Registration Preparation

  • All students are able to register via SSOL during their assigned appointment times, using their UNI and password to log into the system. Students are assigned a “Registration Appointment” in order to register for classes each semester via Student Services Online (SSOL).
     
  • Ultimately, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you are enrolling in all of the classes needed to fulfill your degree requirements. If you are having trouble navigating the study plans, please reach out to your advisor or make an appointment with the Office of Advising.
     
  • The Degree Audit Report (DARS) accessible via SSOL is INACCURATE. There have been a number of recent curricular changes that are not reflected in its evaluation of your coursework. We apologize for the inconvenience. The Office of Student Services conducts audits of all student records and is sure to notify students of any issues prior to graduation.
     
  • The Directory of Classes (DOC) is updated each semester and is subject to change until the first day of classes. Please check it regularly for changes.
     
  • Please note, course sections designated by the letter ‘D’ in the section number will be taught via Adobe Connect.
     
  • You can view the LMSW & LCSW information guide for courses approved for clinical licensure.
     
  • You may always consult with your academic advisor or staff in the Office of Advising to carefully review the information and resources below.
     
  • The Office of Student Services will be conducting reviews prior to the add/drop period to ensure that students are registered appropriately. Students will be removed from any and all courses for which they are ineligible. This includes being dropped from duplicate classes as a result of the waitlist.


NOTE: The registration system only will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (closed on weekends) during the add/drop periods.

If you are having trouble registering, please email [email protected].

Common Registration Questions

All students register for courses during their designated registration time via Student Services Online (SSOL), the University’s Web-based registration system.

NOTE: Our Office of Student Services will provide a detailed how-to guide as well as reminders of the self-registration process prior to the registration periods.

For the first term, all Two-Year Program students are registered for:

  • T660A Human Behavior and the Social Environment-A
  • T6501 Social Work Research
  • T6801 Social Welfare Policy
  • T7100 Foundations of Social Work Practice
  • T6010 Field Education

In the second term, you are required to register for:

  • T660B Human Behavior and the Social Environment-B
  • T7102 Direct Practice II
  • T7103 Advocacy in SW Practice
  • T6010 Field Education

Students in the Social Enterprise Administration (SEA) Management Fellows Program or Accelerated Policy Program have slightly different requirements in their first year. For more details, go to sample study plans for Two-Year Program students in our Student Handbook.

By the time orientation week begins, all of your courses—including their requirements, syllabi, grading policies, and online readings—should be posted on CourseWorks.

CSSW will allow you to transfer a maximum of nine credits, of which no more than six can be for elective courses. You can receive credits for prior courses if they were taken at another accredited school of social work within the past five years and you earned at least a B. You are required to submit a form listing those courses for review. For more details, Transfer Credit Policy Statement.

During the first two weeks of classes each term, there is an add/drop period when you can switch certain courses via the online registration system in Student Services Online, space permitting.

You are able to enroll in classes at other Columbia University schools to count either as elective credits (related and pre-approved graduate-level courses only) or as “extra” courses that are covered under the School’s flat-rate billing program, which allows you to register for a maximum of 19.5 credits per term in the Fall and Spring. NOTE: Our flat-rate tuition plan does not cover classes taken at Teacher’s College, Jewish Theological Seminary, or Union Theological Seminary. If you choose to register for a course at one of those schools, you will be charged tuition in addition to your flat-rate cost.

As each Columbia graduate school has its own cross-registration policies and procedures, our Office of Student Services compiles a document every term with links to classes at other schools that are open to CUSSW students along with detailed instructions for registration, with links to necessary forms. This information is e-mailed to all students during the registration period and can also be found online.

Instructor evaluations are available in a binder in the Social Work Library (2nd floor) and the Student Union Office (4th floor). We would also encourage you to reach out to your second-year colleagues for feedback about instructors’ teaching styles, classroom expectations, and areas of specialization.

For help with additional questions concerning registration-related matters, contact the Office of Student Services and Enrollment at:

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: 212-851-2436; 212-851-2367

Counseling by appointment: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. (After 5:00 p.m., appointments available by request.)