BU School of Public Health Fall New Student Registration Information. And Course Schedule

Transcription

1 Fall 2015 New Student Registration Information And Course Schedule Orientation is held Thursday, August 27 th & Friday, August 28 th Fall 2015 Classes begin on Tuesday, September 1 st Prepared by the SPH Registrar s Office, Talbot 2 Center Tel: or Fax:

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Your New Student Check List... 3 Student Support... 4 Compliance Requirements for Registration... 5 General Registration Tips... 6 Building Your Skills... 7 MPH Core Course Selection... 8 Course Scheduling by Concentration for Fall 2015-Spring Core Course Overview Waivers and Transfer Credit Transfer Credit Waivers Cross Registration Registering For Courses on the Student Link: The Details Fall 2015 Class Meeting Dates University Policy on Religious and Government Holidays Fall 2015 Class Make Up Days SPH Fall 2015 Academic Calendar Tuition and Fees, Student Medical Insurance Payment Deadlines How to Check your Student Account on the Student Link Dropping Classes Withdrawing from Boston University Fall 2015 Withdrawal Tuition Refund Schedule Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - FERPA Department Contact List Useful Contact Information Updates to the Fall 2015 Schedule Fall 2015 Schedule

3 Your New Student Check List Formally accept your offer of admission and pay your tuition deposit. Shortly after you pay your deposit, you will receive an from the School of Public Health regarding next steps. The will be sent to the address used in your SOPHAS application. If your primary address has changed, please notify the SPH Office of Admissions. Make note of your Boston University ID number (U plus 8 digits). If you have a previous or current employment or educational affiliation with Boston University, you will retain your BU ID number from that affiliation. If you have a prior BU ID number under a different name and are assigned a new number, please alert the SPH Registrar immediately. Students should have one BU ID only. Open your BU account. Approximately one week after you receive your BU ID, you will receive an from BU Information Services Technology office (ebgrad@bu.eu) instructing you to set up a BU Early Access account (supported by Google). The account will give you access to online registration and other BU resources. If you have trouble setting up your Early Access account, please contact the Registrar s Office. You will also receive an e mail from the SPH Registrar with a PDF attached that includes a registration packet and copy of the fall schedule. Review academic information from your department or concentration. About a week after you receive your BU ID, you will also receive an from your department/concentration with information about academic planning. This may also include your advisor assignment. Transfer credits or waive courses based on coursework taken in other programs, including BU undergraduate programs, if applicable. For more information, please see pages 12 & 13. MPH students should create a draft schedule using the chart on page 10 and their MPH concentration guide, to help map classes. Later, students can meet with their faculty advisor, when assigned, and update their schedule as needed. MS and PhD students should consult with their program director concerning courses. Register for classes via the Student Link ( If a class is flagged or closed, you can submit a waitlist form, list form to be added to a class s waitlist. Please do not the course instructor. Learn about compliance requirements for attendance and adjusting your schedule (see page 5). Check your book and reader list in August. Readers and textbooks may be ordered online or purchased in person at the BU Barnes & Noble bookstore in Kenmore Square ( Please note: some classes have pre assignments that must be completed before the first class. Complete the SPH plagiarism tutorial. With your BU address and password, please login and review the SPH Plagiarism Tutorial Website at The quick and informative electronic presentation is mandatory for all SPH students. 3

4 Student Support Welcome to the Boston University School of Public Health. We hope you find your program to be enriching, both personally and professionally. By pursuing higher education at BUSPH, you are investing in yourself so that you may be better prepared to meet the needs of our local, national, and global communities. The Education Team at the School of Public Health provides a range of services to students in all degree programs. Should you need assistance with any matter, please feel free to see a staff member in the Registrar s Office, Student Services, or the Education Office for assistance. We have an open door policy and are happy to help you find a solution to your concern or to direct you to the appropriate resources. Department contact information can be found at the end of this packet, on page 26. It is common for new students to register for an ambitious schedule in their first semester before they are accustomed to the demands of the graduate program. Don t be afraid to adjust your schedule if your workload is too intense. Students with at least two classes may drop standard, full semester classes up until October 7 without academic or financial penalty, though dropping below 6 credits will result in the student being ineligible for new federal financial aid or for deferment of prior loans. If you have questions about the ramifications of a schedule change, please talk with Andrea Tingue or Chris Paal in the SPH Registrar s Office. MPH students enrolled in an MPH core course in fall 2015 are eligible for free core course tutoring should they experience difficulty. SPH also offers writing assistance programs and referrals to other University services. Contact sphtutor@bu.edu for more information about core course tutoring or writing assistance programs. MPH students may change concentrations or add a dual concentration once the fall semester starts. The process starts with completing a concentration change form, which can be found at The process and documents needed are described on the form. Students in other degree programs are encouraged to speak with their current program director and with a member of the SPH Admissions staff should they wish to discuss the process of changing their academic program. If you need assistance with academic accommodations or mental health counseling, or if you have any questions regarding student health insurance please contact Mary Murphy Phillips, Director of Student Services, mcmurph@bu.edu, ideally before school starts. If you are a veteran, please contact Boston University Veteran s Services, veterans@bu.edu, for assistance. Rhett Jones is the Manager of Veteran s Services. Veteran s Services is part of the Office of the University Registrar, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Charles River Campus. We want you to succeed and are ready to help you please come see us if you have any questions or concerns. 4

