Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy: Academic Rules, Regulations, and Information

About

Academic Rules

Programs/Courses

Faculty

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below. 

Academic Advising: The Director of Academic Programs and Registrar is responsible for the academic advising of Batten School students. The Director meets with students regularly to monitor curricular progress, and administers school policies with regard to student retention, degree progress, academic probation, and graduation status.

Each MPP student is also assigned a faculty mentor who coaches the student in the academic disciplinary substance of leadership and public policy. All students are required to conduct an initial meeting with their faculty mentor during their first semester in the program. Meeting with the faculty mentor thereafter is optional. Faculty mentors are not responsible for advising and referrals outside the academic disciplinary realm.

Academic Standing: At the end of each semester the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar reviews the academic records of all Batten students to see if they are in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward their degree. This review ensures that students are informed of academic problems in a timely way. The Director of Academic Programs and Registrar counsels students who are facing academic difficulties and applies any academic sanctions imposed at the discretion of the Dean.

To remain in good academic standing in a degree program of the Batten School, MPP students must 1) earn a final grade of B minus or higher in all core courses of the degree program, 2) earn no more than six credit hours with final grades lower than a B minus in elective courses required for the degree, and 3) maintain a cumulative grade point average of B (3.00) or higher in all courses required for the degree, including elective courses taken in other schools at the University of Virginia.

A student who fails to meet these conditions will be placed on academic probation, pending the Dean’s review. The Director of Academic Programs and Registrar will notify the student of this status in writing and explain the probationary terms of restoring good academic standing. A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below B (3.00) must attain the minimum cumulative grade point average of B (3.00) or higher in all courses required for the degree, including elective courses taken at other schools at the University of Virginia, by the end of the next semester. A student who is required to retake a core course must do so at the earliest opportunity and earn a final grade of B minus or higher.
 
Failure to meet the terms of restoring good academic standing will result in enforced withdrawal from the program in which the student is enrolled, pending the Dean’s review. If a student is granted permission to continue in the degree program under exceptional circumstances, failure to meet the terms of restoring good academic standing  may jeopardize his or her financial aid.

Application of Batten School Policies: Policies and procedures apply to all students enrolled in the Batten School, as stipulated below, and are subject to change.

Petitions for exception should be addressed to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Policies and procedures governing enrollment in a degree program or course at the Batten School also apply to students from other schools who are enrolled in Batten programs and courses.

Application of Other School and University Policies: Students enrolled in the first year of the Accelerated Master of Public Policy program are still candidates for their undergraduate degrees. They are therefore governed by the regulations of the school in the University in which they are completing those degrees, as well as with the general policies of the University of Virginia, presented in the Undergraduate Record and available on-line at records.ureg.virginia.edu/. Upon successful completion of the undergraduate degree and the first year of the Batten curriculum, these students will be officially admitted to the Batten School graduate program. Students may not be admitted to the graduate program without an undergraduate degree.

All students enrolled in the Batten School’s graduate programs are responsible for complying with the policies of the University of Virginia, presented in the Graduate Record and available on-line at records.ureg.virginia.edu/.

The Graduate Record and the Undergraduate Record contain information on policies that apply to all University students, regulations governing undergraduate, graduate and dual-degree programs, the Honor System, tuition, fees, and financial aid.

Attendance: Given the intensive nature of the curriculum, students are expected to attend all scheduled class meetings. When necessary, excuses for absence from class are arranged between the student and the instructor of the course. It is the responsibility of the student to discuss numerous absences with the instructor and the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar. If necessary, the Director may ask the Department of Student Health to evaluate the effect of any illness on a student’s attendance and academic performance.

Poor attendance may be taken into account by the instructor in any manner for grading purposes. The instructor will bring cases of excessive absence to the attention of the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar.

In the event that the student falls behind in coursework for any reason, it is the responsibility of the student to make up the work in a manner that is approved by the instructor.

Course Enrollment: Students are required to register for a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester for full-time student status. The maximum course load of 17 credit hours may only be exceeded upon approval of the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar.

For students enrolled in the Accelerated Master of Public Policy Program, the credit hours for all Batten coursework taken during the first year counts toward the undergraduate degree. In the second year, students must complete a minimum of 30 credits of graduate-level work in-residence.

Students should enroll during pre-enrollment to avoid problems with tuition bills and financial aid. Registration is not complete until all fees have been paid or satisfactory arrangements have been made with Student Financial Services.

