2025-2026 Academic Catalog

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School of Public Affairs

School of Public Affairs Admissions Information

Applicants whose cumulative GPA and test scores meet or exceed the middle 50 percent range are considered strong candidates for admission to the School of Public Affairs.

Application Deadlines

Visit the Admissions Office's website for the undergraduate application deadlines.

For a list of graduate programs and graduate information, please refer to the Graduate Catalog.

School of Public Affairs Programs

School of Public Affairs Graduation Requirements

For additional information regarding Graduation policies and procedures, please visit the Graduation section of the catalog.

Residency Requirement

A minimum of 30 credits must be taken through CU Denver. At least 21 of the final 30 credits of the degree must be earned through CU Denver. Please refer to your major program page for any additional major-specific residency requirements.

Social Sciences Requirement

The School of Public Affairs requires students to select three courses from the Social Sciences area of the CU Denver Undergraduate Core Curriculum. Please see your advisor for guidance on which courses will be most beneficial for your individual major.

Upper-Division Credits

Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-division credits.

Foreign Language Requirement

School of Public Affairs students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language at the second semester college level prior to graduation. This is accomplished through course work, by examination, or through documented evidence that the student has attained the equivalent proficiency in a language other than English.

Students using high school credit to satisfy the proficiency requirement at CU Denver must have received a grade of C- (1.7) or higher in the final semester of the second-year course. Students using college-level transfer credit or coursework at CU Denver to satisfy the proficiency requirement must receive a grade of C- (1.7) or better in the second-semester college-level course. There is no P+/P/F or S/U option for any course taken for the foreign language requirement.

Student Placement in Lower-Division Language Courses

High School Background Course Number/Level to Take
No language courses or background 1010
One year of high school 1020
Two years of high school 2110
Three years of high school 2120
Four years of high school Upper-division courses

Note: High school programs vary substantially, and the above levels may not be appropriate for all students. Modern Languages departmental advisors will be happy to speak with any student who feels unsure about his or her placement (303-556-4893).

Prior College Courses

Students wishing to enroll in a lower-division course that does not directly follow their last completed college course in the regular sequence should consult with an appropriate faculty member of the Department of Modern Languages prior to enrollment, 303-556-4893.

Proficiency Testing

Students may also show their level of proficiency by taking a computerized placement/proficiency exam. Call the Department of Modern Languages, 303-556-4893, for scheduled exam times. The languages tested are French, German, and Spanish; students wishing to show proficiency in other languages should consult the Department of Modern Languages for documentation. Students may take an exam only once per semester.

Students who have achieved some proficiency in a foreign language through other means than academic courses should also consult with an appropriate faculty member of the Department of Modern Languages prior to enrollment. This is especially important for native and heritage speakers.

Major Requirement

Complete all requirements associated with your individual major. See the program page for detailed requirements.

Internship Requirement

Undergraduate students without professional experience in the field must complete a minimum 3-credit-hour internship under the direction of a faculty sponsor and the CU Denver Experiential Learning Center (ELC). In order to register for internship credit, students must work with the ELC. Students cannot register for internship credit on their own. Internships must align with the academic calendar and can be completed fall, spring, or summer semester.

Internships are beneficial for career exploration early in a student’s academic career and/or for job experience after developing academic content in the major. Internships are considered a high-impact practice and consistently reported as one of the most beneficial experiences as part of the student's undergraduate academic career. 

In order to be eligible for an internship, undergraduate students must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 15 semester hours completed at CU Denver. Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (BACJ) students must have successfully completed CRJU 1000 and CRJU 2041 before registering for the internship, and Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration (BAPA) students must have successfully completed PUAD 1001 and a 2000-level PUAD course before registering for the internship. 

All students must work with the ELC, which provides support for students in all aspect of their internship search, including resume and cover letter help, search assistance, practice interviews, and general guidance and advice. Students are strongly encouraged to connect with the ELC at least one full-semester (~6 months) in advance of the semester in which they intend to complete their internship.

There is an internship waiver available for students with previous professional work experience related to the student’s major. Previous volunteer and/or internship experience does not qualify as professional work experience for the purposes of the waiver. The waiver is not credit-bearing. When the internship requirement is waived, students will replace the 3-credit-hour internship with a major elective. Students eligible for the internship waiver are strongly encouraged to submit the internship waiver as soon as possible to have an accurate record of degree requirements. To discuss the internship waiver please contact your academic advisor.

