Academic Policies

Residency Requirements

Students in the MPH program must complete 46 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 25 credits, including 12 credits of core courses, 9 credits of concentration courses, and 4 credits of the culminating experience must be taken at GPH. Electives may be taken outside GPH¹ but require approval of the Chair or Program Director, unless already on the pre-approved list of electives for that particular concentration. Per the GPH transfer credit policy, students may transfer in up to 9 credits of approved coursework, including 6 credits of core coursework, from an accredited school or program.

Students in the MS Biostatistics program must complete 46 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 28 credits, including 12 credits of core courses, 12 credits of selective courses, and 4 credits of the culminating experience must be taken at GPH. Electives may be taken outside GPH¹ but require approval of the Chair, unless already on the pre-approved list of electives. Per the GPH transfer credit policy, students may transfer in up to 9 credits of approved coursework, including 6 credits of core coursework, from an accredited school or program.

Students in the MS Epidemiology program must complete 46 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 28 credits, including 24 credits of required courses and 4 credits of the culminating experience, must be taken at GPH. Electives may be taken outside GPH¹ but require approval of the Program Director. Per the GPH transfer credit policy, students may transfer in up to 9 credits of approved coursework, including 6 credits of core coursework, from an accredited school or program.

Students in the MA program must complete 32 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 8 credits, 6 credits of required courses and 2 credits of practicum, must be taken at GPH. Electives may be taken outside GPH¹ but require approval of the Chair, unless already on the pre-approved list of electives. 

Students in the DrPH program must complete 42 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 16 credits of required courses, must be taken at GPH. Per the GPH transfer credit policy, students may transfer in up to 9 credits of approved coursework from an accredited school or program. Electives may be taken outside GPH¹ but require approval of the Director.

Students in the PhD program who matriculated in Fall 2020 or later must complete 72 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 66 credits, including 18 credits of required courses, and 6 credits of concentration courses, must be taken at GPH.  Students in the PhD program who matriculated prior to Fall 2020 must complete 39 credits for their degree requirements. A minimum of 33 credits, including 18 credits of required courses and 6 credits of concentration courses, must be taken at GPH. Per the GPH transfer credit policy, students may transfer in up to 9 credits of approved coursework from an accredited school or program. Electives may be taken outside GPH¹ but require approval of the relevant Concentration Director.

Note: exception to residency requirements may be made in extraordinary circumstances and must be approved by the relevant Chair or Program Director.

¹

Outside GPH, but within NYU.

Graduation

Students at the School of Global Public Health may officially graduate in September, January, or May.

In order to graduate in a specific semester (i.e. the semester in which all degree requirements will be completed), students must apply for graduation within the application deadline period. Students getting certificates must also apply for graduation.

See below for the application deadline for the semester in which you intend to graduate.

If you complete your degree requirements in the Spring 2024 semester: you will need to apply for May Graduation.

• Deadline to apply is: Thursday, February 15, 2024

If you complete your degree requirements in the Summer 2023 semester: you will need to apply for September Graduation.

• The application period opens on March 1, 2024
• PLEASE NOTE: Should you want to participate in the May 2024 Ceremony, you would need to apply for a Dean’s Exception. Kindly refer to Dean’s Exceptions below for next steps. 

IMPORTANT NOTE | Make sure to apply by the deadline listed on this page to be considered as a candidate for graduation.

Doctoral students must also apply for graduation.

Students in dual degree programs must submit an application for each of the Schools in which they are enrolled.

Applying for Graduation

All students must apply for graduation via your NYU Albert Account 

1. Log in to Albert. On the Home page go to the Academics section and click the Apply to Graduate button.
2. Select your Academic Program
3. Select the term you expect to graduate.  If there are no terms available you are not eligible to apply or you have already applied.
4. Verify your information and submit your application.
5. Confirm or change your diploma name, delivery address and method using the Diploma Options link.

IMPORTANT NOTE | Note that if you do not apply for graduation, you will not be able to attend the Commencement ceremony.

Already applied? Check your application status on Albert on the Academics page under Graduation.

Expected Term of Graduation

The term in which you expect to graduate is an important part of your student record, especially if you receive any form of financial aid. 

Make sure to verify or update your expected date of graduation on Albert in the Academics section under Graduation.

Dean's Exception

Dean’s Exceptions are students who are permitted to participate in Graduation Ceremonies although they have not yet completed their coursework  (with up to two courses outstanding to be completed in the Summer). Graduating students who are approved for a Dean's Exception and participate in May 2024 Commencement activities will not be eligible to attend the All-University Commencement ceremony in May 2025. Similarly, graduates who requested a Dean's Exception in May 2023 are not eligible to participate in the May 2024 ceremony.