Degree Application: To receive a degree, students must comply with the procedures administered by the Batten School Registrar. The application process for May graduation begins in October, with the final deadline to file a May degree application falling on February 1. The application deadline for August graduation falls in June, and for January graduation the deadline falls in September. Students who miss a deadline may apply for the subsequent graduation and must register for the semester in which it occurs. 

Degree Completion: All work for the Master of Public Policy degree must be completed within five years of matriculation.

Final Examinations: Final examinations are to be given only at the time announced by the University Registrar. Under no circumstances should class time be used for the administration of final examinations. An instructor may, however, give the examination on a “take home” basis during the examination period. Students who are scheduled to take three final examinations within 24 hours may approach an instructor with a request to make up one of those examinations in accordance with the following policy.

A student who wishes to request the postponement of an examination under rare, extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control must contact the instructor no later than one week before classes end. Absence from a final examination for any course offered in the Batten School may be excused only by the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar, and then only when accompanied by evidence of arrangement with the instructor for a deferred examination, to be taken within ten days after the regular examination. An emergency that justifies extension of this period will be considered only when supported by satisfactory documentation submitted immediately after the period of emergency. After the ten-day period, or its extension if granted by the Director of Academic Programs, the temporary grade of IN (incomplete) will officially become a grade of F unless the deferred examination has been completed. Absences are excused only for sickness on the day of the examination or for other providential cause acceptable to the Director of Academic Programs. An excused absence may be absolved by taking a special examination at a time mutually acceptable to the instructor and the student. Special examinations are not granted for reasons other than those stated above.

Unexcused absence from an examination incurs an automatic failure in the course with a grade of F.

Grade Appeals: A student who wishes to appeal a grade must first attempt to resolve the issue with the instructor of the course. The appeal must be submitted to the instructor in writing within 30 days of grade posting. If no resolution is reached, the student may submit a written appeal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Grade Changes: Error in calculation or transcription is the only acceptable reason for a grade change. Grades cannot be changed after a degree is conferred, or more than one semester following the end of the course, whichever comes first. Instructors may change grades electronically for winter term and spring semester through December 31 of that year, and for summer sessions and fall semester through May 31 of the following year. After this point, instructors must submit a grade change form to the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar, who will seek approval from the Dean.

Grades: The academic performance of a student in each course taken for a grade is recorded as one of the following grades: A+, A, A-; B+, B, B-; C+, C, C-; D+, D, D-; F. All courses intended to fulfill degree requirements must be taken for a grade, unless exclusively offered for the MPP degree on a credit/no credit basis.

Graduation Requirements: Degree candidates must earn a final grade of B minus or higher in all core courses of the degree program. In cases where a student earns a final grade lower than B minus in a core course, the student must retake the course and earn a final grade of B minus or higher. While both grades will appear on the transcript, the Batten School will only allow degree credit for the course in which a grade of B minus or higher is achieved, and only that grade will factor into the cumulative grade point average

In addition, degree candidates must earn a cumulative grade point average of B (3.00) or higher in all courses required for the degree, including elective courses taken in other schools at the University of Virginia, and must earn no more than six credit hours with final grades lower than a B minus in elective courses required for the MPP degree. A degree candidate must be enrolled at the University in the semester in which he or she is an applicant for the MPP degree and must be in good academic standing at the Batten School for degree conferral. In extraordinary situations, the Dean may elect to exercise discretion in waiving certain graduation requirements. The Dean’s discretion is not appealable and is exercised only in rare circumstances.

Transfer Credit: The Batten School does not allow transfer credit to be counted toward the MPP degree. In extraordinary situations, the Dean may elect to accept transfer credit via petition. 

Incomplete and Missing Grades: The symbol IN (incomplete) is used when additional coursework or examination is required to fulfill the obligations of a given course. A student may not request an incomplete in an attempt to raise his or her grade. An IN is not a valid final grade and becomes an F 200 days after the grading deadline (30 days for undergraduates), unless the student requests an extension from the course instructor prior to the end of the course, and secures approval. The time allowed to complete course requirements is determined between the student and the instructor, but may not exceed one semester beyond the term in which the student took the course. Students must enter into a written agreement with the instructor, specifying the remaining requirements and timeline. If the student fails to fulfill the agreement, the grade automatically becomes an F unless changed by the instructor. Grade changes from IN to a final grade cannot be made more than one semester following the end of the course.