5 Compliance Requirements for Registration Boston University policy requires students be in compliance with four requirements (payment, health, BU alert number, and Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Law) in order to register for future semesters. Students new to Boston University have until the first week in September to meet BU alert number, health and immunization, and Massachusetts Motor Vehicle compliance requirements. They have until the new student payment date of September 16 to meet the payment requirement. Students who are new to the School of Public Health but who registered in spring or summer 2015 as a student in another BU school or college may be treated as continuing students for the purposes of compliance requirements. Checking Compliance Status Log onto the Student Link at Select Personal Tab Select Compliance Status Students out of compliance with any of the four requirements should take the following steps: For health and immunization requirements, contact Student Health Services at shshelp@bu.edu or The office is located at 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Charles River Campus. For Boston University student account status, contact Student Accounting Services at studenta@bu.edu or The office is located at 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Charles River Campus. For Boston University Alert phone number, select the Personal Tab, click address and phone option, update or confirm. For Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Law, Acknowledge the notification. 5

6 General Registration Tips 1. All degree students must register every fall and spring semester until they complete their degree program. Most students may register either as full time (12 credits to 18 credits) or part time ( credits), and in general, students may change this designation each semester. Most international students must register for full time status. Students applying for federal loans, loan deferments, or most institutional scholarships must register for at least six credits. 2. Students pay per semester. Students who register in the summer semesters pay for the summer classes separately from fall or spring. 3. Full time students pay a flat rate for tuition for 12 to 18 credits of coursework. Part time students (< 11.5 credits) pay per credit. If you change status, please notify the SPH Registrar's Office so we can update your status so that your charges are correct. 4. Review your degree program and concentration requirements. Advisor approval of your planned schedule is recommended, but not required. MPH students who have not had a chance to meet with their faculty advisor or the curriculum coordinator in their concentration may register according to the chart on page 10 and make adjustments as necessary after you meet. PhD and MS students should register according to their program director s recommendations. 5. Students may register for courses anywhere at Boston University, including recreation (PDP) classes. However, only classes numbered SPH XX700 or above count towards the MPH degree unless the student is pre approved for specific transfer credit for graduate level, academic courses. 6. Students may not use financial aid to pay for classes that are not applicable to their specific degree program. This means that if full time students are registered for at least 12 credits of SPH coursework that counts to their degree, they may use federal financial aid to pay for full time tuition and then take other classes of their choice. Part time students pay out of pocket for classes that do not count to their degree program. Part time students should be very careful about adding classes that do not apply to their degree program and be sure to remain at or under 11 credits for all registered courses or classes during a semester. 7. International students studying on an F 1 or J 1 visa should check with the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) about taking courses that are not specifically approved for their degree program to be sure they remain in status. 8. Students who cannot register online for a class section that is flagged or closed may complete an online wait list form, found at list form to be added to the wait list. 9. Review prior student course evaluations. Course evaluations are available to those with a BU e mail address and can be found at Shopping for courses is limited at SPH. Once the semester starts, students who wish to add a class that has open seats must obtain the instructor s signature on a paper add/drop form (available at and submit the form to the Registrar s Office. Courses may not be added after the second class meeting without exceptional circumstances. With the exception of international students dropping below 12 credits, students do not need permission to drop classes and may do so online on the Student Link, MPH students who are U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must complete a minimum of 12 academic credits at the SPH prior to starting a practicum. 12. MPH students who are International students must complete an academic year of study prior to starting a practicum in the U.S. 6

7 13. MPH students may explore practicum possibilities and attend the skill based professional development seminars offered by the Practice Office at any time. All MPH students must attend at least two of the skill based seminars before they graduate. More information on the practicum can be found on the Practicum Office website, Building Your Skills To help students develop their public health writing skills, SPH offers the Public Health Writing Program to all SPH degree students. New and experienced public health writers are encouraged to use this free service. For more information and to book an appointment, contact the Educational Resource Coordinator at or go to Take advantage of the career events, services, and tools offered by SPH Career Services, including online tools. For more information, visit students. All MPH students who complete a practicum for their degree must also complete at least two How To Workshops. For more information on the array of topics and skills covered, go to and academic resources/for students/seminar schedule. 7

