phd economics columbia university

Economics and Education PhD

Doctor of philosophy in economics and education.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 75
• Entry Terms: Fall

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Additional Degree Information

Program Guide

Doctoral Program Worksheet

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

This 75-point degree program is intended for individuals who want to acquire advanced training in the theory, methods, and practices in the economics of education. It is a highly selective program to prepare individuals for leadership roles in teaching, research, or administrative settings.

The coursework for this program consists of three parts: core courses, courses in research methods, and courses in a specialized area of study, such as higher education, early childhood education, field experimentation, or a regional focus. Students work on their dissertation under the guidance of faculty advisors within the program; additional members of the dissertation committee may be drawn from other TC Departments, and at least one committee member must be from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. All degrees are conferred by Columbia University. https://www.tc.columbia.edu/education-policy-and- social-analysis/economics-and-education/degrees/doctor-of-philosophy- in-economics-and-education-econ/

Admission to the Ph.D. program is highly selective. All applications to enter the program are evaluated on an individual and holistic basis. However, the curriculum of the degree program assumes that students have some previous coursework in economics and statistics, possess intellectual maturity, and demonstrate an interest in education policy and practice. Compelling applications for admission demonstrate the applicant’s capacity for success and also clearly explain how the Economics and Education curriculum fits with the applicant’s past experiences and future goals.

• View Other Degrees

Program Director : Professor Alex Eble

Teachers College, Columbia University 212 Zankel, Suite B

Contact Person: Katherine Y. Chung, Program Manager

Phone: (212) 678-3677 Fax: (212) 678-3677

Email: kc2610@tc.columbia.edu

Andrea Prat is the Richard Paul Richman Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and Professor of Economics at the Department of Economics, Columbia University. After receiving his PhD in Economics from Stanford University in 1997, he taught at Tilburg University and the London School of Economics. He joined Columbia in 2012.

Professor Prat's work focuses on organizational economics and political economy. His current research in organizational economics explores - through theoretical modeling, field experiments, and data analysis - issues such as organizational design, corporate leadership, employee motivation, and optimal disclosure. His current research in political economy attempts to define and measure the influence of the media industry on the democratic process.

He is the author of numerous articles in leading journals including the American Economic Review, Econometrica, the Journal of Political Economy, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Finance, and the Review of Economic Studies. He served as Chairman and Managing Editor of the Review of Economic Studies. He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization and he chairs the organizing committee of the European Summer Symposium in Economic Theory (ESSET). Professor Prat is a Fellow of the British Academy and a Fellow of the Econometric Society.

PhD in Sustainable Development

The PhD in Sustainable Development at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) is a unique and innovative program that combines rigorous interdisciplinary training with practical application. This program provides a comprehensive education in both the social and natural sciences, preparing students to address complex sustainable development challenges.

Overview: The program's core curriculum includes around ten courses designed to provide interdisciplinary grounding, taught at the level expected of first- or second-year Ph.D. students. The course structure offers PhD-level training in economics and a natural science field, complemented by integrative courses specifically designed for sustainable development and courses in social sciences. This structure allows students the flexibility to pursue individual fields of study while developing broad-based skills and knowledge. Students must complete two social science electives and a coherent sequence of four natural science courses, totaling a minimum of 60 credits, and must maintain an overall B+ average with no grade lower than a B- in core classes.

In addition to coursework, students participate in integrative seminars—Sustainable Development Seminar I (SDEV U9200) and Sustainable Development Seminar II (SDEV U9201)—throughout the first three years of the program. They must also complete an MA thesis, pass an Orals Exam (leading to the MPhil Degree), and present and defend a Ph.D. dissertation.

Advanced Standing: Due to the unique interdisciplinary content of the program, students entering with a master’s degree from Columbia University or elsewhere must still complete all MA and MPhil course requirements and examinations. Advanced standing for previously held degrees may occasionally be granted at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) after the successful completion of the first year.

Advising: Students must select an advisory committee before the end of the fourth semester, ideally earlier, with the help and approval of the DGS and Program Faculty. The advisory committee, typically comprising 2 to 3 members, must include a SIPA faculty member as the main academic advisor. Other advisors can be from different Columbia University schools or universities but cannot be the main academic advisor. The committee should include faculty with expertise in both the social and natural sciences. Initially, the DGS will serve as the academic advisor for the first year or two, guiding and monitoring research progress.

