| Public Policy Program | Professors | Classes |
|---|---|---|
| Events | Membership & Benefits | Where Are They? |
People talk about comps and field exams. What's the difference?
Comps, or comprehensive exams are actually called qualifying exams, and are taken after the general coursework is completed for Ph.D. students and at the end of their coursework but before the Master's degree is awarded, for MA students. Field exams are taken by Ph.D. students after they have completed their field work, meaning the courses particular to their area of expertise. After passing the field exam, Ph.D. students write and defend their proposal for their dissertation and after approval, write and then defend their dissertation.
Where can I go for helpful policy links in my field?
Go to the PPSA Home Page and click on policy links.
Are there any professional organizations policy students can be members of?
The Association for Public Policy and Management (APPAM) is the professional association for policy researchers and practitioners. They have annual research conferences, which are in DC every other year, and a peer-reviewed journal. There is a student membership rate. See the website www.appam.org. APPAM is a general association with researchers and practitioners from many fields such as environmental policy, health policy, etc. Some particular fields also have their own associations, for example, education policy students would also be interested in the American Education Research Association (AERA).
What are the various policy programs at GW?
Click Here! Or here for affiliated programs
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Who teaches in the Public Policy program?
Click Here!
I have a complaint/concern/suggestion about how a professor is teaching a class. To whom should I talk?
1) Talk to you professor. This is the most direct way to register your concerns, and many professors are open to feedback. Of course, this may not always be realistic so you can also…
2) Talk to the department heads (Professors Wolman, Cordes, and Newcomer) or your faculty advisor. If you are uncomfortable speaking to your professor directly, these professors have emphasized to the PPSA's Executive Committee that they welcome student feedback and will do their best to respond appropriately. If your concerns relate to some form of harassment or have other legal repercussions (Click Here), speaking to one of these three professors is most appropriate (as opposed to asking PPSA's Executive Committee to convey your complaint). If you have a suggestion/complaint about teaching style or some other aspect of the class, try to make your feedback concrete, specific, and constructive. Suggesting improvements and noting positive features that professors can build on is helpful.
3) Talk to a member of PPSA's Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets regularly with Professors Wolman, Cordes, and Newcomer. A major reason for our doing this is to pass on student feedback. We can do this with or without disclosing y our identity. As noted above, try to make feedback concrete, specific, and constructive. And if your feedback concerns harassment or other legal issues, it is important to voice these concerns directly to the department.
4) Note your complaints/suggestions in the end-of-semester evaluation form. All policy classes should have evaluation forms. If you complete a course with having an opportunity to complete an evaluation form, please let the Executive Committee and the department know about it.
5) Note your feedback in the program evaluation forms that the department will distribute at the end of the semester. These are an important opportunity for the department to get your feedback on the overall program, curriculum, requirements, etc. Please take a few minutes to complete and return the form you receive.
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How do I register for classes?
If it's during priority registration (which begins months before classes start) or within the first two weeks of classes go to GWEB Info Systems and add yourself and drop yourself. Otherwise you will need a Registration Transaction Form (available at Phillips 107 or Registrar's Office) and will need to be signed into a class by the professor (and then bring the form back to a graduate advisor at Phillips 107) or signed by you to drop it. Keep in mind that if it is after the 1st week of classes there is not a 100% refund.
When are final exams?
A tentative exam schedules exists in the printed schedule of classes, but the official one comes out midway through the semester. For graduate courses, the exam is generally scheduled one week from the last class at the same time and place as the regular class. But always consult the course syllabus.
Is there some cheaper way to get books than at the GW bookstore?
Why yes, there is. Amazon.com and half.com are just two of the many ways to get discounted textbooks. And they arrive quickly too if you opt for quicker shipping. At times there are free shipping deals too. Better yet, check the PPSA Classifieds section which hopefully will get more and more listings to see if there are any books you'd like to buy (Coming Soon!!). Submit books to sell as well.
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Are there any seminars that I can go to?
Plenty! GWIPP and PPSA are sponsoring a series of seminars, this year, on topics ranging from social security reform and health insurance issues to Congressional decision-making and policy advocacy. PPSA is sponsoring a series of career development seminars. For links to more seminars around campus, go to http://www.gwu.edu/~pubpol/events.html.
Many of the think tanks around town have seminars that are open to the public.
Check out some of the schedules here:
§ Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, http://wwics.si.edu/FORTHCOM/calendar.htm
§ Moving Ideas (Electronic Policy Network), http://movingideas.org/events/index.html
§ Brookings Institution, www.brookings.edu (click on "Events")
How do I get more involved in PPSA?
Contact us or one of the members of the Executive Committee. We welcome help organizing, planning, and thinking of new things that we should consider doing.
How do I get involved in the Poster Conference?
If you want to help organize, contact us. If you want to present your research, submission forms will be distributed in the spring semester.
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Do you have to be a member of PPSA to attend the events?
Most events are open to all public policy students, though some events and benefits are reserved exclusively for PPSA members. We encourage all policy students to join the organization because the programming we provide does have a cost and the membership dues help meet that cost.
How can I connect with a second or other year student in my focus/track who is willing to discuss his/her experience?
Sign up for a mentor. You can meet with that person to discuss classes that s/he has taken, how they chose classes, or other issues. Contact us or the co-chairs of the mentoring committee: Noelle Melton and Amy King.
Does PPSA have regular meetings?
The entire membership does not have regular meetings, although members are welcome to attend executive committee meetings on the second (at noon) and fourth (at 8:15pm) Tuesdays of each month. These meetings are primarily to address administrative and strategic issues concerning our programming and events and are very informal. Also, the executive committee meets once a month with the department heads (Profs. Wolman, Cordes & Newcomer) to discuss issues relevant to our members. If you have questions, issues or suggestions that you would like raised at any of these meetings, please let us know and we can add it to the agenda. Minutes from the meetings can be found at http://www.gwu.edu/~ppsa/minutes/index.html.
Are there any standing PPSA committees?
The list of this year's committees is in the Fall 2002 newsletter on p.6 (you can view the newsletter at http://www.gwu.edu/~ppsa/news/fallnews.pdf). If you'd like to get involved, you can let us know or contact the chair directly. The PPSA monthly member updates will also include requests for committee volunteer help as needed.
How do I subscribe to the PPSA members listserv?
Simply send this text in the body of a message (not subject!) to listserv@hermes.gwu.edu: SUBSCRIBE PPSAMEMBERS YOUR-FIRST-NAME YOUR-LAST-NAME Please note that your message cannot contain any other text, such as your signature file. Any other text is interpreted as a command, and the LISTSERV server will return errors.
-or-
Send an email to ppsa@gwu.edu requesting we add you to the LISTSERV. Once you've submitted your request, it will be sent to PPSA for verification, and you will be notified of further procedures and relevant LISTSERV information. For more information about LISTSERVs, please consult http://helpdesk.gwu.edu/helpdesk/FAQs/listserv.html.
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Where is the Registrar's, Financial Aid, Cashier's Office?
Rice Hall!! 2121 I Street, NW
Registrar's Office: 202-994-4900
Financial Aid: 202-994-6620
Cashier's Office: 202-994-6200
How do I get a GW email address?
Go to http://helpdesk.gwu.edu and choose appropriate link.
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Email PPSA: ppsa@gwu.edu Email the webmaster Note: Your computer must have a default email to use this link. Otherwise please email amilynch@gwu.edu |
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