Academic Policies

Residency Requirements

Minimum Residence Requirement

Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits in residence at NYU Steinhardt at the graduate level.

PhD and EdD students must complete a minimum of 36 credits in residence beyond the master's degree which must be on the graduate level. Undergraduate courses may not be counted as credit toward a doctoral degree.
 

With the approval of the academic adviser, appropriate graduate level course work completed at New York University prior to official matriculation (as a non-degree graduate student or taken in excess of a Master’s degree) may be counted toward the residence requirement. Please note that no more than 18 credits completed prior to matriculation may be used.

Cross-School Registration

You may take courses in other schools at NYU if you are a matriculated student and you meet the necessary prerequisites. Courses you take in the professional schools (Dentistry, Law, and Medicine) are generally not applicable towards your degree; however, exceptions may be made to this policy.

Students should make sure to select the appropriate course level (graduate or undergraduate level) when registering for courses to make sure that courses can apply toward your degree. Note that undergraduate courses cannot count toward graduate program requirements.

You may not be matriculated simultaneously in more than one school or program at New York University.

Graduation

Students may have their degrees conferred in September, January, or May. Selected programs may offer a degree conferral in July. The Commencement ceremony for all schools is held in May. Students must apply for graduation through their Student Center in Albert. A student must be enrolled for either coursework or maintenance of matriculation during the academic year (September 1–August 31) of graduation. In order to graduate in a specific term, a student must apply for graduation within the application deadline period indicated on the calendar. (See the graduation deadlines calendar and general information about graduation on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage at www.nyu.edu/registrar). If the student does not successfully complete all academic requirements by the end of the term, they must reapply for graduation for the following cycle.

Transfer and Articulation Agreements

External Transfer Credit

  • Transfer credits are accepted for a maximum of 30% of a student’s total graduate program.
  • You must complete a minimum of 24 credits in residence at NYU Steinhardt at the graduate level.
  • Transfer credits will be accepted only from accredited colleges and universities.
  • Course work must not have been applied to another degree and must have been completed within ten years of your expected graduation date with a grade of B or better -- courses taken pass/fail will not be accepted.
  • Students with transfer credit must submit an official transcript from their previous institution to the Steinhardt Registration Services team at steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu. Once the transcript is received, students should work with their advising team to make sure the credits are submitted for posting to the students’ academic records.This must be done prior to applying for graduation to ensure that reviewing and posting transfer credits will not delay a student’s degree conferral.

Grading

Grades are based on a 4-unit scale as follows:

A = 4.0 credits

A- = 3.7 credits

B+ = 3.3 credits

B = 3.0 credits

B- = 2.7 credits

C+ = 2.3 credits

C  = 2.0 credits

C- = 1.7 credits

D+ = 1.3 credits

D  = 1.0 credits

There are no A+, D-, or F+ grades. The lowest passing graduate grade is D.

If a student repeats a course in which they received a failing grade, all grades are counted in the average; the lower grade, although it does not count towards the degree, is not removed from the transcript. F grades and all other permanent grades may not be changed unless the original grade resulted from a clerical error.

W = Official Withdrawal. Courses officially dropped during the first two weeks of a regular session fall or spring term will not appear on the transcript. (Some programs follow an academic calendar that is different from the NYU Academic Calendar. Students enrolled in these programs should consult the deadlines in their specific calendar.) Courses dropped from the beginning of the third week through the ninth week of the term will be recorded with a grade of “W.” After the ninth week, students may not withdraw from a course.

R = Registered paid auditor, not graded P = Pass, not counted in average

I = Term paper or other work or final examination lacking (grade given only with the permission of the instructor); may be made up within time limits (see note below). If not made up, grade lapses to F. F grades cannot be changed.

Note for Steinhardt Graduate students: A grade of I must be removed within the time limit set by the instructor; which limit may not exceed one term after the close of the course (fall, spring, and summer). Students with 9 credits or more of I on their transcripts at any given semester will be considered as not making satisfactory progress in their programs of study and will be subject to probation. Students who have two consecutive probationary terms will be subject to dismissal.

A general average of 2.5 is required for the master’s degree and for post-baccalaureate advanced certificates. A general average of 3.0 is required for post-master’s advanced certificates and diplomas and for doctoral degrees.