School of Public Affairs Policies

For additional information regarding policies and procedures, please visit the Records and Registration section and the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog.

How to Change a Major

Students who want to transfer to the School of Public Affairs from another college or school of the University of Colorado Denver must formally apply for an intra-university transfer (IUT) to the School of Public Affairs Advising Office (spa.advising@ucdenver.edu). To apply for an IUT, students must submit an IUT form to the School of Public Affairs Advising Office. IUT forms are available from the Office of the Registrar or from an academic advisor.

Special Grading Options

Core knowledge area and general electives are the only courses that can be completed P+/P/F. Pass/fail grades of D-, D, and D+ are translated by the Registrar’s Office to a P (pass) grade. Pass/fail grades of C- and above are translated by the Registrar’s Office to a P+ grade. P+/P grades do not affect students’ GPA; F grades do affect students’ GPA. Students interested in completing a course as P+/P/F must submit a Pass+/Pass/Fail Form by the published deadline. Students need to consult the academic calendar posted on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage. Up to 16 credits may be completed as P+/P/F or S/U and credited toward the bachelor degree. Students can complete a maximum of 6 credits P+/P/F in any one semester.

Note: Effective Summer 2023 courses that were previously graded on the basis of Pass/Fail (P/F) are now graded with Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U).  This is based on faculty approval of APS 1025 in May 2022.  Students still have the option to use the P+ grading system (P+/P/F) by student selection for elective courses up to the maximum allowed by their program. 

Academic Integrity Policy

This policy sets forth the definitions and procedures to be used in the School of Public Affairs for identifying and responding to instances of alleged academic misconduct by students. This policy should be read in connection with Campus Administrative Policy 7050, Academic Integrity.

