Academic Advising
Upon admission, students are assigned an academic advisor. The advisor is the first person to consult about all matters pertaining to degree requirements and academic progress in the Warner School. If students have further questions or concerns about their degree requirements or progress -- or simply wish to express their views about issues in the Warner School -- they should next consult the Chair of the Program area. Beyond that, students may contact the Dean's Office.

Students have the right to change advisors within their Program area at any time. To do so, they must gain the consent of the new advisor and obtain the signatures of both the new advisor, the former advisor, and the Program Chair on a "Change of Advisor Form" which is available at the reception window.

Students should note that their academic advisor need not serve as the advisor to their thesis or dissertation. Students may seek a new advisor at that point in their program.

Program of Study
The Program of Study is the personal plan of academic work that students develop with their academic advisor after they matriculate into a degree program. When a Program of Study is agreed upon, it is signed by the advisor and sent successively to the Dean's Office and the Program Chair for review and approval. Once approved, a copy is sent to the student, the advisor, and the student's file.

It is the responsibility of full-time students to see that a Program of Study is submitted to the Dean's Office by the end of the first semester of their enrollment as matriculated degree candidates. The deadline for part-time students is the end of the second semester of their enrollment as matriculated degree candidates.

Transfer Credit
Transfer credit pertains to coursework from another institution or another school or college within the University of Rochester that is completed before the student matriculates into a degree Program at the Warner School. With the approval of the student's Advisor, the Program Chair, and the Dean's Office, transfer credit may be granted toward degree requirements within the Warner School up to a certain maximum of credit hours that is stipulated by the Program faculty. Transfer credit may be granted to doctoral students only for directly relevant courses completed with a grade of B- or higher within ten years of the date of matriculation into the degree program, unless the student has remained current in the subject matter of coursework older than ten years or unless the subject matter of such coursework has not changed significantly since the courses were taken. The same strictures on transfer credit apply to master's students except that the time limit is five years.

Retroactive Credit
Retroactive coursework refers to courses completed at the Warner School prior to matriculation into a degree program. Retroactive credit may be granted to Master's students only for courses completed with a grade of B- or higher within five years of the date of matriculation into the degree program, unless the student has remained current in the subject matter of coursework older than ten years or unless the nature of the subject matter in the coursework has not changed significantly since the courses were taken. The same strictures on retroactive credit apply to master's students except that the time limit is five years.

Master's Thesis or Portfolio
All candidates for master's degrees in the Warner School are required to complete a thesis, essay, or comprehensive portfolio. Descriptions of the particular requirement for each Program Area are available and should be consulted by all master's students early in the course of their study.

Workshops on Prevention of Child Abuse and School Violence
Persons applying for New York State Certification in teaching, counseling, or administration must complete a three-hour NYS approved workshop dealing with recognizing signs of child abuse and another workshop on preventing school violence. Students who are being recommended for certification by Warner must submit proof of completion of the workshop, along with other required certification paperwork, at the conclusion of their degree program.