Academic Resources

Students can identify their official academic advisor in SIS. If unsure of who to connect with, or to reach our entire academic support team, email BattenAcademics@virginia.edu.

Heather Downs is the Director of Academic Operations and serves as the advisor for undergraduate transfer students and those in the Graduate Certificate programs.

Kristine Nelson is the Associate Director of Academic Operations and serves as the academic advisor for undergraduate students in our BA and minor programs.

Gianpaolo Licata is the Associate Director of Academic Operations and serves as the advisor for our Graduate students, both the post-grad and accelerated MPPs.

NOTE: The UVA academic calendars are proposed by the Provost's Office and approved by the University President.

Independent Study Application Request for Extension/Incomplete Form

Official university transcripts are provided through the National Student Clearinghouse and may be requested 24/7. Please see the Official Transcript Information and contact the University Registrar with any questions.

Current students can search SIS for upcoming classes.

UVA's University Registrar maintains the official record and policies for the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Relevant links to the official policies and academic rules for the School can be found below.

Students are responsible for the accuracy of their enrollments and should check their Academic Requirements form (available through SIS) on a regular basis to be sure they are making satisfactory progress toward degree completion.

The steps for preparing to receive a degree are:

1. Apply for graduation in SIS; deadline for spring graduation is February 1st. [Click here for Step-by-step directions]
2. Check your primary name and diploma address in SIS. For assistance with changing your diploma address, see the SIS Help website, and to update/correct your primary name contact UREG directly.
3. Enroll in the remaining classes you need for your degree in your last semester.
4. Check your Academic Requirements Form in SIS to be sure you will have completed all requirements and earned the number of credits needed. It is YOUR responsibility to be sure you have met all of the requirements for the degree. Make an academic advising appointment if you are uncertain how to read your academic requirements report.
5. Take all of your exams and pass all of your courses.
6. Order a cap and gown (May only).
7. Order and send announcements (if you want, May only).
8. Be alert for Batten Student Services announcements about graduation services and the Batten Regalia ceremony and ticket distribution.

Information regarding receipt of your UVA diploma can be found on the UREG website. Additional graduation and diploma information is listed on the University Record [see the Undergraduate Record or the Graduate Record.]

Notes:

1. Diplomas for the B.A. in Public Policy and Leadership will only show the degree (Bachelor of Arts), not the major. The major is noted on the transcript.
2. Double majors are reminded that they receive only one degree—and thus only one diploma—but have both majors noted on their transcript.
3. The University reserves the right to withhold the diplomas of financially delinquent students or when students have engaged in Standards of Conduct violations at or prior to graduation ceremonies. The University also reserves the right to revoke diplomas previously conferred when the student has not satisfied the rules and regulations of the University.

For yearly dates, please visit the UREG Operations calendar.

Advising

• Utilize the Batten Student Portal to make advising appointments.

Summer Enrollment

• Summer class search available in SIS the Friday of spring break.
• Returning graduate student enrollment begins approximately 2 weeks after spring break.
• 4th, and 3rd year student enrollment begins day after graduate student enrollment.
• 2nd and 1st year student enrollment begins following day.

Fall Enrollment

• Fall class search available in SIS the Friday of spring break.
• Graduate student enrollment begins approximately 3 weeks after courses available in SIS.
• Undergraduate student enrollment begins a fews days after the graduate student enrollment date.
• See your exact enrollment date/time in your Student Center in SIS. Note that this is not your Validation Appointment.

Spring Enrollment

• Spring class search available in SIS the mid-October.
• Graduate student enrollment begins approximately 2 weeks after courses available in SIS.
• Undergraduate student enrollment begins a fews days after the graduate student enrollment date.
• See your exact enrollment date/time in your Student Center in SIS. Note that this is not your Validation Appointment.

The Office of Academic Programs oversees all course registration for the Batten School. Batten graduate courses are restricted to Batten graduate students, thus any post-graduate MPP student and second year Accelerated Bachelor/MPP student may enroll in Batten courses on their own, unless a course is otherwise restricted.

First year Accelerated Bachelor/MPP students are still officially enrolled in their undergraduate school of enrollment and are not yet recognized as Batten students by the Student Information System (SIS). The Office of Academic Programs will therefore automatically enroll all first year Accelerated Bachelor/MPP students in their core courses for the fall and spring of their first year. Those students interested in enrolling in Batten electives must contact the Academic Programs Coordinator directly to register.

Batten School courses are listed under the following mnemonics: LPPA, LPPL, LPPP and LPPS     LPPA: Leadership and Public Policy – Evaluation and Analysis courses (economics, research methods, and data analysis) LPPL: Leadership and Public Policy – Leadership courses (leadership) LPPP: Leadership and Public Policy – Policy courses (policy based) LPPS: Leadership and Public Policy – Substantive area courses (education, environmental, development, health, humanitarian, national security, social entrepreneurship, etc.)  

To view a comprehensive list of a certain semester’s Batten School courses in SIS, use the following search criteria in the Class Search:

Term: Select a Term [i.e. “2021 Spring”] Department: Public Policy  

Students interested in taking an elective for the MPP outside of the Batten School should consult the list of Pre-Approved Graduate Electives on the Batten Student Portal and complete the Batten Electives and Special Topics form for any desired courses that are not listed. Once submitted, your academic advisor will ensure that the course meets the MPP criteria. As a general rule, the course must be taught at the graduate level (5000+) and related to leadership or public policy.

Exceptions to this rule are approved in consultation with the Director of Academic Operations. Contact your academic advisor with questions.

Consult the online Course Directory in SIS for course offerings in a given term. Please note, however, that the Darden School of Business and the School of Law do not use SIS. Consult the websites of these schools for course offerings. Each school has important steps and considerations for enrollment, which can be found on this document.

View document with information about elective choices at other UVA schools.