Academic and Course Related Policies and Procedures

Regular class Attendance Requriements

Active participation and preparation are expected of all students.  Faculty members may, and often do, establish their own specific attendance, participation and preparation requirements, failure to meet these requirements may result in the lowering of a grade, or failure in the course.  Repeated unexcused absences may result in referral to the Assistant Dean of the program.  

One Credit Course Attendance Requirements

Due to the condensed nature of short courses and skill labs, students should not enroll unless they can attend all class sessions. Because of the intensive and participatory nature of short courses/skill labs, student absences are extremely disruptive to the learning process.

Attendance is required. If you miss any part greater than half a day, you will receive an “F” for the course. With the exceptions of death in the immediate family, severe illness or injury, any student who is absent for one full day of class or its equivalent will receive a failing grade.

The Brown School allows only authorized Visiting Scholars and Field Instructors to audit courses. Field Instructors may request to audit a course and must work with the professor to define expectations, and may not audit Intensive Trainings.

Whenever possible, professors will send students an email notification regarding class cancellation and make-ups.  Especially in the event of severe weather, students are encouraged to check their email for updates on class cancellations.  

Unless otherwise noted, all Brown School classes begin and end at the time published in the WUSTL course listings. 

Classroom location assignments are finalized within the week before courses begin. Once finalized, students may log into WebSTAC where they can view and print their schedules.​

In Missouri, persons who have been convicted of certain felonies and misdemeanors cannot be licensed to practice social work. In addition, some agencies require criminal background checks as a condition of working as a practicum student. The ability to obtain a license or to complete the practicum requirements for a social work degree could be compromised for persons with a criminal record.  It is expected that students evaluate their situation before enrolling in a professional social work degree program by consulting the rules and statutes, which can be found here.

Students are not permitted to take courses whose class meeting times conflict or overlap. ​It is the students responsibility to make sure courses do not conflict. 

Students can declare and/or change their Concentration and/or Specialization on the Brown School Hub.

Master of Social Work

Concentrations (Required):

• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Children, Youth and Families
• Health
• Mental Health
• Social and Economic Development (international and domestic tracks)
• Social Impact Leadership
• Individualized*

Specializations (Optional):

• Management
• Older Adults and Aging Societies
• Policy
• Research
• Sexual Health and Education
• Social Entrepreneurship
• System Dynamics
• Violence and Injury Prevention

MSW students are required to declare a Concentration prior to completing their second semester. Students may declare a Specialization any time prior to their final semester. MSW Advanced Standing students must declare a Concentration prior to their first semester.

Concentrations (not requiring approval) and Specializations can be declared via the Brown School Hub. 

*MSW students who plan to Individualize will need to complete the Individualized Program of Study Approval Process, also located on Inside Brown, adhering to the same deadline outlined above.

Master of Public Health

MPH students are required to declare a Concentration via the form hosted on Inside Brown prior to completing their second semester. 

Concentrations (Required):

• Epidemiology/Biostatistics*
• Global Health
• Health Policy Analysis
• Mental and Behavioral Health
• Urban Design
• Generalist**

*The deadline to declare the Epi/Bio Specialization may be extended to the end of the first spring semester in the MPH program.

Concentrations (not requiring approval) can be declared via the Brown School Hub. 

**MPH students who plan to declare Generalist will need to complete the Generalist approval form located on Inside Brown under the MPH program.

Master of Social Policy

There are no Concentrations or Specializations for the Master of Social Policy degree.  Students are encouraged to use their elective course requirement (nine credits) to select courses that build knowledge and skills in-line with their academic and professional objectives. 

All Concentrations and/or Specializations can be declared via the Brown School Hub. 

Computers or other electronic devices, including “smart pens” (devices with an embedded computer and digital audio recorder that records the classroom lecture/discussion and links that recording to the notes taken by the student), may be used by students at the discretion of the faculty member to support the learning activities in the classroom. These activities include taking notes and accessing course readings under discussion. If a student wishes to use a smart-pen or other electronic device to audio record lectures or class discussions, they must notify the instructor in advance of doing so. Permission to use recording devices is at the discretion of the instructor, unless this use is an accommodation approved by Disability Resources. 

Nonacademic use of laptops and other devices and use of laptops or other devices for other coursework is distracting and seriously disrupts the learning process for other people in the classroom. Neither computers nor other electronic devices are to be used in the classroom during class for nonacademic reasons or for work on other coursework. Nonacademic use includes emailing, texting, social networking, playing games, instant messaging, and use of the Internet. Work on other coursework may include, but is not limited to, use of the Internet, writing papers, using statistical software, analyzing data, and working on quizzes or exams. The nonacademic use of cell phones during class time is prohibited, and they should be set on silent before class begins. In the case of an emergency, please step out of the room to take the call. The instructor has the right to hold students accountable for meeting these expectations, and failure to do so may result in a loss of participation or attendance points, a loss of the privilege of device use in the classroom, or being asked to leave the classroom.