How to Apply for Dean’s Exception

1. Register for your final summer course(s)
2. Submit a Dean's Exception Request via the Google Form 
3. Once approved, the GPH Registrar will send you an email to confirm you have been approved to participate.
4. If you have not applied for graduation, make sure to apply for September graduation via Albert 2024 (see here for specific application dates).
5. Instructions may be found here. If you've already applied for May graduation via Albert and need to change it to September, please email graduation@nyu.edu and ask them to withdraw you from May, term activate you for summer, and add you to the September graduation cycle.
6. When you are approved for a Dean’s Exception, you will receive an email from GPH, as well an email from University Events confirming your approval. You will also receive instructions for requesting Commencement tickets when the ordering period begins.

Remember: In order to receive a Dean's Exception you will need to be already registered for your final summer requirement(s) first. A Dean's Exception must be approved prior to the start of Summer semester. Please check this webpage in early Spring for a specific deadline.

Transfer and Articulation Agreements

Doctoral Programs

Upon matriculation, students enrolled in the DrPH or PhD program will be allowed to transfer in a maximum of 9 credits of approved graduate courses from an accredited school or program. Transfer of up to 9 credits for will only be approved if:

• a grade of a C- or better was obtained;
• the course(s) was taken at an accredited school or program within the last 5 years;
• the course(s) did not count towards a prior degree or certificate;
• the course(s) is either equivalent to a required course or relevant to the student’s area of focus; and
• the transfer syllabus was evaluated and approved by the relevant core course instructor and chairperson/program director.

students seeking approval for transfer of credits should complete a Doctoral Transfer Credit Form, and send it along with (1) an academic transcript showing course name, dates taken, letter grade obtained; and (2) course syllabus, to the Director of Registration & Academic Services, who will send it to the relevant instructor and chair/program director for approval.

MS Biostatistics Program

Students enrolled in the MS Biostatistics program are allowed to transfer in a maximum of 9 credits of graduate courses from an accredited institution. Transfer credit may not be applied towards Thesis. Transfer of up to 9 credits for core will only be approved if:

• a grade of a C- or better was obtained;
• the course(s) was taken at an accredited school or program within the last 5 years;
• the course(s) was not counted towards a prior degree or certificate; and
• the transfer syllabus was evaluated and approved by the Bioethics chairperson.

Students seeking approval for transfer of credits should complete a Transfer Credit Request form, and send it along with: (1) an academic transcript showing course name, dates taken, letter grade obtained; and (2) course syllabus to the Director of Registration & Academic Services. The Director will review the syllabi and send to the Biostatistics Chair for review, if needed.  If the course is accepted for transfer, the Director will process the transfer and alert the student and their advisor. 

MA Bioethics Program

Upon matriculation, students in the Bioethics program may transfer in up to 12 credits of elective course work.  Transfer of up to 12 credits will only be approved if:

• a grade of a C- or better was obtained;
• the course(s) was taken at an accredited school or program within the last 5 years;
• the course(s) was not counted towards a prior degree or certificate; and
• the transfer syllabus was evaluated and approved by the Biostatistics chairperson.

Students seeking approval for transfer of credits should complete a Transfer Credit Request form, and send it along with: (1) an academic transcript showing course name, dates taken, letter grade obtained; and (2) course syllabus to the Director of Registration & Academic Services. The Director will review send the syllabi to the Bioethics Chair for review. If the course is accepted for transfer, the Director will process the transfer and alert the student and their advisor. 

Advanced Certificate in Public Health

Students enrolled in the Advanced Certificate in Public Health are allowed to transfer in a maximum of 3 credits of approved graduate courses from a CEPH-accredited school or program in public health.

Transfer of credits will only be approved if:

• a grade of a C- or better was obtained;
• the course(s) was taken at a CEPH-accredited school or program;
• the course was taken within the last 5 years; and
• the course was not counted towards a prior degree.

Students seeking approval for transfer of credits should complete a Transfer Credit Request form, and send it along with: (1) an academic transcript showing course name, dates taken, letter grade obtained; and (2) course syllabus to the Director of Registration & Academic Services. The Director will review the syllabi. Any course from a CEPH-accredited institution may transfer in as long as the student earned a C- or better. If the course is accepted for transfer, the Director will process the transfer and alert the student and their advisor.

