Elite Undergraduate Program Provides Transatlantic Study, Dual Degree

Beginning this fall, students interested in a rigorous, international college experience will have an opportunity to study in both France and the United States while earning two bachelor’s degrees through the new Dual BA Program between the French university Sciences Po and Columbia University. 

Students will begin their studies by spending two years at one of three Sciences Po campuses—Le Havre, Menton, or Reims—each devoted to a specific cultural focus. After two years, students will matriculate at Columbia University School of General Studies in New York City to complete the interdisciplinary social sciences curriculum. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be guaranteed admission to a graduate program at the flagship Sciences Po campus in Paris. 

According to Peter J. Awn, Dean of Columbia University School of General Studies, unlike other dual-degree programs, a joint admissions committee will mount worldwide recruitment efforts to identify highly-qualified applicants, who in turn become a part of the rich intellectual life of both institutions.

"By bringing together students from around the globe and having them study full time for two years at a world-class European university before bringing them to a world-class American one, participants will be exposed to a wide range of languages, cultures, and experiences. And the ensuing cross-fertilization of attitudes and perspectives will make an immense contribution to the student experience and intellectual conversation in the Columbia classroom," Awn said.

Francis Verillaud, vice president for international affairs at Sciences Po, envisions the same benefits for students who enroll at Sciences Po, which places a similar emphasis on internationalizing its student body and on preparing its graduates to deal with the complex global challenges of the 21st century.

"Two great institutions of higher learning will share something at the core of higher education: the undergraduate experience, which will create a corps of students that will share the two institutions' values," said Verillaud.

Recruitment for the fall 2012 class is underway, and Program representatives plan to visit major cities throughout the United States in the coming months.

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About the Dual BA Program
The Dual BA Program builds upon a decade-long partnership between Columbia University and Sciences Po through the Alliance Program, a joint venture among Columbia University, Sciences Po, the École Polytechnique, and the Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne that aims to develop new initiatives in the fields of education cooperation, research collaboration, and policy outreach. 

Contact
Christina Gray
Associate Director of Communications
(212) 851-4386
[email protected]