Alliance Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Degrees

The Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po offers a global undergraduate educational experience—a program with an international character not only in its academic coursework but also in its practical application.

Dual BA student have the opportunity to immerse themselves in two distinct academic, social, and cultural environments: a close-knit small college in a French regional setting and a research university in New York City.

More information may be found on the Dual B.A. Program website.

Additional material (including admissions brochures and event postcards) may be requested here.

The Dual BA Program At A Glance

Admissions and Enrollment

  • 54 students at Sciences Po in years one and two of the program; 14 students at Columbia University

  • 50% female; 50% male

  • 53% international (non-U.S.) students from 13 different countries

Tuition and Financial Aid

  • Varies by phase of program and by student’s needs. Visit the Financing section of the Dual B.A. Program website to learn more about costs and financing available at Sciences Po and Columbia University.

Academic Program

  • Students will earn two bachelor’s degrees in four years.

  • The first two years in Sciences Po will focus on social sciences and language instruction in the campus-specific region of study (Euro-American, Euro-Asian, or Euro-Middle Eastern).

  • The second two years at GS will be spent fulfilling Columbia University’s Core and concentration requirements as well as Sciences Po's year abroad requirements.

After Graduation

  • Students will have two bachelor’s degrees from leading educational institutions and will have access to a network of alumni that includes Heads of Government and State, Nobel Prize winners, and leading academics in their fields.

Applying To The Dual BA Program

A complete application for the Dual BA Program between Sciences Po and Columbia University includes all of the following:

  • Submission of the application.

    • Note: The online application for the Dual BA Program will be available August 1, 2016. A PDF version of the application(for reference use only) can be downloaded here.

  • Official* high school transcripts, secondary school records, or GED test results.

  • Official* transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.

  • Official* standardized test scores reported directly to the Dual BA Program by the testing service. Please refer to the Standardized Testing page to review standardized testing requirements.

  • Two admissions essays. See the admissions application for essay questions.

  • Two letters of recommendation from teachers and/or a guidance counselor familiar with your academic career.

  • A nonrefundable application fee of $80 in the form of a check or money order payable to Columbia University. Applicants using the online application may use a credit card to pay the $80 fee.

*Official documents are those that arrive in a sealed envelope directly from the institution or testing service.

Interviews

  • Interview are scheduled only on a case-by-case basis by the admissions committee; it is not possible for applicants to arrange an interview without the request of the committee.

  • Interviews typically take place in February and are held on the Columbia University Morningside Campus or via teleconferencing for those applicants who are not local to New York City.

How to apply

Applicants to the Dual BA Program apply in January for fall enrollment. The admissions process includes a review of the applicant’s academic history, letters of recommendation, SAT scores, a personal essay, and an interview conducted in English. Applications will be reviewed by a joint committee featuring admissions representatives from both Columbia University and Sciences Po.

Students may not apply simultaneously to the Dual BA Program and other undergraduate schools or programs at Columbia University (Columbia College [CC] or The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science [SEAS]) or Sciences Po. Nor are candidates eligible to apply to the School of General Studies, including the Dual BA program, if in the last three years if they applied to any of these divisions and were not accepted. Highly qualified students who are not offered admission to the Dual BA Program due to enrollment limits may be offered the option to be considered for another program.

  • If you would like to be considered for general admission to the Sciences Po undergraduate program if you are not offered admission to the Dual BA Program, please email amy.greene@sciences-po.fr.

  • If you meet eligibility requirements and would like to be considered for general admission to the School of General Studies if you are not offered admission to the Dual BA Program, please email gs-admit@columbia.edu.

Contact Information

Application materials should be sent to the following address:

Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po
School of General Studies, Office of Admissions
408 Lewisohn Hall, MC 4101
2970 Broadway
New York, NY 10027

Tel: +1 (212) 854-2772
Toll-free/International: 1-800-895-1169
Fax: +1 (212) 854-6316

Email: spo-dualba@columbia.edu

The Columbia University – École Polytechnique five-year joint degree program allows Columbia Engineering students majoring in Physics, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Applied Math, or Computer Science to graduate with a Masters of Science from École Polytechnique (EP) and a Bachelors of Science from the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) after five years of study. Students spend their junior year at SEAS and their senior and fifth years at EP as Master’s students.

The BS/MS Program primarily targets students interested in developing their intellectual and professional capabilities with a cross-cultural perspective. It also caters to students pursuing academic and research-oriented careers. This dual degree program offers unique access to employment opportunities in France and Europe, connects students with two global alumni networks, and gives them transatlantic insight into the field of Engineering and Applied Science.

For selected SEAS students, the senior year at École Polytechnique within the BS/MS Program replaces the study abroad.

Curriculum Information

Columbia University Students Going To École Polytechnique

  • Junior year: Students admitted to the BS/MS program spend their junior year at SEAS. The students choose carefully their junior year courses and pre‐agree on the courses that they will be taking during their senior year at École Polytechnique and that will count towards their BS program at Columbia University.

  • Senior year: During their senior year, students remain enrolled at SEAS but study at EP as First‐Year Master’s students. During the months of July and August prior the beginning of First‐Year Master’s courses at EP, students may attend a 6‐week intensive language training coordinated by EP. BS/MS students are expected to obtain their Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University at the end of their senior year.

  • Final Year: During their second year at EP, students are not enrolled at SEAS anymore; they carry on their course of studies at EP towards the Master’s Degree as any other regularly registered EP student.

École Polytechnique Students Going To Columbia University

  • Fourth year: After having fulfilled all the academic requirements of the chosen Master’s degree at SEAS, usually within 2 to 3 semesters, students admitted to the BS/MS program will obtain a Master’s degree from SEAS and the “Diplôme de l’École Polytechnique”.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

» Be Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, IEOR or Computer Engineering major students
» Maintain a 3.8 GPA during junior year
» Reach a satisfactory level of French language proficiency before starting senior year, as determined by the Office of Global Initiatives and Education at SEAS.

Students should apply during the second semester of their sophomore year. They will be evaluated throughout their junior year to ensure that adequate academic progress has been made. Admission is contingent upon maintaining a 3.8 GPA during junior year and reaching a satisfactory level of French language proficiency before entering the fourth year, determined by the Office of Global Initiatives and Education at SEAS. Final admission to the program is granted in the spring of junior year, and is determined by a selection committee made up of representatives from both universities. Once admitted, students are assigned an academic advisor at each school who advises them about courses and requirements for the program.

How to apply

Interested candidates should email Leora Brovman (lb2258@columbia.edu), Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Student Affairs and Global Programs at SEAS, to schedule a meeting.

» Applicants should apply during the second semester of their sophomore year.
» Final admission to the program is granted in the spring of junior year.