Policy and Privacy Statements

The Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW) is committed to making its policy and privacy statements available and easy to understand. We have highlighted several of these below. Please click on the titles to access the entire statement.

The Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW) respects the privacy of your personal information and does not, under any circumstances, rent or sell personal information submitted by visitors to our site to any outside third party.

CSSW collects personal information to make our site(s) and service(s) more relevant and rewarding for you to use.

For each visitor to our Web pages, our Web server automatically recognizes your domain, service provider, operating system, and Internet browser. Our Web server additionally records usage of pages by our visitors. We use this information, in aggregate, for our research reports and performance surveys. We sometimes use this non-personally identifiable information that we collect to improve the design and content of our site and to enable us to personalize your Internet experience.

Personal information that you submit to this Web site will be used only for the purpose for which it was asked (for example, information submitted on the Admissions section of our website will be used for admissions purposes). Aggregate, nonpersonally identifying information may be both used internally and shared externally (for example, the number of applicants from specific countries).

We may use a third-party tracking service that uses JavaScript to track non-personally identifiable information about visitors to our site in the aggregate. The information we track is limited to usage and volume statistics and is used to provide insight into the effectiveness of our online marketing initiatives and strategies.

Some of our site(s) and service(s) contain links to other sites whose information practices may be different than ours. Visitors should consult the other sites’ privacy policies as we have no control over information that is submitted to, or collected by, these third parties.

The School is committed to upholding our community members’ and visitors’ right to privacy. Should you have any questions or suspect a breach of these policies, we encourage you to contact us by e-mail at [email protected].

For more information on Columbia University’s overarching online privacy and network use policies, go to IT Policies on Columbia University’s main Web site.

Content published on the Columbia School of Social Work’s Admissions Web site is free to be republished and/or redistributed, providing that the use is non-commercial and that the author and CSSW are properly attributed.

We prefer to have those interested in redistributing our Web content do so by publishing an excerpt and link to the full content on the Admissions site, where it will be freely available, or at least that they include a link to the original content on this site.

For information and guidance on copyright, permissions, and the fair use of electronic, print, and broadcast material, go to the Copyright Quick Guide produced by Columbia University’s Copyright Advisory Office. The guide provides an overview of copyright basics and includes links to checklists, model forms, and permissions letters and guidelines on fair use, among other helpful resources.

Columbia University is committed to providing a learning, living, and working environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment and to fostering a nurturing and vibrant community founded upon the fundamental dignity and worth of all of its members.

Consistent with this commitment, and with all applicable laws, it is the policy of the University not to tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment in any form and to provide those who feel that they are victims of discrimination with mechanisms for seeking redress.

Also consistent with this commitment, Columbia University prohibits any form of discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence, citizenship or immigration status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, partnership status, military status, or any other applicable legally protected status in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other University-administered programs and functions.

Nothing in this policy shall abridge academic freedom or the University’s educational mission. Prohibitions against discrimination and discriminatory harassment do not extend to actions, statements or written materials that are relevant and appropriately related to course subject matter or academic debate.

This policy governs the conduct of all Columbia University students, faculty, staff and visitors that occurs on the University’s campuses or in connection with University-sponsored programs.  This policy also governs conduct by Columbia University students, faculty, staff and visitors that creates, contributes to, or continues a hostile work, educational, or living environment for a member or members of the University community.

Inquiries or complaints regarding any form of discrimination or harassment may be directed to:

Marjory D Fisher
Title IX Coordinator
Associate Vice President
202A Philosophy Hall
(212) 854-1276
[email protected]

Heather Parlier
Associate Provost, Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
Section 504 Compliance Officer
103 Low Library
(212) 854-5918
[email protected]

Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights (New York Office)
(646) 428-3800
[email protected]

Students who have completed graduate-level courses in social work or in related disciplines may request, and in some cases be granted, transfer credits for eligible courses completed with a grade of B or above, within five years of the date of matriculation at CSSW. Courses used to fulfill graduation requirements for a degree that was conferred are not eligible for transfer. Courses taken at other institutions after a student has matriculated at CSSW are not eligible for transfer credit. Please note that this “Transfer Credit” option is not the same as the CSSW Transfer Program. For further information regarding transfer credits, please contact the Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs at [email protected].

Credit for Prior Graduate Course Work

A maximum of nine (9) points may be transferred from CSWE-accredited schools; only six (6) of these may be for electives. These points can be for first-year background courses in areas such as human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy, and social work research. These points also may be social work electives, or a combination of social work electives and background courses.

A maximum of 6 points from a related discipline (i.e., other than social work) may be eligible for transfer credit. Normally these points are counted toward electives required for the CSSW degree. Students who receive transfer credit for electives are still required to meet all degree requirements for their chosen method area. In some instances (e.g., the Social Enterprise Administration method area), transfer credits cannot be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Please note that no additional credit beyond the maximum of 9 is granted for graduate courses either in a related field or in social work, separately or in combination, whether earned prior to or during the period of enrollment, except as noted for Dual Degree, Advanced Standing and Transfer Program candidates.