Transferring Coursework from the MPH to the Advanced Certificate in Public Health

Students who began the MPH program but did not complete it, and would like to transfer in their completed core credits into the GPH Advanced Certificate in Public Health may do so under the following restrictions:

• the student must have taken the course(s) within the last 5 years;
• the student must have earned at least a C-;
• this only applies to the 6 core courses that exist in the certificate

Students may submit this request to the Director of Registration and Academic Services who will coordinate with the Associate Dean of Enrollment Management to process the transfer.

Course Waivers

MPH students may waive the requirement to take certain core and concentration courses as indicated below, based on the following conditions:

1. A core course (Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Health Policy and Management, Social and Behavioral Health, or Essentials of Public Health Biology) may be waived only with a similar core course taken at a CEPH-accredited MPH program/school.

2. Students with a clinical health background (e.g., MD, MBBS, RN, BSN, DO, DDS, PA, DVM) or those who have taken at least 3 of the following courses at the undergraduate or graduate level and passed with a B+ or better may waive the Essentials of Public Health Biology course: biochemistry, cell biology, embryology, human anatomy, human genetics, human physiology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, neuroscience, toxicology, virology.

Up to 9 credits of course work may be waived if the following conditions are met:

• a grade of a C- or better was obtained;
• the core course(s) was taken at a CEPH-accredited school or program within the last 5 years; 
• an elective course(s) was taken at an accredited institution within the last 5 years;
• the syllabus for the waiver course was evaluated and approved by the relevant course instructor and/or chairperson/program director.
• Transfer of elective courses may be processed as long as the elective was taken an accredited institution.

All requests for a course waiver must be filed upon matriculation in the student’s first semester of enrollment in the program using the Graduate Course Waiver Form (found at: https://publichealth.nyu.edu/students/resources-forms-policies#graduatecoursewaiver). Students in the Biostatistics MPH or MS programs should use the Biostatistics Course Substitution form found on the landing page of each program.

Course Waivers for Biostatistics Students

Biostatistics (MPH and MS) may choose to substitute the any of following courses upon approval of the Chair:

• GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health 
• GPH-GU 2353 Regression I: Linear Regression and Modeling (3). 
• GPH-GU 2354 Regression II: Categorical Data Analysis
• GPH-GU 2286 Introduction to Data Management and Statistical Computing
• GPH-GU 2183 Introduction to Statistical Programming in R and GPH-GU 2184 Intermediate Statistical Programming in R
• GPH-GU 2225 Psychometric Measurement and Analysis in Public Health Research and Practice
• GPH-GU 2387 Survey Design, Analysis, and Reporting
• GPH-GU 2480 Longitudinal Analysis of Public Health Data
• GPH-GU 2368 Applied Survival Analysis

After speaking with the Biostatistics Chair, students should complete the Biostatistics Course Substitution Petition form and send it to the Chair, along with a copy to the Director, Registration & Academic Services. 

Grading

Grading Scale

The GPH grading scale is defined as follows:

A: 94-100
A-: 90-93
B+: 87-89
B: 83-86
B-: 80-82
C+: 77-79
C: 73-76
C-: 70-72
D+: 67-69
D: 60-66
F: <60

Incomplete Grades

GPH students are expected to complete all course requirements on time. Under extraordinary circumstances (such as a medical emergency or family crisis), the temporary grade of “I” (Incomplete), may be recorded for a student who is unable to complete course requirements. A grade of “I” does not factor into the GPA, nor do the units for the course count as earned credit toward the degree while the "I" remains on the transcript. The credits do count as attempted credits and therefore may impact financial aid eligibility. Questions regarding financial aid may be directed to financial.aid@nyu.edu.

To receive an incomplete grade, the student should make a formal request using the Incomplete Grade Request form. The form serves as a contract between the student and course instructor and must be signed by both parties and submitted to the Director of Registration & Academic Services. The request will indicate the reason for the incomplete, the work to be completed, and the final deadline by which the work is to be submitted, to be stipulated by the instructor. 150 days after the end of the semester in which the course was taken, the Incomplete will lapse to an “F”.

Pass/Fail Option

Matriculated students at the School of Global Public Health do not have the option to take courses toward their degree on a pass/fail basis (this does not include courses which are always graded on a pass/fail basis, including GPH-GU 3555, 5170, 5171, 5175, 5180, 5185). However, students may take a course P/F if it does not count towards their degree requirements. They must get permission of the instructor and then inform Lisa Kroin (lrk219@nyu.edu) to make sure the grading scale of the course is updated to reflect this.

Grading Components

All GPH courses have a rubric of grading components, indicating the breakdown of how the grade is calculated, as defined by the instructor. The grading components are outlined on the course syllabus.