Original Work: Students are required to submit their own work in all courses, properly citing the words and ideas belonging to others in all assignments, in accordance with instructor guidelines and the University of Virginia Honor System. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

Work that has been submitted as an assignment for one course may not be submitted as an assignment for another course without the explicit approval of the instructor.

Master of Public Policy (MPP)

The MPP curriculum instills four distinctive elements into the traditional study of policy analysis:

• A focus on leadership skills.
• A multidisciplinary perspective on the evolving context of public policy.
• Attention to the role of psychological and non-rational factors in decision-making and group behavior.
• A fully realized commitment to experiential learning through hands–on projects, policy simulations, and field experiences.

The core curriculum consists of ten required Batten School courses:

• Four courses on the concepts and tools of problem solving and policy analysis
         o PPOL 6100: Economics of Public Policy I
         o PPOL 7110: Economics of Public Policy II
         o PPOL 6150: Research Methods and Data Analysis I
         o PPOL 7160: Research Methods and Data Analysis II
• Two courses on leadership 
         o PPOL 6050: Leadership in the Public Arena
         o PPOL 7410: Psychology for Leadership
• One course on the foundations and contexts of public policy
         o PPOL 7010: Foundations and Contexts of Public Policy
• Three courses centered on applied, experiential learning
         o PPOL 6250: Introduction to Policy Analysis
         o PPOL 7600: Thesis Project
         o PPOL 7610: Applied Policy Project

The core curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in the concepts, methods and strategies of policy analysis and effective leadership. The program emphasizes teamwork and close interaction among students and faculty.

In addition to core courses, students are required to take 18 elective credits and a 1 credit Professional Development Seminar. Electives give students an opportunity to gain substantive expertise in their areas of policy interest. Students may enroll in electives offered by the Batten School and by other graduate and professional schools across the University. Batten students regularly enroll in courses at the Law School, the Darden Graduate School of Business, the Curry School of Education, the School of Architecture, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Students are required to complete an internship in the summer between the first and second years. Students may intern in international, federal, state, or local government agencies; non-profit organizations; or private sector corporations and consulting firms; in the United States or abroad.  Students select their internships based on their interests and in consultation with program faculty.

The capstone of the program is an Applied Policy Project in which students perform a professional-quality study for a real-world client under faculty supervision. For some students, the project is an outgrowth of the summer internship, and in some cases, it may lead to a post-graduation position with the client organization. Upon graduation, students are prepared for public service careers in government, non-profit organizations, and private firms engaged in public-private partnerships.

Post-Graduate MPP

Open to applicants who will have earned a Baccalaureate degree by June of the year of their fall matriculation into the MPP program.  While pursuing the core MPP curriculum students are encouraged to identify specific issues that interest them and to explore these issues through elective coursework, the experiential components of the curriculum (policy projects and internships), discussion groups, and the rich array of events on public policy organized by the Batten School.

Admission: Admission to the Batten School is competitive to ensure a well-rounded class and to limit class size. Prospective students from all disciplinary backgrounds are invited to apply. Applicants are required to take the GRE. While there are no prerequisite courses required, it is advantageous to have taken an introductory economics course, other social science courses, and an introductory calculus or introductory statistics course prior to admission. Summer coursework before the fall semester in which the student begins the program is also an option.

During the summer in between their first and second years, MPP students participate in a required internship in a public policy field of the students’ interest. 

Accelerated Bachelor/MPP

Open to current UVa undergraduates from all majors, the Accelerated Bachelor/MPP Program allows admitted students to complete both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Public Policy degree in five years, rather than the normal six. While pursuing the core MPP curriculum students are encouraged to identify specific issues that interest them and to explore these issues through elective coursework, the experiential components of the curriculum (policy projects and internships), discussion groups, and the rich array of events on public policy organized by the Batten School.   

Admission: Admission to the Batten School is competitive to ensure a well-rounded class and to limit class size. UVa undergraduate students typically apply for admission during their third year. Applicants must demonstrate that they will have earned at least 90 undergraduate credits before the start of their fourth year. In addition, prior to enrollment in the accelerated MPP program, students are required to have passed ECON 2010 and any one of the following math courses: MATH 1210 - Applied Calculus I; MATH 1212 - Applied Calculus I with Algebra; MATH 1310 - Calculus I; APMA 1090 - Single Variable Calculus I; or any more advanced calculus course. The economics and math prerequisites can be fulfilled through either coursework or AP credit. Summer coursework before the fall semester in which the student begins the program is also an option.

