Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC)

The Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) provides eligible Arts and Sciences doctoral students the opportunity to cross-register for graduate-level courses at member schools.

Students register at Columbia for the course(s) they plan to take at the host school by submitting both the IUDC Registration Form and Columbia’s online IUDC application. Participants are also required to register at the host school for any course(s) taken through the consortium. Students should familiarize themselves with the registration deadlines and academic regulations of the host school.

Courses taken through the IUDC must be taken for a letter grade or for Pass/Fail; R credit or Audit are not permitted. IUDC courses and grades will appear on the Columbia transcript.

Member Schools

Teachers College (TC) participates in the IUDC; however, Columbia students interested in taking courses at TC should cross-register through Columbia rather than the IUDC.

Visiting students who wish to take a TC course should submit all paperwork directly to TC and not through Columbia’s online application.                                                                                                    

Eligibility

PhD students in years two through seven of Arts and Sciences programs (listed under “PhD and DMA programs”) are eligible to participate in the IUDC.

First-year PhD students are not eligible to participate in the consortium. If a student has Advanced Standing or previously earned a Master’s degree, they may request to participate in the consortium during the first year by contacting the IUDC coordinator.

MA students are not eligible for this program.

Registration Deadlines

Fall 2019 IUDC registration will begin on July 15, 2019, for Columbia students and students from other universities. 

Students are encouraged to submit the online application no later than September 3, 2019.

Columbia students and students from other universities must submit Columbia’s online IUDC application by September 20, 2019.

Following Columbia’s Academic Calendar, students from other universities must drop courses by October 8.

Note: IUDC is limited to the fall and spring semesters. Summer session and intersession courses are not eligible for the IUDC.

Queries may be directed to the Columbia IUDC Coordinator, Sarah Jackman, Graduate Student Affairs Officer – Academic Programs, at s.jackman [at] columbia.edu or (212) 854-6724.

Instructions for Columbia Students Studying at Another University

Complete all sections, including the “Host School” section, of the IUDC Registration Form. After obtaining your advisor’s signature, email your form to s.jackman [at] columbia.edu or drop off your form at the front desk in 107 Low Library. The coordinator will sign the IUDC form within one business day after certifying that you are an eligible Columbia PhD student in an Arts and Sciences program, and that the course you wish to take at the host school is an IUDC-eligible course.

Obtain the signatures of the host instructor and host school IUDC coordinator. If you receive permission from the host instructor via email, an electronic approval is acceptable in place of a formal signature. Send the host school IUDC coordinator a PDF copy of the instructor’s email with your paper registration form.

Submit Columbia’s online IUDC application by the registration deadline. The online application contains information similar to that of the paper IUDC form. Upload the paper IUDC form containing all four signatures (i.e., Columbia advisor, Columbia IUDC coordinator, host school instructor, and host school IUDC coordinator), as well as a PDF copy of the instructor’s permission email, if applicable, to the online application.

Register with the host-school registrar. Contact the host-school IUDC coordinator, listed on the second page of the IUDC registration form, for instructions on how to do so.

Obtain an ID card at the host school. You will need to bring either a passport or a state-issued ID. You should check to see if you will need to obtain a semester sticker.

Set up an email account at the host school to ensure that you receive information regarding your course at the host school. 

The Columbia IUDC coordinator will request that the Registrar’s Office add the respective course(s) to your roster of classes on SSOL once you have submitted the online application with the completed IUDC registration form.

The host school will send the IUDC coordinator your grade(s) after grades have been posted, in February for the fall semester and June for the spring semester. The IUDC coordinator will submit the grade(s) to the Registrar’s Office to be updated in SSOL. You should retain the original IUDC registration form until a grade appears on your transcript.

If you receive an “Incomplete” or your grade remains blank or incorrectly listed in SSOL, contact the host school IUDC coordinator and request a copy of your transcript be sent to the IUDC coordinator’s attention. Be advised that it is your responsibility to ensure any grade changes at the host school are communicated to the IUDC coordinator.

Instructions for Students from Other Universities Studying at Columbia University

Confirm that the course you intend to register for is offered by an Arts and Sciences program. A list of eligible programs can be found here. Upon confirmation that the course is offered by an Arts and Sciences program, check Columbia’s Directory of Classes for any further eligibility requirements. Home school IUDC coordinators will inform their students of this policy, and the Columbia IUDC coordinator will confirm that students are registering for appropriate courses before approving their applications.

Note: If the course you wish to take is not offered by an Arts and Sciences program, you are not eligible to register for the class despite having received instructor approval.

Complete Columbia’s two-step application process by the registration deadline. 

  1. First, fill out the paper IUDC Registration Form and obtain the signatures of your home-school advisor, IUDC coordinator, and the instructor of the course you wish to take. The paper form establishes that the required approval of your home school representatives and the course instructor have been suitably obtained. If the course’s instructor grants permission to take the course via email, a PDF copy of the email is acceptable in place of a formal signature.
  2. Second, submit Columbia’s online IUDC application and upload a PDF copy of the signed paper IUDC form as well as a PDF copy of the instructor’s approval email, if applicable. The online application is required to create a Columbia student record and asks for information similar to that found on the paper form.

NOTE: The paper IUDC form must be submitted through the online application rather than to the IUDC coordinator via email. 

Please allow four business days for processing. You will receive an email (sent to the address provided in the online application) notifying you of the status of your online application once it has been processed. If your application is approved, the email will outline the next steps to 1) activate your UNI and Columbia email address, and 2) obtain an ID card. Your application will not be approved if the course you wish to take is not offered by an Arts and Sciences program.

Set up your Columbia UNI (University Network ID) and email account by following the instructions found on the CUIT website. If you already have a UNI and Columbia email address, you may skip this step.

View your registration for the approved courses listed on your online application. After activating your UNI, you will be able to view your registration through Student Services Online (SSOL). 

Log in to CourseWorks, if applicable, which contains information pertaining to your course. Be advised that not all professor utilize CourseWorks.

Obtain a Columbia ID card, which confers access to the Columbia library system and other services, and allows you access to campus in times of emergency.

Once you have been registered for your course(s), you must submit a photo online to be used on your Columbia ID card. You will be able to pick up your ID card from the ID Center, which is located just outside the Registrar’s Office in 204 Kent Hall. Please note that it can take three to four business days to generate your ID card after you have submitted your photo.

If you have a Columbia ID card already, you should obtain a semester sticker for that card. Stickers are available at the ID Center.

Follow relevant Columbia policies and deadlines (e.g., for dropping a course or submitting required course materials after the semester has ended to remove an Incomplete).

NOTE: If you decide to drop your course(s), you must email the Columbia IUDC coordinator by the drop deadline. 

The Columbia IUDC coordinator will inform your home school of your grade(s) after the end of the semester. Grades are sent in February for the fall semester and June for the spring semester. If your grade is incorrectly listed or blank at your home school, log in to Student Services Online (SSOL) using your UNI and password to request an updated copy of your transcript be sent to your home school IUDC coordinator. You should retain the original registration form until a grade appears on your transcript.

Registration Forms

IUDC Registration Form

Columbia’s online IUDC application