Academic Policies

Registration

Students with any questions about course requirements, the suitability of particular courses, or the procedures for registering, should see the director of Academic Services and Administration for MPP at 172 Rubenstein Hall.

Students who enroll in the MPP or dual-degree program receive instructions about registering for courses from the director of Academic Services and Administration before the opening of fall and spring registration windows. A student must be registered to establish eligibility for university and other loans, to receive student health services, and for access to the use of study, laboratory, and recreational facilities. Students use an online registration system to complete registration. Typically, registration for new students is completed during the orientation period but may begin in July after students have been matriculated. Registration for continuing students is accomplished in early April (for fall semester) and late October or early November (for spring semester). Students visit the director of Academic Services and Administration for MPP to discuss their course registration options. MPP and dual-degree students register for Public Policy continuation each academic semester. All tuition and fee payments and any indebtedness must be settled before registration can be completed. Students who fail to register and pay all tuition and fees before deadlines specified by the university will be assessed a penalty by the bursar.

Credit Hours

Candidates for the two-year MPP degree register for four consecutive semesters in their public policy academic career. MPP-MEM and MPP-MBA students register for six consecutive semesters, taking public policy courses in their first full academic year, MEM or MBA courses in the second year, and a mix of public policy and MEM or MBA courses in the final year of study. JD-MPP students attending Duke Law School register for eight consecutive semesters, taking public policy courses in their first full academic year, law courses in the second and third years, and a mix of public policy and law courses in the final year of study. Students enrolled in the dual MD program with the School of Medicine, the MDiv program with the Duke Divinity School, in the dual JD or MBA programs with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill law or business schools, or the JD program with North Carolina Central Law School should meet with the director of MPP student services, as well as the program directors of their respective dual-degree programs, for registration information. To be considered full-time, candidates for master’s degrees must register for a minimum of nine credits per semester. Full-time students may enroll for fewer than 9.0 course credits only in their final (graduating) semester of study. Students must have permission of the MPP director of graduate studies to register for more than fifteen credits in a semester, and any student who in extenuating circumstances needs to enroll for fewer than nine credits must make a formal request to the MPP director of graduate studies.

With the approval of the director of graduate studies of the MPP Program, full-time students may be admitted to a maximum of two courses in a given semester (up to six credits), not to exceed a total of 12.0 course credits during their tenure in the MPP Program, at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, or North Carolina Central University. All interinstitutional registrations involving extra-fee courses or special fees required of all students will be made at the expense of the student and will not be considered part of Duke’s tuition coverage. Information on the interinstitutional registration process is available at registrar.duke.edu/registration/special-registrations.

Summer Registration

Since MPP and dual-degree students are completing their required internships during the summer after their first full MPP year, they do not typically register for summer courses. Students meet with the director of Academic Services and Administration and the MPP director of graduate studies (DGS) should the need for an exception to this policy arise.

Interinstitutional Registration

With director of graduate studies approval, full-time students at the Sanford School may be admitted to a maximum of two courses in a given semester, not to exceed a total of 12.0 course credits during their tenure in the MPP Program, at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, or North Carolina Central University. All interinstitutional registrations involving extra- fee courses or special fees required of all students will be made at the expense of the student and will not be considered part of Duke’s tuition coverage. Information on the interinstitutional registration process is available at registrar.duke.edu/interinstitutional-duke-students-visiting-other-campuses.

Taking Classes in Other Duke Schools

A student interested in taking a class at The Fuqua School of Business or Duke Law School should contact the course instructor to receive their written or email permission to take the course. Then, bring this permission and a description of the course to the MPP director of graduate studies for approval to register and director of graduate studies signature on any required registration forms. Copies of these registration forms should be provided to the director of MPP student services, who will submit them to the Sanford School registrar for processing.

• For Duke Law School courses, visit law.duke.edu/study/registrar for instructions and a link to the registration form. The Duke Law Registrar’s Office is Room 2027 Duke Law; (919) 613-7027; registrar_office@law.duke.edu.

• For Fuqua courses, visit fuqua.duke.edu/registration-non-fuqua for instructions and a link to registration forms. Completed Grad/Prof Student Course Registration Permission forms should be returned to the MPP director of student services, submit them to the Sanford School registrar for processing. Please note that Fuqua operates on a different academic calendar than the Sanford School.

Grades

Grades in the MPP Program are as follows: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, F, I, X, Z, and W.

I (incomplete) indicates that some portion of the student’s work is lacking, for an acceptable reason, at the time the grades are reported. Sanford School graduate students have up to one year to resolve an incomplete (I), or it will become a permanent part of the student’s record. The student and instructor should coordinate a timeline for submission of the missing work. Program or continuation fees may be assessed for students who must register for an additional semester to resolve an incomplete.