Note: Students taking courses in other graduate divisions of NYU are urged to check with the appropriate school for details of their grading policies because they may differ from those of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Incomplete Grade Agreement

Students can request an incomplete grade only:

  • If a student is matriculated under exceptional circumstances
  • At the discretion of the instructor
  • If the student has already completed 50% or more of the coursework required

Note that visiting and/or non-degree students special students may not apply for an incomplete.

The instructor will determine the timeframe the student will have to complete the work, but it cannot be later than the last day of classes in the following term. If the student does not complete the outstanding work by the agreed date, the incomplete grade (I) automatically turns to an F. F grades cannot be changed.

Incomplete grades may result in failure to meet satisfactory academic progress by the Office of Financial Aid.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Students can choose to opt out of a weighted grade for any course as approved by the student’s program advisor. Note that most major requirements are not eligible for elective pass/fail options. The pass/fail option must be requested by the pass/fail deadline, as outlined in the University's Academic Calendar. The maximum number of courses that can be taken as pass/fail may not exceed 25% of the student’s total program. Students must follow the pass/fail policy of their program and/or department; note that some programs have requirements that are more stringent than the 25% total program rule of Steinhardt overall. This does not include those courses in which pass/fail is the standard grading. Once a pass/fail option is selected, it can only be rescinded prior to the pass/fail deadline. Students can cancel a pass/fail request by emailing Steinhardt Academic Advisement and Registration Services at steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu.

Non-matriculated students are not eligible to select pass/fail as a grading option. 

Doctoral Student Pass/Fail Option

Students have the option of taking courses on a pass/fail basis. The maximum of such courses is determined by the program and/or the academic adviser, but may not exceed 25 percent of the student's total program (and may not exceed 25 percent of the specialization requirement).

Pass/fail option forms may be obtained from NYU Steinhardt's Office of Registration Services (82 Washington Square East, 2nd Floor) and must be filed in the Office of the University Registrar (25 West 4th Street) prior to the end of the fifth week of the semester for Fall and Spring semester courses. For courses taken during the Summer semester, pass/fail option forms must be filed prior to the fifth meeting of the course. All pass/fail option forms must be signed by the academic adviser before they are filed with the Office of the University Registrar. The decision to utilize the pass/fail option cannot be changed after the pass/fail option form has been filed (a letter grade will not be recorded).

Download the Pass/Fail form.

Repeating Courses

Effective Fall 2015, if a student repeats a course, all grades are calculated in the GPA and appear on the transcript. Prior to Fall 2015, only the highest grade assigned for the course was calculated in the GPA.

Grade Appeals

Students whose appeals relate to academic grades and who seek a review of their change of grade request should follow the procedures outlined below within fifteen (15) calendar days from when the grade was posted. 

  • To appeal an assigned grade, the student should first consult with the instructor who assigned the grade to discuss the requirements for the course and how the grade was determined.
    • The student should maintain any documents related to the meeting and timelines related to the conversation around the grade appeal.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion and wishes to appeal the grade further, a formal written appeal should be submitted to the Program Director (or designee, who is an appropriate academic administrator equivalent to a Program Director) in the department within ten (10) calendar days of the final discussion/meeting related to the grade appeal request. 
    • The Program Director will undertake an independent review of the grade(s). And collect relevant information pertinent to the appeal and grade.
    • The student should include a formal written statement explaining the grounds for the appeal and information that provides evidence why the grade provided by the instructor should be reassessed.  
  • If the student feels there is new, additional, relevant information that was unavailable at the time of the decision made by the Program Director (or designee) and thus was not considered; and/or there was a material violation in procedure, they may appeal the decision with the Department Chair.
    • The student will provide all documentation provided throughout the entire appeal process for the Department Chair to review including the new additional, relevant information which would allow for an additional review at this level. 
  • In the event the grade appeal is for a course taught by a Program Director or Department Chair, the appeal would be reviewed by a designee within the department.
  • The academic department's decision (Program Director and/or Department Chair and/or designee) in matters related to an assigned grade is final.

Academic Standing and Progress

Good academic standing is maintained by students meeting their departmental academic benchmarks, including but not limited to: 

  • Term and cumulative grade point average minimums, as established by the department.
  • Course grade minimums as determined by program/departmental policies.
  • Making satisfactory academic progress toward students’ declared degree requirements.
  • Other requirements as determined by program/departmental policies.

Students are also reviewed for course grade minimums in critical courses as determined by individual programs or departments. Students should consult their department or program handbook or other relevant materials for more information on defined critical courses.