Service Requirements: Students are required to fulfill teaching and research requirements, typically involving six semesters of work as a teaching fellow (TF) or a graduate research fellow (GRF). They usually serve as TFs in SIPA master-level and undergraduate courses. Students who secure external fellowship funding may reduce this requirement with the DGS's approval, but every student must complete at least two semesters as a TA.

Sixth Year: The Ph.D. in Sustainable Development is designed as a five-year program, although some students may need to extend their studies into a sixth year. While administrative accommodations can be made, funding for the sixth year is not guaranteed, and students are encouraged to secure fellowship support or other funding sources.  

Contact Us John Mutter , Professor  Director of the Ph.D. in Sustainable Development [email protected]

Tomara Aldrich Program Coordinator for the Ph.D. in Sustainable Development  [email protected]

John Mutter , Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and of International and Public Affairs; Director of the PhD in Sustainable Development program

Douglas Almond , Professor of International and Public Affairs and of Economics

Scott Barrett , Lenfest-Earth Institute Professor of Natural Resource Economics

Geoffrey Heal , Donald C. Waite III Professor of Social Enterprise in the Faculty of Business and Professor of International and Public Affairs

Cristian Pop-Eleches , Professor of International and Public Affairs

Jeffrey Sachs , Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development; Professor of Health Policy and Management; Director of the Earth Institute

Wolfram Schlenker , Professor of International and Public Affairs

Jeffrey Shrader , Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs

Rodrigo Soares , Lemann Professor of Brazilian Public Policy and International and Public Affairs

Joseph Stiglitz , University Professor

Requirements for the MA Degree

Sustainable development courses.

These courses are designed and taught specifically for the PhD students in Sustainable Development, although they may be open to students from other programs.

Core Economics Courses

All core economics courses are taught in the Economics Department and are drawn from the Economics PhD syllabus. More information about these courses can be found from the Economics department Web site .

Social Science Courses

Students must take at least 3 social science courses. 

Natural Sciences Courses

Students must also take 3 natural science electives drawn from the following departments:

Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B)

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES)

Department of Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) at the Mailman School of Public Health

Department of Earth and Environmental Engineerin g (DEEE) at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS)

The master’s thesis should be completed by May 1 in the fourth semester and should address a problem in sustainable development using data and methodologies from the four natural science courses completed in the first two years of the program. The thesis consists of an article (around 30 pages long), which would be publishable in an appropriately refereed academic journal reflecting the disciplinary orientation of the project.  Students should submit the Masters paper to their research advisor(s) with a copy to the DGS. The advisor later meets with the student and submits a pass/fail grade to the Assistant DGS for processing. For titles of MA thesis projects previously completed by students in the program please see here .

Requirements for the MPhil Degree

Completion of the MA requirements with a minimum of 60 credits and a B+ average.

Complete 4 out of 6 semesters of service requirements (Teaching Assistant, TA or Research Assistant, RA appointments) . Students with outside funding need to complete a minimum of 2 TA appointments.

Fulfillment of research tools requirement

Core courses in quantitative methods (Introduction to Econometrics I and II, and a third Quantitative Analysis course).

Either a two-course sequence in GIS or other analytic modeling systems or a proficiency examination in a non-English language, as selected with the approval of the academic adviser.

Submission of a final draft of the dissertation prospectus , approved by the adviser, to the MPhil Examining Committee three weeks prior to the MPhil examinations. The prospectus should:

be a single, 10-page document

be distinct from the Master’s thesis though it can build on similar research

cover the methods and objective of the research project

Two-hour long oral exam designed to examine the candidates’ formal learning and their capability to do independent research, including the presentation of a dissertation prospectus/proposal. The examination committee will consist of three faculty members, normally from the Sustainable Development core faculty, and will be chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), who will lead the discussion of the prospectus. Examinations are conducted as follows:

5 minutes: the candidate will give a formal presentation of the prospectus

30 minutes: all members of the examining committee, led by the DGS, will ask questions.

30 minutes: examination of proficiency in fields most relevant to the proposed research, from within the following subjects:

Natural Science

Sustainable Development

(Optional) An elective field, such as study of a region

Each component will be graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest. If the average grade is 3.5 or above the student receives a clear pass. If the average grade is below 3.0 the student will be required to leave the program by the end of the current semester. If the average grade is between 3.0 and 3.5 or if any individual grade is below 3.0 the committee require the student to take further courses, revise their prospectus, or provide a revised research paper.