The grade of X indicates that a student has missed the final examination for a course and must make it up by the end of the fifth week of the following semester to receive a grade for the course.

The grade of Z indicates satisfactory progress at the end of the first semester of a two-semester course. For graduate students enrolled in the summer session, a temporary I for a course may be assigned after the student has submitted a written request. If the request is approved by the instructor of the course, then the student must satisfactorily complete the work prior to the last day of classes of the subsequent summer term.

A grade of W indicates that the student officially withdrew from the course.

A grade of F in a core course will normally result in dismissal. Failure to maintain at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative grade point average or receiving a grade of F in any other course will result in academic probation. To remain in good academic standing, and to graduate from the MPP Program, students must maintain at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative grade point average. Students falling below this average jeopardize their financial support and are subject to dismissal.

If a student takes a course for credit at another Duke school, such as The Fuqua School of Business or Duke Law School, which does not assign grades used by Sanford, the instructors should review Sanford grades found at registrar.duke.edu/student-records-resources/gpa and assign the appropriate Sanford grade accordingly. Courses graded Credit/No Credit cannot count toward graduation requirements.

Courses numbered below the 500 level (undergraduate courses) may not be applied toward the required credits needed for a post- baccalaureate degree. With the approval of their director of graduate studies, graduate students may enroll in undergraduate courses, but these courses will not count toward any graduation requirements and will not be included in a student’s GPA calculation. Graduate students must be classified as full-time students based on their graduate-level course enrollment as a prerequisite for enrolling in courses numbered below 500.

Course Substitutions

In certain cases, a student may wish to substitute another course for a required course. To do this, the student should fill out the course substitution form available in the “Forms” section of the MPP student handbook or accessible through the student’s MPP Sakai organization site and submit the form, together with information about the course the student wishes to take, to the director of MPP Academic Services, who will consult with the MPP director of graduate studies for final approval.

Microeconomics and Statistical Science Course Placement

Online assessments for microeconomics and statistical science placement are offered to matriculated students prior to New Student Orientation Week via the Sakai online course management system. Placement assessment scores and a student’s prior coursework and academic performance will be considered by microeconomics and statistical science faculty members to determine student placement.

Course Listings

A list of courses offered at the Sanford School is updated and posted each semester. A Sanford School graduate course guide will be made available to students prior to each registration cycle. Students may visit the director of MPP Academic Services to discuss course options and graduation requirements.

Independent Study

In exceptional cases, MPPs may request an independent study from Faculty for a topic not otherwise addressed or offered in regular classes. The MPP program provides the opportunity to create such a course with credits ranging from 0.5-3.0. Requests must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies after confirming a Sanford faculty member is able and willing to serve as an instructor, completing a Graduate Independent Study Permission Form, and drafting a syllabus. MPP students may complete a maximum of 6 credit hours of independent study coursework. The work in these independent study classes must be equal to a regular Duke class of the same credit value, and a faculty member must supervise the class. For additional information and to secure the appropriate paperwork, please see the MPP director of student services.

Auditing a Course

Auditing a course gives a student the opportunity to explore an area related to their policy interests or review an area of personal expertise. If a student audits a course, they attend classes but may not be required to turn in all assignments or take exams. No grade or credits will be issued for the course; however, it will appear on the student’s transcript with the notation “AD.” If the student withdraws from the audited course after the Drop/Add period, a “WA” (withdraw audit) will appear on the transcript. In order to register as an auditor for a course, the student completes the course audit form available on the MPP Sakai organization site and either delivers it in person to the Office of the University Registrar, 1121 West Main Street, Suite 1200—Bevan Building, or scans and emails it to registrar@duke.edu prior to the end of the Drop/Add period.

Withdrawal from a Course

If a course must be dropped after the official Drop/Add period ends for a given semester, the student must formally withdraw from the course. All withdrawals will be noted on the permanent record as Withdrew (W).

MPP students must complete a Course Withdrawal Form and have it signed by the course instructor before delivering it to the MPP director of student services, who submits it to the MPP director of graduate studies for approval.

Leave of Absence

Unforeseen circumstances (e.g., family crisis, medical issue) may require a student to take a leave of absence (LOA) from the program for a period of one or two semesters. Students who think they may need to pursue this option should see the MPP director of student services to discuss paperwork required and terms of the LOA. Typically, a student can request an LOA only after completion of at least one full semester of the program.

Withdrawal from Program

A student who wishes to withdraw for any reason from the Sanford School during the academic year must notify in writing both the MPP director of graduate studies and dean of the Sanford School prior to the date of the expected withdrawal and no later than the last day of classes for that semester. Upon receipt of approval, the MPP director of student services will initiate the formal withdrawal process through the Sanford School registrar. Consult the financial aid and student accounts pages of the MPP student handbook for information on eligibility for tuition refund upon withdrawal.