Registration

Academic Calendar 

Please be sure to review the Academic Calendar at the end of and before the start of every term to note the dates of registration and change of program period for continuing students. Students can expect two registration periods in the lead up to the fall and spring semester. Each registration period typically begins on a Tuesday and ends on a Friday. The Change of Program Period, also known as add/drop, allows students to adjust their course registration during the first two weeks of the semester. The Change of Program Period always starts on the first day of classes (typically on a Tuesday) and ends on the second Thursday of the semester. No adjustment of tuition will be made for individual courses dropped after the close of the change of program period. Please also pay close attention to the last day to drop individual courses or change grading option as students are held responsible for this date. Students interested in making registration adjustments after the change of program period must abide by the dates noted in the Academic Calendar. Helpful information on this process known as the Registration Adjustment Period is available below.

Course Directory 

Students can access the Public Health course directory in Vergil for the most comprehensive and up-to-date course information. 

Holds 

Students should visit Vergil for any potential holds which would prevent them from registering. Any students with holds may contact the administering department for details on how to release the hold. Students with any questions on holds associated with their account may also contact the Office of Student Affairs for assistance.  

Degree Requirements  

Students should review their respective academic plans to ensure they are taking classes necessary to complete their degrees as prescribed.  

• MPH students may find their academic plans in the Certificate Requirements database.  

• MHA and MS students may obtain their academic plans from their respective department handbook and/or departmental contact.  

• Doctoral students should consult directly with their respective advisors and departmental contact.  

An additional tool for reviewing your degree requirements is Stellic a degree audit and tracking tool populated with students graded and currently registered courses compared against their degree requirements. Those interested in learning more about Stellic should visit this Student Guide on CourseWorks created by the Office of Student Affairs. Any questions or concerns regarding Stellic can be directed to Student Affairs at msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu.  

Pre-Registration 

Some departments may elect to pre-register students for their required coursework. Students should consult with their individual departments to determine whether they will be pre-registered for any courses. Courses for which students are not pre-registered should be added by students during the appropriate registration period.  

Vergil* (where students register)  

Course registration is managed via Vergil. In addition to the valuable information below, you may find these quick guides helpful Vergil Course Search and Planner, Planner Management, and Schedule and Planner Calendar View. During the regularly scheduled registration and change of program period, Mailman School students may add and/or drop courses via Vergil.

*Vergil was previously known as Student Services Online (and may be used interchangeably).

Registration Appointment Times (when students can register)  

Registration appointment times are the specific day and time when students may register via Vergil. View your registration appointment times by clicking on Registration Appointments in Vergil. If you do not see registration appointment times, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu.  

Courses with monitored enrollment  

Some departments closely monitor their course enrollment and choose to enroll students via the waitlist only. Students may find themselves on a course’s waitlist even though there are seats available. Departments monitoring course enrollment will slowly enroll students into the course at their discretion. 

Following the Change of Program Period, students wishing to make changes to their schedule may submit either Appeals or Add/Drop requests in Vergil. During this time, courses with conflicts will display 'Appeal,' 'Add Request, ' or 'Drop Request.' This will allow students to submit requests to the course owners or the Mailman School for review and approval.

Last Day of Vergil Registration Adjustment Period

The last day to make registration adjustments to full-term, quarter 1 and quarter 2 classes is posted in the academic calendar. All Registration Requests and Appeals must be submitted prior to the posted date.

Add/Drop/Change Requests

During the Registration Adjustment Period, students must obtain approval to either add or drop a course from their schedule. Requests will be electronically directed to students’ department advisors and the Office of Student Affairs for review. Requests to add will require advisor and instructor or department approval. Requests to drop will only require advisor approval. The Office of Student Affairs will provide final approval of all registration requests. 

Following a brief pause, changes to 2nd quarter courses will be permitted during an additional registration period one week prior to the start of the 2nd quarter and until the last day of the Vergil Registration Adjustment Period noted in the academic calendar. Changes to 1st quarter and full semester courses are not permitted during this period.

Registration Appeals

Course Appeals are available for courses whose "rules" are unmet. A blue 'Appeal' button will be displayed on courses that allow appeals. Those courses accepting appeals will generally be for unmet class rules (i.e., when the "Open To" specifies a specific school or program that does not include Public Health), incomplete prerequisites, or the class is full.

Submitting and Completing Appeals or Add/Drop Requests

All registration transactions during the Registration Adjustment Period will require either a Request, Appeal, or both. Each request is evaluated by the system to determine the number of approvals by advisors, instructors, or school administrators. The Registration Transaction Log will display the number of required approvers, the status of the request, as well as any comments or attachments.

Once a registration Request or Appeal is approved, students must enter the Registration Request Log and accept the decision to complete the transaction. Requests or Appeals left without final confirmation by the student will not be processed.

