Welcome From Dean Carlos J. Alonso

Welcome to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University, one of the country's oldest and most distinguished graduate schools. This site describes GSAS regulations and procedures, as well as the resources available to postbaccalaureate  students in the institution and beyond its gates.

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences supervises the training of graduate students for careers in and outside academia. It promotes the integration of graduate students into the research and educational enterprises of the university, oversees all aspects of graduate education in the departments of the Arts and Sciences, and establishes policies and standards that define best practices in graduate programs throughout the university. The Graduate School also nurtures the diversity and intellectual collegiality of its programs.

GSAS is also the chief advocate for Columbia's graduate students, and supports areas of graduate student life that are not strictly academic but that are nevertheless critical to a successful academic experience. We work with the Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC) and other university offices to promote the interests of graduate students in areas such as financial aid, health care, counseling, and housing. GSAS also has an abiding interest in enhancing student professional development. The Graduate Teaching Center acknowledges GSAS's role in training the professoriate of the future, while our close work with the Center for Career Education informs students about the diverse career options available to our graduates.

In short, we aim to ensure that our graduate students have the best possible experience as students, scholars, and pedagogues during their stay in this marvelous institution located in this greatest of cities.

Carlos J. Alonso, Dean
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor in the Humanities