Policies and Procedures

Academic progress requirements

• Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Failure to maintain a cumulative 3.0 may result in administrative review or dismissal due to inadequate academic progress.
• NON-CORE COURSES: Receive a grade of a C- or better in any non-core course to earn credit toward the degree. No graduate credit will be earned for ANY courses in which students receive a grade of D+, D, D-, or F.
• CORE COURSES: Receive a grade of a C, C+ or better in a core course. A grade of C- in a CORE course will not be accepted and the course will need to be repeated. Students are only permitted ONE grade of a C OR C+ in the core. If a second C or C+ is earned, the student must repeat the course.
• Complete all requirements within 5 years of beginning the program.
• Register every Spring and Fall until the completion of the degree unless a registration waiver is approved.
• Be deemed by the School to be making adequate progress toward a degree based on grades and completed credits to date.

Graduation requirements

• MPP: 48 credits earned. MPM: 36 credits earned.
• 3.0 cumulative GPA. 
• 3.0 average GPA of all core requirements.
• No grade lower than a “C” in a core requirement, and no more than one “C” in all core requirements. 
• Specialization requirements met, if specializing.

You may request a waiver for a core requirement if your prior coursework or work experience is substantially equivalent to a required course. If approved, you’ll substitute the waived course with another, but you must still complete the total number of credits required for your degree.

Commonly Waived Courses

• Quantitative Courses (e.g., PLCY610): Students with advanced undergraduate coursework in statistics or economics, or with professional experience using statistical methods, may qualify.
• Qualitative Courses: Students with strong backgrounds in philosophy, ethics, or professional writing may be eligible.

Before You Apply

1. Review the syllabus of the course you wish to waive. Find sample syllabi here.
2. Compare your experience with the course content. Consider contacting the course instructor or Academic Advisor if you’re unsure.
3. Make sure your evaluation reflects the current version of the course, not past students’ descriptions.

How to Apply

1. Complete the waiver form: Access the form here.
2. Prepare your submission:
   • Write a one-page comparison of your previous course(s) or work experience to the course you want to waive.
     • Your comparison must clearly show how your background meets the objectives of the course you're requesting to waive.
     • Map the core elements: themes, content, readings, and expected outputs or assignments.
     • Address the rigor of your previous coursework or experience and include stylistic elements, such as whether the course or work involved professional skills.
     • If possible, match your past outputs (papers, reports, projects) to those expected in the course.
     • Demonstrate equivalency, not just similarity.
   • Include documentation:
     • Past course syllabi with descriptions, readings, and assignment details
     • Work samples that show your experience using course-relevant methods or content
3. Submit your request using the waiver form above.

After Submission

• Decisions are typically made within four weeks.
• You will receive a written approval or denial.
• Keep a copy of your approval for your graduation application.

Note: Waivers are only granted when a student has clearly demonstrated preparation equal to the course being waived. The School of Public Policy will err on the side of caution when reviewing requests. If you have any questions or concerns, please email sppgradadvisor@umd.edu. 

Introduction

The School of Public Policy (SPP) encourages students to explore courses outside of the School—including those offered by other departments at the University of Maryland, institutions within the D.C. Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, and other University System of Maryland (USM) schools. These opportunities provide access to unique subjects not available at SPP or on the College Park campus. From neighboring departments like Architecture and Planning to institutions such as George Mason University, students have a wide range of choices for supplementing their academic programs.

Important Requirements:

• The course must focus on public policy or public management
• The course should not duplicate content from previously completed coursework
• The course must be graduate-level, graded (not pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory) and of comparable quality to SPP courses
• A maximum of two outside courses may be approved per degree unless sufficient justification is provided

SPP Approval Process

To receive credit for graduate courses outside of SPP, students must obtain prior written approval. Follow these steps:

1. Review the Course Syllabus: Obtain and carefully read the most recent syllabus of the desired course.

2. Submit a Written Request: Complete the SPP Outside Course Approval Request Form, attaching the course syllabus and a one-paragraph statement explaining how the course aligns with your program goals.