To take a course Pass/Fail, students must first request approval from their instructor confirming participation in the course under this grading option. Once approval is obtained, the confirmation should be fowarded to the Office of Student Affairs at msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu. Student Affairs will then adjust the course in Vergil to allow for a Pass/Fail grading option, after which students can submit the registration adjustment. Be sure to check the academic calendar for grading option deadlines and review the Student Handbook for policies on Pass/Fail grading.

Students are expected to register for and enroll in courses prior to the first day of the semester. Registration holds may sometimes delay a students ability to register.  It is up to the student to resolve any and all holds preventing their registration. Students who register on or after the first day of the semester (including during the change of program period), will be assessed a late registration fee.

Registered students, who decide to withdraw from all classes in a semester, must contact the Office of Student Affairs to initiate the withdrawal process. None of the processes described in Adding or Dropping a Class (above) will allow students to drop all classes and fully withdraw from the University. Please visit the Student Handbook for more details.

One of the advantages of attending Columbia University is the ability to integrate one's educational experience at Columbia Public Health with coursework from other schools at the University. Depending on degree requirements and in consultation with one's advisor, Columbia Public Health students are able to take appropriate courses from across the University. Cross-registration most typically occurs during the change of program period. MPH students may not cross-register during their first semester (the MPH Core). Undergraduate courses and language courses never count toward Columbia Public Health degrees.

Mailman School students are responsible for reviewing other schools' cross-registration procedures. Some schools may require faculty or school permission, an online application, or allow students register for a course directly in SSOL. Helpful information on some of the most commonly requested cross registration courses is available down below. However, students are still responsible for reviewing cross registration policies posted by other schools. Any questions can be directed to msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu.

Students interested in using courses not offered by the Mailman School of Public Health to count as public health elective credit towards their degree must obtain permission from their academic department. Students should email their department academic director and copy the Office of Student Affairs (msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu) requesting the course count as public health credit prior to the end of the change of program period in the semester in which the course is taking place.

Cross Registering with Teachers College  (will require Registration Form)

Information for Mailman School students interested in Teachers College courses is available here. Generally, Mailman School students must obtain permission from Teachers College faculty to enroll in their course. Mailman School students who receive permission should forward the faculty permission, along with a completed registration form, to the Office of Student Affairs (msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu). Information on completing a Registration Form can be found at the bottom of this section.

Once the Teachers College course is visible in SSOL, wait approximately another two to three days for information to transfer to Teachers College (TC). Students should keep faculty updated throughout the cross-registration process, as faculty can often give students access to course materials in CourseWorks or similar platforms prior to the completion of the SSOL/TC registration transaction. The transaction is complete when registered course(s) can be reviewed on MyTC. If unable to login or if course content is not visible, contact the Teachers College Registrar for assistance, as Columbia Public Health does not have access to the TC system. 

Cross Registering with the Law School  (will require Registration Form)

Information for Mailman School students interested in Law School courses is available here. Generally, Mailman School students must obtain permission from Law School faculty and complete an online application with the Law School (the application typically lasting only one day). Mailman School students who receive permission should forward the law school permission, along with a completed registration form, to the Office of Student Affairs (msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu). Information on completing a Registration Form can be found at the bottom of this section.

Mailman School students cross-registered for Law School courses will be given access to LawNet and the course webpage within two days of their registration.

Cross Registering with the Columbia Business School  (Can Register on SSOL)

Information for Mailman School students interested in Business School courses is available here. The Business School publicly posts which courses are available for cross registration (courses not on their list are not available for cross registration) along with registration dates. Mailman School students interested in any of those announced courses will be able to register for them on Student Services Online (SSOL) during select dates as announced by the Business School. 

Cross Registering with the Columbia Climate School  (Can Register on SSOL)

Information for Mailman School students interested in Climate School courses is available here. The Climate School publicly posts elective courses which are available for cross registration pending space availability along with registration dates. Mailman School students interested in any of those announced courses will be able to register for them on Student Services Online (SSOL) during select dates as announced by the Climate School. 

Cross Registering with the School of International and Public Affairs  (Can Register on SSOL)

Information for Mailman School students interested in SIPA courses is available here. SIPA publicly posts a list of couses not available for cross registration. Courses not on their list are eligible for registration on Student Services Online (SSOL) during select dates as announced by SIPA. 

Cross Registering with the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Select courses from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) are available for students to register directly on Student Services Online (SSOL). For courses not available for registration on SSOL, students should be complete the GSAS Registration Adjustment Form, obtaining permission from both the teaching faculty and GSAS Office of Student Affairs (sc4004@columbia.edu). After students have a completed form, they will submit the form to the Office of Student Affairs (msph-enrollment@cumc.columbia.edu) for processing.

Cross Registering with the School of Social Work

Information for Mailman School students interested in Social Work courses is available here. The School of Social Work publicly posts which courses are available for cross registration (courses not on their list are not available for cross registration). Mailman School students interested in one of the courses must complete an online application. Those whose application is approved will be registered by the School of Social Work.

