The Global Behavioral Science (GLOBES) program provides students an immersive learning experience focused on reproducible behavioral research across languages and settings. Students will travel to the UK and work with international researchers.
Program Overview
On this program students will:
- Gain essential skills and knowledge for conducting psychological research across the world.
- Take part in interactive group work to become leaders in high quality research.
- Learn current scientific methods for reproducibility of behavioral studies on a global scale.
- Gain hands-on experience with scientific research by collecting data, analyzing results, and having the opportunity to co-author a manuscript. Here is an example of a published study from the program, which has a major impact on the field
- Travel to the UK and take part in a professional conference at the end of the program
- Be exposed to an excellent platform for professional development within the field.
Eligibility and Application
- Open to all undergraduate and graduate students in good academic and disciplinary standing
- Students should have experience in a behavioral subject (psychology, neuroscience, economics, sociology, public health, or public policy), preferably with at least one semester of research methods and/or one semester of statistics
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students must also maintain a 3.0 GPA during the semester before going abroad.
HOW TO APPLY
Want to apply? Click the “Start Your Application" button at the top of this page. If the button doesn't appear above, the program is not yet accepting applications. You will be asked to set up a short profile, which will allow us to send you relevant information about your application. Once you’ve created a profile, you will see a checklist of items that you will need to submit. These generally include:
- Application questionnaire(s)
- Personal statement
- Official transcript(s)
Academics
Global Behavioral Science, PSYC 1991 OC, 4 credits
Note: The University reserves the right to withdraw or modify the courses of instruction or to change the instructors as may become necessary.
Students will participate in a practicum hosted at the University of Cambridge (UCAM). They will work with 20 to 30 psychology students on the Junior Research Programme from multiple universities and countries who will join the practicum, along with over 100 other research collaborators. The objective is for students to get hands-on experience in carrying out behavioral science research, from study development to dissemination, while participating in a large, international collaboration. Specific skills to be acquired include multicultural teamwork, research design, data collection (internationally), data analysis, scientific writing, and academic presentation. Students are encouraged to engage in the publication and revision process, subject to feasibility. All contributors will receive authorship credit.
The theme for summer 2025 will be "Emotions and the Climate Crisis: Eliciting pro-Environmental Behaviors".
Examples of previous publications:
Academic Schedule:
GRADES AND TRANSCRIPTS
Grading Policy
Click here for the Columbia summer program grading policies.
Transcripts
Upon successful completion of the program, grades are entered into Columbia's online grading system and students can request a Columbia University transcript. Non-Columbia students (including Barnard) can request electronic transcripts online through the Columbia University registrar.
No credit is granted to students who do not complete the full program
Life in Cambridge
The program is hosted by the University of Cambridge at Corpus Christi College. GLOBES students will most likely live in the Leckhampton facilities, which is approximately a 20 minute walk from where class will be held.
Students will be housed in single rooms, furnished with at least a bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, desk with chair and reading lamp, and an easy chair or sofa. Linens and towels are provided. Basic cooking facilities are available nearby (containing a sink, a fridge, a combination microwave, a kettle and a toaster).
At the end of the program, GLOBES students will attend the Junior Researcher Programme Conference. This three day conference is a capstone event for each cohort or researchers, held annually at Corpus Christi College. This event is an opportunity for research teams to present the progress of their work. The conference also includes interactive sessions, a full day of presentations, and a formal dinner.
Hear from faculty and students!
Former Student
Former Student
"The GLOBES program has positively impacted my development as an emerging researcher. Through this experience, I had the chance to work on a study that fosters real-world impacts while gaining advanced research skills that enabled me to reach my academic and career goals." - Adrianna Valencia, Summer 2021 Participant
"Participating in the GLOBES research practicum in Cambridge, UK, was a fantastic academic and cultural experience. Being granted the opportunity to collaborate and live with Columbia students and junior researchers from all over the world with different backgrounds was a wonderfully unique experience. I gained a lot of hands-on research experience and knowledge that will impact my future endeavors and resume. I really enjoyed the program format, where you are not just in a classroom abroad but actually working on a real study with a talented team of researchers." - Nick Dutra, Summer 2022 Participant
People
Program Director
Dr. Sarah Ashcroft-Jones is the Executive Director of the Junior Researcher Programme
and a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public
Health. She earned an MA in Psychological and Behavioural Sciences from the
University of Cambridge (UK) and an MSc in Psychological Methods from the University
of Oxford (UK), where she also completed her PhD in Experimental Psychology funded
by the UK Medical Research Council. Her doctoral research explored computational
models of metacognitive decision confidence in categorization judgments.
Currently, Dr. Ashcroft-Jones investigates the individual and structural factors
influencing financial and health decisions, focusing on theory-driven interventions aimed
at reducing social inequality. Her international work includes collaborations with
academic institutions like Heidelberg University (Germany) and policy consultancy with
the World Bank’s Mind, Behavior, and Development Unit. Her research spans multiple
countries and disciplines, resulting in high-impact publications in leading journals such
as Nature, Nature Human Behavior, and Behavioral and Brain Sciences. A committed
advocate for open science, she served as a Fellow of Reproducible Research at the
University of Oxford.
Dr. Ashcroft-Jones’ expertise bridges psychology, behavioral economics, and public
policy, with a dedication to translating rigorous, data-driven research into actionable
insights that enhance societal well-being on a global scale.
Financial Considerations
*Summer 2025 Tuition and Fees:
Please see our cost breakdown for detailed information.
*Tuition and fees are subject to the Board of Trustees' approval and may change.
FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS
If you receive financial aid during the academic year, you may remain eligible for financial aid when you attend a summer Columbia-Led Program as long as you take a minimum of 6 points.
CC/SEAS: Contact the CC/SEAS Financial Aid & Educational Planning to understand if any of your federal financial aid may cover enrollment costs for a summer program. Please note the Columbia Grant is not available for summer studies.
General Studies: Contact the GS Office of Educational Financing to understand if any of your financial aid may cover participation in a summer program.
Other students should contact their home school financial aid offices.
Global Learning Scholarship (GLS)
The Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) offers the Global Learning Scholarship (GLS) to support Columbia students so they may enhance their undergraduate education by participating in a summer global learning opportunity.
Eligibility:
You are eligible for the Global Learning Scholarships (GLS) if you are:
A Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, or General Studies student who demonstrates financial need
All other students are not eligible for the GLS
Application and Timeline:
Students apply for the Global Learning Scholarship (GLS) and the Columbia-Led summer program with two separate applications.
Scholarship applications are due: February 14, 2025 (closes at 11:59 pm EST)
GLS applicants must also submit a completed program application by the program application deadline OR no later than the following: February 14, 2025 (closes at 11:59 pm EST)
To apply to the Global Learning Scholarship (GLS), please click here.
OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS
For a list of other scholarships specific to study abroad, please visit the Scholarships for Study Abroad for more information. Of note are the:
For more general information and resources on financing your time abroad, please see the pages below:
WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICY
To learn about the financial consequences for withdrawing from the program, please read the Summer Withdrawal and Refund Policy here.