Graduate students should confer with their programs regarding academic requirements for good standing.

Academic Review Process

  • Students who do not meet their departmental program standards and benchmarks, as defined in their Departmental Student Handbooks, are reviewed by their program and/or department to determine future academic standing. Actions taken can include:
    • Return to Good Standing: Students who were previously on warning or probation, who have been determined to have met their departmental/program requirements, and are therefore returned to good standing.
    • No Action: Students will remain in good standing. 
    • Warning/Continued Warning: Serves as an alert to students who may have fallen below departmental academic benchmarks, who are not making satisfactory progress toward their degree, and/or who may be at risk for future academic probation status. Students on academic warning who receive financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if their aid is at risk.
    • Probation/Continued Probation: Serves as an alert to students who have fallen below departmental academic benchmarks, who are not making satisfactory progress toward their degree, and/or who may be at risk for future academic dismissal. Students on academic probation who receive financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if their aid is at risk. 
  • Incomplete grades may result in a review of academic action if students fail to complete 50% or more of their attempted credits. They may also impact satisfactory academic progress as defined by the Office of Financial Aid
  • Students on academic warning or probation are automatically reviewed in the following term by the program/department.
  • All students who are returned to good standing or placed on warning, probation, or continued probation are notified via email to their NYU email address after the review process is completed. 
  • All decisions, with the exception of dismissal, within the Academic Review Process are final and not eligible for appeal.

Committee on Student Progress (COSP)

The Steinhardt Committee on Student Progress (COSP) is co-chaired by the Director of Advising and Student Success and the Assistant Dean for Academic and Registration Services, ex officio. The remainder of the committee comprises faculty representatives from across the School. 

The COSP meets at the end of the Spring and Fall academic terms and in the summer for students in programs with mandatory summer enrollment to review and take action on the academic records of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at NYU Steinhardt. 

Students whose academic records are scheduled for dismissal review are notified via email to their NYU email address, asked to share with the COSP any relevant information regarding their records, and referred to their academic advisors for further discussion on their academic progress. 

The COSP invites departmental representatives whose students are being reviewed for dismissal to submit a rationale for the dismissal recommendations. The committee takes action on the student's total record in accordance with departmental recommendations and information submitted by the student. 

Actions taken include:

  • Continued Warning or Probation: Serves as an alert to students who have fallen below departmental academic benchmarks, who are not making satisfactory progress toward their degree, and/or who may be at risk for future academic dismissal. Students on academic probation who receive financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if their aid is at risk.
  • Dismissal: Students’ records are terminated with the University, and a notation of academic dismissal is added to the final official transcript.
    • Students are notified by an email sent to their NYU email address, and a copy is sent via certified mail to their permanent address listed in Albert of the action taken by the COSP. A registration hold is placed on students who have been dismissed.
    • Students who are dismissed must be away from the University for a full academic year before they are eligible to apply for readmission. 
    • Readmission is not guaranteed. Students must reapply through the formal admissions process.

Full-Time or Half-Time Equivalency 

The University defines administrative full-time course work to be a minimum of 9 credits per term for graduate students (note that some individual graduate programs require 12 credits per term for academic full-time status).

To qualify for full-time equivalency, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credits or engaged in 30 hours per week on a combination of course work and/or appropriate activity required by the program. Students who request full-time equivalency cannot be employed full-time.

To qualify for half-time equivalency, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 4.5 credits or engaged in 15 hours per week on a combination of course work and/or appropriate activity required by the program. Equivalency may be granted only for the purposes of visas, student loans, student loan deferral, TAP and Veterans’ Benefits requirements.

Equivalency credits can be granted only to students who are working on:

  • Fulfilling a required master's or doctoral internship/clinical practice
  • Writing a master's thesis or preparing a final experience
  • Preparing for a doctoral candidacy examination
  • A doctoral dissertation proposal
  • Doctoral dissertation research

Doctoral students should visit Forms and Checklist or the doctoral version of the equivalency form.

With the exception of doctoral students who may be granted equivalency while registered for Maintenance of Matriculation, no student's application for equivalency status will be considered unless that student is registered for credit-bearing course work. Therefore, a student registered for a leave of absence, maintenance of matriculation, or only zero credit courses cannot be granted equivalency.