Cross Registering with the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

Information for Mailman School students interested in GSAPP courses is available here. GSAPP publicly posts which courses are available for cross registration (courses not on their list are not available for cross registration). Mailman School students interested in one of the courses must complete an online application. Those who receive permission should follow instructions as provided by GSAPP.

Cross Registering with School of Professional Studies  

Select courses from the departments and programs in the School of Professional Studies (SPS) are available for students to register. Mailman School students must contact the SPS program advisor supporting the appropriate department to determine course offerings and eligibility. Those students who receive approval should follow instructions provided by SPS.   

Completing a registration form for cross registration

To complete the registration adjustment form, students must: 

1. Obtain permission from the school that offers the course(s) for which they are cross-registering. It is important to note that the process of obtaining permission to enroll in a course as a cross-registrant is overseen by the other school and not by Columbia Public Health. Permission might rest with the instructor and/or the student affairs office at the school sponsoring the course.
2. Acquire a signature from their academic advisor or departmental contact (Your academic advisor's/departmental contact's signature goes on the "Term Program Approved By" line of the registration form). Email approval is also acceptable.  
3. Forward your permission – whether email correspondence or online form – and completed Columbia Public Health Registration Form, as well as any other email correspondences used in lieu of signatures, to Columbia Public Health Office of Student Affairs.    
4. Ensure proper enrollment of course(s) on Student Services Online (SSOL). 

Students whose primary school of registration is not Columbia Public Health may cross-register for up to two courses or six (6) credits in any one semester and no more than twelve credits in total. Columbia Public Health’s credit policy in no way supersedes related policy at a student’s primary school of registration. It is important to note that these credits may not be used towards a future Columbia Public Health degree. Students completing an MPH as part of a dual degree program are not held to these credit limits and stipulations. The MPH Core and other select Mailman School programs will have courses which are unavailable for cross-registration with no exceptions.

Columbia University Graduate Students  

1. Graduate students interested in taking Columbia Public Health courses must first complete the Cross-Registration Form.  

2. Obtain permission from the Public Health department(s) that offers the course(s) for which you are cross-registering. It is important to note that the process of obtaining permission to enroll in a course as a cross-registrant is approved first by the department then by the Office of Office of Student Affairs.  

3. Forward your completed Cross-Registration Form, as well as any other email correspondences used in lieu of signatures, to the Columbia Public Health Student Affairs team. Student Affairs will review and return approved forms to requesting students.   

4. If allowed to take a course, the email from Student Affairs will include your completed and approved form(s). Complete the registration for the course through your school’s primary office for registration. Any change thereafter (dropping the course etc.) would also be made through your school of primary registration

Columbia University Undergraduate Students 

1. Undergraduate students interested in taking Columbia Public Health courses must first complete the Cross-Registration Form.  

2. Obtain permission from the Public Health department(s) that offers the course(s) for which you are cross-registering. It is important to note that the process of obtaining permission to enroll in a course as a cross-registrant is approved first by the department then by the Office of Student Affairs.  

3. Forward your completed Cross-Registration Form, as well as any other email correspondences used in lieu of signatures, to the Columbia Public Health Student Affairs team. Additionally, include the following in your email:   

   • A written request detailing your interest in public health/a specific course, including evidence of being able to successfully manage graduate-level coursework.  
   • A current transcript, including courses already registered for/anticipated to be taken in the current term.   

4. For fall semester classes, requests must be received prior to the last Monday in August. Requests for spring semester classes must be received before December 15.  

5. If allowed to take a course, the email from Student Affairs will include your completed and approved form(s). Complete the registration for the course through your undergraduate registrar. Any change thereafter (dropping the course etc.) would also be made through your school of primary registration. 

Doctoral students – PhD and DrPH – are expected to maintain continuous enrollment until their expected graduation. Information on the continuous enrollment policy can be found in the Student Handbook.

PhD candidates continue their registration by enrolling in either a Residency Unit (RESI), Matriculation and Facilities (MTFC), or an Extended Residency (RESI). Helpful information on Full- and Part-time registration as a PhD student is available on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

DrPH candidates continue their registration by enrolling in coursework or through Doctoral Research Registration (RSRH). DrPH students are not required to sign up for an RSRH course while completing classwork. Following the completion of academic coursework, DrPH students continue their registration every fall and spring until they distribute their dissertation. Enrolling in an RSRH course charges the equivalent of one credit plus applicable fees. The following RSRH courses are available pending student’s needs:

1. RSRH P0001 – will apply the continuous registration fee and generate full-time status for enrolled students.
2. RSRH P0003 – will apply the continuous registration fee and generate part-time status for enrolled students.
3. RSRH P0004 – will apply the continuous registration fee and generate half-time status for enrolled students. (This is only offered upon request from academic departments.)

Information on finding the call numbers for the above-mentioned registration courses can be found in the Vergil Course Search guide.