Elective Courses

IKNS Elective Courses and Curriculum Areas

In order to tailor your experience in the IKNS program to your individual intellectual interests and career objectives, you have the flexibility to choose your 6 elective courses from graduate classes anywhere across Columbia University, including Columbia's Business School, Data Science Institute, Engineering School, Journalism School, School of Arts and Sciences, School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Mailman School of Public Health, and the School of Professional Studies.

BROWSE THE IKNS ELECTIVE BULLETIN OF OVER 75 PRE-APPROVED COURSES

Found an exciting new course elsewhere at Columbia that has not yet been pre-approved? As your six electives, you can choose any other graduate-level, Columbia University courses not yet listed on our Bulletin of pre-approved electives by applying for individual approval to the IKNS Program Administration. 

Please note: Electives are typically offered only once a year (fall, spring, or summer semester), and their schedule and capacity in a particular semester are subject to change. Please consult the Columbia University Directory of Classes as you plan your curriculum. Your designated Academic Advisor will be happy to help. 

IKNS Curriculum Areas (CA)

In order to guide you in your choice of elective courses and to ensure that you graduate with a balanced set of theoretical foundations and practical skills, your 6 electives must be chosen according to the following Curriculum Areas.       

Electives Taught by IKNS Faculty

A portion of the ~75 pre-approved electives have been developed specifically for IKNS students and are taught by IKNS faculty. These curated electives provide deep-dives into specific areas of IKNS' skillsets, from digital product design to project management or social network analysis. However, including these IKNS-taught electives within your personal choice of 6 electives is not mandatory.

• A Systems Approach to Knowledge Management (CA1, CA3) [spring]
• Digital Product Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CA1, CA3) [spring]
• Findability, Semantic Modeling, and Computational Classification (CA1) [fall]
• IKNS Independent Study (CA1, 2, or 3) [fall, spring, or summer]
• IKNS Internship in Industry (CA1, 2, or 3) [fall, spring, or summer]
• Leading Large Complex Projects (CA2) [fall]
• Navigating the Future of Work (CA2, CA3) [1-week block in spring]
• Strategic Consulting for Knowledge-based Organizations (CA3) [summer]
• The Science of Communities and Networks (CA1, CA2)