Academic Policies, Procedures & Forms
Student and Academic Services (SAS) serves as the primary contact for academic information and assistance for SPAA students, including academic advising.
General / Rutgers SPAA / Rutgers University
For academic advising, SPAA students can 1) make ADVISING APPOINTMENTS or 2) utilize VIRTUAL DROP-IN HOURS.
Please refer to the BA Academic Advising, MPA Academic Advising, or PhD Academic Advising sections below for advisement information specific to each degree program.
- Students should familiarize themselves with Rutgers University's Policy on – and disciplinary process associated with – plagiarism and review Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy.
- To ensure academic integrity, professors may rely on plagiarism detection programs that all Rutgers faculty have at their disposal.
- Register for courses online using Rutgers WebReg. This service is available to all students at the university during registration unless they have a hold on their account.
- For the most up-to-date information regarding upcoming registration, please check out the general registration guidelines.
SPAA Students
- For undergraduate registration questions, please contact the assistant dean for undergraduate programs, Alyssa LaPatriello, at alapat@newark.rutgers.edu.
- For MPA registration questions, please contact the assistant dean for graduate programs, Reena Patel, at reepatel@newark.rutgers.edu.
Please see the Rutgers SPAA Policy on Student Travel Support [pdf] for information on available conference travel funds for SPAA PhD and MPA students.
BA (undergraduate) Program (on-campus | online )
For academic advising, SPAA undergraduate students can 1) make ADVISING APPOINTMENTS or 2) utilize VIRTUAL DROP-IN HOURS.
Undergraduate Advisors
Last Name: A-Mo
- Melissa Mora
mm2107@newark.rutgers.edu
Zoom Room
Last Name: Mp-Z
- Alyssa Sofman
alapat@newark.rutgers.edu
Zoom Room
1) ADVISING APPOINTMENTS
Undergraduate students can make and manage their academic advisement appointments through the Navigate Portal or with the Navigate App.
To Schedule an Appointment
1. Log into the Navigate Portal with your NetID and password
2. Click the “schedule an appointment” button
3. It will prompt you to enter the following information before allowing you to select your appointment:
– Care Unit: Advising
– Location: Virtual Meeting
– Service: Academic Advising – SPAA
4. Please check the availability of either Assistant Dean Sofman or Ms. Mora
5. Once you save the appointment, you will automatically receive an appointment notification in your email that includes instructions on how to virtually join the scheduled appointment
To Cancel an Appointment
Canceling your appointment if you cannot attend opens your spot up to other students who need one. You will be marked as a no-show if you do not cancel.
1. Log into the Navigate Portal with your NetID and password
2. Locate your appointment
3. Select cancel (It may prompt you to select the reason for cancellation)
4. Mark as canceled/save
2) VIRTUAL DROP-IN HOURS
All virtual advising is done through the advisor's personal Zoom room. Visit the Navigate Portal to view their virtual drop-in hours. You do not need to notify the advisor that you plan to attend. When you sign on for a drop-in advising session you will first enter the waiting room. You will be let into the session in the order you signed on. There may be other students ahead of you.
Cap and Gown Pre-Order
Once you have completed the order you will receive an email confirmation. Students who are uncertain if they will attend should still place an order. Gowns that are not picked up will be returned. There is no fee to pre-order. Pre-orders are only accepted online until mid-March. If you do not pre-order your gown, you will be able to purchase a gown from the Rutgers University–Newark Bookstore starting in late April.
Regalia
SPAA undergraduates should order the Bachelor of Public Service regalia, which has a teal hood.
Latin Honors
- Summa Cum Laude: Highest Honor – 3.850 or better GPA (receives a gold medallion)
- Magna Cum Laude: 3.700 to 3.849 GPA (receives a double gold knotted honor cord)
- Cum Laude: 3.500 to 3.699 GPA (receives a single gold honor cord)
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Rutgers University–Newark Bookstore.
