Auditor Information

Candidates for degrees may audit one or two courses without fee. Courses with limited enrollment, introductory language courses, and seminars are not open to auditors. Other courses may be closed to auditors because of space limitations or for other reasons. While audited courses appear on the candidate’s transcript, they carry no academic credit and cannot be used to fulfill any academic requirement.

The Seminary may permit persons not otherwise enrolled to register as auditors in certain courses. We have two auditor categories – participating and non-participating. See below for fees and privileges associated with the two categories.

How to Audit a Class

• Auditors are required to fill out an online application (if you would like to obtain a paper copy of the online application, please contact admissions@uts.columbia.edu. Please allow 24 to 48 hours for a response.)
• Every auditor is required to enroll with the registrar in person
• Auditors must obtain instructor’s written permission to audit, either as a participating auditor or non-participating auditor
• Auditor should bring written proof of instructor’s permission (such as email exchange) at the time of registration
• Auditor fees are paid at the time of registration

Dates & Deadline

Fall 2012

September 5, Wednesday

Registration for first Semester

September 13, Thursday

Last day for registration

Spring 2013

January 29, Tuesday

Registration for second Semester

February 6, 2013

Last day for registration

The Seminary reserves its right to cancel the registration of an auditor and refund fees as may be appropriate, at any time, for any reason.

Auditor Categories

Non-Participating

The Seminary, at its discretion, may permit persons not otherwise enrolled to register as auditors in certain courses at a per-course fee. Duly enrolled auditors are permitted to attend courses for the sole purpose of hearing the lectures and are requested to refrain strictly from participating in other ways. No permanent records or transcripts are kept on auditors who are not degree candidates, but every person attending a course is required to enroll with the registrar and pay fees.

Non-Participating Auditors

• will pay a per-point fee of $166.66 ($499.98 for a typical three-point course) to attend courses for the purpose of hearing the lectures and are expected to refrain strictly from participating in the class in other ways;
• will not attend seminar-style break-out discussion groups or tutorials;
• will not be permitted to audit language courses or seminars (400 & 500 level);
• will have limited library access governed by their auditor ID card; these privileges do not give access to e-reserves or other password-protected resources;
• will not receive a Columbia University Network Identifier (UNI) and will not have access to the range of electronic resources on and off-campus controlled by the UNI;
• will not be assigned a UTS e-mail address;
• will not receive credit for the course, a transcript, or any type of recognition other than an  “accounting bill” as proof that they have attended the course.

Participating Auditors

The Advanced Auditor pays a higher fee than an auditor. For this fee the student will be allowed certain privileges that an auditor does not have access to. Examples of this are access to the library and electronic services, discourse in the course, and, where allowed, attendance to tutorial sections. The student will be charged a per credit amount that should be half of the current per credit amount for the Degree/non degree student. Like the auditor, the Advanced Auditor will not receive any credit for any portion of the course they attend, will not have access to consortium agreements or Columbia facilities, is not allowed to enroll in Field Education.

Participating Auditors

• pay half the per-point fee charged for non-degree students; in 2012-2013 the participating auditor fee is $640 per point ($1,920 for a typical three-point course);
• will be invited to participate in classroom discussions and will be allowed to attend course tutorials with instructor’s permission;
• will not be expected to fulfill any of the written and other course requirements as set out by the professor in the syllabus and will not be entitled to expect grading or written feedback on any written or other work that s/he may voluntarily offer;
• will be assigned a UNI, providing library and electronic services access such as e-reserves, online library databases, Blackboard, e-mail;
• will not have access through Union to health insurance, health services, Student Life services, or the Columbia gym, nor have a vote in any student election or decision making process;
• will not be permitted to register for Guided Readings or Guided Research or to register for Field Education courses;
• may only enroll as a participating auditor in a given class with instructor’s permission;
• will not receive academic credit, but will receive (if requested) a certificate in recognition of attending and completing the course with full participation.