Requirements for the PhD Degree

Phd dissertation.

The PhD dissertation will be on a social science topic in sustainable development. The social science research will be informed by an understanding of physical and natural science constraints and opportunities influencing economic development.

Students with a regional area of interest to their dissertation may wish to do research abroad, so as to conduct field studies, use archives, improve language skills, or confer with local experts. In order that students may complete the PhD program without delay, it is preferred that they make use of summers to conduct such research. Students who feel they require a longer period of field research or language training need the approval of their advisor, and of the DGS. Students may not receive extended residence credit for study or research away from Columbia before the completion of all course work requirements and comprehensive examinations.

PhD Defense

Complete the GSAS deposit application and pay the $85 processing fee;

Submit the required Survey of Earned Doctorates online;

Upload and submit a PDF copy of your dissertation;

Obtain a signed Approval Card that certifies you have made all required revisions and that the dissertation has been approved for deposit by your sponsor and by your doctoral program.

Open defenses (optional)

If both the candidate for a defense and the Advisory Committee choose to have an “open” defense, the following will apply:

The candidate will have a maximum of 40 minutes to present major conclusions of the thesis research, with at least half of the time devoted to a description of new findings or insights in the field discussed that directly resulted from research by the student.

 Any member of the University community or other interested parties can attend the first part of the thesis defense.

Questions following the initial presentation are permitted for a maximum of 10 minutes.

Following the oral presentation by the candidate and the brief period for general questions, the defense committee will question the candidate in closed session for a period of up to 90 minutes.

If either the candidate or the Advisory Committee prefer, the procedures for “closed defense” (i.e., 20-minute oral presentation followed by questions from the defense committee in closed session for a period of up to 90 minutes) will be followed.

Candidates must consult with their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies about scheduling the defense. Every Ph.D. student must submit the Intent to Distribute and Defend form directly to GSAS.

The final examination will not be scheduled until the Director of Graduate Studies has recommended the dissertation for defense. A five-person examining committee will be appointed by the department and must be approved by GSAS. The DGS will then officially invite the examiners.

The Application for Defense must be completed by the Candidate and the Director of Graduate Studies and submitted by the program’s office to the GSAS Dissertation office.

Members of the PhD examining committee must be given a minimum of three weeks to read the thesis, so the defense may comfortably be scheduled after submission of the thesis to the Advisory Committee. Before being recommended for defense, the candidate must submit to his/her Advisory Committee draft copies of the thesis, including figures, plates and tables and obtain the Advisory Committee’s written approval of the draft. (Written approval by the Advisory Committee indicates only that the thesis as it stands or with revisions suggested by them is in good enough form to justify scheduling the defense.)

After the Advisory Committee has given its preliminary approval in writing, and the candidate has made any revisions suggested by them, he/she must distribute copies of the dissertation to the external readers. Instructions for the correct form for preparing the manuscript and information on publication options may be obtained via the Graduate School’s website ( http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/ )

The candidate must see that outstanding fees or loans to the University are paid and make sure that he/she has fulfilled all other Departmental requirements. When these requirements have been fulfilled and the examining committee has been appointed by the DGS, the candidate is notified of the examination date, usually about two weeks in advance.

After passing the final examination, the candidate must see to any minor revisions and their approval by the examining committee before final deposit. If major revisions were called for (a defense-vote of “incomplete”), these must be made and submitted within a stated period (usually no fewer than three months and no longer than one year from the date of the defense) to the supervising committee, whose approval will have to be certified in writing before the candidate can be recorded as having passed the final examination. From the time of the “pass” vote, the student has a maximum of six months to deposit the thesis. There are four steps to completing your deposit -- the steps can be done in any order, but your deposit is only considered complete when all four steps are done.

Doctorate degrees are awarded in October, February, and May. Check the academic calendar for specific deadlines for the final deposit of the dissertation. (You may, however, call yourself “Dr.” as of the day of your deposit, since that date will appear on your official transcript.)

PhD in Sustainable Development Courses

SDEV U6240 Environmental Science for Sustainable Development. 3.00 Points.