8 MPH Core Course Selection The MPH core curriculum is organized around the five core disciplines of public health and students must satisfy a core course requirement in each of these areas: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health, Health Policy and Management, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. With the exception of the Health Policy & Management core courses, students may take only one of the core course options in each of the six concentration areas for MPH degree credit. Additionally, public health practitioners need an understanding of the laws, ethics, and human rights implications of public health practices. As such, all MPH students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States must take a sixth core course in Health Law, Bioethics, & Human Rights. Knowledge and skills in these disciplines enable graduates to analyze and consider solutions to public health problems at the community, institutional, and societal levels. MPH degree students meet the core course requirement by earning a B or better in each of the core courses they are required to complete and follow the Core Course Scheduling Policy: Core Course Scheduling Policy, MPH Degree and Dual Degree Students Entering in Full time MPH students must complete their core course requirements within their first two semesters. Part time MPH students must complete biostatistics or epidemiology along with the core course in their concentration first, and complete the remaining MPH core courses within three semesters and prior to completing classes outside of their concentration. Exemptions to the MPH core course requirements include: 1. Students who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents of the United States at the time of matriculation are exempt from the Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights requirement, which is LW751 or LW719. The exemption displays automatically on degree advice, the online degree tracking system integrated with your student record and visible on the Student Link. 2. Students who feel that they may have completed prior coursework similar to the core courses listed above should review the Waiver and Transfer Credit policy on page 12 and 13 in this packet. 3. Students who have completed the following undergraduate courses at Boston University within the past five years and earned a B or better may waive particular MPH core course requirements. Students must note that courses that waive MPH requirements DO NOT count towards the minimum 48 graduate credit requirement for the MPH degree. Students who attain a grade of B or higher in both CAS MA 115 AND CAS MA 116 or CAS MA 213 AND 214 or CAS MA 684 will have fulfilled the MPH Biostatistics requirement. Students who attain a grade of B or higher in SAR HS300 will have fulfilled the Epidemiology core course requirement. Students who attain a grade of B or higher in SAR HP353 will have fulfilled the Health Policy and Management core course requirement. 8

9 4. MSW/MPH students are waived from the core course requirement in Social & Behavioral Sciences upon completion of the MSW degree. 5. Students in the MS/MPH program who have completed GMS MS700 or GMS CI760 with a B or better within the last five years are waived from the MPH Biostatistics core course requirement. 6. MBA/MPH students complete the Graduate School of Management core course equivalents for Biostatistics and Health Policy and Management. MBA/MPH Global Health students do enroll in GH704 as an elective course for the MPH degree. 9

10 Course Scheduling by Concentration for Fall 2015-Spring 2016 The following table is the sequence for fulfilling your core course requirements and introductory level concentration courses. Full time students should take no more than five classes at one time or 16 credits. Part time students are encouraged to enroll in the core course for their concentration, as well as epidemiology or biostatistics. Full time MPH students must complete their core course requirements within their first two semesters. Part time MPH students must complete biostatistics or epidemiology and the core course in their concentration first, and complete the remaining MPH core courses within three semesters and prior to completing classes outside of their concentration. Biostatistics Environmental Health Epidemiology Health Policy & Management Global Health Health Law, Bioethics and Human Rights Maternal & Child Health Social & Behavioral Sciences First Semester: Courses for full time students BS704 (if waived, take BS704 BS704 BS704 BS704 BS704 BS704 BS704 BS723) EH717 EH717 EH717 EP713 EH717 EP713 EP713 EP713 EP713 EP713 EP EP713 Fall LW * 702 * Management EH725 Other subconcentrations: GH704 or GH720 LW719 or LW719 or Subconcentration: and/or LW740 Fall LW725 (required for LW751* LW751* concentrators) SB SB721 * SB721 Optional: PH740 or PH709 or EH710 or EH710 (preferred) or PH or SB721 * LW719 or LW751* GH702 and/or GH703; or PH709, or PH740 SB721 * MC725 Note: Students interested in the Pharmaceuticals Certificate Program should enroll in PH740 if their schedule allows. Second Semester: Courses for full time students BS723 for concentration Cores: 702 and SB721 * EH768 for concentration Cores: LW719 or LW751, 702, and SB721 * BS723 and EP813 for concentration Cores: 702 and SB721 *if not done Cores: GH704 or GH720 and LW719 or LW751*, and GH concentration courses Optional: SB760 or SB800 or MC725 Management subconcentrators: 755 for concentration Cores: EH717 and SB721 * Other H students: 755 for concentration. Cores: EH717 LW850 for concentration. Cores: EH717 and 702 * SB820 or SB821 for concentration Cores: EH717 And LW719 or LW751* Assessment selective for concentration. Cores: EH717 and LW719 or LW751* * Please see page 11 for more information on which of these courses is appropriate for you. International students have global health choices for 702 and SB721 10

