Computer Requirements

Please view the most current school-wide computing requirements below for:

  • MPH Students
  • Executive Healthcare Management Students
  • MS, MHA, DrPH, and PhD

Schoolwide Requirements for Entering MPH Students

MPH students enrolled at Columbia Mailman are required to have a personal laptop or device, with additional system specifications below. Exams for the MPH Core will require students to have a device that supports Examplify, the electronic testing platform made by ExamSoft. For exams on Examplify, a personal laptop or iPad with a keyboard are the 2 options open to students. Personal laptops and iPads must meet the following requirements for Examplify compatibility. We recommend laptops not be older than approximately two years (depending on the device a laptop approximately 4 years old may suffice as well). See the below system requirements for mac, ipad, and windows-related devices. *Any device specifications not met based on the below can result in performance issues or may be incompatibile at certain stages of programming.

Macintosh Requirements

Operating System

  • Must be one of the following: (only genuine versions supported; server versions not supported)
    • macOS Sonoma (version 14)
    • macOS Sequoia (version 15)
    • macOS Tahoe (version 26)
  • Only genuine versions of Mac operating systems are supported.
  • Server version of Mac OS X is not supported (virtualized environments are not supported either).

*DO NOT upgrade to any newer versions of Mac OS upon release (this includes alpha/beta versions of upcoming releases), as many required software programs will not be immediately compatible upon newer OS availability.

Hardware

*Virtual Machines and the server version of Mac OS X are NOT compatiable with some of our required software

  • CPU: Intel or M series processor.
  • RAM: 4GB or higher.
  • Hard Drive: 4GB or higher available space.
  • Screen resolution should be at least 1280 x 768. Scaling should be set to 100%.
  • Administrator-level account permissions.

To check these requirements: Click on the Apple menu in the Menu bar of your Mac, and then select “About This Mac.”

iPadOS Specifications

Operating System

  • Must be one of the following: (only genuine versions supported)
    • iPadOS 17.6 and higher
    • iPadOS 18
    • iPadOS 26

Hardware

  • iPad 5+, iPad Air 3+, iPad Mini 5+, iPad Pro.
  • 500 MB of free space required to commence an exam.
  • iPad must not be modified (e.g. Jailbroken).
  • Hard drive: 2GB or higher available space.

Windows Requirements

Operating System

  • 64-bit versions of Windows 11.
  • Alternate versions of Windows 11, such as Windows RT and 11 S, are NOT supported.
  • Microsoft Surface devices are allowed
    • Windows 11 “S mode” is not compatible with Microsoft Surface devices.
  • Only genuine versions of Windows Operating Systems are supported.
  • Server version of Windows is not supported (virtualized environments are not supported either).
  • The versions of Windows certified for use are Windows 11 23H2, Windows 11 24H2, and Windows 11 25H2.
  • The English (United States) Language Pack must be installed.

Hardware

  • CPU: Intel or AMD series processor (compatible with 64-bit version of windows)
  • RAM: 4GB of usable RAM or higher.
  • Hard drive: 4GB or higher of available space.
  • Screen resolution should be at least 1280 x 768. Scaling should be set to 100%.
  • Administrator-level account permissions.

Additional Department-Based Requirements for Entering Columbia MPH and Accelerated MPH Students

Please note, specific departments may have additional requirements regarding computer programs and compatibility. These are listed below in additional to a departmental contact.

Epidemiology

  • Epidemiology require SAS: The department will send an e-mail in early fall with information about SAS installation options
  • Contact: Elizabeth Ferrari 

Sociomedical Sciences

The following departments do not have additional requirements:

  • Biostatistics
  • General Public Health
  • Population and Family Health
  • Healthy Policy and Management

Department-Based Requirements for Entering Executive Healthcare Management Students

No specific computing requirements, see departmental contact Rebecca Sale.

Department-Based Requirements For MS, MHA, DrPH, and PhD Students

The following departments require MS, MHA, DrPH, and PhD students to purchase laptops in accordance with the Columbia MPH and Accelerated MPH specifications listed above:

  • Biostatistics
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Policy and Management

The following departments highly recommend MS, DrPH, and PhD students purchase laptops in accordance with the Columbia MPH and Accelerated MPH specifications listed above:

  • Sociomedical Sciences
  • Environmental Health Sciences

General Information About Cumc Computer Purchasing, Discounts, and Software Packages

Computer Purchase Information

If you want to take advantage of discounts on computer equipment that are available to Columbia University students, please visit the CUMC IT website. This site has links to discounted pricing available through Apple, Dell, and other vendors. A UNI login is required to access pricing information.

For compatibility information and suggestions on appropriate computer specifications see the "Verifying Compatibility" and "Example Hardware Specifications" sections here.

Software Information

The Medical Center also provides software licenses without cost for many popular packages. Please see the complete list and access downloads via UNI login here.

Software packages that may be required for your classwork, but are not available for online download and may require purchase include SAS, SPSS, ARC GIS, and STATA. We suggest that you confirm the software requirements with your program before contacting CUMC IT's 5help service for access.

For more information contact CUMC IT's help line at 5help@columbia.edu or 212-305-4357.

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