A major declared after arrival
Columbia says students apply to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering. The pages read describe no separate admission to Philosophy.
Undergraduate · Columbia College
Columbia Philosophy: thirty points, logic and a Majors Seminar
Applicants do not apply to Columbia's Philosophy department. They apply to the College or Columbia Engineering and declare a major after arrival, and the Bulletin advises meeting the Director of Undergraduate Studies early in sophomore year. The major is defined in points rather than a fixed number of courses and has two features that make it distinctive: symbolic logic is on the list, and the Core's Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization do not count towards it.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Columbia says about Columbia Philosophy
Taken from the Columbia Bulletin entry for Philosophy in Columbia College and Columbia Undergraduate Admissions' Academics, Testing and International Applicants pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Columbia's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Thirty points
The major requires a minimum of 30 points in philosophy from UN or GU courses.
Logic and history
The course list includes History of Philosophy I and Symbolic Logic.
A Majors Seminar
All majors must take at least one Majors Seminar.
The SAT or ACT is required from August 2027
Columbia says it will require first-year students to submit ACT or SAT results; it accepts A levels and the IB.
Official sources
- Columbia Undergraduate Admissions: Academicsundergrad.admissions.columbia.edu
- Columbia Bulletin: Philosophybulletin.columbia.edu
- Columbia Undergraduate Admissions: Testingundergrad.admissions.columbia.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the Columbia Bulletin entry for Philosophy in Columbia College and Columbia Undergraduate Admissions' Academics, Testing and International Applicants pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Columbia's department website, the full course lists and descriptions, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The major
What the Bulletin requires of a Philosophy major
The major requires a minimum of 30 points in philosophy chosen from courses prefixed with UN or GU. Students often begin with Methods and Problems of Philosophical Thought, Introduction to Philosophy or a 2000-level course. The required list includes the history of philosophy, symbolic logic, metaphysics or epistemology, and ethics or social and political philosophy, with a Majors Seminar for everyone. No more than one 1000-level course counts, and students normally take four philosophy courses before a 4000-level one.
Is it the right major?
Philosophy beside English and Political Science
Columbia describes these separately, so the major is chosen after arrival. Avandy's comparison is general.
Philosophy fits if
you want rigorous argument, logic and the history of ideas as the main method.
English fits if
you want literary traditions and close reading. Avandy's Columbia English guide covers it.
Political Science fits if
you want institutions and political theory. Avandy's Columbia Political Science guide covers it.
Admission and testing
Columbia College, an SAT or ACT and A levels or the IB
Columbia says students apply to either Columbia College or Columbia Engineering. It accepts all secondary school curricula, including the IB and Cambridge A Levels, and reviews applications within the context of the curriculum. It says that starting in August 2027 it will require first-year students to submit ACT or SAT results. The major is not a separate application. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Columbia's.
Does formal logic appeal?
Symbolic Logic is on the Bulletin's required list.
Would a senior thesis suit you?
The Bulletin says proposals are due in early December of senior year and reviewed by a committee.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB?
Columbia says it will require ACT or SAT results from August 2027.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Columbia's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Columbia's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Columbia has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Columbia for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the Philosophy entry in the Columbia Bulletin and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Columbia College or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Columbia College. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Columbia Philosophy?
The pages read describe applying to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering. Majors are declared after arrival.
Do Contemporary Civilization and Literature Humanities count?
No. The Bulletin says Core courses, including Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization, do not count towards the undergraduate philosophy major.
Is a senior thesis automatic?
No. The Bulletin says undergraduates may propose one and that a committee reviews proposals.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Columbia says that starting in August 2027 it will require first-year students to submit ACT or SAT results.
Does Columbia accept A levels and the IB?
Columbia says it accepts all secondary school curricula, including the IB and Cambridge A Levels, and reviews applications within the context of the curriculum.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Columbia's wording with no entry-year label. Check Columbia's pages again when Columbia publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Columbia Philosophy
Tell us about the student's curriculum, whether logic and history of philosophy appeal, whether a senior thesis suits them and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.