11 Core Course Overview Core Course for MPH program Biostatistics: BS704: 3 credits Environmental Health: EH717: 3 credits Epidemiology: EP713: 3 credits Health Policy & Management: 702: 3 credits OR GH704: 4 credits Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights: LW719: 3 credits (Replaces LW707) OR LW751: 4 credits Social & Behavioral Sciences: SB721: 3 credits OR GH720: 4 credits Notes Waivers from the following may apply: CAS MA 115 AND CAS MA 116 or CAS MA 213 AND CAS MA 214 or CAS MA 684 with a B or better. MS/MPH students waive BS704 with a B or better in GMS MS700 or CI760. Waiver rules apply must earn a B or better, and course must be within the last 5 years. EH concentrators must also enroll in EH725 concurrently with EH717 Students who successfully completed SAR HS300 with a B or better as undergraduates at BU waive EP713. Waiver rules apply must earn a B or better, and course must be within the last 5 years. 02 fulfills the MPH Health Policy and Management core course requirement for all students. Health Policy and Management concentrators must take 702 regardless of citizenship status to meet the health policy and management core course requirement. Global Health concentrators, MI students, and international students who are not permanent residents of the US may take either GH704 or 702 to meet the health policy & management core course requirement. Students may take both GH704 & 702 for degree credit (the second course is taken as an elective). Students who successfully completed SAR HP353 as undergraduates at BU waive 702 or GH704. Global Health concentrators are strongly encouraged, however, to enroll in GH704. Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights (HLB&HR) concentrators must take LW751 to fulfill the Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights core course requirement; all others may take either LW751 or LW719. If a student changes concentrations to HLB&HR after taking LW719 in a previous semester, he or she must do additional work. See Professor Roche in HLB&HR for more information. International students and non permanent residents of the U.S. are exempt from the MPH core course requirement in HLB&HR. To fulfill the social and behavioral sciences core course requirement, Global Health concentrators and international students may take GH720. All others must take SB721. All SB concentrators must take SB 721 regardless of citizenship status. MSW students are exempt from SB721 once they complete the MSW degree. 11

12 Waivers and Transfer Credit All waiver and transfer credit requests for courses taken prior to matriculation at SPH should be submitted to the SPH Registrar s Office at the time students accept admission, but forms will be accepted until the end of September The Transfer Credit & Course Waiver Policy & Form can be found at Credit and Course Waiver Form and Policy pdf. New students who were undergraduates at BU are encouraged to contact Chris Paal or Andrea Tingue in the SPH Registrar s Office to discuss potential waivers and transfer credit according to the policy governing use of SPH course credits taken during the undergraduate years at Boston University ( policy.pdf). Transfer Credit New students who completed relevant graduate coursework with a B or better in the last five years and did not apply this credit to another degree program may wish to transfer to their SPH degree program. Students in dual degree programs are not allowed to utilize transfer credit to meet degree requirements. All transfer credit requests require that students submit a transfer credit request form for review and approval. There are a small number of courses that are preapproved for transfer credit. Both the Transfer Credit and Course Waiver form and the Pre Approved Courses Listing/Form can be found on the SPH website at or on the shelves outside of Talbot 210 Center. Students must submit a transfer credit request for pre approved classes as well, but do not have to submit the additional documents (syllabus, reading list, transcript). Most new MPH students will be completing MPH core and required first level concentration classes during their first semester and should not plan to enroll in courses outside of SPH in fall A new MPH student who has waived or completed MPH core courses may explore transfer credit opportunities at a graduate school other than SPH in fall 2015, including registering at other graduate schools within Boston University or cross registering at Boston Consortium Schools. These students must obtain preapproval to take the course in order for the course credits to count towards their degree. Students seeking approval for fall 2015 courses not included on the preapproved list must submit the transfer credit request form and syllabus for preapproval no later than July 1, Requests submitted after July 1 will be reviewed, but it cannot be guaranteed that they will be reviewed before the start of the fall semester. All approved courses taken at other schools or colleges within BU will transfer at the advertised credit value. Academic credits for courses taken outside of Boston University, including Boston Consortium schools, may not transfer to BU School of Public Health at the same numeric value as they are offered at the host school. The number of transferable credit hours will be determined by the BU School of Public Health. In all cases, a final grade of B or better must be earned for the credit to transfer. Transfer credit cannot be given for courses that counted towards another degree program, undergraduate courses, courses that are more than five years old, courses taken outside of the United States at non CEPH accredited programs, pass/fail courses, online courses taken at non CEPH accredited 12