It is the responsibility of the admitted student to request transfer credit. The transfer credit application must be submitted to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services no later than the Friday of the first week of classes of the term in which the student matriculates. All applications are reviewed for relevance of the course(s) to social work, grade(s) earned, and date of completion. The Office of Enrollment and Student Service Systems, in conjunction with the the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, determines whether graduate social work credit taken at another school of social work is to be transferred as “elective” credit or as the equivalent of a particular required Columbia course. Courses may be accepted as electives with the approval of the curriculum area chair or coordinator, if the content is reasonably related to the professional and educational objectives of social work study at Columbia.

Students may receive transfer credit for the following required Columbia courses only if they were earned at an accredited U.S. graduate school of social work:

  • T660A-B Human Behavior and Social Environment A and B
  • T6501 Social Work Research
  • T6801 Social Welfare Policy

Because of the difficulties in evaluating international transcripts, no transfer credits can be granted for course(s) taken at international universities. Courses taken at another school cannot be transferred to fulfill the requirement for a course waived at CSSW.

Columbia University School of Social Work does not give academic credit for life experience or previous work experience, in whole or in part, in lieu of the field practice or of courses.

Dual Degree and Minor Program Students

If students elect a Dual Degree or Minor Program, or plan to take courses outside of the School during their enrollment period, they must take a minimum of 42 points at Columbia University School of Social Work; therefore, these students may transfer a maximum of 3 points, in addition to those awarded for study at the participating school. Students enrolled in a minor must take a minimum of 51 points at Columbia University School of Social Work.

The School of Social Work offers dual degree programs with Columbia University’s School of Business, the Law School, the Mailman School of Public Health, the School of International and Public Affairs, and the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, as well as with three affiliate institutions—Bank Street College for Education, Union Theological Seminary and Jewish Theological Seminary.

The school also offers minors in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, International Social Welfare, and Law.

Advanced Standing Program Students

Students accepted into the Advanced Standing Program are usually granted 27 transfer points for work completed for their B.S.W. degree. Students must take a minimum of 33 points at Columbia University School of Social Work, regardless of the number of credits eligible for transfer.

Doctoral Program students (PhD)

The Social Work PhD Program is governed by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, with regards to transfer credits and Advanced Standing status. Please visit the GSAS site for more information on their policies and procedures for securing such credit.

The Columbia School of Social Work believes that students, administrators and faculty have the right to express their views freely, within an atmosphere of tolerance and civility, and in an environment that is open to divergent views. Faculty and administrators must also, of course, treat students with civility and respect.

The following procedures specify how student complaints about faculty behaviors or language in the classroom, within the School, or at School-related events are to be addressed. The behaviors of concern are those that may appear to go beyond established bounds of academic decorum and that may appear to threaten or dismiss either an individual or a collective group or undermine basic understandings and recognized standards of conduct within our community.

I. Mediation

A. Students are strongly encouraged to seek resolution to their complaints by talking directly with their professors. In general, the School seeks to resolve issues in a timely manner and on an informal basis. Students reluctant to communicate a complaint directly because of a reasonable fear of reprisal have the following alternative avenues:

1. Students who believe that a faculty member has engaged in improper behavior in an instructional setting, as defined in section II C of this statement, may report the incident to the Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Affairs. Doctoral Students may also report an incident to the Chair of the Doctoral Program.

2. For concerns about a field instructor or field education issues, the student may speak first to their Advisor. If the student does not feel that the complaint has been adequately addressed, she or he may present the issue to the Director of Advising and the Associate Dean for Field Education. The Senior Associate Dean for MSSW Education is another possible resource for the pursuit of a resolution.

3. Matters related to general student life at the School of Social Work that relate to a particular member of the faculty may be taken to the Dean of Students and/or Dean of Social Work.

B. After meeting with the student and gathering pertinent information about the complaint, the administrator will then seek to resolve the issue through a discussion with the faculty member involved. With all these options, the strictest confidence is to be maintained at all times, among both students and concerned faculty and among intermediaries such as student representatives, faculty mentors, or members of the administrative team.

C. Students may also take their problems to the University’s Ombuds Officer, who serves as an informal, confidential resource for assisting members of the University with conflict resolution. The Ombuds Officer provides information, counseling and referrals to appropriate University offices. The Officer will also mediate conflicts if both parties are agreeable. The Officer does not have the authority to adjudicate disputes and does not participate in any formal University grievance proceedings. See more information on the Ombuds Office.

II. Formal Procedures

A. Students are encouraged, but not required to seek an informal resolution to their complaints. They may elect, instead, to file a formal grievance. They may also file a formal grievance if informal mediation fails.

B. If the faculty member holds an appointment in the School of Social Work, students may use the procedures described herein to address the issues listed below. If the faculty member belongs to another school, its procedures are applicable. Students may, however, ask for help from officials of the School in identifying and understanding relevant procedures.

