Satisfactory Academic Progress

A student’s academic progress is considered to be satisfactory when a student maintains at least the minimum grade point average required for their program, completes a minimum of 67% of their total attempted credits, and completes their program within the maximum time frame of their respective program.

The academic progress of each student is reviewed shortly after the end of each term. After the review of records has been completed, students will be alerted to any identified deficiencies and told of the consequences of failure to remedy the deficiencies.

After one term of unsatisfactory progress, if a student has a second term of unsatisfactory progress, the student is subject to dismissal from the academic program and the School of Professional Studies. Students earning grades of D or F in a term may also be dismissed. All decisions to dismiss for academic reasons are subject to appeal. A transcript notation will be made when students are expelled or dismissed from the School of Professional Studies.

To receive financial aid under the programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA–College Work-Study, Perkins Loan, Stafford/SLS loans), a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress according to the standards and practices of the institution in which the student is enrolled. A student who is not maintaining satisfactory progress, and whose inadequate progress is not judged to be attributable to mitigating circumstances, is ineligible to receive Title IV financial aid.

Degree candidates must complete all requirements for the degree with an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 (B). Every course creditable toward the degree or certification must be taken for a letter grade. Students in certification programs are required to maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 (B). Every course creditable toward the certificate must be taken for a letter grade. Postbaccalaureate (non-certification) and Visiting students must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 2.0 (C).

Students must complete all requirements for degree programs and non-degree programs within the time prescribed by each program. Programs must be completed within the following timeframe:

Time Frame
Program	Time
Program M.S. in Actuarial Science	Time 3 Years
Program M.S. in Applied Analytics	Time 2 Years
Program M.S. in Bioethics	Time 3 Years
Program M.S. in Construction Administration	Time 5 Years
Program M.S. in Enterprise Risk Management	Time 3-6 Consecutive Terms
Program M.S. in Nonprofit Management	Time 3-6 Terms
Program M.S. in Information and Knowledge Strategy	Time 3 Years
Program M.P.S. in Insurance Management	Time 4 Terms Consecutively
Program M.S. in Narrative Medicine	Time 8 Years
Program M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution	Time 3 Years
Program M.S. in Political Analytics	Time 3 Years
Program M.S. in Sports Management	Time 4 Years
Program M.S. in Strategic Communication	Time M.S. in Strategic Communication: Executive Path \| 16 months M.S. in Strategic Communication: Full-time Path \| 3 years M.S. in Strategic Communication: Part-time Path \| 3 years
Program M.S. in Sustainability Management	Time 3 Years
Program M.S. in Sustainability Science	Time 3 Years
Program M.S. in Technology Management	Time 3 Years
Program M.P.S. in Wealth Management	Time 4 Terms Consecutively
Program Actuarial Science Certification – Online	Time 3 Years
Program Advanced Business Certificate	Time 3 Years
Program Bioethics Certification – Online	Time 2 Years
Program Biotechnology Certificate	Time 3 Years
Program Business Certification	Time 2 Years
Program Classics Certificate	Time 3 Years
Program Critical Issues in International Relations Certification (Summer Only)	Time 2 Years
Program Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Certificate (EEEB)	Time 3 Years
Program Enterprise Risk Management Certification	Time 2 Years
Program Environment, Peace and Security Certification	Time 2 Years
Program Graduate Foundations Certification	Time 2 Years
Program Human Rights Certification (Summer Only)	Time 2 Years
Program Narrative Medicine Certification	Time 3 Years
Program Psychology Certificate	Time 3 Years
Program Quantitative Studies for Finance Certificate	Time 3 Years
Program Sustainability Analytics Certification	Time 2 Years
Program Sustainable Finance	Time 4 Terms
Program Sustainable Water Management Certification	Time 2 Years
Program United Nations Studies Certification (Summer Only)	Time 2 Years

If a student believes that an academic dismissal was the result of an administrative error or if the student can offer compelling reasons for reconsideration of his/her academic standing, the student may submit an appeal of this decision to the Senior Vice Dean and Chief Academic Officer. A student who has been dismissed must submit their request for an appeal within five (5) business days after the receipt of the dismissal notice. The student may submit the appeal via email to sps-studentaffairs@columbia.edu. The written request must provide concrete reasons as to why the dismissal should be reversed; in particular, if there were significant extenuating circumstances of a temporary nature that contributed to the student’s poor academic performance, the student may present this information. Original documentation explaining or corroborating the student’s circumstances must be included with the written appeal. The Chief Academic Officer for SPS will consider the appeal to determine if a modification of the original decision is warranted. A member of the senior leadership team in the School of Professional Studies will notify the student of the final decision in writing upon review of their appeal. There are no further possibilities of appeal beyond the Chief Academic Officer. A student's university privileges remain in effect until the dismissal is final.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal Financial Aid–Title IV Eligibility

Grade Point Average

Pace of Completion

Maximum Time Frame

Appeals of Academic Dismissal