3. Wait for Approval: Allow up to two weeks for SPP to review your request. Approval will be provided in writing.

Taking a Course at a D.C. Consortium Institution

Students may have the option of taking courses at one of our D.C. Consortium partners. If you plan to take a course through the D.C. Consortium, follow these additional steps:

1. Review Consortium Policies: Familiarize yourself with UMD’s Consortium policies and consult the Office of the Registrar regarding registration and payment details.

2. Evaluate the Course Fit:

   · Ensure the course is not substantially similar to those offered at UMD.

   · Confirm the course’s availability for Consortium students, as some programs or instructors may have restrictions.

3. Contact the Course Instructor: Reach out via email to request permission to register and gauge the instructor’s receptiveness to Consortium students.

4. Register: Complete the Consortium’s paper registration form (available from UMD’s Registrar’s Office) and obtain the necessary signatures from SPP. Submit the completed form to the Registrar for processing.

Key Considerations:

   · Consortium students are often treated like waitlist students for registration priority.

   · Arrange a backup course at UMD to ensure you meet credit requirements in case you are not admitted.

   · Be aware of differing semester start dates, registration deadlines and fees across institutions.

Additional Steps for USM Institutions

For courses at other USM schools, the inter-institutional enrollment process applies:

1. Understand the Policies: Review UMD’s inter-institutional enrollment guidelines.

2. Verify Course Fit: Ensure the course is not substantially similar to those available at UMD.

3. Submit the Application: Complete the Inter-Institutional Enrollment Form, secure required signatures from SPP, and return the form to the Registrar for processing.

Conclusion and Next Steps

While the process may be time-consuming, students often benefit greatly from the diverse perspectives these external courses offer. All requests are reviewed individually, and SPP retains final discretion over approvals.

To begin the process:

1. Complete the SPP Outside Course Approval Request Form. You will need to sign in with a Google Account (use your “umd.edu” email address).

2. Once approved, submit the necessary Consortium or inter-institutional form to your academic advisor for SPP signatures.

For questions, please email sppgradadvisor@umd.edu.

Overview

The PLCY798A and PLCY798B courses allow for independent study. In most cases, Independent Study courses are used for extenuating circumstances in the Masters space and; therefore, they need the SPP Director of Graduate Studies's approval. These courses require students to develop a syllabus and work with a faculty member on a particular topic. Students must complete 45 hours of graduate level work per 3 credit course. Students may complete up to 3 credits per study in a semester.

Student requirements

Students must create a syllabus and submit a proposal to a potential advising professor. The syllabus should be based on familiar models and probably include the following:

• Title
• Overview with learning objectives
• Course readings and other inputs (texts, data sets, recordings, other media)
• Course writings, exams and other outputs
• Schedule/Timeline by week

All reading should include total pages per document. This measure helps us to evaluate the quantity of material that the student covers. The faculty advisor will judge the appropriateness of the content.

Faculty Advisor

Students must find a faculty advisor. The advisor should be a regular faculty member in the School of Public Policy. The student must request the assistance of the faculty member with a proposal. This request may be accepted or rejected by the faculty member. To increase a student’s chances of having a proposal accepted, the student should design the course to be of interest to the advisor. The student should also prioritize faculty with whom they have an existing relationship.

While the advisor will assign the final grade of the course, an independent study is mostly the work of the student. The student is responsible for completing the work in the desired time frame and for communicating their needs. Students should be driven to produce good work intrinsically.

Be aware that faculty members don’t work during the summer. So, some may be less likely to work on a summer study with a student. Also, commitments like books, papers, and course load are very likely to contribute to faculty availability. Please respect their other commitments and be prepared to ask someone else for help if you are rejected.

Examples

Previous topics have included immigration policy, a survey of current topics in consumer finance and a quantitative analysis in Health Policy. The style of the course will be proposed by the student and probably revised by the faculty member. The most important aspect of an independent study is a high quality output.

Next steps

Pick a topic and draft a synopsis. Consider why this topic should appeal to your potential advisor. Create a very basic syllabus so that you can show it to your potential advisor to display that you are serious about this study.  

When you and the faculty advisor finish drafting the syllabus, please send it please send it to the Graduate Studies' academic advisor for review and approval. Allow two weeks for this review. Once you receive the written approval, you may register for the course and begin your independent study.