The University and the Brown School can place a Hold on a student’s record for various reasons. If you have a Hold on your record you will not be allowed to register for classes in the following semester, order a transcript, or use Bear Bucks. Holds should be cleared with the department that placed it (such as by paying your bill at Student Financial Services).

The University Registrar’s Office places holds on records of students who do not enter current address (Home and Local) and telephone information. 

The Brown School Registrar places holds on records of students for neglecting and/or being delinquent in completing the following requirements:

• Online Orientation
• Entering Emergency Contact in WebSTAC
• Having over 6 credit hours marked Incomplete
• Declaring a Concentration (MSW only)
• Submitting completed Advancing Standing paperwork (MSW Adv. Standing only)
• Human Biology Prerequisite (MPH only)

Other University Holds may include past due balances, parking tickets, student conduct, not completing required University processes (Immunizations, Title IX training, etc.) and other issues.  

Students can find specific details about any holds on their account within WebSTAC.

The Brown School allows for Independent Study credits to be earned, in accordance with the following policies.

The purpose of an independent study is to enable a student to gain an in-depth knowledge of an area germane to a student’s course of study, which is not offered in a course at the Brown School. The need for and value of an independent study will be evaluated very carefully to determine if an independent study is justified. The student and the supervising full-time Brown School faculty member will arrange objectives for the content of each independent study. All independent studies should result in a tangible output as a basis for evaluation, e.g., a

notebook, written paper, web pages or media presentation.

• Independent Study can only be applied toward fulfilling elective credit requirements credits.
• Independent Study must be taken for a letter grade. 
• Only full-time Brown School faculty are eligible to serve as the faculty of record/independent study supervisor/liaison.
• Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their graduate program and must have completed a minimum of five courses at the Brown School. 
• No more than six (6) Independent Study credits may be applied towards satisfying elective credit degree requirements at the Brown School.
• No more than three (3) credits of independent study may be taken in a single semester. 
• One credit hour is equal to 15 hours of contact between the student and faculty member. Long distance independent studies may be permitted with the approval of the Associate Dean.
• No more than two students may work on the same independent study simultaneously and there must be a clear delineation of tasks.
• The content of an Independent Study course, and the reason for requesting it, must be detailed in an Independent Study proposal developed by the student and the instructor (graduate full-time Brown School faculty member). 
• Before the proposal is submitted to the Brown School Registrar for approval by the Associate or Assistant Dean of your program, the instructor who will direct the study must approve it. 
• The scope and rigor as well as the intellectual demands of an Independent Study proposal must equal or exceed those of regular graduate courses offered at the Brown School.
• A student may not audit or sit in on a course to receive independent study credit. 
• Independent Studies may not be done retroactively. That is, the agreement for Independent Study is to be completed, signed, and approved by all parties prior to the initiation of the project, and no later than the add deadline.
• Independent Studies adhere to the add deadline of full semester courses. Students may not add or drop an independent study course after these posted deadlines. 

You may request an Independent Study through the Brown School Hub.

If a course is being offered at an off-campus location, this information will be listed in course listings and on the course syllabus. Students are expected to arrange their own transportation to and from the specified off-campus location. Students who elect to carpool to courses taught off campus are not covered by WUSTL insurance, and a student’s personal automobile insurance will be the primary coverage. Washington University’s automobile policy provides no coverage for students driving their personal vehicles. Students are encouraged to seek alternate transportation. Please see the transportation section of this handbook for information on alternate transportation options.

Few courses offered at the Brown School are strictly Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit, and students are not permitted to choose whether to take a course pass/fail. The only courses offered as Pass/Fail are Practicum, Integrative Seminar and CACE. 

Courses taken outside of the Brown School that are approved to count towards a degree must be for credit/a letter grade. 

The Office of the Registrar maintains a record for each enrolled graduate student. Records generally contains the student’s application to the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis (excluding letters of recommendation), the student’s transcripts from other universities, and, when applicable, various records from the student’s tenure at Washington University in St. Louis. The Office of the Registrar also stores historical evidence of student completion of forms such as grade change requests, registration commitment forms, graduation applications, student submitted forms, and final transcripts after graduation.

Students register for classes via WebSTAC. Once registered, students can see their registration in “Class Schedule.” For all matters pertaining to registration, timing is critical. Students should pay close attention to the Preregistration deadline for certain courses, and to the online registration dates noted on Inside Brown.