C. Issues that may be grieved under these procedures include:

1. Alleged failure to show appropriate respect in an instructional setting for the rights of others to hold opinions differing from their own;

2. Alleged misuse of faculty authority in an instructional setting to pressure students to support a political or social cause; and

3. Any other conduct in the classroom or another instructional setting that adversely affects the learning environment when that conduct displays an intolerance for different views or a lack of civility.

D. These procedures may not be substituted for extant grievance procedures that address disputes over grades, academic dishonesty, or behavioral concerns as they relate to student conduct. Students should also use alternative procedures in the following situations:

1. If the alleged misconduct involves discrimination and sexual harassment, a student should file a complaint with the Associate Provost for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The procedures for handling such complaints are described in the statement, Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedure.

2. Complaints against the School’s faculty that allege scientific or scholarly misconduct are also evaluated using other procedures. These are contained in the statement, Guidelines for Review of Misconduct in Science for The Columbia University’s Health Sciences.

E. Any student currently enrolled in the University and directly affected by the behavior of a faculty member of the School may file a formal grievance under the procedures in this statement.

F. A student initiates the formal grievance procedure by submitting a written statement to the Dean documenting the grievance. The request must be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of the semester within which the misconduct was supposed to have occurred.

G. The Dean serves as the final resource for complaints within the School if all other avenues fail or if a student believes that his or her concern cannot be pursued via any other avenue. The Dean may seek the advice of appropriate faculty, generally relying first, unless otherwise appropriate, upon the Committee of Academic Appointments for their counsel.

H. The Dean will review the complaint to determine if there are sufficient grounds to proceed or if the issues raised by the student can be resolved in another manner. If the Dean determines that a formal investigation is warranted, he or she will appoint an ad hoc committee to operate as a fact-finding body and report back on whether the complaint is justified.

I. The Dean will appoint three members to serve on the ad hoc committee along with the Dean of Students. The composition of such a committee cannot be determined before the event. The Dean may seek the advice of appropriate faculty in determining the composition of the committee and for their expertise related to the issues raised. The membership will normally consist of faculty members, and, at the discretion of the Dean, could include a student and/or senior administrator.

J. The faculty member is given the student’s letter of complaint and invited to provide the ad hoc committee with a written response. The committee reviews both statements and is provided access to any other written documents relevant to the complaint. It will normally interview both the grievant and the faculty member and may, at its discretion, ask others to provide testimony.

K. The Committee ordinarily convenes within 10 working days of being appointed by the Dean and ordinarily completes its investigation and sends the Dean its written report within 30 working days of convening. When appropriate, the committee may also recommend remedies to the student’s complaint and disciplinary action against the faculty member. Such remedies may include an agreement to terminate the specific behavior, a letter to the personnel file, or withdrawal of the complaint.

L. The investigative committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Dean of the School. The Dean may accept or reject in whole or part its findings and recommendations.

M. The Dean normally issues his or her decision within 30 working days of receiving the committee’s report. The Dean will inform both the student and the faculty member in writing of the decision rendered. The faculty member and the student will also have access to the committee’s report.

N. The Dean may discipline faculty members who are found to have committed professional misconduct. Any sanctions will be imposed in a manner that is consistent with the University’s policies and procedures on faculty discipline. In particular, if the Dean believes that the offense is sufficiently serious to merit dismissal, he or she will initiate the procedures in Section 75 of the University Statutes for terminating tenured appointments, and non-tenured appointments before the end of their stated term, for cause.

O. The lodging of a complaint is not in itself evidence of guilty behavior. A complaint shall not be taken into account during re-appointment, tenure, promotion, merit, or other evaluation or review unless and until the grievance process is completed, including any appeals, and unless the faculty member is found to have committed the offense charged.

III. Appeal

A. Either the student or the faculty member may appeal the decision of the Dean to the Provost. Findings of fact, remedies granted the student and penalties imposed on the faculty member are all subject to appeal A written appeal must be submitted to the Provost within 15 working days of the date of the letter informing them of the Dean’s decision.

B. Normally, the Provost will take no longer than 30 working days to evaluate an appeal. The Provost usually confine his or her review to the written record but reserves the right to collect information in any manner that will help to make his or her decision on the appeal.

C. The Provost will inform both the student and the faculty member of his or her decision in writing. If the Provost decides that the faculty member should be dismissed for cause, the case is subject to further review according to the procedures in Section 75 of the University Statutes, as noted above. Otherwise, the decision of the Provost is final and not subject to further appeal.

Special Accommodations

Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations to attend an event at Columbia University, please contact Disability Services at (212) 854-2388 or [email protected] and the Office of Professional Excellence at [email protected] at least 10 days in advance of the event.

Grievance Policy

If you have a question or concern about a course, facilities, non-receipt of certificate, refund or another issue related to continuing education programming or services, please email or call the Director of the Office of Professional Excellence at [email protected] and 212-854-4378.  Cancellation and refund information can be found on the registration page for each individual conference, workshop, event or self-study offering.