13 schools or programs. For a list of CEPH accredited institutions, visit Online graduates courses at BU schools or programs may be considered for SPH credit. Students in Master of Science or doctoral degree programs must speak with their program director regarding transfer credit for those degrees. All transfer credit allowed must then be processed according to the policy and all relevant forms must be filed. Waivers MPH students may petition to be waived from core course or concentration requirements based on previous coursework. Relevant courses must have been taken within the past five years. Students must have earned a grade of B (3.0) or better in the classes in question. Students must complete a Request for Transfer Credit/Course Waiver Form ( and provide the requested documentation with the form to the SPH Registrar s Office. Students may be asked to demonstrate their proficiency in the courses to be waived. The decision to grant a waiver is at the discretion of the department representative. Waivers do not reduce the number of credits that must be earned towards the degree (48 credits for the MPH degree). Requests for waivers should be forwarded to the SPH Registrar s Office. Waivers cannot be based on coursework taken outside of the U.S., unless it is at CEPH accredited institutions. Waiving a Core Course Students who waive a core course requirement may take any other approved SPH course of equal credit in place of the core course. Example: Student A is waived from the Environmental Health core course, EH717 (3 credits), by virtue of earning an A in a comparable course taken as an undergraduate public health major at Johns Hopkins. The Johns Hopkins course was approved as a waiver by the SPH Environmental Health faculty. This student may take any other 3 credits of MPH approved coursework in place of EH717. Waiving a Concentration Requirement Students who waive a concentration requirement must take another concentration specific course of equal credit in its place so they have sufficient number of credits within their concentration. Example: Student B, a Biostatistics concentrator, is waived from BS723 (4 credits) by the Biostatistics faculty because she completed three statistical computing courses as an undergraduate student at Cornell. In place of BS723, she must take 4 other credits from the list of Biostatistics approved courses, so that she has still earned 16 credits of Biostatistics concentration credit at SPH. Cross Registration Boston University partners with Tufts, Boston College, Brandeis University, and Hebrew College to offer increased course offerings to students in the fall and spring semesters. There is also a limited partnership with the Women s Studies program at MIT. Students must be registered for at least one course at their home school to be eligible to register at one of the partner schools. Cross registered courses follow the transfer credit rules above. For more information, visit the SPH web site, office/cross registration. 13

14 Registering For Courses on the Student Link: The Details Access the online registration system at Select the brown Academics tab. Select Registration. Students will be prompted to login using their Boston University e mail name and Kerberos password. Scroll down to find the semester you are registering for (fall), and click on RegOptions. Do not be alarmed the newest semester is always at the bottom of the page keep scrolling until you find fall Choose Register for Class". At the top of the page click on Plan. Pick the GO button to the right of those words to get into your Planner. Note that this option is for students who have already used the Plan function prior to the start of registration. If you did not, you can search for courses or type in your course number. Mark the box next to each of the courses you wish to add. Click on the Add Classes to Schedule Button. Return to the Academics tab and select Current Schedule. Confirm your schedule. 14

15 It is possible that students may be able to log into the Student Link and register for some courses, but not all of them. There are several reasons why students may be blocked from registering for a particular class. These include: The class is full. All classes at the School of Public Health have an enrollment limit. Once this limit has been met, the class is closed to web registration. If you would like to be placed on the waitlist for a class that is full, please complete our online wait list form, list form. The form is automatically submitted to the SPH Registrar's Office, and you will receive an confirmation. The wait list form is active until the semester starts. The class has seat reservations. If you receive a notice that a class is full, but it appears that there are seats available in the course, the class has seat reservations. Seat reservations are put in place by the department to save seats for concentrators who must take a course. If you are blocked, fill out the online Wait List Form, list form to be added to the wait list. The class is web registration restricted. Directed study, directed research, all practicum courses, some global health classes, and 766 are not available for web registration. If you have any problems, questions, comments, or concerns, please contact us! 15

16 Fall 2015 Class Meeting Dates SPH classes begin on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 and end on Saturday, December 19, Classes at the Charles River Campus begin on Wednesday, September 2, 2015 and end on Saturday, December 19, Monday classes will meet on: September 14, 21, 28 October 5, 13 (Tuesday), 19, 26 November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 December 7, 14, 19 (Saturday) Tuesday classes will meet on: September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 October 6, 20, 27 November 3, 10, 17, 24 December 1, 8, 15 Wednesday classes will meet on: September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 October 7, 14, 21, 28 November 4, 11, 18 December 2, 9, 16 *Wednesday, November 11, IS NOT A HOLIDAY. CLASSES ARE HELD. Thursday classes will meet on: September 3, 10, 17, 24 October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 November 5, 12, 19 December 3, 10, 17 Friday classes will meet on: September 4, 11, 18, 25 October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 November 6, 13, 20 December 4, 11, 18 Holidays: Monday, September 7, Labor Day Monday, October 12, Columbus Day Wednesday, November 25, Thanksgiving Thursday, November 26, Thanksgiving Friday, November 27, Thanksgiving Note that SPH will follow a Monday schedule on Tuesday, October 13, Emergency Closing Make Up Days are Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, FINAL EXAM (OR LAST CLASS) DATES: Class meets: Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Final exam or last class is: December 15 th December 16 th December 17 th December 18 th Saturday, December 19 th University Policy on Religious and Government Holidays The University, in scheduling classes on religious and government holidays, intends that students observing those holidays be given ample opportunity to make up their work. Faculty members who wish to observe religious holidays will arrange for another faculty member to meet with their classes or for canceled classes to be rescheduled. 16

