studies M.A. degree

Students should also consult the University Registrar for information regarding deadlines for changing a grade to pass/fail.

Add/Drop

Students may add or drop courses within the first two weeks of each term and receive tuition refunds; the deadline to drop a course without a refund usually occurs one month into term.

Students should refer to deadlines listed on the Registrar’s website for term-specific dates.

A student who wishes to drop or add a course must complete an add/drop form and obtain the necessary approvals from the HRS Program. Add/drop forms are available at Student Services (205 Kent) and online. Failure to attend classes or unofficial notification to the course instructor does not constitute dropping a course and may result in a failing grade in the course.

Holds

Students cannot register and are not officially enrolled until any and all holds are removed. Holds are listed on Student Services Online. Students should contact the office administering the hold to determine what course of action is needed to remove the hold. Only the office that placed the hold can remove the hold from record.

Immunization

New York State requires that all college and university students enrolled for six or more points be adequately protected against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Students born on or after January 1, 1957 must provide documentation of immunity. (Students born before January 1, 1957 are assumed to have had exposure and need not take further action.) In very rare cases, a student may be granted exemption from the MMR requirements if he or she submits documentation about a medical diagnosis or religious orientation that precludes further immunization. All letters will be carefully reviewed and considered by the medical director of Health and Related Services.   Please note: If you cannot provide evidence that you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella, you will not be permitted to register for classes and may be charged a fine.

Students are also encouraged to become vaccinated against meningitis. While meningitis vaccination is not required, students must go online to Health Services to certify their vaccination decision.

Information on immunization is available online at Health Services.

Part-time vs. full-time students

The Human Rights Studies MA program is open to full-time and part-time students.

Full-time students take at least 12 credit points in the spring and fall terms. Part-time students may take less than 12 points per term.

All students have five years to complete the degree, but most full-time students complete the degree in two years or less.

Transfer Credit

Students are not allowed transfer credit from other universities. However, a maximum of 12 points in courses taken at Columbia as a non-matriculated student may be accepted toward the degree provided the courses are at the graduate level (4000 or higher) and are relevant to the degree. Credit is not offered for correspondence courses. Students who would like to request the transfer of credits should contact the HRS MA program director.

Once a student is admitted into the Human Rights Studies program, he or she must complete all course work at Columbia University.

Leave of Absence

Many reasons may compel students to discontinue their studies temporarily. Students who wish to request a leave of absence must complete a leave of absence form and submit it to the HRS program director with any necessary supporting documentation. Please note that students should submit a leave of absence form for every semester they will be on leave, so students may be submitting multiple forms throughout their time away from Columbia. Time on official leave does not count toward the five years allotted to complete the degree.

Information on leave of absence and the corresponding form are available on the GSAS website here. Leaves of absence carry a $75 processing fee.

Reinstatement

When planning to return to Columbia, students on official leave should notify program director at least six weeks in advance of the term in which they wish to re-enroll. Students who have left without officially submitting leave of absence forms must apply for reinstatement.

Students may apply for reinstatement by completing a reinstatement form and submitting it to the HRS office at least six weeks before the start of the semester in which the student intends to reenroll.  Students must also describe in writing what they have done in their time away from Columbia and their continued interest in the program.

Information on reinstatement and the reinstatement form are available on the GSAS website here.

Withdrawal

A student in good academic standing who is not subject to discipline will always be given an honorable discharge if he or she wishes to withdraw from the University. Withdrawal is defined as the dropping of one’s entire program in a given term as opposed to dropping some, but not all, of one’s courses.

Formal withdrawal ordinarily is allowed only prior to the examination period. Withdrawal means that courses and grades are expunged from the student’s record and that the student does not receive any registration credit.

Any student withdrawing must notify the HRS program director in writing at once by completing a withdrawal form; any financial adjustments are reckoned from the date on which the program director receives the form. The approval of the GSAS Associate Dean is required for all completed withdrawals. The student is considered registered and the student’s academic and financial responsibilities continue in all courses for which the student has registered until he or she is notified by GSAS that the withdrawal has been approved and accepted.

Withdrawal carries a $75 fee. Application fees and late fees are not refundable. For refunds related to health services and health insurance, students should contact Health Services.

For more information, please visit the GSAS Withdrawal website.

Time to Completion

All students must complete the degree requirements, including the thesis, within five years of entering the program. Official leaves of absence are not counted in the five-year time limit. Students who exceed the five-year degree limit may be dismissed from the program and will have to reapply to the program if they wish to resume their studies.

Graduation

Degrees are conferred in October, February, and May. When students are nearing the completion of their degree, they should apply for graduation through the University Registrar. The respective deadlines to apply for graduation are August 1, November 1, and December 1. For more information on graduation and to apply, please visit the Registrar’s Graduation website.

Graduation is separate from commencement. Students are not required to participate in commencement in order to graduate. Ceremonies take place once a year in May, and students who graduate during the preceding academic year (October, February, and May) are welcome to participate. For further information about the ceremonies in May, please visit the Commencement website.