Rutgers University–Newark Commencement Ceremony Information
BA Program Core Curriculum and Major Requirement Worksheet
Declaration of Major/Minor Form
Credit Overload Request
BA Service Learning Internship Questionnaire
MINOR in Public and Nonprofit Administration Requirements Worksheet
Host Enrollment Form
Independent Study Form
Incomplete Form
Graduation Requirements
To graduate, students must do the following:
- Complete at least 120 degree credits
- Successfully complete the core curriculum
- Successfully complete all major requirements
- Successfully complete a second concentration
- Successfully complete the writing intensive requirement
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or better
Graduation Application
Students must apply for graduation by the deadlines below. It is recommended that you apply when the application becomes available for your intended graduation date:
- January graduates - Application for graduation is open from July 31st - October 15th
- May graduates - Application for graduation is open from October 16th - February 15th
- August graduates - Application for graduation is open from February 16th - July 30th
You must apply for graduation to receive your diploma. Diplomas will be mailed to the address used on your graduation application. They are typically mailed three months following your graduation date.
Graduation Application Link
Gradtracker: https://nwkstudents.rutgers.edu/gradtracker/
You are required to apply for graduation, even if you do not intend to participate in Commencement.
August Graduates - Request to Participate in the Commencement Ceremony Prior to their Graduation Date
Any August graduate who would like to participate in the Commencement that precedes their graduation date must submit a request to participate. Click here to complete the form.
The BA Student Handbook [pdf] is used as a guidance for BA students.
MPA / EMPA Program (on-campus | online | executive)
For academic advising, SPAA MPA students can 1) make ADVISING APPOINTMENTS or 2) utilize VIRTUAL DROP-IN HOURS.
On-Campus MPA Program
- Melissa Mora
mm2107@newark.rutgers.edu
Zoom Room
Online MPA Program
Last Name: A-M
- Melissa Mora
mm2107@newark.rutgers.edu
Zoom Room
Last Name: N-Z
- Reena Patel
reepatel@newark.rutgers.edu
EMPA Program
- Reena Patel
reepatel@newark.rutgers.edu
1) ADVISING APPOINTMENTS
MPA students can email the appropriate advisor to schedule an advising appointment.
2) VIRTUAL DROP-IN HOURS
Melissa Mora offers virtual drop-in hours on Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 5:30pm through her personal Zoom room. You do not need to notify her that you plan to attend. When you sign on for a drop-in advising session you will first enter the waiting room. You will be let into the session in the order you signed on. There may be other students ahead of you.
Pre-order your cap and gown:
Once you have completed the order you will receive an email confirmation. Students who are uncertain if they will attend should still place an order. Gowns that are not picked up will be returned. There is no fee to pre-order. Pre-orders are only accepted online until mid-March. If you do not pre-order your gown, you will be able to purchase a gown from the Rutgers University–Newark Bookstore starting in late April.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Rutgers University–Newark Bookstore.
Commencement Ceremony Information
Students who have completed the required credits and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible for graduation. Students are able to graduate at one of three times during the year, October, January and May. There is only one graduation ceremony held in May to which all graduates are invited.
Graduation Application
In order to graduate the student must apply for graduation at: https://grad.admissions.rutgers.edu/diploma
The deadlines for applying are:
- August 1 for October degrees
- November 1 for January degrees
- March 1 for May degrees
Students with outstanding financial obligations after May 1 will NOT receive their diplomas on commencement day.
Download file for fillable form.
Advisement Worksheets
The MPA and EMPA programs note student progress on advisement worksheets which provide a plan of study to guide semester by semester registration.
• MPA Nonprofit Management Track Advisement Worksheet [pdf]
• MPA Public Management Track Advisement Worksheet [pdf]
• EMPA Advisement Worksheet [pdf]
Prior to Fall 2023 Advisement Forms
• MPA On-Campus Advisement Form [pdf]
• MPA Online Advisement Form [pdf]
• EMPA Advisement Form [pdf]
Internship Guidelines & Contract
• MPA Internship Guidelines and Contract [pdf]
Transfer Credit Application
• MPA Transfer Credit Application [pdf]
Readmission Application
• MPA Readmission Application [pdf]
Incomplete Form
• MPA Incomplete Form [pdf]
Independent Study Form
• MPA Independent Study Form [pdf]
Non-Degree (Non-matriculated) Registration Form
• Non-Degree Registration Form [pdf]
Withdrawal From School Form
• Withdrawal Form [pdf]
BS/MPA or BA/MPA Dual Degree Program Application Form
• BA/MPA Internal Application Form [pdf]
For courses in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, special permission numbers are required in the following circumstances:
- Capstone
The final class students will take in their MPA program is Capstone. To be eligible for capstone, students must be in their final semester, having completed all necessary pre-requisites.