Equivalency applies only to state (TAP), federal (Stafford), veteran's benefits and visa status. Scholarships are based on the actual number of enrolled credits, and equivalency credits do not apply. Steinhardt students must be registered for 12 credits to receive any Steinhardt scholarship(s). If students have a non-Steinhardt scholarship, they should confirm with the scholarship/sponsor for their eligibility requirements. The NYU Office of Financial Aid reserves the right to adjust any financial aid package.

International students with F-1 and J-1 visas must maintain full-time (12 credit) programs during the fall and spring semesters, and are eligible for equivalency if they fulfill any of the requirements listed above. International students who wish to pursue part-time study for any other reason must do so through the Office of Global Services.

Maintenance of Matriculation and Time to Degree Completion

Students must maintain continuous matriculation every academic year until graduation. Typically, this is achieved by enrolling in courses in the fall and spring semesters. If a student is not registering for coursework in a given term, they should register for MAINT-GE 4747 Maintenance of Matriculation.

Undergraduate students must complete their degree within ten years. Graduate students (Masters, Advanced Certificate, Artist Diploma or professional doctoral (OTD or DPT) candidates) must complete their degree within six years. Doctoral candidates (other than ODT or DPT) should refer to Steinhardt’s doctoral advisement webpage for additional information.

Policies for PhD and EdD Students

Matriculation

Matriculation is defined as official enrollment for study leading to a degree.

After you have been formally admitted into a doctoral program, you will receive notification from the Graduate Admissions Office. For information regarding application deadlines and procedures, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 212-998-5030.

Doctoral students are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

A student is not permitted to be matriculated for more than one degree at a time.

Maintaining Matriculation

All doctoral students must maintain matriculation, either by registering for credit-bearing course work or enrolling in MAINT-GE 4747 Maintenance of Matriculation each semester, exclusive of summers.

Doctoral students who are beyond the maximum allowable matriculation period are required to register each semester (exclusive of summers) for DCADV-GE 3400 Doctoral Advisement, 1 credit (see "Doctoral Advisement - Maintaining Matriculation" below).

Reinstatement of Matriculation

If you fail to maintain continuous matriculation and allow your matriculation to lapse, you may request reinstatement. All requests for reinstatement must be approved by the academic department, as indicated on the required form (download on the Forms and Checklists page), and are contingent upon satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree and payment of the Maintenance of Matriculation fee, retroactively, for any and all semesters when you were not registered for course work (exclusive of summers). Students should note that reinstatement approvals are not automatic and such requests may be denied at the discretion of the department.

Time to Degree and Extension of Matriculation

Students are expected to follow program guidelines for time to degree completion in order to make satisfactory academic progress. In most cases, PhD students are expected to complete the degree within six years, and EdD students are expected to complete the degree within three to five years depending on the program. Consult your department or program website for specific information on timing of milestones and expectations for time to degree.

In all cases, doctoral matriculation expires no more than eight years from the date of matriculation for full-time students, and no more than 10 years from the date of matriculation for part-time students. Again, these are school-wide maximums and do not typically demonstrate satisfactory academic progress.

In the event you are unable to complete the degree within the maximum matriculation period, your matriculation is automatically terminated without notice. If your program has an established maximum time to degree that is less than eight years and you do not complete the degree within that time period, matriculation may be terminated due to lack of satisfactory academic progress.

If extraordinary circumstances prevent you from completing the degree within the matriculation period, you may request an extension of matriculation.

The following policies apply to extending doctoral matriculation beyond eight years (or 10 years for part-time students:

  • An extension of matriculation must be requested in writing prior to the end of the eight-year matriculation period. The form to request an extension is available from the Office of Doctoral Studies, Pless Hall, 2nd Floor.

  • All requests for extension require the approval of the student's dissertation committee chairperson and the chairperson of the department as indicated on the above-mentioned form. Extension requests are also subject to the approval of the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs.

  • Students should also be aware that extensions are approved only if the student is making adequate progress toward the completion of the degree. For example, if by the end of the matriculation period, the student does not have an approved dissertation proposal, it is unlikely that an extension will be approved.

  • No request for extension will be considered if the student has not been admitted to degree candidacy and does not have an approved dissertation committee prior to the end of the matriculation period.

  • All requests for extension must be accompanied by a statement explaining the reasons for the inability to complete the degree within the matriculation period, a student copy of the transcript, a detailed description of remaining work, and a proposed timetable for the completion of that work including a projected date of graduation. This timetable must be considered reasonable by the dissertation committee and must include ample time for review of dissertation drafts prior to the dissertation filing deadline.