17 Fall 2015 Class Make Up Days In an effort to better manage emergency closings which cancel classes, SPH has scheduled two dates in the fall 2015 semester as make-up class days: Saturday, November 14 & Sunday, November 15, :00 AM - 5:00 Faculty and students are urged to keep these dates open on their personal calendars in the event that they are needed for class makeup times. 17

18 SPH Fall 2015 Academic Calendar Registration Began for Degree Candidates Sunday, March 29, 2015 Payment settlement date for continuing students Wednesday, August 5, 2015 Last day to add classes online Monday, August 31, 2015 Instruction begins Tuesday, September 1, 2015 Labor Day Holiday, Classes Suspended Monday, September 7, 2015 Last Day to ADD Standard Classes, assuming student has instructor signature on paper add/drop form, there are seats open & no waitlist Before the second class meeting day (this is different than Charles River Campus date) Payment settlement date for new students Wednesday, September 16, 2015 Official Summer II 2015 Graduation Date Friday, September 25, 2015 Medical insurance waiver deadline Last Day to DROP Standard Classes without a W Grade Last Day to Change from Credit to Audit Status in standard courses or vice versa (need approval) TBA, go to insurance Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Columbus Day Holiday, Classes Suspended Monday, October 12, 2015 Substitute Monday Schedule of Classes Tuesday, October 13, 2015 Continuing Student Registration for Spring :00 AM on Sunday, date TBA Last Day to DROP standard Classes with a W grade Friday, November 6, 2015 Veteran s Day Holiday: Classes Held at SPH and CRC Wednesday, November 11, 2015 Class make up days for Fall 2015 (as needed) Saturday, November 14 & Sunday, November 15, 2015 Thanksgiving Recess Begins Wednesday, November 25, 2015 Classes Resume Monday, November 30, 2015 Last Day to Officially Withdraw or take a Leave of Absence from the University for Fall 2015 Tuesday, December 1, 2015 Last class or final exams begin Tuesday, December 15, 2015 Last class or final exams end Saturday, December 19, 2015 for most Monday classes 18

19 Tuition and Fees, These rates are effective Fall 2015 through Summer II Tuition is charged per semester of registration. # Credits Cost Status and Notes 1 $1, part time 2 $2, also continuing study fee charge for thesis or dissertation students 3 $4, part time 4 $5, part time 5 $7, part time 6 $8, minimum registration for federal financial aid eligibility if enrolled in degree program 7 $10, part time 8 $11, part time 9 $13, health insurance is required for students registered for 9 or more credits at any time in the fall or spring semester 10 $14, part time 11 $16, limit of part time registration 12 $23,712 full time 13 $23,712 full time 14 $23,712 full time 15 $23,712 full time 16 $23,712 full time 17 $23,712 full time 18 $23,712 full time preapproval required; charged at full time tuition + $1,482 per credit >19 varies for each credit above 18 Students who register for credits are considered part time and pay at the per credit rate ($1,482 per credit). Part time students cannot use federal financial aid towards classes that will not count towards their degree if they are part time (e.g., PDP classes, undergraduate classes, unapproved graduate level classes at other BU schools and colleges). Students who register for credits pay a flat, full time tuition rate of $23,712 per semester. Fulltime candidates may not remain registered for more than 18 credits without written permission from the Registrar and their Academic Advisor. If granted this permission, they are assessed full time tuition plus $1,482 per credit for each credit above 18 credits. Fees Description Graduate program fee for full time & part time degree candidates. Charged each fall & $60 spring semester. Health and wellness fee for full time degree candidates. Charged each fall & spring $174 semester. Student health insurance plan basic plan/plus plan for $1945/$

20 Student Medical Insurance Massachusetts law stipulates that all international students and college students registered for nine credits or more in a semester must be covered by health insurance. Students required to have health insurance are automatically charged for the BU student health insurance plan, and the health insurance charge may be added to the student's account at any point during the semester. Students registered for less than nine credits may contact BU Student Accounting Services before the semester starts and request that insurance be added to their bill. All registered students are eligible to be covered by the BU Student Medical Insurance plan. If the student charged for health insurance is already covered under a comparable health insurance plan based in the United States, he or she may waive the charge on the Student Link under the "Money Matters" tab. Comparability is assessed by a checklist on the Boston University medical insurance pages at insurance. The deadline to submit health insurance waivers for new students has not been announced, but will be in mid September Students who have health insurance on their bills cannot ignore the charge. The charge must be paid, waived, or removed by Student Accounting Services ( ) if in error. Payments and waivers are completed once during the academic year. COST OF ANNUAL STUDENT MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN, (8/23/15 8/22/16) Student BASIC Plan $1,945 Student PLUS Plan $2,713 Dependent Spouse* $2,713 Each Dependent Child** $2,713 *Dependent coverage is limited to enrollment in the PLUS plan only **Premium rates for dependent children are capped at two times the rate for one child, regardless of how many dependent children are enrolled. Students desiring coverage for dependents must enroll in the same PLUS plan. 20