Once admitted to and enrolled in the Accelerated Bachelor/MPP Program, students begin their professional studies at the Batten School while completing their remaining undergraduate coursework to receive their bachelor’s degree. They will take three Batten core courses per semester of their first year with Batten, for a total of six Batten courses during the first year of the program. The remaining two courses per semester of their final undergraduate year are available for students to complete their major, minor, other undergraduate requirements, or electives relevant to the MPP program.

Students must complete all of the academic requirements for and receive their undergraduate degree by the end of their fourth year in order to be eligible to advance to graduate standing and receive the MPP degree. During the summer in between their fourth and fifth years, MPP students participate in a required internship in a public policy field of the students’ interest. At the conclusion of the summer internship, Batten students return for their fifth year as graduate students completing their MPP coursework.

The Batten School offers five Dual Degree programs with other graduate and professional schools at the University of Virginia. Each program includes the entire first year of the Batten MPP curriculum and the first year curriculum of the participating school. The dual degree programs allow students to complete the two programs in less time than would be required if each were taken separately.

MPP/JD

Administration of the Program: The program is administered by a Program Committee composed of one member of the public policy faculty and one member of the law faculty, as designated by the respective deans. The responsibilities of the Program Committee extend to admission to the dual program, coordination of curricula for the students involved, resolution of problems that may arise, reconciliation of course and examination conflicts, and promotion of dual offerings by the two schools where that seems feasible. The Deans from each school will also appoint a faculty advisor to the program who may or may not also serve as the school representative to the Program Committee.

Students who have been admitted independently to both schools and who wish to undertake the dual program should notify the registrar of both schools and apply to the Program Committee for permission to do so. Entrance to the MPP-JD program will not be guaranteed by virtue of acceptance at both schools, but will be judged according to criteria, which is the responsibility of the Program Committee.

Change of Status: At any point in the program, the student may terminate plans for a dual degree and continue toward a single degree at either school. The student must then satisfy the normal requirements of the school elected, which may include credit for some of the work done in the other school, as determined by the appropriate officials of the school in question.

Curriculum: The program takes four years to complete. In brief, it consists of the complete first year program of each school followed by two years of courses taken from the curricula of the two schools and, in appropriate cases, from other graduate offerings at the University. A student who has been admitted to the program will ordinarily be allowed to elect whether to start in the Batten School or in the Law School. The student will then spend the second year in the program as a regular first year student in the other school.

At the conclusion of the fourth year, students who have earned a minimum of 74 credits in the School of Law and a minimum of 37 credits in the Batten School will be awarded the MPP and JD degrees. The MPP-JD candidate is obligated to take, as part of these credits, all of the required curriculum in both graduate public policy and law. The remaining credits will be elective credits and can be chosen from the respective public policy and law curricula after consultation with the program committee.

Financial Aid: Financial aid will be provided by the school to which the student is paying tuition during each semester. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and regulations.

Overview: The Batten School offers a combined program with the University of Virginia School of Law, in which the student may obtain the MPP degree and the JD degree in four years instead of the five that would be required if each were taken separately.

The MPP-JD program is particularly demanding, and unless the students is clearly able to see the applicability of both degrees to future career plans, he or she should not assume that the chance to squeeze one year from a normal five-year sequence is in itself a persuasive rationale for this undertaking.

MPP/MBA

Administration of the Program: The program is administered by a Program Committee composed of one member of the public policy faculty and one member of the business administration faculty, as designated by the respective deans. The responsibilities of the Program Committee extend to admission to the dual program, coordination of curricula for the students involved, resolution of problems that may arise, reconciliation of course and examination conflicts, and promotion of dual offerings by the two schools where that seems feasible. The Deans from each school will also appoint a faculty advisor to the program who may or may not also serve as the school representative to the Program Committee.

Students who have been admitted independently to both schools and who wish to undertake the dual program should notify the registrar of both schools and apply to the Program Committee for permission to do so. Entrance to the MPP-MBA program will not be guaranteed by virtue of acceptance at both schools, but will be judged according to criteria, which is the responsibility of the Program Committee.

Change of Status: At any point in the program, the student may terminate plans for a dual degree and continue toward a single degree at either school. The student must then satisfy the normal requirements of the school elected, which may include credit for some of the work done in the other school, as determined by the appropriate officials of the school in question.