- You are an on-campus student seeking an online course
The MPA program is offered in two forms, on-campus and online. To ensure that student enrolled in the online program are able to take the classes they need, students in the on-campus program are limited in how many online courses they can enroll. Students enrolled in the on-campus program are able to register for up to 3 online courses throughout the pursuit of their degree, no more than 1 per semester. On-campus student must use an SPN to register for an online class. Only online students are able to register for online courses for the first two weeks of the registration period.
- BA/MPA Students
Those students completing 5-year program/accelerated program are eligible to take masters level courses as an undergraduate student with permission from their academic advisor.
- The course is closed
This means the original number of students approved to take this course has been reached. In some limited situations, students may be able to be added to a close course using an SPN.
To obtain a Special Permission Number, contact your academic advisor. Please note, SPN’s are given out each Thursday during the registration period. In cases where the student requests a different section after an SPN has been issued, if approved, the student will receive the new SPN the following Thursday.
The MPA Student Handbook [pdf] is used as a guidance for Master of Public Administration students. It outlines the components of the MPA curriculum, and details degree requirements and academic standards. This program handbook is designed to help you—with the guidance of your faculty advisor—create a program of study that is appropriate to your interests and career aspirations. It is the student's responsibility to make themselves aware of the policies outlined in this handbook.
PhD Program
Students can contact the director of the PhD program, Dr. Lindsey McDougle (lindsey.mcdougle@rutgers.edu), with any questions about coursework advisement.
Visit the Rutgers University–Newark Bookstore to order a rental gown or purchase a custom gown.
PhD students must complete two comprehensive exams (or “comps” for short), which are described below.
Comp I
Upon completion of all five core courses (without any outstanding incompletes), the student must complete their first comprehensive exam (Comp I) that covers the content learned in the core. This a closed-book exam administered by the PhD director and assistant dean for graduate programs on campus and consisting of two essays, one completed in the morning (10am to 1pm) and one completed in the afternoon (2 to 5pm). The essay questions are not provided in advance and will change from semester to semester, but students will have some choice in the questions they answer. Comp I will be given only in January and June (the dates will be announced in advance) and should be taken as soon as possible after the student completes the core courses. The essays are generally graded by faculty members who teach in the core.
If the student receives a failing grade on one or both of the essays, an additional faculty member selected by the PhD director will be asked to read the essay(s). The student may then be asked to re-take the exam, following the same format but with a new question. If the student fails a second time, they cannot continue in the program.
Comp II
Upon completion of all of the relevant elective courses in their specializations (without any outstanding incompletes), the student should complete their second comprehensive exam (Comp II), which reflects knowledge the student has learned through his or her elective coursework. The exam takes the form of an essay, representing one of the student’s areas of specialization. The exam is administered by the student’s main adviser, a core member of the SPAA faculty (or if the student does not yet have an adviser, by a core SPAA faculty member with expertise in the specialization) as follows:
- The adviser, in consultation with the student, schedules the exam and notifies the PhD director.
- The student submits the essay in final form to the adviser. The essay can be any combination of a quantitative empirical study, a qualitative empirical study, or a literature review essay and should be comparable in length, style and quality to a journal manuscript. The essay may be extensions of work the student has done as part of an independent study or other elective coursework. Important: The essay must be sole-authored original work by the student – an essay that have been written in part by a faculty mentor, another student, or any other co-author cannot be submitted for Comp II.
- The adviser identifies an appropriate second reader for the essay; the second reader should be a faculty member with expertise in the relevant area of specialization.
- The adviser and the second reader review the essay and prepare written feedback and criticism (similar in style to a journal’s peer-review process); as a result, the student will receive two reviews of the essay (one from the adviser, one from the second reader).
- The adviser, in consultation with the second reader, may decide to require revisions to the essay. The student will then revise the essay, generally within a one-month period. The student will have only one opportunity to revise and resubmit the essay before receiving a final grade.
- The adviser, in consultation with the second reader, will notify the student of the final grade for the essay, copying the PhD director.
If the student receives a failing grade on the essay, an additional faculty member selected by the PhD director will be asked to read the essay and the student may be given one last opportunity to revise the essay. If the student still receives a failing grade, he or she will not be allowed to continue in the program.
Academic integrity is essential in all aspects of the PhD program, including Comp II. Any indication that any part of a student’s Comp II essay is not the original work of the student will be grounds for a failing grade (with no chance to revise and resubmit the essay).