21 Payment & Payment Deadlines The new student payment deadline for fall 2015 is Wednesday, September 16, Tuition and fees payments for all Boston University students are made to Boston University Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA Payment options for degree candidates are listed on the Student Accounting Services web site. Students are expected to use the Student Account Inquiry function on the Student Link to check the balance due on their student account. Students should use the tuition chart on page 19 and the detailed directions on the next page to assist them. Students should recheck their account as they add and drop classes after the payment deadline there might be financial and compliance ramifications! Students must also contact the SPH Registrar s Office to have their certification code corrected if they change from part time ( credits) to full time (12 18 credits) status or vice versa, at any point during the registration or drop period. Students must be aware that health insurance will be automatically assessed on their account if they register for nine or more credits anytime during the semester if they have not already waived or paid for the student health insurance for the fall semester. The health insurance charge will not automatically disappear if the student subsequently drops below nine credits. During the waiver period, students may waive the student health insurance cost on Student Link by selecting the Money Matters tab. After the waiver deadline, contact Student Accounting Services, and speak with Ellen Millman. Students must also be aware that Student Accounting Services will assess late fees to all student accounts if they are unpaid after the payment deadline. These fees are placed on the account regardless of whether or not you have received an accurate printed invoice from the University. If the student account remains unpaid, a hold may be placed on the student account that blocks the student from utilizing many of the tools on the Student Link, including registration. Students who cannot pay their account on time should contact Student Accounting Services to acknowledge the issue and to discuss their plans to pay their account. 21

22 How to Check your Student Account on the Student Link 1. Go to the Student Link at Select the green Money Matters tab and click on Student Account Inquiry. Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling Stafford On-line Promissory Note Student Account Inquiry Library Account Medical Insurance Student Dental Plan Federal Financial Aid Credit Authorization Status ResNet Fee Waiver Sports Pass Student Account FAQ's Your Financial Aid General Financial Aid Information You will be prompted to login using your Boston University e mail alias and Kerberos password. Use the part of your e mail that comes the login name for student@bu.edu, would be student. 3. Several viewing options are available. Your bill for the current semester automatically shows, but you can switch to All Semester to see your account history. If you need to print a bill, click on: Your name and ID will show on the screen for 20 seconds. To request an invoice, you must call Student Accounting Services at (617)

23 Dropping Classes Dropping a course indicates that you are still enrolled in one or more courses at Boston University. Students may drop fall 2015 standard, full semester courses online using the Student Link or with a paper add/drop form without a W grade up to October 7, It is not necessary to get the instructor's signature to drop a class. Domestic students who receive federal financial aid must be sure that they maintain at least six credits to be eligible for federal financial aid. From October 8 November 6, 2015 students who drop a standard, full semester class will receive a W grade and no refund. After November 6, students may not drop a standard course with a W ; a final letter grade must be assigned (A, B, C, etc.). Students pay tuition for graded classes regardless of whether they will receive academic credit for the class. Withdrawing from Boston University Withdrawing means to drop ALL courses officially. Students who wish to withdraw must complete a withdrawal/leave of absence form. Lack of attendance without notification does not constitute withdrawing from school. Classes and their associated charges will remain on your student account. The withdrawal or leave of absence form is available on the Student Resources section of the SPH web site at Paper copies of forms are available on the shelves outside the SPH Registrar s Office, Talbot 210 Center. The withdrawal is effective on the date the form is received in the SPH Registrar s Office. The student s account will be adjusted based upon the date of withdrawal. Federal aid funds and scholarships will be adjusted. Students receiving financial aid who subsequently withdraw must consult the Office of Student Financial Services at to determine the financial implications of their decision. Students who have registered for a class or classes as of Tuesday, September 1, 2015 and then subsequently withdraw (i.e. drop all classes) are financially responsible for at least part of the charges for the class according to the Fall 2015 Tuition Refund Schedule on the following page. New students who have registered for classes and then decide not to attend must contact the SPH Admissions Office and SPH Registrar s Office in writing no later than Friday, August 28, 2015 in order to be eligible for a 100% refund of tuition and fees. While a withdrawal form, which may be ed after it is downloaded from is most desirable, an including the student s name, BUID#, desire to withdraw from BU, and the reason for withdrawing, is acceptable. 23

24 Fall 2015 Withdrawal Tuition Refund Schedule This applies only to students withdrawing from all classes! This chart does not apply if you are dropping classes but will keep a class or classes on your schedule. Please ask if you have a question. Dates Prior to First Day of Classes: September 1, 2015 September 2 16 September September October 1 7 As of October 8 0% Refund 100% tuition and fees 80% tuition only 60% tuition only 40% tuition only 20% tuition only Notes: Registration and other fees are non refundable as of the first day of the semester. Deposits toward tuition and/or room and board are non refundable. The last day to officially take a leave of absence or withdraw is December 1, This means the student withdraws from all classes. 24

