Why Columbia’s School of General Studies is not your typical continuing education program

Science · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Columbia University’s School of General Studies is a premier liberal arts college for non-traditional students, yet it bears no resemblance to standard extension programs. With students making up nearly 30% of the university’s undergraduate population, it offers a rigorous Ivy League education that challenges conventional definitions of the undergraduate experience.

The School of General Studies (GS) traces its lineage to the University Undergraduate program, established in 1904 by Nicholas Murray Butler. Its immediate predecessor was the Seth Low Junior College, founded in 1928 in Downtown Brooklyn to manage the high volume of Jewish applicants to Columbia College. Following the economic pressures of the Great Depression and the rise of the tuition-free Brooklyn College, Seth Low closed in 1936, and its students were absorbed into the Morningside Heights campus. The school was officially reorganized in December 1946 to accommodate the influx of students returning from World War II on the GI Bill.

While the term 'General Studies' is often associated with extension programs elsewhere, Columbia adapted the medieval 'Studium Generale' to name its college. The school’s academic status evolved significantly over time. In 1968, the University Council authorized GS to grant the Bachelor of Arts degree, replacing the Bachelor of Science. A major turning point occurred in 1991, when the faculties of Columbia College, GS, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences merged into the Faculty of Arts & Sciences. This integration ensured that GS students receive the same B.A. degrees as their counterparts in Columbia College and complete the same rigorous Core Curriculum.

Today, GS serves a diverse student body, including those who have taken at least a one-year break from their studies or are pursuing dual degrees. Approximately 20% of its students balance their academic responsibilities with significant full-time employment. The school is also home to the nation’s oldest and largest Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program. Its academic excellence is reflected in its students' performance; as of 2013, GS undergraduates were reported to consistently earn the highest average GPA at Columbia. Notable alumni include Nobel laureates Simon Kuznets and Baruj Benacerraf, as well as figures like Isaac Asimov and Amelia Earhart, highlighting the school’s long-standing role in fostering intellectual achievement.

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