Category: EE, EPD:Sustainable

This course provides a rigorous survey of the key areas of natural science that are critical to understanding sustainable development. The course will provide the theories, methodological techniques and applications associated with each natural science unit presented. The teaching is designed to ensure that students have the natural science basis to properly appreciate the co-dependencies of natural and human systems, which are central to understanding sustainable development. Students will learn the complexities of the interaction between the natural and human environment. After completing the course, students should be able to incorporate scholarly scientific work into their research or policy decisions and be able to use scientific methods of data analysis. This is a modular course that will cover core thematic areas specifically, climate, natural hazards, water management, public health/epidemiology, and ecology/biodiversity. To achieve coherence across lectures this course will emphasize how each topic is critical to studies of sustainable development and place-based case studies in recitation will integrate various topics covered. In the lectures and particularly the recitation sections this course will emphasize key scientific concepts such as uncertainty, experimental versus observational approaches, prediction and predictability, the use of models and other essential methodological aspects

SDEV U9200 Sustainable Development Seminar I. 1.50 Point.

This course is restricted to PhD in Sustainable Development

SDEV U9201 Sustainable Development Seminar II. 1.50 Point.

SDEV U9240 Human Ecology ＆ Sustainable Development. 4.00 Points.

Category: EPD:Sustainable, PhD in Sustainable Development Open to PhD Students Only

This course has two primary objectives: first, to provide a structured way to think about—and conduct research in—the field of sustainable development. Second, to introduce formal models of dynamic, coupled human and environmental systems

SDEV U9245 Environment ＆ Resource Economics. 3.00 Points.

This course aims to introduce you to the basic concepts of environmental economics

SDEV U9248 Collective Action for Global Sustainable Development. 3.00 Points.

Category: PhD in Sustainable Development Registration restricted to PhD Students

When externalities go uncorrected, and public goods go undersupplied, the reason is not that the market fails; the reason is that governments are unable or unwilling to intervene effectively. The biggest problem is with transnational externalities and regional and global public goods. This is partly because of the scale of these problems, but it is also because the institutional arrangements at this level make effective intervention difficult. There is no World Government. Instead, there are around 200 sovereign states. To support sustainable development globally, states must cooperate, and yet states' self-interests often conflict with their collective interests. This is why all countries agree that collective action must be taken to limit climate change, and yet, though they try and try again, countries seem unable to muster the individual action needed to meet their own collective goal. The aim of this course is to develop an apparatus for understanding international collective action for sustainable development. By an apparatus, I mean a theory, a structured way of looking at and understanding the world. Rather than just present the theory, my aim is to show you why theory is needed, how it has been constructed, and what its strengths and weaknesses are. Basically, in addition to teaching you principles and tools, I want you to come to see how this field has developed, what it has achieved, and where it has fallen short. Throughout the course, we shall also be looking at tests and applications of the theory-empirical and experimental papers in addition to case studies. The course draws from a number of disciplines, especially economics, game theory (analytical and experimental), and international relations-but also international law, philosophy, history, the natural and physical sciences, and engineering. The focus will be on institutions, and the way that they restructure the relations among states to cause states to behave differently-that is, to cause them to undertake collective action. In terms of applications, the course will address not only climate change but also depletion of the ozone layer, trans-boundary air pollution, pollution of the oceans, over-fishing, biodiversity loss, and the emergence and spread of infectious diseases

ECON GR6211 MICROECONOMIC ANALYSIS I. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: the director of graduate studies' permission. Corequisites: ECON G6410. Consumer and producer behavior; general competitive equilibrium, welfare and efficiency, behavior under uncertainty, intertemporal allocation and capital theory, imperfect competition, elements of game theory, problems of information, economies with price rigidities

ECON GR6212 MICROECONOMIC ANALYSIS II. 4.00 points .

Prerequisites: the director of graduate studies permission. Corequisites: ECON G6410. Consumer and producer behavior; general competitive equilibrium, welfare and efficiency, behavior under uncertainty, intertemporal allocation and capital theory, imperfect competition, elements of game theory, problems of information, economies with price rigidities

ECON GR6411 INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMETRICS I. 4.00 points .

Corequisites: ECON G6410 and the director of graduate studies' permission. Introduction to probability theory and statistical inference

ECON GR6412 INTRODUCTN TO ECONOMETRICS II. 4.00 points .

Corequisites: ECON G6410 and the director of graduate studies permission. Introduction to the general linear model and its use in econometrics, including the consequences of departures from the standard assumptions

Print Options

Send Page to Printer

Print this page.

