Columbia University Bulletins, 1863-2021

Summary Information

Abstract

This collection is a mostly complete list of the course bulletins of the different schools of Columbia University. The Bulletins, also known as Announcements, include school and program information as well as course descriptions.

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in twelve series: Series I: Columbia College Bulletins, Series II: School of Engineering Bulletins; Series III: School of General Studies Bulletins; Series IV: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletins; Series V: Summer Session Bulletins; Series VI: Graduate School of Business Bulletins; Series VII: Graduate School or Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) Bulletins; Series VIII: Graduate School of Journalism Bulletins; Series IX: School of International and Public Affairs Bulletins; Series X: School of the Arts Bulletins; Series XI. School of Library Service Bulletins; Series XII: School of Law Bulletins.

• Series I: Columbia College Bulletins, 1893-2020
• Series II: School of Engineering Bulletins, 1863-2021
• Series III: School of General Studies Bulletins, 1904-2007
• Series IV: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletins, 1885-2005
• Subseries IV.1: Faculty of Philosophy, 1895-1957
• Subseries IV.2: Faculty of Political Science, 1885-1957
• Subseries IV.3: Faculty of Pure Science, 1899-1957
• Subseries IV.4: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1898-2005
• Series V: Summer Session Bulletins, 1900-2007
• Series VI: Graduate School of Business Bulletins, 1916-2000
• Series VII: Graduate School or Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) Bulletins, 1895-2019
• Series VIII: Graduate School of Journalism Bulletins, 1912-2010
• Series IX: School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) Bulletins, 1946-2008
• Series X: School of the Arts Bulletins, 1898-2010
• Series XI: School of Library Service Bulletins, 1884-1992
• Series XII: School of Law Bulletins, 1897-2007

Description

Scope and Contents

This collection represents the course bulletin holdings at the University Archives. This finding aid was created to facilitate access to the most requested volumes. There are also links to either the archived websites or the downloadable files for online access. If you cannot find the volume for the school or program you are interested in, please contact the University Archives at uarchives@columbia.edu.

• Series I: Columbia College Bulletins, 1893-2020

  After 2005-2006, course descriptions were no longer included in the print copies of the Columbia College Bulletins. To access the bulletin and course descriptions, please visit the archived websites (links provided below). Print copies were discontinued after 2013-2014. Links to those online-only bulletins are provided below. The College also maintains a websited with archived bulletins.) Some bulletins have also been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series II: School of Engineering Bulletins, 1863-2021

  Some Engineering bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series III: School of General Studies Bulletins, 1904-2007

  Starting with the 1996-1997 Bulletin, the School of General Studies lists the names of the courses offered by the different departments, but does not include the course descriptions. Starting with the 2000-2001 Bulletin, the printed Bulletins include only program information. After 2006-2007, the Bulletin was only published online. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series IV: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletins, 1885-2005

  Before 1957, the Graduate Faculty bulletins were divided by Faculty. Courses taught by the Faculty of Political Science included the following disciplines: Anthropology (starting in 1946-1947, before that it was part of the Faculty of Philosophy), Economics, History, Mathematical Statistics, Public Law and Government, and Sociology. Courses taught by the Faculty of Philosophy included the following disciplines: Anthropology (until 1946, when it moved to the Faculty of Political Science), Classical Philology, Chinese, English and Comparative Literature, Germanic Languages, Indo-Iranian Languages, Japanese, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology (until 1947, when it moved to the Faculty of Pure Science), Religion, Romance Languages, Semitic Languages, and Slavic Languages. Courses taught by the Faculty of Pure Science included the following disciplines: Astronomy, Botany, Geology, Geography, Mineralogy (up to 1939), Mathematics, Physics, Psychology (starting in 1947), and Zoology. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series V: Summer Session Bulletins, 1900-2007

  Columbia offered its first summer session in 1900 with 29 courses and 417 registered students, under the guidance of Director of Summer Session Nicholas Murray Butler. The following year, 1901, Columbia offered 43 courses to 581 students. In 1904, the Summer Session was granted permanent status (no longer needing the yearly Trustee renewal) and it was formally incorporated into the University statutes. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series VI: Graduate School of Business Bulletins, 1916-2000

  Columbia Business School was founded in 1916, thanks in part to a generous gift from banking executive Emerson McMillin. Eleven faculty members taught the inaugural class of 61 students, which included eight women. Additional business-related courses can be found as part of the University Extension and the Summer Session. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series VII: Graduate School or Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) Bulletins, 1895-2019

  A course in architecture was proposed for the School of Mines in the 1870s. The School of Architecture started as a separate and unique department within the University structure in 1902. Bulletins from the early days can be found in the School of Mines and even in the School of the Arts bulletins. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series VIII: Graduate School of Journalism Bulletins, 1912-2010

  The 1943-1944 bulletin is a Wartime Announcement; there was no bulletin published for 1944-1945. There are two volumes missing: 1972-1973 and 2005. There was no bulletin published for 2008. Some bulletins have also been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series IX: School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) Bulletins, 1946-2008

  The School of International Affairs was founded in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II. Emphasizing practical training, the School's mission was to foster understanding of geographic regions of vital interest and to prepare diplomats, officials, and other professionals to meet the complex needs of the postwar world. By 1967, the School was home to eight regional institutes, covering nearly every corner of the globe. In 1981, the School was renamed the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series X: School of the Arts Bulletins, 1898-2010

  The departments and divisions that make up the current School of the Arts have changed over the years: with divisions merging and separating as well as course and degree offerings expanding and contracting. The Faculty of Fine Arts was originally made up of the Schools of architecture, of music and of design and published announcements from 1902 to 1914. Department of Music was established in 1896 under the Faculty of Philosophy, then organized independently in 1902. It became the School of Music in1906 by joining together with department at Teachers College. Later, there was a Division of Fine Arts, Archaeology and Music from 1923 to 1947 and eventually Music joined the Faculty of Fine Arts. The School of Dramatic Arts started in 1946 but ceased to exist independently in 1958. Starting in 1958, Program in the Arts included courses in painting, sculpture, graphic arts, theatre arts, film, radio, and television. Since 1966, the Program was renamed as the School of the Arts currently offering courses in film, music, theatre arts, visual arts and writing. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series XI: School of Library Service Bulletins, 1884-1992

  The original Columbia library school, the School of Library Economy, operated from 1887 to 1889. The School then moved to Albany and became the New York State Library School. In 1926, the Albany school and the Library School of the New York Public Library merged and became the second Columbia library school, the School of Library Service. The School closed after the 1991-1992 academic year. Some bulletins have been scanned by other institutions and are available via HathiTrust. To find those links, check out the Online Bulletins under the Course Descriptions research guide.

• Series XII: School of Law Bulletins, 1897-2007

  This series contains the bulletins for the School of Law. For some years, there is a separate volume for the graduate studies courses. For more information, please contact the Special Collections Librarian at the Arthur W. Diamond Law Library.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Conditions Governing Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located onsite.

This collection has no restrictions.

Accruals

Additions are expected.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Revision Description

2020-11 Added Summer Session bulletins (JR)

2021-01 Added Graduate School of Business bulletins (JR)

2021-02 Added GSAPP and Journalism bulletins (JR)

2022-05 Added SIPA bulletins (JR)

2022-06 Added School of the Arts bulletins (JR)

2022-07 Added School of Library Service bulletins (JR)

2022-08 Added School of Law bulletins (JR)

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Subject