MS/MPS Degree Conferral & Graduation

The Master's degree is conferred upon a student who has satisfactorily fulfilled the requirements of the School of Professional Studies and the program. Each program sets forth the specific requirements for the degree, in addition to the School’s standards of satisfactory performance and progress. These standards are described in materials published by the School. To receive a diploma, students must fill out an Application for Degree and email it to diplomas [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu (diplomas[at]columbia[dot]edu).

Application for Degree or Certificate

Columbia University confers degrees three times during the academic year: in October, February, and May.

Deadlines for Submitting Degree Applications

• October Graduates (completed courses in Summer): Apply by September 1
• February Graduates (completed courses in Fall): Apply by November 1
• May Graduates (completed courses in Spring):  Apply by January 1

All students must apply for a degree conferral for the term in which they complete their final program requirements.  Students who do not apply for degree conferral may have their degree automatically conferred by the School of Professional Studies for the term in which they complete their final program requirements.  Please note, applying for degree conferral is a separate process from applying for SPS Graduation and University Commencement ceremonies, which take place at the end of the Spring term.

You can check to see whether or not your Application for Degree has been received by logging into SSOL and clicking on the “Degree Application Status” link. Please note that during peak times, it may take a few weeks for your degree application status to be updated in SSOL.

Click here to learn more about graduation

Registering for Courses after Completion of Master's Program

Students who are completing a Master's degree program and are interested in taking additional courses after degree completion, should apply to the Postbaccalaureate Studies program. Students wishing to pursue a structured certification or second degree are invited to visit the School of Professional Studies website to learn more about these offerings.