25 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student s education records. In compliance with FERPA, Boston University does not disclose personally identifiable information contained in student education records, except as authorized by law. Questions about the University's policies and practices or about specific educational records should be addressed to the Access Officer, Office of the University Registrar, Boston University, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts The full policy is available at Student Rights under FERPA In general, a student has the right to: inspect his or her education records; require that the University obtain his or her prior written consent before releasing personally identifiable information from education records; request that corrections be made to education records if the student believes the records are inaccurate or misleading or otherwise in violation of the student s privacy rights under FERPA Privacy preferences Unless restricted, Boston University may disclose any of the items of Directory Information without a student s consent. Students may restrict the disclosure of any item of Directory Information by indicating this restriction on the Personal Page on the Student Link, ( > Personal tab > Data Restriction option). Directory Information for students can be accessed by those outside the university, and consists of the following items of information: Academic program (degree, major, minor) Dates of attendance, full time / part time status Degrees, honors, and awards received directory lookup Local address* and BU directory phone number School or College Listing in Commencement Program Listing in Bostonia Yearbook *If the University has only a home address in New England or New York, it is considered local. The right to restrict disclosure of Directory Information does not include the right to remain anonymous in class and may not be used to impede classroom communication. Please Note: Even after graduation, privacy preferences remain in effect. As an example: If a student has restricted the disclosure of his or her degrees, honors, and awards, the Office of the University Registrar will not confirm degrees earned to prospective employers or any other party without the student's permission. 25

26 Department Contact List Department Coordinator/Contact Phone Merit Scholarships Biostatistics Amanda Velez Career Services Eric Delgizzo Community Health Sciences Dallas Pride Joanne Patterson DrPH Program Sebastian Bach Education Office Vanessa Edouard Environmental Health Anthony Ferranti Epidemiology Emily Katz Global Health Travis DiJoseph Global Health Practicum Joe Anzalone Health Policy & Management Kelly Smith Health Services Research Rebecca Song Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights Jessica Walsh Practice Office Scott Harris Registrar Chris Paal Associate Registrar Andrea Tingue Director Student Services Mary Murphy Phillips Student Services/Student Organizations MPH Core Course Tutoring and Writing Assistance Brendan Hoey Tutor Coordinator

27 Useful Contact Information SPH Student Resources Website: Boston University Barnes and Noble Bookstore, 660 Beacon Street, Kenmore Square, Charles River Campus. The course reader and book list for Fall 2015 will be posted in early August to the Student Resources website under Courses. Students purchase their course readers through the Boston University Charles River Campus Bookstore. Students may purchase books through the Bookstore or through the vendor of their choice. The reader and book list document lists the course ISBN number, title, and author, as well as pre assignments for classes, if applicable. Boston University Medical Campus Parking Office, The Medical Campus Parking Office is located in the Parking Garage at 710 Albany Street, First Floor. BU Medical Campus ID Office and Public Safety Department, (617) is located in room 102 at 710 Albany Street. This office issues Identification cards. Enter the Transportation (Transcomm) Office lobby and the ID Office is the first door on the left. You may obtain an ID card Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and 12:30 to 3:00. The office is closed from 9:00 AM 12:30. International Student and Scholars Office, ISSO is located at 888 Commonwealth Avenue, 2nd Floor, Charles River Campus, Boston University. The SPH contact is Christy Cornett, Website: IT Help Center, Information Services and Technology, Boston University, or The Learning Resources Center in the Medical School Library, L 12, is the Medical Campus location for e mail assistance. Medical Campus Office of Student Financial Services, The OSFS is located on the 3 rd floor of the A building at BU Medical Campus. Website: Office of the Boston University Registrar (for official transcripts and other University business), The Office of the University Registrar is located on the Charles River Campus of Boston University at 881 Commonwealth Avenue. Their web site, is very helpful. SPH Registrar's Office is open 8:30 AM 6:00, Monday Thursday and 8:30 AM 5:00 on Fridays. Voic messages may be left at any time: (Andrea Tingue, atingue@bu.edu) or (Chris Paal, cpaal@bu.edu). Scanned documents are accepted; documents may also be faxed to us at: SPH Student Services, (Mary Murphy Phillips mcmurph@bu.edu, Brendan Hoey brendan2@bu.edu, or Chase Crossno ccrossno@bu.edu). Student Accounting Services, Student Accounting Services is located at 881 Commonwealth Avenue in the same building as the Office of the University Registrar. studenta@bu.edu. Website: Tuition remission through the Benefits Office, Tuition remission is an employee benefit governed by Human Resources; contact HR or Suzette Levenson (sml@bu.edu) at SPH if you have questions. Website: Veteran s Affairs, Office of the University Registrar, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Charles River Campus. The Veteran s Affairs Officer is Rhett Jones, veterans@bu.edu or