Academic Standards
For a general, comprehensive procedural guide to Cornell Graduate School policy, fellows should consult the Guide to Graduate Study. This document is available in the Graduate School office or online here. The publications listed on the Graduate School’s “University Policies and Procedures” web page contain general requirements pertaining to all Graduate School students. CIPA, like many other graduate fields, has additional guidelines and fellows are responsible for familiarizing themselves with these regulations.
Registration Status
At the beginning of each semester, all students must register with the University. Registration establishes student status and confers access to the range of University resources available to students. Registration is not, however, synonymous with course enrollment. Registration is required every semester until either withdrawal or completion of degree, unless a leave of absence is granted. Each regular degree student is expected to complete the registration unit requirement with reasonable continuity.
CIPA Grading System
In general, CIPA fellows are expected to take all course requirements for a letter grade, except for courses that do not offer this as an option.
The official university grading system is composed of letter grades with pluses and minuses. CIPA fellows must earn a grade of C or above in order for the course to be counted for academic credit toward their M.P.A. degree.
These are the quality-point equivalents:
|
A+ |
= |
4.3 |
B+ |
= |
3.3 |
C+ |
= |
2.3 |
|
A |
= |
4.0 |
B |
= |
3.0 |
C |
= |
2.0 |
|
A- |
= |
3.7 |
B- |
= |
2.7 |
Students may be granted an Incomplete (INC) in a course when two conditions are met:
- The student has a substantial equity at a passing level in the course with respect to work completed, and…
- The student has been prevented by circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness or family emergency, from completing all of the course requirements on time.
While it is the student’s responsibility to initiate a request for a grade of incomplete, reasons for requesting one must be acceptable to the instructor, who establishes specific make-up requirements. CIPA requires that a statement signed by the instructor be on file indicating the reason for the grade of incomplete and the restrictions, if any.
The Graduate School requires that all grades of Incomplete be made up within one year or the grade will be frozen. Once an Incomplete is frozen, a student must appeal to the graduate school to have the grade changed. It is the student’s responsibility to see that all grades of incomplete be made up within the deadline and that the grade has been properly recorded with the registrar.
Residence Requirement
In graduate school at Cornell, a student’s progress toward an advanced degree is determined not only by the quality of work completed (gauged through grades based on faculty evaluations and formal exams) but also by the length of time spent in pursuit of the degree. Students are expected to spend four semesters of study in residence to complete the M.P.A. Those who enroll in the Cornell Accelerated Master's Program can earn the equivalent of two semesters in residence during their senior year.
Petition Process
Students may request substitutions to CIPA program regulations or to Graduate School regulations. In either case, a fellow must submit compelling evidence in the form of a petition that a substitution is needed and warranted.
CIPA petitions are intended for CIPA-specific program adjustments such as:
- Substituting a course requirement
- Pursuing an off-campus study option (Cornell-in-Washington, the Rome program or the Cornell-Nepal Study Program).
- Changing a Program Advisor
CIPA petitions are available in the CIPA office or on page 59.
Graduate School petitions are to be used for requesting exceptions to graduate student regulations such as:
- Adding or dropping a course late
- A leave of absence
Graduate School petition forms are available in the Graduate Office or at http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu under “Publications and Forms.”
Cornell's Code of Academic Integrity
Absolute integrity is expected of every Cornell student in all academic undertakings. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community are grounded on the concept of honesty with respect to the intellectual efforts of oneself and others. Academic integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University relationships and interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of University resources. Both students and faculty of Cornell assume the responsibility of maintaining and furthering these values.
A Cornell student's submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work is the student's own. All outside assistance should be acknowledged, and the student's academic position truthfully reported at all times. In addition, Cornell students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.
- A student shall in no way misrepresent his or her work.
- A student shall in no way fraudulently or unfairly advance his or her academic position.
- A student shall refuse to be a party to another student's failure to maintain academic integrity.
- A student shall not in any other manner violate the principle of academic integrity.
- The Cornell Code of Academic Integrity can be read in its entirety online at http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/AIC.html.
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