Grades
For both comprehensive exams, the possible grades are as follows:
- High pass (pass with distinction)
- Pass
- Fail
Key Stages and Policies of the Dissertation Process
- Dissertation Proposal (Prospectus) and Qualifying Exam
- Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)
- IRB Review and Approval
- Writing the Dissertation and Policy on Using Published or Co-authored Work in the Dissertation
- Applying for Graduation
- The Dissertation Defense
- Submitting your Dissertation for Publication
1. Dissertation Proposal (Prospectus) and Qualifying Exam
The first stage of the dissertation involves developing and defending a proposal (also called a prospectus). Working closely with an adviser, the student develops a written research proposal of about 30-40 pages in length (not including attachments).
With advice from the student’s adviser, a committee is formed to review the proposal and participate in a public and open defense, known officially as the qualifying examination. The committee should be composed of three SPAA core tenured or tenure-track faculty members (including the adviser, who chairs of the committee) and a fourth, outside member from outside SPAA (either another department at Rutgers or another university).
Upon successfully passing the qualifying examination, the student is admitted to candidacy (and known then as a PhD candidate). At the defense, it is important for the committee and candidate to complete and sign the Application for Admission to Candidacy, which is available from the forms page of the Graduate School: https://www.gsn.newark.rutgers.edu/phd.
If the defense is unsuccessful, the Application for Admission to Candidacy provides an option for the committee to not recommend admission to candidacy.
Students can be reimbursed for up to $500 in dissertation expenses (e.g. mailings).
2. Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)
All Rutgers University faculty, students, and other individuals involved in human subjects research are required to complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Basic Course and complete the CITI Refresher Course every three (3) years thereafter. Doctoral students should complete their CITI training as soon as possible after entering the program, but certainly must do so in advance of preparing their dissertation proposal. For more information, visit the Office of Research Regulatory Affairs CITI webpage at: https://orra.rutgers.edu/citi.
3. IRB Review and Approval
All doctoral dissertations involving human subjects must be reviewed and approved by the Rutgers Institutional Review Board (IRB) before beginning the dissertation research. The IRB is charged with the protection of the rights and welfare of human research subjects while facilitating ethical research. The IRB is part of the Office of Research and Regulatory Affairs, who provides subject matter expertise and administrative support to the IRB committee itself, which is comprised mostly of Rutgers faculty who are also researchers. In addition, the IRB includes individuals with expertise who are not part of the Rutgers community, as required by the federal regulations governing research with humans. Review by the IRB is required for research involving human subjects regardless of the funding source, and also covers human subjects research without funding. For more information, visit the Office of Research Regulatory Affairs, Arts and Sciences IRB webpage at: https://orra.rutgers.edu.
4. Writing the Dissertation and Policy on Using Published or Co-authored Work in the Dissertation
A dissertation is generally expected to be the original work of the sole author. In order to encourage PhD students to publish work before their dissertation defense, the PhD program in public administration accepts published work (including accepted and conditionally accepted work for publication) to be included in a dissertation if it is the student’s sole-authored work or co-authored work with SPAA full-time faculty where the student is the lead author with a greater than 50 percent contribution.
Unpublished co-authored work (including work under review and with revise-and-resubmit status) is also allowed to be included in a dissertation only if the student co-authors with a SPAA full-time faculty member and the student leads the project and contributes more than 50 percent. Co-authored work with other doctoral students or people outside SPAA faculty will not be accepted. The dissertation committee has the authority to judge the student’s contribution in the work, regardless of whether or not it is published.
Only two pieces of co-authored work are allowed to be included in a dissertation. For copyright and citation issues, students must comply with the guidelines endorsed by RU Library, which can be found here.
Students seeking to incorporate a publication into their dissertation, which may potentially violate this policy (e.g., if the publication involves co-authorship with a fellow student colleague or a faculty member not affiliated with SPAA), have the option to appeal to the PhD Program Director. The PhD Program Director will collaborate with the PhD Committee to assess whether the publication may be considered for inclusion in the dissertation. All appeals considerations must be submitted in writing, and all appeals decisions will be returned in writing no later than four weeks from the date when the appeal was submitted.
5. Applying for Graduation
Diplomas can be issued three times per year: October, January, and May but there is only one commencement ceremony (in May). You should have an idea of when you will complete your degree requirements and review this with your advisor. When you have selected a date, you need to complete a Graduate Diploma Application by the appropriate application deadline.
