Student Resources

Language Placement Exam
Interested in taking a foreign language course? You must first take a language placement exam, which will ensure that you’re placed at the appropriate course level. To take the exam, please:

> Sign into your OASIS account: oasis.colum.edu/ics.
> Click the “Students” tab at the top of the page.
> Find the Language Placement Test on the right side under “Online Forms,” and then select the language you plan to study. (This test only applies to French, Spanish, and Italian language courses.)

After you complete the exam it will be graded within three business days. Once it’s graded, your scores will be entered into your OASIS account, and you will be notified of what course level you’re eligible to take.

Studying Abroad
The Department of HHSS offers a number of opportunities to study abroad, including “J-Session in Shanghai: History, Culture, and Art.” To get an idea of what students learn in this course, and how studying abroad in China impacted their lives, click here to read some student blog entries. To learn more about studying abroad as a Columbia student, please visit the college’s International Programs page.

Financial Aid
Visit the Office of Student Financial Services for questions about paying for college.

Tutoring
If you need help with a course housed in the Department of HHSS, or, for that matter, any course you’re taking at Columbia, please contact the Learning Studio, 618 S. Michigan Ave., 1st floor. The Learning Studio has a wealth of resources to help you, including more than 75 tutors.

Scholarships
Along with a number of college-wide scholarships, the Department of HHSS has a scholarship for students who want to study abroad or work on an approved abroad research project offered through our department. The name of this scholarship is the Kamoinge-Ferman Scholarship. Awards are based on merit and financial need, and students can receive up to $1,500. For more information, please click here. For information about other scholarships at Columbia, please click here.

Advising
If you’re majoring in Cultural Studies and have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your college advisor, Keith Lusson, at 312.369.7283 or klusson@colum.edu. For all other LAS-related advising, please consult our LAS Advising page. If you have any further questions, please contact the main office of the Department of HHSS at 312.369.7295.

LAS Core Curriculum
The LAS Core Curriculum is a set of curricular requirements for all undergraduate students seeking a degree at Columbia. These engaging courses in literature, history, humanities, languages, mathematics, and the sciences complement any major field of study and challenge students to think in independent, critical, and diverse ways. Many of the courses that fulfill the LAS Core are available in the Department of HHSS. Please visit the LAS Core Curriculum page for more information.