Columbia College, founded in 1754, is a relatively small, coeducational, residential college situated in a large and complex research university. These circumstances work to the advantage of our students, who often enjoy the personal attention that only a small college can provide and, at the same time, attend classes that offer an impressive array of intellectual challenges and rewards from a very prestigious faculty.

Columbia College has had the best general education curriculum in the country for more than half a century. This common curriculum, which now features a core course in science, has created and sustained a community of discourse shared by the current student body with generations of alumni. As with other great traditions, however, this living discourse has not been static, but has evolved and developed across the years. And it will continue to do so.

The vitality of any tradition depends upon its constant renewal, and for this reason, among others, Columbia College's general education is conducted in small seminars. Although many excellent colleges offer one or two semesters of general education courses, such courses tend to be taught as large lectures in large classrooms filled with students taking notes. At Columbia College, students spend a substantial part of their first years in small classes, reading and discussing primary works of literature, philosophy, history, and science, debating social and political theory, and studying fine arts and music. Through discussion and debate, through regular writing, and through direct interaction between instructor and student, our core curriculum helps improve each student's ability to engage in the kinds of analytic, discursive, and imaginative and critical thinking that will prove indispensable in both subsequent education and in later life.

As a small college in a large research institution, Columbia College also offers a wide array of academic programs taught by faculty working at the frontiers of their disciplines. Students can choose among more than seventy majors, over thirty concentrations, and hundreds of electives, which range widely over the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Besides these curricular resources, there are also extensive cultural, athletic, and recreational resources available to students at Columbia. Many opportunities also exist for students to participate in outreach programs that assist less fortunate members of our society. Consider that Columbia has:

• Nearly 500 clubs and organizations;
• 29 varsity athletics, nearly four dozen club sports and dozens of intramural teams;
• Several dozen community service organizations;
• A robust and avante garde creative and performing arts community;
• A politically, environmentally and socially conscious and active student body.

Although virtually all of our first-year students live in residence halls, thus forming a close-knit community within the larger campus community, student life at Columbia extends beyond classrooms and campus experiences. The intensity, excitement, cultural richness, and social variety of urban New York are rich resources. The spirit of Columbia College finds its full and deep expression in the combination of our demanding curriculum, our dedicated faculty, our diverse and talented student body, and our special location in a great university and a great city.

Degrees Awarded

BACHELORS DEGREE

The Core Curriculum is the cornerstone of a Columbia education. Central to the intellectual mission of the Core is the goal of providing all Columbia students, regardless of their major or concentration, with wide-ranging perspectives on significant ideas and achievements in literature, philosophy, history, music, art, and science. The skills and habits honed by the Core—observation, analysis, argument, imaginative comparison, respect for ideas, nuances, and differences—provide a rigorous preparation for life as an intelligent citizen in today’s complex and changing world.

Departments and Majors

African American Studies, American Studies, Ancient Studies, Anthropology, Archeology, Architecture, Art History, Asian-American Studies, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Astronomy, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Classics, Colloquia, Comparative Literature and Society, Computer Science, Dance, Drama and Theatre Arts, Earth and Environmental Sciences, East Asian Studies, Economics, Education, English and Comparative Literature, Environmental Biology, Film Studies, French and Romance Philosophy, French and Francophone Studies, German Language and Literature, History, History and Philosophy of Science, Human Rights, Italian, Language Resource Program, Latino Studies Program, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program, Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures, Music, Philosophy, Physical Education, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Regional Studies, Religion, Slavic Languages, Sociology, Spanish and Portuguese, Speech, Statistics, Urban Studies, Visual Arts, Women’s and Gender Studies, Writing: Creative Writing Program.

Fall 2007 Data

Over 40% of our undergraduate student body identify themselves as students of color. Roughly 10% of our undergraduate student body identify themselves as foreign or international. About 50% of Columbia undergraduates receive some sort of financial assistance. Diversity has long been recognized as one of Columbia's hallmarks.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Austin E. Quigley, Dean of Columbia College and Lucy G. Moses Professor

Kathryn Yatrakis, Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Dean of Columbia College

Chris Colombo, Dean of Student Affairs

Susan Mescher, Associate Dean of Strategic Planning, Columbia College and Chief Administrative Officer, Columbia College Alumni Affairs and Development

Kavita Sharma, Dean of the Center for Career Education

Derek Wittner, Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development, Columbia College and Deputy Vice President, University Development and Alumni Relations