Curriculum: The program takes three years to complete. In brief, it consists of the complete first year program of each school followed by one year of courses taken from the curricula of the two schools and, in appropriate cases, from other graduate offerings at the University. A student who has been admitted to the program will ordinarily be allowed to elect whether to start in the Batten School or in the Darden School. The student will then spend the second year in the program as a regular first year student in the other school.

At the conclusion of the third year, students who have earned a minimum of 52.5 credits in the Darden School and a minimum of 40 credits in the Batten School will be awarded both the MPP and MBA degrees. The MPP-MBA candidate is obligated to take, as part of these credits, all of the required curriculum in both graduate public policy and business administration. The remaining credits will be elective credits and can be chosen from the respective public policy and business administration curricula after consultation with the program committee.

Financial Aid: Financial aid will be provided by the school to which the student is paying tuition during each semester. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and regulations.

Overview: The Batten School offers a combined program with the University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, in which the student may obtain the MPP degree and the MBA degree in three years instead of the four that would be required if each were taken separately.

The MPP-MBA program is particularly demanding, and unless the students is clearly able to see the applicability of both degrees to future career plans, he or she should not assume that the chance to squeeze one year from a normal four-year sequence is in itself a persuasive rationale for this undertaking.

MPP/MPH

Administration of the Program: The program is administered by a Program Committee composed of one member of the public policy faculty and one member of the public health faculty, as designated by the respective deans. The responsibilities of the Program Committee extend to admission to the dual program, coordination of curricula for the students involved, resolution of problems that may arise, reconciliation of course and examination conflicts, and promotion of dual offerings by the two schools where that seems feasible. The Deans from each school will also appoint a faculty advisor to the program who may or may not also serve as the school representative to the Program Committee.

Students who have been admitted independently to both schools and who wish to undertake the dual program should notify the registrar of both schools and apply to the Program Committee for permission to do so. Entrance to the MPP-MPH program will not be guaranteed by virtue of acceptance at both schools, but will be judged according to criteria, which is the responsibility of the Program Committee.

Change of Status: At any point in the program, the student may terminate plans for a dual degree and continue toward a single degree at either school. The student must then satisfy the normal requirements of the school elected, which may include credit for some of the work done in the other school, as determined by the appropriate officials of the school in question.

Curriculum: The program takes three years to complete. In brief, it consists of the complete first year program of each school followed by one year of courses taken from the curricula of the two schools and, in appropriate cases, from other graduate offerings at the University. A student who has been admitted to the program will ordinarily be allowed to elect whether to start in the Batten School or in the Department of Public Health. The student will then spend the second year in the program as a regular first year student in the other school.

At the conclusion of the third year, students who have earned a minimum of 42 credits in the Department of Public Health Sciences and a minimum of 40 credits in the Batten School will be awarded both the MPH and MPP degrees. The MPP-MPH candidate is obligated to take, as part of these credits, all of the required curriculum in both graduate public policy and public health. A maximum of two courses (six credits) can be counted toward both degrees. The remaining credits will be elective credits and can be chosen from the respective public policy and public health curricula after consultation with the program committee.

Financial Aid: Financial aid will be provided by the school to which the student is paying tuition during each semester. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and regulations.

Overview: The Batten School offers a combined program with the University of Virginia Department of Public Health Sciences in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, in which the student may obtain the MPP degree and the MPH degree in three years instead of the four that would be required if each were taken separately.

The MPP-MPH program is particularly demanding, and unless the students is clearly able to see the applicability of both degrees to future career plans, he or she should not assume that the chance to squeeze one year from a normal five-year sequence is in itself a persuasive rationale for this undertaking.

MPP/MUEP

Administration of the Program: The program is administered by a Program Committee composed of one member of the public policy faculty and one member of the architecture faculty, as designated by the respective deans. The responsibilities of the Program Committee extend to admission to the dual program, coordination of curricula for the students involved, resolution of problems that may arise, reconciliation of course and examination conflicts, and promotion of dual offerings by the two schools where that seems feasible. The Deans from each school will also appoint a faculty advisor to the program who may or may not also serve as the school representative to the Program Committee.

Students who have been admitted independently to both schools and who wish to undertake the dual program should notify the registrar of both schools and apply to the Program Committee for permission to do so. Entrance to the MPP-MUEP program will not be guaranteed by virtue of acceptance at both schools, but will be judged according to criteria, which is the responsibility of the Program Committee.

