Registration

University Policy

An officially registered student is one who is registered for classes and who has settled all charges with Student Accounting Services.

Candidates for admission to degree programs may not register until they receive a formal statement of acceptance. Students accepted to the University register according to instructions provided by their school or college.

Continuing students register for courses in October or November for the spring semester and March or April for the fall semester. Eligible continuing students may access WebReg on the Student Link (a Web-based system) to register for courses for the semester.

The student’s account is charged tuition and fees based on the student’s status and class selection. Students can view their student account and make payment online using the Student Link. Students may also give access to their student account details to their parents, guardian, or other third party by selecting the “Share-a-view” feature on the Student Link and following the instructions.

Official registration is complete when Student Accounting Services receives full payment. A late payment fee may be assessed to those students who do not complete official registration by August 6, 2010, for Fall 2010, and December 17, 2010, for Spring 2011.

School of Public Health Policy

Students in all degree programs must be registered in every fall and spring semester in which they are enrolled at the School of Public Health. International students graduating in September must follow the requirements of the International Student & Scholars Office in regards to summer registration in the summer immediately prior to their graduation. Students are urged to meet with their advisor a month before registration begins to plan a schedule, and to enter this schedule into the “Planner” function on the Student Link.

All continuing students in good academic standing with an active Boston University email address may register online via the Student Link.

The Office of the University Registrar establishes dates for SPH registration. Students should watch for notices regarding registration for upcoming semesters as these dates are made available.

Students are urged to register early on the first morning of the registration period to avoid being closed out of courses. For classes requiring paper registration (all directed studies, directed research, and practicum courses), registration materials are available on the School of Public Health website and on the shelves outside the SPH Registrar’s Office on  Talbot 2 Center. Students completing their program’s required thesis or dissertation must register for continuing study status. Each degree program has an established course number for continuing study. Students are certified as full time and are charged for the equivalent of two credits of coursework and medical insurance (which may be waived if the student has appropriate other medical insurance).

After registering, students should verify their registration and account charges on the Boston University Student Link. If changes are needed, students may add or drop courses prior to the beginning of the semester on the Student Link.

Students who have outstanding loans to be deferred or have applied for financial aid must register for the appropriate amount of credits to insure their ability to receive loan deferments and to be eligible for current financial aid assistance. Be sure that you maintain at least the minimum number of credit units per semester to be eligible for the loans for which you applied. If you are unclear as to your enrollment requirements, contact Student Financial Management at 617-638-5130.

Enrollment Options

All degree candidates may enroll as either full-time or part-time students. Domestic students may change their status as their circumstances dictate, bearing in mind that students must be registered for at least six new credits each semester to be eligible for federal financial aid or loan deferment of existing loans. International students are required to maintain full-time status except in their final semester, when they may request permission from the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) to drop to part-time status.

Full-time status is a registration category assigned to students enrolled in 12–18 credit units per semester. Part-time status is a registration category assigned to students enrolled in 1–11 credit units per semester.

Students who change status must notify the SPH Registrar’s Office so their coding is corrected.

Changing Master of Public Health Concentration

Once students have matriculated into the MPH program, they may request to change their concentration or add a dual concentration by submitting a Change of Concentration Form to the SPH Registrar’s Office. Change of Concentration forms are available on the SPH website and on the shelves outside the Registrar’s Office.

Completed Change of Concentration form applications include:

1. A one-page statement indicating the reason for changing concentration.
2. A tentative schedule outlining how the student will satisfy the concentration requirements by the student’s anticipated/desired graduation date.  This schedule should include BUSPH courses taken to date and any approved transfer credits.
3. Review and signature by a faculty member in the concentration to be added.  If the student wishes to add a dual concentration, he/she must have the form reviewed and signed by the designated faculty member in both concentrations.

Faculty may review the student’s academic record prior to approving the change or addition. The student is responsible for obtaining and reviewing the bulletin and concentrator’s guide(s) so he/she is prepared to meet the graduation standards in place at the time of the change to the new concentration. It is possible that changing concentration or adding a dual concentration will result in the student’s having to complete more than 48 credits for the MPH degree.

Enrollment Verification

Students may process an enrollment verification from the “Personal” tab on the Student Link. If the verification is not acceptable to a third party, the School of Public Health Registrar’s Office will produce a signed, sealed enrollment verification. Requests for such verifications must be made in writing; emails that include the student’s name, BU ID number, and date of birth are acceptable.