GSSW Office of the Registrar

Bulletin — What & Why?

The University of Denver Graduate Bulletin has been prepared by the faculty and administration to serve as the governing document for the University's graduate academic programs, courses and policies. The Graduate Bulletin represents the University’s best planning at the time of publication. Course and curriculum changes; modification to tuition, fees or other charges; and unforeseen changes in other aspects of the University of Denver sometimes occur after the bulletin has been published but before the changes can be incorporated in a later edition and apply to all students as of the date they become effective, regardless of whether they were in effect at the time the student initially enrolled at the University of Denver. The Graduate Bulletin does not constitute a contract between the University of Denver and its students on either a collective or individual basis.

Why is the Bulletin important?

Students are responsible for knowing all academic and administrative policies and regulations affecting their program of study and for abiding by all such policies and regulations during their period of enrollment at the University.

Your Bulletin is what dictates your degree requirements for graduation and what fuels your degree audit, which you use to track your progress to graduation.

Which Bulletin is my Bulletin?

Your Bulletin is based on the term and year you were admitted to the program. The official academic year begins every Fall Quarter and ends following the Summer Quarter. If you are admitted in the Fall Quarter 2022, Winter Quarter 2023, Spring Quarter 2023 or Summer Quarter 2023, follow the Graduate Bulletin 2022-2023.

Forms

Here is a list of specific GSSW registrar forms:

Handbooks

Denver Campus, Four Corners and Western Colorado MSW Programs

MSW Online Program Program

Attendance Policy

Attendance is a matter of professional behavior. Students are expected to be punctual and attend all meetings of a class, including the scheduled hours for field instruction, for which they are registered. Attendance requires not only being physically present in class or field but also demonstrating readiness to learn and being accountable for the outcomes of your own learning.

A single missed session or lateness due to illness or personal/family emergency, inclement weather, or severe traffic jams generally does not affect a student’s grade. However, multiple absences and/or repeated lateness are detrimental to the continuity of the learning process and the learning community. Students must notify the instructor (in advance, if possible) if they will be absent from or late to class. The responsibility for reviewing content missed and completing coursework rests with the student.

Students must attend a minimum of 70% of the class to receive a passing grade. Multiple tardies will result in the reduction of number or percentage of points from the final course grade per tardy and/or early departure policy.

Grading Policy

Grades are based on competence. Letter grades are used as follows for all instruction other than field instruction:

Grade	GPA
94—100: A	4.0 (an A+ cannot be given)
91—93: A-	3.7
88—90: B+	3.3
84—87: B	3.0
81—83: B-	2.7
78—80: C+	2.3
74—77: C	2.0
71—73: C-	1.7
70 and below: F

Criteria are as follows:

A: Excellent work (91—100)
B: Good work — meets course expectations (81—90)
C: Poor work — minimally meets course expectations (71—80)
F: Failing work (70 and below)

Expectations concerning objectives, attendance, examinations and evaluation of student performance will be stated in each course syllabus and discussed during the first class session of each course. Grades of “Pass” or “No Pass” are not given, except in field internship. No “D” grades are given as final grades.

Grades of “Pass” or “No Pass” are assigned for field internship (SOWK 4950 and SOWK 4970). These grades are not included in computing the student’s GPA. Grading criteria for field internships are set forth in the GSSW Field Manual. A grade of “No Pass” will automatically result in a formal student review or termination hearing. A grade of “No Pass” is equivalent to a failing grade in the sense that no credit is earned, however, the GPA is not affected. Please see below for information about repeating the course.

Leave of Absence & Withdrawal Policy

In order to prepare appropriately for a leave of absence from DU/GSSW, you are encouraged to ensure that all implications are considered in advance. Please follow the steps below if you need to take a leave of absence. First, review the DU Bulletin to identify the type of withdrawal you need to take:

Permanent Withdrawal
Temporary Withdrawal
- Medical Leave of Absence
- Personal Leave of Absence

Are you thinking about taking a leave while in the middle or near the end of a term? Have you considered the option of incompletes or a combination of course drops and incompletes to finish the term out? This option requires meeting the eligibility criteria established by DU and instructor discretion for each individual course. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate these conversations and to be aware of all DU deadlines and withdrawal timelines.

Leave of Absence & Withdrawal Process

Submit a leave request

Students can complete withdraw and leave of absence requests via MyDU > Student Resources (on left side) > Records and Requests > Withdraw from DU. During the withdraw process, you will be prompted to provide additional information for the leave as applicable.
Contact financial aid

Students should be clear about the impact of withdrawal on loan repayment requirements as well as scholarships, teaching assistantships, and other forms of University aid. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the appropriate financial aid office above to verify all implications before taking a leave of absence.
- Denver Campus, Four Corners, and Western Colorado students: Mariegrace Veres
- MSW@Denver students: University of Denver Office of Financial Aid at finaid@du.edu or 303-871-4020
Are you in a field internship?

If so, please consult with your Field Liaison prior to withdrawing from your field internship to discuss the best way to approach a leave with your agency. If you withdraw from field credits during a term, you may risk losing your field hours for that term. Students cannot take a leave of absence and continue in field internship, as a leave of absence is a full withdrawal from a current or future term.
Do you have DU student health insurance (applies to Denver Campus students only)?

If so, please reach out to the DU Health and Counseling Center to identify if there will be coverage changes due to taking a leave. Contact: insurance@hcc.du.edu or 303-871-2205

Verification Process

Enrollment and GPA Verifications: To verify current enrollment or current GPA, students may complete the verification request located in MyDU > Student Tools > Records and Requests > Requests and Other Actions > click on Request Enrollment.

Education and/or Licensure Verification Forms and Letters

The GSSW Registrar completes education verifications for current students and alumni, including but not limited to:

Education verification forms
State licensure forms
School social work licensure forms
Certification of master's forms
Scholarship paperwork
Federal loan paperwork

Please submit forms to gsswregistrar@du.edu. Note: If requesting a letter, be sure to include all relevant information, including content required and recipient name and contact information.