Program Policies
Progression in the Dual BA Program
Dual BA Program students must successfully pass their first two years at Trinity College Dublin before they can begin their studies at Columbia University. In rare cases, students may be required to retake exam(s) at Trinity in advance of the third year; if a student does not successfully pass the class(es) in question upon retaking the exam(s), they will be withdrawn from their third-year Columbia courses and will be required return to Trinity to retake their Senior Fresher (second) year.
Leaves of Absence
To modify the normal course of study or interrupt their studies in the international dual degree programs, students must notify the program administration at both Columbia and Trinity via email, and follow the process below outlined below as that is appropriate and relevant to their program and current enrollment status as outlined below.
Years One & Two
Trinity Dual BA students who wish to take a leave of absence from the program at any point should discuss their reasons for going 'off -books' as soon before their potential leave as possible with their Trinity Tutor and ask them to apply to the Senior Lecturer on their behalf. Students who wish to go off books normally need to be ‘in good standing’ for these petitions to be granted. During years one and two, students who choose to take a leave of absence must go off books for the full academic year; single-semester leaves are not possible at Trinity.
Students are also asked to submit a petition (e-mailed statement) addressed to their Trinity and Columbia academic advisors explaining the reason for their request. The typed petition statement should include the expected dates of their leave as well as their anticipated graduation semester from the program, if the leave is approved. In addition to this written statement, students must submit the School of General Studies leave of absence form.
Students should notify their Columbia GS academic advisor, as well as the Trinity Dual BA officer, their Trinity Tutor, and Trinity Academic Advisor of their intent to take a leave of absence, as well as indicating the anticipated semester of their return to the program.
Years Three & Four
Trinity Dual BA students who wish to take a leave of absence at any point after their transition to Columbia University should follow the standard leave of absence process described on the School of General Studies website. Please note that students who take a leave of absence during their time at Columbia are not guaranteed housing within the Columbia Residential system upon their return, though every effort is made to offer accommodations to returning students whenever possible.
Students should notify their Columbia GS academic advisor, as well as the Trinity Dual BA officer, their Trinity Tutor, and Trinity Academic Advisor of their intent to take a leave of absence, as well as indicating and the anticipated semester of their return to the program.
Withdrawal from the Dual BA Program
All students enrolled in the Dual BA Program are expected to make sufficient academic progress and to fulfill all academic obligations required by both institutions in order to obtain two diplomas.
In very rare circumstances, students enrolled in the Dual BA Program may seek to leave the Program to pursue alternative academic opportunities. Students who wish to leave the Dual BA Program prior to completion are not automatically entitled to enter the undergraduate programs of either Columbia University or Trinity College Dublin. Therefore, it is advised that students consult with their academic advisors at both Trinity and Columbia as early as possible.
Neither Columbia nor Trinity guarantees the transferability of credits completed within the Dual BA Program into another program offered by either institution.
Should a student decide to leave the Dual BA Program, there is no guarantee that the student will be admitted to a different school or program at Columbia University. The student must complete the full application process of the new school or program at Columbia University.