Course Grade Minimums

The minimum grade required for all courses counted towards any graduate degree at GPH, with the exception of the applied practice related courses, is a C- or better.

For the applied practice related courses, students must receive a minimum grade of B.  If a student receives less than a B, the course must be repeated.

These courses include:

• GPH-GU 2359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar/GPH-GU 5359  ¹
• GPH-GU 2360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar/GPH-GU 5360  ¹
• GPH-GU 2686 Thesis I: Practice ​and Integrative Learning Experiences ²
• GPH-GU 2687 Thesis II: Practice ​and Integrative Learning Experiences ²

¹

This applies to students in Community Health Science & Practice, Environmental Public Health Sciences, Global Health, Public Health Nutrition, Public Health Policy & Management, and SDG.

²

This applies to students in Biostatistics (MPH and MS), Epidemiology (MPH and MS), and Social & Behavioral Sciences).

Course Repeat Policy

Credit will not be granted for courses in which a student receives a D+ or lower¹. If the course is a required course for the degree, including concentration courses, it must be repeated. If a student received a D+ or lower in an elective course, the student may choose to take an alternate elective the following semester¹.

When a course is repeated, both the original grade and second grade will be recorded on the student’s transcript, but only the second grade will be included in the calculation of the student’s GPA. If the second grade is lower than the original grade, or if the student does not achieve the minimum grade requirement upon taking the course a second time, under special circumstances, the student may take the course a third time pending permission of both the instructor and advisor.

¹

Please see the information above regarding course grade minimums.

Grade Appeals

Students who wish to request a change of their final course grade should follow the procedures outlined below. 

Step 1

Within fifteen (15) calendar days from when the final course grade is posted in Albert, the student should consult with the instructor who assigned the grade to discuss the requirements for the course and how the grade was determined. Following this discussion, the instructor will make a determination whether to change the grade and issue a decision to the student via email (the “Step 1 Decision”). 

Step 2

If the student wishes to appeal the Step 1 Decision, they must submit a formal written appeal (“Appeal”) via email within ten (10) calendar days of the Step 1 Decision being sent. The Appeal should include a written statement explaining the grounds for the appeal and why the course grade provided by the instructor should be re-assessed.

Appeals will be decided by the Department Chair / Program Director of the department / program where the course is housed1 or by their designee, who shall be an appropriate academic administrator equivalent to a Department Chair / Program Director. If the Appeal is from the grade in a course taught by the Department Chair or Program Director, the Appeal will be decided by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. If the Appeal is from the grade in a course taught by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, the Appeal will be decided by the Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs.

The Step 2 decision maker will independently review the grade(s), collect relevant information pertinent to the course grade and the Appeal, and will issue a decision via email (the “Step 2 Decision”).

Step 3

If the student wishes to appeal the Step 2 Decision, they must submit a formal written appeal (“Final Appeal”) via email within ten (10) calendar days of the Step 2 Decision being sent.

The Final Appeal will be decided by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. If First Appeal was decided by the Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs, the Final Appeal will be reviewed by the Senior Executive Vice Dean.

The Step 3 decision maker will independently review the grade(s), collect relevant information pertinent to the course grade and Final Appeal, and will issue a final decision via email. No further appeals are permitted.

Academic Standing and Progress

A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required for graduation from all GPH master's programs. Students are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 throughout their academic career. Students who fall below the required GPA during any semester are placed on academic probation and monitored closely for academic progress. Students who are on academic probation may be restricted in the number of courses taken during a given semester. A student whose GPA falls below the required minimum for 2 consecutive semesters will be required to petition to remain in the program. Please note that failure to satisfy the conditions of academic probation may result in future academic sanctions up to possible dismissal from the University.

Academic Standing and Financial Aid

Students should know that a cumulative GPA below the required minimum and/or courses that are not completed on time can have implications for financial aid eligibility. Students should carefully read the graduate student information regarding NYU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.

Withdrawals

Leave of Absence/Term Withdrawal/Total Withdrawal

• A leave of absence is an approved temporary break from University studies for one or more terms with the intent to return for a future term. 
• A term withdrawal means you are withdrawing from all of your classes for a term. A term withdrawal requested after the drop/add deadline of the term will result in W grades on your transcript. 
• A total withdrawal means you intend to stop your studies at the University before completing your program, and do not intend to return for a future term. A total withdrawal requested after the drop/add deadline of the term will result in W grades on your transcript. 

Important information when requesting a leave and/or withdrawal:

• you accept financial responsibility for all charges (including collection of fees) associated with your request according to the University refund/liability schedule. View the Refund Policy.
• Withdrawing can impact your visa eligibility and/or financial aid. It’s important to understand those impacts before you take a leave of absence or withdraw.