Change of Status: At any point in the program, the student may terminate plans for a dual degree and continue toward a single degree at either school. The student must then satisfy the normal requirements of the school elected, which may include credit for some of the work done in the other school, as determined by the appropriate officials of the school in question.

Curriculum: The program takes three years to complete. In brief, it consists of the complete first year program of each school followed by one year of courses taken from the curricula of the two schools and, in appropriate cases, from other graduate offerings at the University. A student who has been admitted to the program will ordinarily be allowed to elect whether to start in the Batten School or in the School of Architecture. The student will then spend the second year in the program as a regular first year student in the other school.  Up to 20 credits of MPP courses can apply to the MUEP and up to 12 credits of MUEP courses can count toward the MPP.

At the conclusion of the third year, students who have earned a minimum of 73 credit hours of combined coursework from each school will be awarded the MPP and MUEP degrees. The MPP-MUEP candidate is obligated to take, as part of these credits, all of the required curriculum in both graduate public policy and architecture. The remaining credits will be elective credits and can be chosen from the respective public policy and architecture curricula after consultation with the program committee.

Financial Aid: Financial aid will be provided by the school to which the student is paying tuition during each semester. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and regulations.

Overview: The Batten School offers a combined program with the University of Virginia Graduate School of Architecture, in which the student may obtain the MPP degree and the MUEP degree in three years instead of the four that would be required if each were taken separately.

The MPP-MUEP program is particularly demanding, and unless the students is clearly able to see the applicability of both degrees to future career plans, he or she should not assume that the chance to squeeze one year from a normal four-year sequence is in itself a persuasive rationale for this undertaking.

MPP/PhD

Administration of the Program: The program is administered by a Program Committee composed of one member of the public policy faculty and one member of the education faculty, as designated by the respective deans. The responsibilities of the Program Committee extend to admission to the joint program, coordination of curricula for the students involved, resolution of problems that may arise, reconciliation of course and examination conflicts, and promotion of dual offerings by the two schools where that seems feasible. The Deans from each school will also appoint a faculty advisor to the program who may or may not also serve as the school representative to the Program Committee.

Students who have been admitted independently to both schools and who wish to undertake the dual program should notify the registrar of both schools and apply to the Program Committee for permission to do so. Entrance to the MPP-PhD in Education program will not be guaranteed by virtue of acceptance at both schools, but will be judged according to criteria, which is the responsibility of the Program Committee.

Change of Status: At any point in the program, the student may terminate plans for a dual degree and continue toward a single degree at either school. The student must then satisfy the normal requirements of the school elected, which may include credit for some of the work done in the other school, as determined by the appropriate officials of the school in question.

Curriculum: The program takes five or six years to complete. Students complete the Batten School core curriculum during the first and second years, taking education policy courses in the Curry School to satisfy their elective credits and other courses as agreed upon by the Program Committee. For the following three to four years, students will complete the remaining PhD coursework, research requirements, and dissertation.

At the conclusion of the two years of study primarily in the Batten School, students will receive the MPP degree. At the conclusion of the fifth or sixth year of the program, students who have completed at least 72 credits in the Curry School will receive the PhD in Education degree. The MPP-PhD candidate is obligated to take, as part of these credits, all of the required curriculum in both graduate public policy and education. The remaining credits will be elective credits and can be chosen from the respective public policy and education curricula after consultation with the program committee.

Financial Aid: Financial aid is available and will be coordinated by the two schools. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and regulations.

Overview: The Batten School offers a combined program with the University of Virginia Curry School of Education, in which the student may obtain the MPP degree and the PhD in Education degree in five or six years of study. The MPP-PhD in Education program is particularly demanding, and unless the students is clearly able to see the applicability of both degrees to future career plans, he or she should not assume that the chance to complete both degrees on a shortened timeframe is in itself a persuasive rationale for this undertaking.

Pilot Awards: The Pilot Awards are for graduating MPP students whose excellence and outstanding contributions have, in their own way, led the Batten School. The late Frank Batten, Sr., desired that his company be distinguished by two things: extraordinary dedication to public service and outstanding performance. Beyond the example set by Mr. Batten through his leadership at The Pilot, the name for the Batten Council award also is derived from the more common use of the word “pilot”— recognizing those who “guide or direct a course of action for others.” Particularly important in a young school with new academic programs, the Pilot Award celebrates those students who have so ably helped the Batten community members navigate uncharted territory.