  • Course work must represent a currency of knowledge in the student’s field at the time of graduation; therefore, any course completed more than 10 years prior to the anticipated date of graduation, or any course completed within 10 years with substantive changes in content, must be evaluated by the appropriate department chairperson. Any course not considered current in content must be repeated or an appropriate substitution must be completed.

The above-mentioned requirements are in addition to any eligibility requirements mandated by a student's department, program, or dissertation committee chairperson. Some programs do not approve extensions at all or restrict them to less than one year. Students are advised to discuss this matter with their program faculty well in advance of the expiration of matriculation.

Doctoral students who are beyond the maximum allowable matriculation period are required to register each semester (exclusive of summers) for DCADV-GE 3400 Doctoral Advisement, 1 credit (see "Doctoral Advisement - Maintaining Matriculation below").

Termination of Matriculation/Degree Candidacy

A member of the faculty or dissertation committee may at any time recommend the termination of a student's matriculation (or degree candidacy) to the Dean's Office, provided that such recommendation is accompanied by substantiating evidence.

Reasons for recommending termination of matriculation may include, but are not restricted to, poor academic performance, academic misconduct (including plagiarism), and lack of satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements.

Matriculation is automatically terminated under the following circumstances:

  • Expiration of the matriculation period without an approved extension

  • Two outcomes of fail on the departmental candidacy examination

  • Two outcomes of fail on the final oral examination

Doctoral Advisement - Maintaining Matriculation (Beyond the Maximum Allowable Matriculation Period)

Doctoral students who are beyond the maximum allowable matriculation period and have been granted an extension are required to maintain continuous matriculation by registering each semester (exclusive of summers) for DCADV-GE 3400 Doctoral Advisement (1 credit).

You must consult with your academic adviser prior to registering for DCADV-GE 3400 Doctoral Advisement. Please register for Doctoral Advisement using New York University's online registration system during designated registration periods. Please be advised that although the course identification number (DCADV-GE 3400 Doctoral Advisement) will remain constant, the five-digit course call number needed for online registration will change each semester. Consult the appropriate semester's class schedule for the correct call number. Registering for Doctoral Advisement serves to maintain doctoral matriculation during the approved registration period and entitles students to advisement and to the use of all University facilities normally associated with registration in course work, e.g., libraries, computer labs, etc.

Credits accumulated by registration in Doctoral Advisement do not count toward degree requirements.

Doctoral Leave of Absence

If you do not wish to attend NYU Steinhardt for one semester or for an academic year, you may request an official leave of absence for up to two semesters during your course of study. A leave of absence requires the approval of your adviser and your department chairperson. You must adhere to all terms and conditions for a leave of absence and your return from this absence as described in this form.

If you are seeking a leave of absence for a medical condition, you must provide appropriate documentation from an attending health care professional.

NYU Steinhardt does not grant leaves after the third week of the semester unless you have compelling personal or medical reasons. Any refund or cancellation of billing will follow the University schedule for refunds. If NYU Steinhardt grants you a leave of absence, you do not have to make a formal application for readmission or reinstatement of matriculation. However, you must return to the school within the agreed-upon time, which is a maximum of two semesters. While you are on leave you are responsible for all deadlines (e.g. financial aid, housing). When returning from a leave of absence, contact your adviser for advisement and registration.

A leave of absence from New York University precludes you from taking courses at another academic institution without prior approval from your academic program, department, or school. Matriculation in another degree program while on leave will result in automatic termination of your NYU Steinhardt matriculation. You should understand some NYU services (computers, libraries, sports center, etc.) may not be available to you, and you will not be eligible for full-time or half-time equivalency during the period of your leave.

Adviser's Approval

Advisers should review this request with you to determine whether or not you will be able to complete your program within the prescribed time limits. A leave of absence does not extend the maximum eight-year (or ten-year for students who entered part-time) matriculation period. If you receive approval to take time off beyond the two semesters of a leave of absence, you must register for MAINT-GE 4747 Maintenance of Matriculation. You must also inform your academic program, department or school at least six weeks prior to the registration period for the semester of your return. You should be aware that your leave may affect your ability to pre-register for the semester in which you return.