Download Page (PDF)

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

Full 2023-2024 Catalog (PDF)

This PDF will include the entire Bernard College 2023-2024 Catalogue.

This PDF will include the entire Columbia College 2023-2024 Bulletin. Coming Soon!

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade to one of the supported browsers listed below to improve your experience and security.

• Microsoft Edge (last 2 versions)
• Mozilla FireFox (last 2 versions)
• Google Chrome, including Android (last 2 versions)
• Apple Safari, including iOS (last 2 versions)

PhD Admissions in Finance

The Finance Doctoral Program is highly competitive; fewer than 5% of applicants are admitted in the typical year. To begin the application process, we'll ask you to  create an account  with us. This will keep your application secure and allow you to edit and revise your information before final submission.

To be considered for the program applicants must submit their materials via the online portal no later than December 15th. Applications received after this date will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. 

Application Materials

Essay Instructions: The Admissions Committee is interested in your reasons for pursuing doctoral study. In an essay no longer than 1000 words, please describe (1) your educational goals, research interests, and professional objectives. If you have already formulated plans for dissertation-level research, please describe them as specifically as possible. (2) those academic and/or professional achievements which have contributed most to your development and the formation of your goals and interests. Please also include the major field area to which you are applying - Accounting, Finance and Economics, Decision, Risk and Operations, Management, or Marketing

Recommendation Letters

Two letters of recommendation are required, however a total of four may be submitted. 

Transcripts

A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent (i.e., a four-year course of study in an accredited college or university) is required for admission. A master’s degree is not required, although many applicants have a master’s degree in such fields as management, economics, psychology, sociology, and statistics. Superior academic performance is expected. 

GMAT or GRE

Applicants may take either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), but scores from one are required. Test scores should be input into the appropriate section of the application. Admitted students will be asked to submit an official copy if there is not one on record. Decisions are not binding until these materials have been received.

• The GRE is administered by  Educational Testing Service  at numerous centers throughout the United States and abroad.
• Further information about the GMAT is available from the  Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) .
• Test scores are only one of many factors that are considered when the School makes admissions decisions and there is no minimum score that must be met in order to apply. 

Applicants from abroad must also take either the  Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)  or the  IELTS  unless they received a degree from an institution where English was the language of instruction. 

Application Fee

An application fee of $100 must be submitted with your application. An application is not considered complete until the fee has been paid. 

Fee waivers are available to active duty US military personnel, and members of the Peace Corps, Teach for America, Teach for China, or Teach for India who are currently in service. Applicants who qualify for a fee waiver should email a fee waiver request, as well as proof of service, to  apply.gsb.columbia.edu .

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i get cbs my letters of recommendation.

We only accept letters of recommendation through our online system.

How do I pay the application fee?

An application fee of $100 in the form of a credit or debit card must be submitted in tandem with your application. An application is not considered complete until the fee has been paid. You may use Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover when using our online application.

By when do I need to submit my scores and undergraduate transcript?

Ideally, you would submit these in advance of the application deadline. All test scores (GMAT, GRE and TOEFL) should be self reported in the application form. When admittance decisions are made we will ask admitted students for official copies of both their transcripts and test scores. Decisions are not binding until these materials have been received.

Can I enroll in the program part-time?

Our PhD Program is full-time only. We do not offer a part-time course of study. 

Take a Virtual Tour of our Manhattanville campus

Accessibility panel, language settings, css cheat broken widths with carousels, internal page carousel css cheats.

Columbia University Libraries

Phd students & faculty in business and economics: home, business & economics library.

Business and Economics Library has the largest collections in the United States for the study of management, finance, economics, industry and related fields. All paper collection is available through our offsite facilities.  The library has an extensive collection of databases see CLIO .  The access to these databases is restricted to current Columbia students, faculty and staff.  All print collection is stored in our off site storage facility in New Jersey. For more information on  Borrowing policy: https://library.columbia.edu/using-libraries/borrowing.html

Research Help:  