International students: contact the Office of Global Services with questions.

Financial Aid recipients: contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions. 

What you need to do before requesting a leave and/or withdrawal:

• Always speak with your GPH Student Affairs Program Advisor when you are considering a leave of absence or term/total withdrawal, or if you are uncertain about any of the information on this web-page.
• Once you have done it, submit your request for an approved leave of absence, total withdrawal, or term withdrawal in your Albert Student Center by clicking the “Request Leave of Absence” or “Request Term/Total Withdrawal” link (on the Homepage of your Student Center, under your Enrolled Courses). An email confirmation will be sent to your NYU email address after you submit your request.

Do not submit a request for leave of absence or term/total withdrawal if:

• You want to drop individual classes but will remain registered in other classes. Instead, submit a class withdrawal request.
• You intend to complete the remaining graduation or research requirements that do not require registration for additional credit-bearing classes. 

Instead, contact your Program Advisor to discuss options for registering for “Maintenance of Matriculation”.

Instructions are outlined on the Registrar's website: Leave of Absence/Term Withdrawal/Total Withdrawal

Course Withdrawals and Refunds

GPH follows the University policy for course withdrawals and refunds. Students who submit a request to withdraw from a graduate course after the add/drop deadline, they will be subject to financial and academic penalty. 

It is the student's responsibility to be aware of the schedules posted on the NYU Bursar's website. 

Information about refunds and deadlines may be found here and the withdrawal schedule may be found here.

Term Withdrawals

Students who want to withdraw from all of their classes after the add/drop deadline must do a Term Withdrawal. A Term Withdrawal results in a W for each course on the student’s transcript and no refund. Students should carefully read all of the information on the registrar’s website regarding leaves and apply for a leave via Albert, as instructed in the link. Upon receiving the request, their administrative advisor from GPH Student Affairs will reach out to them to discuss it and approve the leave in Albert.

Petition for Withdrawals

Standards of Conduct

Academic Integrity

The NYU School of Global Public Health values both open inquiry and academic integrity. Students in the program are expected to follow standards of excellence set forth by New York University and stated in the NYU Academic Integrity Policy Statement. Such standards include respect, honesty and responsibility. GPH does not tolerate violations to academic integrity including:

• Plagiarism
• Cheating on an exam
• Submitting your own work toward requirements in more than one course without prior approval from the instructor
• Collaborating with other students for work expected to be completed individually
• Giving your work to another student to submit as his/her own
• Purchasing or using papers or work online or from a commercial firm and presenting it as your own work

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the GPH Statement of Academic Integrity and NYU University’s policy on academic integrity as they will be expected to adhere to such policies at all times – as a student and an alumni of New York University.

Student Conduct Policies - Non-Academic

If students have any questions regarding the following policies and procedures they are strongly encouraged to meet with the GPH Sr. Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Effective August 13, 2018, allegations of non-academic misconduct, as outlined in the University Student Conduct Policy, against a student of the School of Global Public Health, shall be addressed pursuant to the procedures set forth in the NYU Student Conduct Procedures and administered by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards under the authority of the Senior Vice President of Student Affairs.  Allegations of academic misconduct (plagiarism, cheating) against a student of the School of Global Public Health shall continue to be addressed by the school in accordance with established procedures listed above.

Student Conduct Procedures

While many situations can be addressed through conversational and colloquial measures, other matters may necessitate more formal procedures depending on the severity of the alleged conduct and potential sanctions. Upon receipt of a report, the Office of Student Conduct shall review the matter and determine an appropriate forum for resolution. All forums, as outlined below, are administered to ensure that any student accused of violating University policy (the “respondent”) is afforded a fair and impartial process. 

Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment

New York University is committed to maintaining an environment that encourages and fosters appropriate conduct among all persons and respect for individual values. Accordingly, the University is committed to enforcing this Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures at all levels in order to create an environment free from discrimination, harassment, retaliation and/or sexual assault. Discrimination or harassment based on race, gender and/or gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, or on any other legally prohibited basis is unlawful and undermines the character and purpose of the University. Such discrimination or harassment violates University policy and will not be tolerated.  

The Office of Equal Opportunity is the University's neutral unit charged with investigating allegations of discrimination and harassment in the working and learning environments in accordance with the University's Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures for Employees.

Redress of Grievances

The NYU School of Global Public Health follows the University Student Grievance Procedure.

Disciplinary Measures

The NYU School of Global Public Health follows the University Student Conduct Procedure.

Internships

Placement Exams