EPIC Auditing Program

Thanks to a generous arrangement made by the School of Professional Studies, retired officers of instruction who were full-time members of the faculty are eligible to audit not only Columbia courses available to all auditors, but also, with instructor permission (and only with instructor permission) any course listed in the Directory of Classes. This auditing option is available to retired full-time officers of instruction during both the fall and spring semesters.

Registering Status as an Auditor

In order to audit a course for the first time, retired faculty must first complete the online application by the application deadline for the associated semester. Retired faculty auditors must enter the code EPICSPS in order for the application fee to be waived. After you click on the link, click on "SIGN UP" and enter your email address. A link will then be sent to you to complete an application without paying a fee.

Application deadlines can be found and confirmed on the Auditing and Lifelong Learners website. Deadlines are typically the last Friday in August (for the fall semester) and the second Friday in December (for the spring semester).

Registration for Courses in the Auditing Portfolio

Registration for courses listed in the general auditing portfolio (those listed under the "Auditing" department in the Directory of Classes) is performed within the Student Services Online portal by selecting the registration option and entering the course call number. Two or three weeks prior to each semester, everyone with an active auditor profile receives a notification when auditing course offerings have been posted to the online Directory of Classes. Instructions for registering for these courses is included in the notification.

Registration for Courses Not Listed in the Auditing Portfolio

To audit courses not listed in the existing portfolio, retired faculty must submit an email from the instructor confirming that her/his approval has been given.

Courses not listed as part of the auditing portfolio can be audited if, and only if, the course instructor provides written authorization for the retired faculty member to do so.

Once the instructor grants permission, retired faculty auditors should forward the approval email message to [email protected], and an SPS auditing advisor will execute registration for the course.

Instructor approval email messages must be provided to the School of Professional Studies no later than the final date for the program change period, and registration for these courses cannot be processed before instructor approvals have been received by SPS advisors.

Registration and program change dates may be found on the University Registrar's website.

Questions?

Questions about the EPIC Auditing Program should be directed to School of Professional Studies advisors at [email protected].

Please click here to access a printable pdf document of this page, including Answers to Commonly Asked Questions.

I participated in the EPIC auditing program last semester; do I need to submit a new application?

  • An application for participation in the program is required only once. Once an auditor is accepted into the program, the auditing profile remains active for each subsequent semester. After completing the initial application, an EPIC auditor can follow the steps for course registration during the registration period for subsequent semesters.

I am currently participating in the General Auditing/Lifelong Learners Auditing program; do I need to submit a new application?

  • Yes, since EPIC auditors receive an exclusively generous benefit, a new application is required in order to update each EPIC auditor’s profile.

Where can I locate the portfolio of course listings designated as available for Auditing?

  • The existing portfolio of courses available for audit can be viewed in the Directory of Classes by searching for departments beginning with “A.” Auditing is the last department in the list.

When are the course offerings posted?

  • Auditing courses are posted shortly before the start of each semester, and admitted auditors will receive an email message once course offerings are available. Auditors who wish to enroll in one of these courses, may self-register for the course by following the instructions included in the correspondence.  

What happens if I do not register for a course this semester?

  • The auditing profile will remain active, and each semester a notice will be sent to each auditor with an active profile advising that the course offerings have been posted. This notice will also include registration instructions.