Leaves of Absence for Master’s, Advanced Certificate/Diploma Students

Master’s and advanced certificate/diploma students as well as doctoral students in Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Physical Therapy (DPT) who are planning a leave of absence should request one through their Albert Student Center. Questions should be directed to Student Affairs by emailing steinhardt.student.matters@nyu.edu or by calling 212-998-5065.

Leaves of Absence for Doctoral Students

Doctoral students who are planning a leave of absence are referred by their adviser to the Office of Doctoral Studies, Pless Hall, 2nd Floor; further information can be obtained at http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/doctoral/policies/ and the required form at http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/doctoral/forms.

A leave of absence may not exceed two terms or one academic year. There is no fee for the leave of absence as there is no access to University facilities during the period of the leave.

Withdrawals

Withdrawing from Classes after the Add/Drop Deadline

A student, who for any reason finds it impossible to complete a course for which they have registered, should consult their advisor and submit a class withdrawal request via Albert. 

Courses dropped within the add/drop period will not appear on the transcript. After the Add/Drop deadline in a given term, students should submit a class withdrawal request via Albert and speak with their advisor regarding these requests. Any course(s) selected for withdrawal after the Add/Drop deadline will result in students receiving a W (withdrawal) on their transcript.

Students may not withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline, which is published in the Academic Calendar

Students may only withdraw from a course by taking action via Albert. Ceasing to attend, notifying this instructor of intent to drop or any other method, does not officially drop a student from a course. 

Students should consult with the Office of Financial Aid immediately if they change the number of credits for which they are registered. Any change in total course load may affect a student’s financial aid package.

Term Withdrawals and Leaves of Absence

If a student is dropping all of their courses in a given term, they must complete a term withdrawal via Albert.

Students can only declare a Leave of Absence for the current term prior to the end of the add/drop period. Once the add/drop period has ended, students must complete a term withdrawal and if desired, declare a Leave of Absence for the following term(s).

Standards of Conduct

All students are expected to abide by the expectations outlined in the University-wide Student Conduct Policy and the Academic Integrity for Students at NYU policy.

Allegations of non-academic misconduct against a student of the Steinhardt School shall be administered by the Office of Student Conduct or the Office of Equal Opportunity/Title IX Coordinator.

The Steinhardt School shall address allegations of academic integrity violations following the established procedures below.

Academic Integrity

The relationship between students and faculty is the keystone of the educational experience at The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. An inherent part of this relationship is an honor code. Mutual trust, respect and responsibility are foundational requirements. Thus, how you learn is as important as what you learn. A university education aims not only to produce high-quality scholars but also to cultivate honorable citizens.

Academic integrity is the guiding principle for all that you do; from taking exams, making oral presentations to writing term papers. It requires that you recognize and acknowledge information derived from others, and take credit only for ideas and work that are yours.

You violate the principle of academic integrity when you:

  • Cheat on an exam
  • Submit the same work for two different courses without prior permission from your professors
  • Receive help on a take-home examination that calls for independent work
  • Plagiarize

Plagiarism, one of the gravest forms of academic dishonesty in university life, whether intended or not, is academic fraud. In a community of scholars, whose members are teaching, learning and discovering knowledge, plagiarism cannot be tolerated.

Plagiarism is failure to properly assign authorship to a paper, a document, an oral presentation, a musical score and/or other materials, which are not your original work. You plagiarize when, without proper attribution, you do any of the following:

  • Copy verbatim from a book, an article or other media
  • Download documents from the Internet
  • Purchase documents
  • Report from other's oral work
  • Paraphrase or restate someone else's facts, analysis and/or conclusions
  • Copy directly from a classmate or allow a classmate to copy from you

Your professors are responsible for helping you to understand other people's ideas, to use resources and conscientiously acknowledge them, and to develop and clarify your own thinking. You should know what constitutes good and honest scholarship, style guide preferences, and formats for assignments for each of your courses. Consult your professors for help with problems related to fulfilling course assignments, including questions related to attribution of sources.

Through reading, writing, and discussion, you will undoubtedly acquire ideas from others, and exchange ideas and opinions with others, including your classmates and professors. You will be expected, and often required, to build your own work on that of other people. In so doing, you are expected to credit those sources that have contributed to the development of your ideas.

