BA/MA Option
Undergraduate students enrolled at Columbia College, SEAS, Barnard, and the School of General Studies may apply for early admission to both the MA program in Islamic Studies and the Dual Master’s Degree in Islamic Studies and Muslim Cultures between Columbia University and Aga Khan University. Admitted students would begin their MA coursework in their senior year while completing their undergraduate degree.
Click here for more information on the Dual Degree program.
We encourage applications from students in a variety of majors who have excellent academic records. For information on applying to the BA/MA Option, see the GSAS website.
Prerequisites:
A minimum GPA of 3.5
Admissions Process:
Students seeking early admission into the MA program should contact the MA Coordinator at the Middle East Institute (amb49@columbia.edu) during the second semester of the junior year or at the beginning of the first semester of the senior year before submitting an application. If a student is interested in the Dual Degree BA/MA Option, they should indicate so on the application.
Application Deadlines:
Applications for should be submitted at least two months prior to the semester in which the student will begin taking courses counting towards the MA:
April 22nd, 2024 (if student is a junior): For admission in the fall semester of the student’s senior year.
Fall 2024 application deadline TBA (if student is a senior): For admission in the spring semester of the student’s senior year.
Decisions will be announced no later than one month after the application deadline.
The application for Columbia and Barnard undergraduates seeking early admission is otherwise the same as the regular admissions requirements for non-Columbia applicants to the MA program. Students applying to the program will follow the standard online application procedure and follow the instructions for internal admission. Applications will include all of the materials specified for the standard MA application, including personal statement, undergraduate transcript, letters of recommendation, and a writing sample.
Transition from the BA program to the MA program:
The curriculum and requirements for students who are admitted early are the same as those for all other students in the MA program.
Coursework taken to satisfy any requirement of the undergraduate degree cannot be applied towards the requirements of the MA program. To count towards the Islamic Studies MA requirement courses must be in relevant fields and at the 4000 level or higher. Student must have earned at least B+ in each of these courses. No more than 12 credits taken as an undergraduate may count toward the MA.
For those that apply to the BA/MA Dual Degree, they can begin applying credits towards their MA in either the spring or fall semester of their senior year, however, they will only be eligible to enroll full-time in the program in the fall semester after they finish their undergraduate degree
Students should consult with respective undergraduate and graduate deans and advisors before the senior year when designing a course of study for completion of the B.A. and then the MA degree.
Financial Aid:
When students have finished their fourth year, they officially become students of GSAS. As such, they will lose their rights to undergraduate housing and undergraduate financial aid. Some very limited housing and financial aid is available for MA students. See information below.
Students in the early admission program are eligible to apply for both Academic Year and Summer Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships, which provide partial tuition and stipend support. See the Financial Aid section for more details.