See more information about Waitlists.

• Requests for an official transcript must be submitted online through the Office of the University Registrar.
• Online orders are submitted through WebSTAC (access with WUSTL Key) or through the public access webpage (access with consent form and signature).  
• Students are encouraged to review their academic record in WebSTAC before requesting an official transcript, particularly when final grades are being posted; an unofficial transcript report is available in WebSTAC for this purpose.
• There is a $5 fee per official transcript, payable upon submission of an order.
• Transcripts are withheld if there are any holds placed due to unsettled obligations with the University. 

Students can view their grades in WebSTAC by clicking on View Grades. Grades will be displayed as soon as they have been recorded but the GPA calculation is performed overnight. The GPA shown on WebSTAC will not reflect any grades recorded that day. Grades are not mailed. 

The waitlist feature in the registration system allows students to place themselves in line to enroll in a closed course (maximum enrollment reached) as seats become available. This tool is designed to give students a chance to get into these courses. It is not intended to assist students in getting a “preferred” schedule.

Students are placed on the waitlist in the order in which they requested to waitlist the class. The first person to submit a waitlist request will be first on the waitlist. When a seat in the class becomes available, the registration system will fill the opening with the first eligible person on the waitlist.

Once you join a waitlist, it is your responsibility to monitor your requests. If you decide not to take a waitlisted course, you must drop the waitlist request to ensure you are not placed in the class. Students are responsible for monitoring their active waitlist requests via WebSTAC.

Waitlist Tips

• Students should enroll in available classes priorto submitting any waitlist requests.
• Waitlist positions are displayed on the student’s class schedule in WebSTAC. Students should check their waitlist request daily until they are enrolled into the course or until waitlist processing ends.
• After the last day of waitlist processing (end of the second week), all waitlisted students (for full semester courses) will expire and students will be removed from the waitlist.
• Waitlist requests may be added or dropped, but they cannotbe modified.
• If a student no longer wishes to take a course that they are waitlisted for, they must drop the waitlist request in order to be certain that they will not be enrolled into the course. Waitlists may be dropped via the WebSTACunder “Courses & Registration”.

What is a waitlist?

Each class has a set capacity or maximum number of students who can be accommodated in the course. When enough students register into the course so that all those spaces are taken, the next student who attempts to register will be denied registration, and have the option of adding themselves to the waitlist. The waitlist is simply a list of students who would like to get into the course but could not fit into the maximum capacity currently allowed for that course.

How do I add myself to a waitlist?

If the course that you want is fully enrolled (closed), you may put yourself on the waitlist via

WebSTAC. Since there is no guarantee that you will be granted a seat in that course/section, you should also enroll in an alternate course that fits your schedule and satisfies requirements for your degree program.

What is controlled registration?

Each class has a set capacity or maximum number of students who can be accommodated in the course. Those students graduating and needing a specific course to graduate are given priority based on this information, and they are given priority enrollment into the course, from the waitlist.

Why can’t I add myself to the waitlist?

If a course is full, and you are not able to add yourself to the waitlist. That means that this specific course does not allow waitlists, and you will need to find another open section of this course.

Why is adding myself to the waitlist my ONLY option?

Some courses require pre and corequisites, which have to be checked manually by the Registrar’s Office, which is why students only have the option to add themselves to the waitlist.

Does it matter whether I am #1 on the waitlist vs #20?

Sometimes. Generally, having a lower number on the waitlist (#1) is more advantageous than a higher number, because the Brown School Registrar often uses position on the waitlist in making decisions at the start of the semester about which student on the waitlist to admit into the course if a space opens up. However, position is not the only factor. Also taken into consideration is your class year, anticipated graduation, concentration and/or specialization or other dimensions.

What are my chances of getting into the course?

It is hard to determine, at the outset. Once all cohorts and programs have a chance to register for courses, waitlists are evaluated on a weekly basis. All factors are taken into consideration for students on each waitlist (Ex: your class year, anticipated graduation, concentration and/or specialization or other dimensions).

How can I drop myself from a waitlist?

You can see what waitlists you are on by logging into WebSTAC, selecting “Courses & Registration” and then “Class Schedule”. If you want to drop yourself from a waitlist because you are no longer interested in admission to that course, select the “Drop” action under that class.

How will I know if I get off the waitlist and into the course?

Promotion from any waitlist into registered status in the course is not automatic. You will need to check WebSTACregularly to see whether you have been admitted into the course. Pay attention to the add/drop the start dates of the course. For short or weekend courses, students will not be added to the course after the start date.