Avoiding Academic Dishonesty

  • Organize your time appropriately to avoid undue pressure and acquire good study habits, including note taking.
  • Learn proper forms of citation. Always check with your professors of record for their preferred style guides. Directly copied material must always be in quotes; paraphrased material must be acknowledged; even ideas and organization derived from your own previous work or another's work need to be acknowledged.
  • Always proofread your finished work to be sure that quotation marks, footnotes and other references were not inadvertently omitted. Know the source of each citation.
  • Do not submit the same work for more than one class without first obtaining the permission of both professors even if you believe that the work you have already completed satisfies the requirements of another assignment.
  • Save your notes and drafts of your papers as evidence of your original work.

Policies Concerning Plagiarism

The bylaws of the University define the educational conduct of students to be under faculty jurisdiction. Given this charge, the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development has established the following guidelines to avoid plagiarism, a form of academic misconduct.

Students in the process of learning acquire ideas from others and exchange ideas and opinions with classmates, professors, and others. This exchange occurs in reading, writing, and discussion. Students are expected — and often required — to build their own work upon that of other people, just as professional researchers and writers do. Giving credit to someone whose work has helped one’s own is courteous and honest. Plagiarism, on the other hand, is a form of fraud. Proper acknowledgment marks the difference.

A hallmark of the educated student is the ability to recognize and acknowledge when information is derived from others. The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development expects that a student will be scrupulous in crediting those sources that have contributed to the development of his or her ideas. In particular, it is the responsibility of the student to learn the proper forms of citation: directly copied material must always be in quotes; paraphrased material must be acknowledged; and even ideas and organization derived from another’s work must be acknowledged. The following definition of plagiarism has been adopted by the faculty members of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development:

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as though it were your own. More specifically, plagiarism is to present as your own: a sequence of words quoted without quotation marks from another writer; a paraphrased passage from another writer’s work; facts or ideas gathered, organized, and/or reported by someone else, orally and/or in writing. Since plagiarism is a matter of fact, not of the student’s intention, it is crucial that acknowledgment of sources be accurate and complete. Even where there is no conscious intention to deceive, the failure to make appropriate acknowledgment constitutes plagiarism.

NYU Steinhardt imposes heavy penalties for plagiarism in order to safeguard the degrees that the University grants. Cases of plagiarism are considered among the most serious of offenses. (See NYU Steinhardt’s Statement on Academic Integrity in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Student Handbook for further information.)

Disciplinary Measures

Students are expected to familiarize themselves and to comply with the rules of conduct, academic regulations, and established practices of the University and the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. If, pursuant to such rules, regulations, or practices, the withdrawal of a student is required before the end of the term for which tuition has been paid, a refund will be made according to the standard schedule for refunds.

The Steinhardt School shall address allegations of academic integrity violations following the established procedures below.

When a professor suspects a student of violating the Academic Integrity policy, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken following the the University procedures outlined in the link above.

Redress of Grievances

The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development follows the student grievance policies and procedures set forth by the University. See Student Grievance Procedure for more information.

Internships

Fieldwork Placement Advisory

Be advised that fieldwork placement facilities that provide training required for your program degree, and agencies that issue licenses for practice in your field of study, each may require you to undergo general and criminal background checks, the results of which the facility or agency must find acceptable before it will allow you to train at its facility or issue you a license. You should inform yourself of offenses or other facts that may prevent obtaining a license to practice in your field of study. NYU Steinhardt will not be responsible if you are unable to complete program requirements or cannot obtain a license to practice in your field because of the results of such background checks. Some fieldwork placement facilities in your field of study may not be available to you in some states due to local legal prohibitions.

Placement Exams

Select graduate programs may require students to complete prerequisite coursework or take entrance or placement exams. Based on exam results and review of the student's transcript, students may need to complete additional coursework that cannot be used to meet degree requirements. For details see the admissions requirements for your program.

Honors and Awards

The Office of Student Affairs administers special awards for scholarship and service to the school. Nominations for these awards are solicited from all members of the NYU Steinhardt community. The John W. Withers Memorial Award and the E. George Payne Memorial Award are awarded to graduating seniors and graduate students who have shown evidence of exemplary scholarship and service to the school. The Ida Bodman Award and the Samuel Eshborn Service Award are given on the basis of the quality of service that a student has given to the school. The Arch Award is given to undergraduate and graduate students based on the unique and beneficial quality of their cumulative record of service to their fellow students, faculty, and administration of the school. Information regarding applications and a complete listing of awards and deadlines for awards can be found at https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/current-students/graduation/awards.