Barnard College Barnard College
Your Path. Your Purpose.

4+1 Pathway: Engineering

Engineering 4+1 Pathways: Getting Started

Barnard College offers several 4+1 pathways in conjunction with Columbia Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (Columbia Engineering), including:

  • BA/MS Biomedical Engineering
  • BA/MS Chemical Engineering
  • BA/MS Civil Engineering
  • BA/MS Computer Science
  • BA/MS Electrical Engineering
  • BA/MS Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
  • BA/MS Mechanical Engineering

If you are interested in the 4+1 Pathways with Columbia Engineering, please complete this form to receive important programming updates from Beyond Barnard. 

Eligibility for the Engineering 4+1 Pathways

For all of the above pathways, applicants must:

  • Maintain a GPA at or above 3.5.
  • Apply by February 15 of their junior year.

Applications for the Engineering 4+1 Pathways are submitted directly to Columbia Engineering. No standardized test scores are required for 4+1 applicants. 

For each of the individual pathways, applicants must complete specific requirements, as follows:

Engineering Pathway Prerequisites

Students from a range of majors (including biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, math, neuroscience, and physics & astronomy) may apply. All applicants must complete the following prerequisite courses prior to matriculation at Columbia Engineering. (Note that chances of being accepted are greater if most or all are completed before application in the fall of junior year.)

  • MATH UN1101 Calculus I (or equivalent)
  • MATH UN1102 Calculus II (or equivalent)
  • MATH UN1201 Calculus III (or equivalent)
  • *APMA E2000 Multivariable Calculus for Engineers and Applied Scientists
  • MATH UN2010 Linear Algebra (or equivalent)
  • MATH UN2030 Ordinary Differential Equations (or equivalent)
  • **APMA E2101 Intro to Applied Mathematics
  • COMS W1004 Intro-Computer Program in Java or Python (or equivalent)
  • One semester of calculus-based physics
  • One semester of biology. Suggested courses:
    • BIOL BC1500 Introduction to Organismal & Evolutionary Biology AND BIOL BC1501 Introductory Lab in Organismal & Evolutionary Biology OR
    • BIOL BC1502 Introduction to Cell & Molecular Biology AND BIOL BC1503 Introductory Lab in Cell & Molecular Biology
  • ***Both semesters of quantitative physiology BMEN 4001 and BMEN 4002

Notes

*Option instead of MATH UN1201

**Option instead of MATH UN2010 and UN2030

***This is optional but highly recommended and can count towards the MS degree (if not counted towards the Barnard degree).

Prospective applicants must be chemistry majors. You can find information about the modified chemistry major for students interested in chemical engineering via the chemistry department. 

Prospective applicants must be physics majors. 

Prospective applicants must be computer science majors or minors. (Note: CS minors should plan to have taken the majority of their courses for the minor by the end of the fall semester of junior year).
 

Prospective applicants must be physics majors.
 

All prospective applicants must complete the following prerequisites by the end of the fall semester of their junior  year:

  • Multivariable Calculus for Engineering and Applied Science (or Calculus III)
  • Linear Algebra
  • Introduction to Probability & Statistics
  • Foundations of Data Science

The majors with requirements that most closely track with these prerequisites are Economics & Math and Economics & Statistics. Other majors may apply to the pathway but students should discuss their plans with the Barnard faculty lead to assess their readiness for masters level engineering classes and the strength of their application. Successful applicants have extensive quantitative course work through their major or minor.
 

Prospective applicants must be physics majors.

Applying to Engineering 4+1 Pathways

Step One: Junior Year

  • Applicants create an account at Columbia Engineering Graduate Admissions as early as September of junior year to begin work on the application.
    • The application requires a personal statement, resume/CV, transcript(s) from all colleges attended, and names and contact information for three recommenders.
  • Applications must be submitted by February 15 of the student’s junior year.
  • Columbia Engineering faculty and administrators in each individual department review applications and make admissions determinations; accepted students are notified as early as March and as late as May. Accepted students have up to three weeks to confirm their intention to begin the 4+1 pathway.

Step Two: Senior Year

After acceptance in the junior year (Step One), applicants must complete additional steps in the senior year to finalize their admission:

  • In the spring of the senior year at Barnard, students will be asked to update their account in Columbia Engineering's admissions portal. An updated transcript is requested, and departments will review progress in master's-level classes taken during the fourth year when determining final acceptance. 
  • If final admission is granted and accepted, Columbia Engineering will email you with details for matriculation at Columbia Engineering in the semester following Barnard graduation, including a tuition deposit and instructions for registering.

Engineering 4+1 Pathway Frequently Asked Questions

The application for admission includes a personal statement, resume/CV, transcript(s) from all colleges attended, and names and contact information for three recommenders. The application is always due by February 15 of the applicant's junior year at Barnard. 

No. Columbia Engineering Admissions will accept a self-generated PDF of your unofficial transcript from the Barnard portal. 

No. Columbia Engineering waives standardized test scores for 4+1 applicants. 

Columbia Engineering’s application will ask you to provide the contact information for three references, but those individuals are not required to submit letters of recommendation with your application. 

Recommenders should know you well, including your academic history and future professional goals. At least two recommenders should be Columbia University faculty members (ideally in your major field or a field related to your chosen graduate pathway), but one letter could come from an internship supervisor or other professional source. 

You can take between 0-15 graduate level credits toward the MS degree during your senior year at Barnard. Most students take between 3-9 credits. No more than 15 can be transferred. No credits intended for the MS can be counted toward any part of your Barnard degree including for a major, a minor, or overall credits. In total, most of the masters programs require 30 credits, with the exception of Financial Engineering, Business Analytics, and Management Science & Engineering in IEOR which require 36. 

During your fourth/senior year, you will register for all your courses, including masters-level engineering courses, as a Barnard student through the regular Barnard registration process. Several masters-level courses at Columbia Engineering are open to Barnard students. Some courses may require departmental permission; you can reach out to the relevant Columbia Engineering department for approval. 

Students graduating a semester early or late may still be able to participate in the 4+1 pathway. Such a plan may require some additional steps to ensure you remain on track, so reach out to Beyond Barnard as soon as you know you're thinking of an off-cycle participation. 

Deferring year 5 is not permitted. Students who are interested in taking time between undergraduate and graduate school may consider the MS Express option as an alternative. 

Four Barnard faculty currently serve as the 4+1 Faculty Leads. Each advises for a specific concentration or and/or combination of concentration and undergraduate major.

  • Rachel Austin (Barnard department: Chemistry)
    • Faculty liaison for: Chemical Engineering; Biomedical Engineering for Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry,  Environmental Science, and Neuroscience majors
  • Martina Jasova (Barnard department: Economics)
    • Faculty liaison for: Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR)
  • Reshmi Mukherjee (Barnard department: Physics & Astronomy)
    • Faculty liaison for: Biomedical Engineering for Physics & Astronomy, Math, and Computer Science Majors; Mechanical, Civil, & Electrical Engineering
  • Rebecca Wright (Barnard department: Computer Science)
    • Faculty liaison for: Computer Science
       

  • Attend a Beyond Barnard 4+1 Info Session for your concentration of interest, or listen to a recording on our YouTube channel. 
  • Meet with a Beyond Barnard advisor to discuss your career goals, academic interests, and the application process, including polishing your application materials.
  • Meet with your major advisor to ensure that you have developed a course plan that will allow you to complete your Barnard graduation requirements and eligibility requirements for your 4+1 pathway of interest.