Study and analyze the complex political, economic, and social systems that impact nations and people around the world in the crossroads of the world, New York City. With respected institutions such as the United Nations headquartered in New York, Summer Session students are ideally situated to enhance their studies with co-curricular learning, as they connect with fellow students and mentors from around the globe. Faculty include experts from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs; the United Nations Development Programme; and the UN Security Council. Columbia is also home to premier social justice scholars, including legal scholar Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, anthropologist Audra Simpson, journalist Daniel Alarcón, and medical ethicist Harriet A. Washington. Through classes, academic forums, and other experiential learning events held on and off campus, students have multiple possibilities to interact and learn from renowned scholars.

Last year, Summer Session students had a selection of more than 50 relevant courses, including the International Political Economy; Islam in Popular Culture; Anti-Colonialism; Black Feminist Imaginaries: Practices and Politics; Indigenous Language Revitalization in Latin America; and the United Nations & Human Rights, among others. In addition, Columbia offers one-term Certifications of Professional Achievement in United Nations Studies, Human Rights, and Critical Issues in International Relations.

Stay in-the-know about the Summer 2023 application, registration dates, and course listings by signing up for updates here:

Registration opens on February 28, 2023. 

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Learn more about the Columbia University Pre-College programs.