• Consultation: by appointment: [email protected]
• Email: [email protected] 
• Ask A Librarian 
• American economic journal. Microeconomics Called also: AEJ microeconomics
• Bloomberg businessweek Business week online
• The Economist News coverage of Great Britain reduced by approximately 50%, except in copies distributed in Britain, fall 1994- Includes supplements: Monthly trade supplement, 1861- ; Reports of the joint stock banks of the United Kingdom (semiannual), 1861-1910; Commercial history and review (annual), 1864-1911; and others.
• Factiva Full text business news including local newspapers such as New York Times, New York Post and New York Daily News.
• Financial Times Provides 'real time' access to the Financial Times in six regional editions: Asia, Europe, India, Middle East, UK and US.
• Harvard business review [electronic resource] Boston Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University.
• New York Times This resource is available only to current faculty, staff and students of Columbia University.
• Nexis Uni An interdisciplinary, full-text database of over 18,000 sources including newspapers, journals, wire services, newsletters, company reports and SEC filings, case law, government documents, transcripts of broadcasts, and selected reference works.
• North American journal of economics and finance North American journal of economics and finance
• Oxford review of economic policy
• WSJ.com The WSJ.com platform carries 4+ years of articles content comprising of the English, Chinese, and Japanese online editions and English print edition of the Wall Street journal. Additional content includes videos, podcasts, and access to events, experiences, special offers, insights, and more.

Watson Library Research Team

Business Library

• Next: Services >>
• Last Updated: Feb 29, 2024 12:07 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.columbia.edu/phd
• Donate Books or Items
• Suggestions & Feedback
• Report an E-Resource Problem
• The Bancroft Prizes
• Student Library Advisory Committee
• Jobs & Internships
• Behind the Scenes at Columbia's Libraries

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK

Project Assistant

• Pharmacology
• Columbia University Medical Center
• Opening on: Jun 25 2024
• Job Type: Support Staff - Non-Union
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Temporary
• End Date if Temporary: 8/4/2025
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Salary Range: $26-$26

Position Summary

Responsibilities

• Assist with making reagents as needed
• Provide assistance with performing immunohistochemical analyses
• Handle preparation of tissues for histological analyses sectioning and staining of tissues as needed and assist with data analyses as needed
• Assist with laboratory maintenance
• Perform other duties as required

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in education and experience

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

Commitment to Diversity 

Columbia university is dedicated to increasing diversity in its workforce, its student body, and its educational programs. achieving continued academic excellence and creating a vibrant university community require nothing less. in fulfilling its mission to advance diversity at the university, columbia seeks to hire, retain, and promote exceptionally talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.  , share this job.

Thank you - we'll send an email shortly.

Other Recently Posted Jobs

Billing Compliance Specialist

Research coordinator, clinical research coordinator.

Refer someone to this job

• ©2022 Columbia University
• Accessibility
• Administrator Log in

Wait! Before you go, are you interested in a career at Columbia University? Sign up here! 

Thank you, for sharing your information. A member of our team will reach out to you soon!

This website uses cookies as well as similar tools and technologies to understand visitors' experiences. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University's usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Columbia University Website Cookie Notice .

• Graduate School
• Location Location
• Contact Contact
• Colleges and Schools
• New Students
• Health Requirements

Health Insurance

Required health insurance, who is required to have health insurance.

• Graduate students enrolled in 6+ credit hours
• Graduate assistants
• International students
• Students enrolled in School of Medicine graduate programs

* Exception:  Students in fully online/distance programs are automatically waived from this requirement.  These students must enroll in the plan voluntarily.

University Student Health Insurance Plan

The University Student Health Insurance plan is available to all enrolled graduate students.  If using this plan, you must inform the company that you want to enroll in the coverage BEFORE August 1 (Fall) and BEFORE January 1 (Spring) so that it doesn't lapse.   Early class registration and insurance activation every Fall and Spring will allow you to maintain continuous coverage.

Mandatory Insurance

If you meet the requirements for health insurance listed above, the Mandatory Insurance Fee will be set on your Bursar statement (available in my.sc.edu ).  To expedite coverage, you must enroll in classes for the upcoming semester and activate your insurance coverage.  Once the university sends your information to Academic Health Plans (AHP), the current insurance provider,  AHP will send a notification email with instructions to enroll/accept the insurance or waive/opt out.  You must enroll/accept the insurance before  every semester to keep continuous coverage.  Once enrolled, you will have access to your insurance card and account numbers. Refer to the University Student Health Insurance Plan for more information.