  1. Definition of academic misconduct. According to Campus Administrative Policy 7050, academic misconduct is defined as (1) a student’s use of unauthorized assistance in an attempt to deceive an instructor of other person who is assigned to evaluate the student’s work in meeting course and degree requirements, or (2) actions that interfere with the ability of the instructor to fairly judge the work of the student or other students. Academic misconduct includes any of the following behaviors:​
    1. Plagiarism. Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment. The incorporation of another person’s work into one’s own requires appropriate identification, regardless of the means of appropriation. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the following, when the source is not disclosed:
      1. Word-for-word copying of another person’s ideas or words;
      2. The mosaic (the interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another’s work);
      3. The paraphrase (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory); 
      4. Fabrication of references (inventing or counterfeiting sources); 
      5. Submission of another’s work as one’s own; or 
      6. Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged.
    2. Cheating. Cheating involves the possession, communication, or use of information, materials, notes, study aids, or other devices not authorized by the instructor in an academic exercise, or communication with another person during such exercise for the purpose of obtaining or providing unauthorized information or materials. “Authorization” is legitimate only if given by the faculty member responsible for the evaluation of the student’s work. Examples of cheating include but are not limited to:
      1. Copying from another’s work or receiving unauthorized assistance from another person during an academic exercise or in the submission of academic assignments;
      2. Using an electronic device when not permitted;
      3. Collaborating with another student during an academic exercise without the prior consent of the instructor.
    3. Fabrication or falsification.
      1. Fabrication: inventing or counterfeiting information, such as creating results not obtained in a study or laboratory experiment.
      2. Falsification: deliberately altering or changing results to suit one’s needs in an experiment, creative work, or other academic or creative exercise.
    4. Multiple submissions: The submission of academic work for which academic credit has already been earned, when such submission is made without instructor authorization.
    5. Misuse of academic materials: The misuse of academic material includes, but is not limited to, the following:
      1. Stealing or destroying library or reference materials or computer programs; 
      2. Stealing or destroying another student’s notes or materials, or having such materials in one’s possession without the owner’s permission; 
      3. Receiving assistance in locating or using sources of information in an assignment when such assistance has not been authorized by the instructor;
      4. Possessing or using prior examinations or answer keys, unless authorized by the instructor; 
      5. Altering, forging, copying and pasting, or falsifying academic materials; 
      6. Selling or purchasing prior examinations, digital media, quantitative formulae, papers, or assignments.
    6. Complicity in academic misconduct: Complicity involves knowingly allowing, or contributing to, another’s academic misconduct. 
  2. Procedures 
    1. Discovery of alleged misconduct. When a faculty member suspects that a student may have engaged in academic misconduct, the faculty member shall notify the student in writing and give the student an opportunity to respond. If the faculty member is satisfied that no academic misconduct has occurred, whether intentional or unintentional, the matter is ended. 
    2. Reporting alleged misconduct to the university. If the faculty member concludes that academic misconduct may well have occurred, whether intentional or unintentional, the faculty member shall submit the allegation via an online form to the university Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and notify the Associate Dean for Student Affairs via email. When submitting the online form, the faculty member should request that the Office of Student Conduct email a copy of the report to the faculty member and forward that copy to the Associate Dean (and to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School if the student’s program is overseen by the Graduate School). 
    3. Determination of responsibility and assignment of sanctions. The faculty member and the student may meet informally to discuss the misconduct and an appropriate sanction prior to the submission of the allegations to the Office of Student Conduct. If that meeting results in an agreement as to the sanction, the faculty member’s report shall include the date of the informal meeting and a description of the sanctions. If the faculty member and the student have not met prior to the submission of allegations, the Office of Student Conduct will assist in setting up a meeting, and the faculty member will determine responsibility and appropriate sanctions after that meeting, and will notify the student in writing (and copy the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School if appropriate).
    4. Appropriate sanctions. The faculty member is entitled to determine and impose appropriate academic sanctions for misconduct occurring in his or her course. For misconduct that appears to have been unintentional or careless, faculty are encouraged to provide an opportunity to help the student learn and grow so as not to repeat the misconduct in the future. This educational sanction may be in addition to or as a substitute for academic sanctions such as a lowered or failing grade. Faculty members may consider whether a student has previously been found to have engaged in academic misconduct in imposing sanctions. Faculty members who would like support in determining appropriate sanctions are encouraged to contact the SPA Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
    5. Opportunity for appeal. The student should be notified in writing of his or her right to appeal the faculty member’s determination to the campus Academic Integrity Committee, pursuant to Campus Administrative Policy 7050.
    6. Program or school level sanctions. In cases of particularly egregious misconduct, or repeated misconduct, the faculty member, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and/or the Academic Integrity Committee may recommend to the Dean that the student be suspended or expelled from the program or the School.

Adopted by SPA Faculty Council on November 19, 2020

Procedures for Resolving Student Academic Grievances

These are the procedures by which a student may seek to resolve a dispute about an academic issue, such as a grade in a SPA course or a decision about academic standing in a SPA program. 

Please note that faculty members have wide discretion in assigning grades, and this discretion will not be disturbed absent evidence that the faculty member has made a clear mistake, has failed to adhere to stated standards, or has otherwise engaged in arbitrary behavior. It is the student’s responsibility to provide evidence that the faculty member acted outside of their traditional discretion.

Disputes about grades in non-SPA courses or relating to non-SPA programs should be handled according to the grievance resolution process of the unit involved.  

Informal Resolution of Academic Grievances

Absent unusual circumstances, students must first discuss the situation with the faculty member involved to see whether an informal resolution is possible.  

Filing a Grievance

If the student and the faculty member are unable to reach resolution, the student may file a grievance with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. All grievances should be filed as quickly as possible, preferably within the same or following semester but in no case to exceed six months after the decision that is the subject of the grievance.

The grievance may be filed via email or in paper format, and should contain all of the following information:

  • The student’s name, degree program, and student ID number
  • The name of the faculty member involved, if any
  • The course name and semester, if the dispute involves a course
  • A brief statement of the nature of the grievance (not to exceed two pages)
  • Any evidence that the student wishes to be considered in support of the grievance, such as a course syllabus, assignments, and communications with the faculty member
  • The remedy requested by the student

The Grievance Investigation

The Associate Dean will acknowledge receipt of the grievance, forward a copy to the faculty member involved and to the faculty program director.  The faculty program director may decide to seek informal resolution by mediating between the student and the faculty member. If the faculty program director does not seek or obtain informal resolution, the Associate Dean will begin investigating the grievance. Investigation of the grievance will include speaking to the student and to the faculty member involved, and the Associate Dean may request additional information from the student or the faculty member. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs may also seek input or support on the investigation from the Associate Dean of Faculty affairs as needed.