Nominees for the Pilot Awards must be Master of Public Policy degree candidates in the current academic year. Nominations will be accepted from any Batten students, faculty, and staff, and nominators may recommend more than one student (through submission of individual forms). Nominations will be reviewed by a Batten Council-appointed committee of students, faculty, and staff members. Each year 3-5 awards are conferred.

Teaching: In recognition of notable teaching and considerable skill in motivating and inspiring students, the Batten School and the University of Virginia are pleased to offer two annual outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) awards, conferred at the conclusion of the academic year:

Batten School Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: - $250 Prize
All GTAs serving in Batten School graduate courses in the fall and spring semesters and in undergraduate courses in the spring semester are eligible. Decisions are reached by faculty committee and are based on official University end-of-semester teaching evaluations.

University Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: - $250 Prize
All GTAs serving in Batten School undergraduate courses in the fall semester are eligible. Decisions are reached by faculty committee and are based on official University end-of-semester teaching evaluations.

Policy Analysis

Outstanding Applied Policy Project Award: MPP students submitting completed Applied Policy Projects in the spring semester are eligible. Decisions are reached by faculty committee and are based on APP instructor nominations. The Batten School may also confer a variable number of Honorable Mentions for this award.

Disability Accommodation: Students with disabilities may contact the Learning Needs and Evaluation Center (LNEC) to arrange accommodations. The LNEC coordinates disability accommodations, which may include alternate text formats for course material, peer note-taking, extended time for tests, sign language and other interpreting, and housing arrangements. Initial evaluation of academic difficulties is also available as needed to students who pay Student Health fees. Students with disabilities must submit appropriate documentation to the LNEC in support of a request for accommodations. All accommodation requests must be submitted in a timely manner, usually at or before the beginning of each semester. For requests involving on-Grounds housing, appropriate deadlines within the Housing Office should also be met.

Student Email: Email is a mechanism for official communication within the University of Virginia. The University has the right to expect that such communications will be received and read by students in a timely fashion. Official email communications are intended only to meet the academic and administrative needs of the campus community. Official University email accounts are available for all enrolled students. The email address for a student is: computingID@virginia.edu. This account must be activated by the student before the University can correspond via the official email account. When students use non Virginia.edu email accounts, it is their responsibility to make sure their UVa mail is forwarded to that account.

Involuntary Medical Withdrawal: Students who are withdrawn from the University by the Department of Student Health for reasons of health will receive a grade of W (withdrawal) will be entered for each course in which the student was registered.

Leave of Absence: Requests for a leave of absence must be submitted in writing to the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar, and the time requested may not exceed one calendar year.  Due to the sequencing and progression of the Batten School curriculum, permission to take a leave of absence is subject to Dean’s review and is granted only in rare circumstances.

Readmission: Students should consult “Returning to the University” in the University Regulations—Academic section of this Record for policies that govern their readmission at the University. Applications for readmission must be submitted to the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar by August 1 for the fall semester and by November 1 for the spring semester, and will be subject to Dean’s review.

Reenrollment: Students should consult “Returning to the University” in the University Regulations—Academic section of this Record for policies that govern their reenrollment at the University. Students on an approved leave of absence who wish to reenroll within one calendar year must apply in writing to the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar at least 60 days prior to the first day of classes for the semester in which they want to reenroll.

Voluntary Withdrawal: MPP students enrolled in two degree programs at the University (e.g. Accelerated MPP, MPP dual degree program) who wish to withdraw from the MPP Program must do so in writing to the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar. The withdrawal will go into effect upon acknowledgment by the Batten School and following the student’s most recent semester of enrollment.

Students may withdraw from the University before the conclusion of a semester for personal reasons (e.g. financial, medical, family) under the following conditions:

1. Students under the age of 18 must give notice to their parents or legal guardians of their intention to withdraw. Evidence of this notice must be provided at the time of withdrawal.
2. Applications for withdrawal must be made in writing to the Director of Academic Programs and Registrar and must be approved by the Dean.
3. Failure to comply with the above regulations will subject a student to suspension from the University by the Vice President for Student Affairs. Any student who withdraws without having obtained permission is recorded as having been suspended with a grade of F recorded for each course.     
4. Students who withdraw from the University voluntarily will have the notation “Withdrawal Date: MM/DD/YYYY” recorded on their permanent academic record. Students who withdraw will receive grade of W (withdrawal) in their courses.