Undergraduate Advising & Resources

Academic Advising

Carmen Ng 
Schedule an appointment

Cindy Borgen
Schedule an appointment

Career Advising

Center for Career Education 
Schedule an appointment or drop-in

Faculty Advisor

Find your Faculty Advisor on SSOL

Program Director

Professor Yi Zhang

Resources

Columbia Health Services and Engineering Wellness will be your best resources for your health and wellness needs. If you feel stressed, chat on the phone with a mental health professional or sign up for a meeting here

Each IEOR student is assigned to a Departmental faculty advisor to guide the student through the major curriculum. Your CSA and Departmental advisors are listed in your Academic Profile in Student Services Online.  We ask each student to complete and track their major degree progress using the Program Plan below.

These Program Plans and bulletins are provided to assist students with their academic course scheduling. We ask that all students follow their designated bulletin (bulletin year during the second year), and take the core courses in the prescribed semester.  Delaying core courses is not permitted and may result in future scheduling conflicts and possible delay in graduation. Request to drop a major core requirement during the designated semester may result in an unofficial withdrawal (UW) on the transcript.

Additional changes to the program plan must be approved by the academic advisor, the faculty advisor, or the program director. The Department does not guarantee that a request to drop is always approved; hence, it is important to continue to attend and engage in the class until the drop is confirmed.

Students should meet with their faculty advisors to discuss their degree progress during the early/regular registration periods. Faculty appointment times are emailed to you prior to your registration period.  The faculty advisor will review your degree progress and provide guidance on course selection. Prior to meeting with your advisor, update your Program Plan, email it to the IEOR Advising Team, and bring a printed copy to your advising session.

For career advising, your best resource is the Center for Career Education. Set up an appointment or go in for their drop-in hours. Our colleagues are excited to help make your career plan into a reality.

The Undergraduate Advanced Track is designed for advanced undergraduate students with the desire to pursue further education after graduation. Interested students may submit an application here.

Students in the IEOR Department have an option to pursue internship opportunities that complement their academic studies and earn credits. Schedule permitting, students may engage up to 20 hours per week during an academic term (fall and spring semesters). Students may take IEOR E3999 Fieldwork for a maximum total of three (3) credits, and the credits will count toward the 128-credit requirement for the bachelor of science degree. However, fieldwork credits: (1) may not also count toward a major core, technical, elective, and non-technical requirements and (2) may not be taken for pass/fail grade or audited.  

In order to commence, the student must adhere and agree to the following guidelines:

  1. Obtain an offer letter.  The offer letter must have the following in order to be processed:
  • Be on official company letterhead
  • Have a specific start date and a specific end date
  • Include the complete street address where the work will be performed
  • Include the number of hours per week
  • Include a detailed description or list of position duties (should be related to the IEOR degree and it's applications)
  • Signed and dated by the employer

    The Department will not process the Fieldwork request if any of the above items are missing. The following sample offer letter template may be shared with the employer to facilitate the process.
  1. Submit a Fieldwork Request Form for Departmental review for IEOR E3999 Fieldwork.
     
  2. Employment may not exceed 20 hours per week during the academic year (fall and spring semesters).
     
  3. Adhere to the following schedule and deadlines.  This schedule also pertains to F-1 students requesting Curricular Practical Training during the academic terms.  For F-1 students, please refer ISSO for F-1 Student Eligibility. For J-1 students, please contact your J-1 sponsor and ISSO to discuss your eligibility.

At the conclusion of the term, you are required to submit the following in order to complete the course:

  1. A final written report detailing your internship experience. Additional guidelines will be provided.
     
  2. A written letter of evaluation from your internship 

*If the employer does not allow for any written reports or evaluations to be submitted, students may submit an exemption request for the Department's consideration at the start of the Fieldwork internship. 

The MS Express application is a simplified process of applying to Columbia Engineering's Master of Science programs available to currently enrolled seniors at Columbia Engineering, Columbia College, Barnard, General Studies and young alumni (young alumni are students who graduated from Columbia Engineering, Columbia College, Barnard, or General Studies within the last three years). A minimum cumulative 3.50 GPA is required.

Columbia Engineering undergraduates and young alumni may apply to any engineering MS program using the express application. Applicants from Columbia College, Barnard, or General Studies should refer to this chart to determine eligibility.

Application Requirements:

  • Official transcripts
  • Personal statement
  • Resume or CV
  • Contact information for three reference providers
  • No application fee required

Apply using the MS Express Application.

The IEOR department provides many exciting research and project opportunities to undergraduate students in IEOR.  To explore the diverse research areas within our department, please refer to the overview page on departmental research. IEOR students stay updated on the latest research and project opportunities via newsletters. We also encourage students to take the initiative and contact faculty members directly for potential research collaborations.

Students interested in participating in relevant conferences or other professional development endeavors may apply for financial support from the department by submitting an application.

Please refer to the CC-SEAS Academic Integrity page.