In the event that the Associate Dean for Student Affairs is involved in the circumstances leading to the grievance, the grievance will be investigated by the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs.

The Associate Dean will conclude the investigation and prepare a written report. The Associate Dean will strive to complete this report within 30 days of the filing of the grievance; however, please note that additional time may be required due to breaks between semesters or over the summer or efforts by the faculty program director to resolve the dispute informally.

Decision by the Dean

The Associate Dean’s report shall be submitted to the Dean and shall include a recommendation about the disposition of the grievance. Within ten business days, the Dean will decide whether or not to follow the recommendation, and will forward a copy of the report together with the Dean’s decision on the disposition of the grievance to the student, the faculty member, and the faculty program director.

Appealing the Dean’s Decision

If the student is not satisfied with the Dean’s decision, he or she may make a written request to the Dean that a faculty panel be appointed to review the grievance and consider the appeal. This request should be submitted within ten business days after receipt of the Dean’s decision, and may be submitted via email. The Dean shall appoint a panel consisting of three faculty members who were not involved in the original circumstances of the grievance. The faculty panel will consider the evidence and will make a written report with recommendations to the Dean within 30 days, unless additional time is required due to breaks between semesters or over the summer. The Dean will decide whether to uphold or deny the appeal, and will notify the student and faculty member of that decision in writing within ten business days.

The decision of the Dean is final with respect to students in the BACJ, BAPA, and MPA programs. Students in the MCJ and PhD programs may be permitted to appeal the Dean’s decision to the Graduate School according to its procedures.

Resolution of Other Types of Disputes

This policy only relates to academic grievances at SPA. Other types of disputes are handled in different offices and/or with different procedures, as follows:

  • Disputes relating to academic integrity are handled according to SPA’s Academic Integrity Policy. Contact your advisor or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for more information.
  • Disputes related to protected category discrimination (such as race, sex, or disability discrimination) are handled by the Office of Equity.
  • Disputes related to the conduct of other students are handled by the Office of Student Conduct.
  • The Ombuds Office is available to discuss or mediate other types of interpersonal disputes if needed.

Last revised September 2017

Certificate Policies 

General Certificate Policies – Students interested in pursuing a School of Public Affairs Graduate Certificate should contact their graduate academic advisor who will coordinate with the appropriate certificate Program Director if further information is needed.  

Double-Dipping:   

Students pursuing graduate degrees and/or certificates may apply certain courses toward multiple programs’ requirements. Graduate students may count a single course only twice across graduate programs (e.g., 1 degree and 1 certificate; 2 degrees; 2 certificates). For example, a student may opt to take PUAD 5655: Principles of Emergency Management and count it toward their MPA elective requirement and the Disasters, Hazards, and Emergency Certificate, but could not also count that course toward the Emergency and Homeland Security Certificate.  There are no limitations to how many times an undergraduate class can apply to an undergraduate program (degree, certificate, minor, or otherwise).  

Transfer Credits:  

Non-degree-seeking students: students may not transfer credits from other institutions toward SPA graduate certificates for non-degree-seeking students.   

Degree-seeking graduate students: students may transfer up to nine credit hours of coursework toward their graduate degree program with approval from the Program Director. These transfer hours may be applied toward SPA certificate coursework, so long as the coursework from the previous institution(s) did not apply to a previously earned credential.  

Degree-seeking undergraduate students: students may transfer up to six hours of coursework toward their undergraduate degree requirements. These transfer hours may be applied toward SPA certificate coursework, so long as the coursework from the previous institution(s) did not apply to a previously earned credential.  

Please contact your graduate advisor regarding transfer of credit; they will work with the program director for review and approval of transfer credits.   

Residency (credits taken in SPA):  

MPA students: all SPA certificate coursework (PUAD and CRJU) may be counted towards degree requirements  

MPP students: all SPA certificate coursework (PUAD and CRJU) may be counted towards MPP degree requirements  

MCJ students: up to nine credit hours of non-CRJU coursework may be counted towards MCJ degree requirements