Diploma application deadlines are:
- For October graduation, the deadline is August 1
- For January graduation, the deadline is November 1
- For May graduation, the deadline is March 1
The Graduate Diploma Application is available on the forms page of the Graduate School: https://www.gsn.newark.rutgers.edu/phd.
6. The Dissertation Defense
Your defense is ready to be scheduled once your Chair informs the PhD Director to that effect. You will then select a date and time when your committee members are available and book the room in consultation with the SPAA staff.
Electronic and hard copies of your dissertation must also be submitted to SPAA two weeks in advance of your scheduled defense for public review. Coordinate scheduling and the public announcement of the defense with SPAA staff.
Before the defense, also schedule an appointment with the Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs to ensure that all of your student records and transcripts are complete and in order.
You must bring to your defense:
- Two original copies of the first (title) page of your dissertation printed on 100% cotton thesis paper so that all members of your committee can sign them.
- The Dissertation Defense Report, which can be downloaded from the forms page of the Graduate School: https://www.gsn.newark.rutgers.edu/phd.
7. Submitting the Dissertation
Rutgers requires doctoral dissertations to be submitted exclusively in electronic form. Dissertations must be converted to a PDF file and then uploaded online to RUetd (Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations) so that it will be permanently available through RUcore (Rutgers University Community Repository).
To ease into the process, doctoral students can do practice runs as often as necessary and receive feedback from the Graduate Dean's office as to whether all is in order prior to making their final submission. The formatting instructions have been rewritten for electronic submission and are posted on the RUetd at the check box, "Author Guidelines" at the bottom of the Step 1 page. Instructions are included for copyright and submission to ProQuest/UMI (University Microfilms).
The electronic dissertation will be maintained in the Rutgers University library system. Two original cover pages hand-signed by the student's dissertation committee members will still be required to be submitted to the Graduate Dean's office for permanent record, even when the dissertation is submitted electronically.
Course/Summary Worksheet
To plan and keep track of coursework.
Student Annual Evaluation
Complete and submit by email to the PhD Program Director no later than May 20.
- Annual Evaluation Form for First Year PhD Students [doc]
- Annual Evaluation Form for Second Year PhD Students [doc]
- Annual Evaluation Form for Third Year PhD Students [doc]
- Annual Evaluation Form for Fourth Year and Beyond PhD Students [doc]
The PhD Committee conducts PhD student annual evaluations with consideration of the evaluation forms completed by students and their advisors. Each student will receive a letter grade (A, B, B-, C, D, and F) as a result of the evaluations, which will be used for decisions on graduate fellowships, award nominations, etc. Students must receive an annual evaluation grade of B- or higher to be eligible for SPAA graduate fellowships in the following academic year.
Registration Form
Must be signed by the PhD Program Director before you can register.
Independent Study Form
Must be completed and approved in advance of registering for an independent study.
Application for Transfer Credits
Must be completed and approved in advance of registering for an independent study.
Application for Admission to Candidacy
To be completed at the time of Dissertation Defense.
Students are responsible for their own degree requirements/completeness.
In order to be awarded a PhD degree, students must complete two applications – a candidacy application and a diploma application – and submit their dissertation electronically by the deadline dates.
There are three certification/degree periods (October, January, and May), but there is only one joint convocation ceremony each year in May.
Application for Candidacy
All students must complete the candidacy application and submit it to the Graduate School Dean's Office by the deadline date.
Candidacy application deadlines are:
- For October graduation, the deadline is October 1
- For January graduation, the deadline is January 4
- For May graduation, the deadline is May 1
Application for Diploma
All students must complete the Online Diploma Application by the deadline date.
Students with outstanding financial obligations after May 1 will NOT receive their diplomas on commencement day.
Diploma application deadlines are:
- For October graduation, the deadline is August 1
- For January graduation, the deadline is November 1
- For May graduation, the deadline is March 1
Dissertation Submission
All dissertations must be submitted electronically. Dissertations must be converted to a PDF file and then uploaded online to RUetd (Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations) so that it will be permanently available through RUcore (Rutgers University Community Repository). See PhD Dissertation information above.
The PhD Student Handbook [pdf] is used as guidance for SPAA PhD students. It outlines degree requirements and academic standards.
However, all policies and procedures outlined in the Graduate School–Newark Student Handbook [pdf] take precedence over any conflicting SPAA policies.