Voluntary Insurance 

US Citizens who are enrolled in less than 6 credit hours or are in fully online programs can choose to purchase health insurance through the university.  Enroll in the Voluntary Health Insurance on the AHP enrollment website .  General students will use Voluntary Students/USC - Columbia option.  However, Z-Status and fully online Graduate Assistants will need to  select the Z-Status option.

• US citizens who are enrolled in 1-5 credit hours.  This especially pertains to students approved for Special Enrollment/Z-Status   who must enroll via the designated "Z-Status" portal on the Opt-In page.
• US citizens who are enrolled in a fully-online graduate program (shows as a Distance Education concentration in your my.sc.edu profile.)
• Any student admitted in a Summer term who needs insurance must enroll voluntarily in the insurance plan by the June 1 enrollment deadline.
• US Citizens approved for Special Enrollment/Z-Status and fully online GAs must enroll through the Voluntary Z-Status Student portal (scroll past the campus options) on the AHP website to have billing transferred to their University Bursar statement. 
• All others must pay the insurance company directly 

Students Who Already Have Health Insurance

Students with health insurance need to waive out of the university health insurance plan if they do not want to be billed for it. 

Waiving Out

You will need to submit proof of your health insurance during the waiver period each term or you will be billed for the university health insurance plan. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Early class registration and early activation of coverage before each semester is the key!  The first step is to enroll in 6 credit hours to qualify for the mandatory insurance.  (See instructions regarding voluntary insurance if you will enroll in less than 6 credit hours.)    AHP sends notification emails instructing students to enroll/accept the insurance or waive/opt out.   You must enroll/accept the insurance before August 1 (Fall) and before January 1 (Spring) to keep continuous coverage.   Without course enrollment, coverage will lapse.  Without activation, coverage will show as pending until the university 'locks' you in around  September 15 for Fall, and early February for Spring.

Full-time PhD* students and students hired as Graduate Assistants are eligible for the health insurance subsidy.  Refer to the Health Insurance Subsidy page for more information.

*Due to budgetary concerns, non-PhD doctoral students are not eligible for the subsidy unless hired as graduate assistants.

If your program is formally identified as being fully online, the mandatory insurance requirement is automatically waived. (Students enrolled in a fully online program have a Distance Education concentration showing on their my.sc.edu  profile.)

Students meeting all criteria listed below need to voluntarily enroll through the Z-Status portal on the AHP website:

•  enrolling in 1-5 credit hours
•  approved for Z-Status for the current semester
•  not hired as a graduate assistant
•  want the insurance coverage

International students do not need to enroll voluntarily. You are automatically set up with the mandatory insurance. However, you will need to respond to the link in the AHP notification email to either accept or waive out of the coverage.

Graduate Assistants whose hire has been fully approved through the HR process will automatically receive the mandatory insurance. You do not need to voluntarily enroll in the plan; however, you will need to respond to the link in the AHP notification email to either accept or waive out of the coverage.  (Note the exception for US Citizens in fully online programs)

While insurance coverage is mandatory for most graduate students, anyone who is covered under another insurance plan may waive/opt out of the University Student Health Insurance if the other plan provides comparable (or better) coverage. Details are provided on the University Health Services Waive Out webpage.

Note that waiving the student health plan leaves you ineligible for the full-time PhD and GA insurance subsidy. (The university acknowledges and appreciates subsidy-eligible students accepting the financial responsibility of waiving the insurance when other coverage is available.)

When a qualifying event occurs (e.g., loss of other coverage or an actively enrolled student arriving to the US from another country mid-semester), enroll through the sc.myahpcare.com/enrollment portal for Students with a Qualifying Life Event. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Only the student is covered by the mandatory insurance and the subsidy. However, you may voluntarily enroll your dependents in the AHP Health Insurance plan AFTER you have enrolled and accepted your insurance coverage. Payment for dependent coverage is made directly to the insurance company.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

• Development Economics

• View Faculty
• Adjunct Faculty
• Affiliated Faculty
• Faculty Emeriti
• Visiting Faculty
• In Memoriam
• Nobel Laureates
• View Faculty by Field
• Behavioral & Experimental
• Contracts and Organizations
• Econometrics
• Economic History
• Health and Education
• Industrial Organization
• International Macroeconomics
• International Trade
• Labor Economics
• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• Monetary Economics
• Political Economy
• Public Economics
• Urban Economics

1022 International Affairs Building (IAB)

Mail Code 3308

420 West 118th Street

New York, NY 10027