The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

History and Organization

Founded in 1959 as the University’s first professional school, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management is committed to developing new knowledge and insights in the field of social policy and in health and human services management. The fundamental mission of the school--knowledge advancing social justice--is realized through the knowledge that we create, the education that our students receive, the accomplishment of our alumni, and the extent to which our work transcends the boundaries between academia and the broader society, in the United States and internationally.

The Heller School continues to keep the concepts of social justice and human health and well-being in the forefront of the public conscience. The School and its nationally renowned research centers have pioneered in a variety of policy areas including:

Health

Mental Health

Substance Abuse

Children, Youth, and Families

Aging

International and Community Development

Disabilities

Work and Inequality

Hunger and Poverty

The Heller School continues to be ranked among the top 10 schools of social policy by U.S. News and World Report magazine. We offer the Ph.D. in social policy, the M.B.A. or the M.M. in health and human services management, and the M.A. in sustainable international development. The Heller School offers dual and joint degree options with politics, sociology, women’s studies, and the Hornstein Program in Jewish Communal Service. Heller gives its master’s and doctoral students solid training in research or management and broad grounding in social policy. All students benefit from the resources and expertise of the Heller School’s six social policy research centers:

The Schneider Institute for Health Policy

The Institute for Sustainable Development

The Family and Child Policy Center

The Policy Center on Aging

The Starr Center for Mental Retardation

The Center on Hunger and Poverty

Objectives

Our four degree programs are designed explicitly to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Students will be actively engaged in examining policies and programs that respond to the changing needs of vulnerable individuals and social groups in contemporary societies, be they vulnerable as a result of economic hardship, illness, disability, age (young or old), or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. These core values are reflected in our deep commitment to beneficial social change, our respect for public service, and our investment in the development of public and private sector policies and practices that enhance human development.

Degree Programs

Our doctoral program educates students for careers in research, planning, administration, and policy analysis. Students are immersed in an integrated curriculum that focuses on intensive scholarly preparation in general and specialized social policy areas and applying what they learn to real-world problems. Students graduate with honed research skills and a strong working knowledge of various social science disciplines. We offer joint Ph.D. programs with the Departments of Politics and Sociology.

Our M.B.A. (human services) and Master of Management programs prepare managers for leadership positions in a range of health and human services organizations. An effective manager needs more than good intentions and people skills. Especially in the turbulent and rapidly changing arena of public and private, for-profit and not-for-profit health and human services organizations, one needs solid managerial knowledge to negotiate with a plethora of stakeholders. The M.B.A. and M.M. program combines the School’s powerful social policy resources with a context-specific management curriculum to make this master’s program unique when compared to traditional programs in business, management, public administration, health administration, social work, and public health. Heller offers the dual M.B.A./M.A. and M.M./M.A. with the Hornstein Program in Jewish Communal Service.

Our master’s program in sustainable international development imparts the knowledge and skills necessary to design and to manage local, regional, national, or international development. Students in the SID program examine models of development, considering if they are effective, if they reduce poverty and inequality, and if they raise the quality of life. They consider the state of world development, probe issues that affect future generations, and broaden the skills necessary to plan, negotiate, implement, monitor, and evaluate development programs. Students enjoy a year in residence studying with senior researchers and field level development practitioners as well as a second year field project, internship or advanced study applying and evaluating methods and models of development.

How to Apply to The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

Application procedures for each program may be obtained by contacting the relevant admissions offices and by visiting the Heller Website. All applicants should demonstrate a commitment to addressing some of the world’s most pressing social issues as well as a readiness to take on graduate-level work.

Additional information regarding admission requirements, policies, and procedures, is available on the Heller Website, at www.heller.brandeis.edu or by contacting the Office of Admissions at 800-279-4105 or HellerAdmissions@brandeis.edu for information about the Ph.D. and M.B.A./M.M. program, or the SID Admissions Office at 781-736-2770, or sidrecruit@brandeis.edu for information about the M.A./SID program.

Test Scores and Deadlines

Applicants to the Ph.D. in social policy program must submit application materials by December 15 for fall start (September). The application process and requirements for full-time and part-time applicants are the same. All applicants must submit a completed and signed application form with fee, statement of purpose, writing sample, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and resume.

Applicants to the Ph.D. in social policy program must submit test results of either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller's Analogies Test (MAT). Test scores may not be more than five years old. The Heller School does not have minimum cutoff scores, and test results are considered in conjunction with an applicant's educational background and professional experience. International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not completed a degree program in the United States, must also submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam (TOEFL). Scores may not be more than five years old and must be at least 600 (paper-based exam or equivalent computer-based score). All test scores results should be sent directly to the admissions office using Heller's Institution Code for each exam: GRE and/or TOEFL: 3097 and MAT: 2569. Information regarding the GRE, MAT, or TOEFL exams can be obtained from the testing agencies directly at http://www.gre.org, http://www.toefl.org, MAT/ 800-622-3231 or by contacting the admissions office at 800-279-4105 or HellerAdmissions@brandeis.edu.

Applicants to the M.B.A. (human services) and Master of Management programs must submit application materials by February 15 for summer start (June/full-time or part-time), June 1 for fall start (September/part-time) and by November 1 for spring start (January/part-time). The application process and requirements for both full-time and part-time applicants are the same. All applicants must submit the completed and signed application form and fee, statement of purpose, management problem analysis, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and professional resume.

Applicants to the Master of Management degree program can submit test results of either the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants to the M.B.A. (human services) degree program must submit GMAT results. Test scores may not be more than five years old. The Heller School does not have minimum cutoff scores, and test results are considered in conjunction with an applicant's educational background and professional experience. International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not completed a degree program in the United States, must also submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam (TOEFL). Scores may not be more than five years old and must be at least 600 (paper-based exam or equivalent computer-based score). All test results should be sent directly to the admissions office using Heller's Institution Code for each exam: GMAT, GRE, and TOEFL: 3097. Information regarding these exams can be obtained from the testing agencies directly at www.gmat.org, www.gre.org, www.toefl.orgor by contacting the admissions office at 800-279-4105 or HellerAdmissions@brandeis.edu.

Applicants to the M.A./SID program must submit application materials by June 1 for a fall start. All applicants must submit the completed and signed application form and fee (the fee is waived for applicant from developing countries and Peace Corps Volunteers), statement of purpose, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and professional resume.

Applicants whose native language is not English must submit a score report from IELTS or the "Test of English as a Foreign Language" (TOEFL) (minimum for TOEFL is 500 and CB TOEFL is 240, the minimum for IELTS is 6.5). However, if you have completed a university-level degree where English was the language of instruction, you might be exempted from the TOEFL (after evaluation of relevant documentation). You may also submit other documentation as proof of English proficiency.

For full information about academic regulations governing Heller’s Ph.D. M.B.A., M.M. and M.A. programs, refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures documents for each degree, available from The Heller School Office of Student Records.

Academic Standing

The Heller School reviews students' academic progress annually. Satisfactory academic progress in a program is essential to maintain one’s eligibility for funding. Superior performance at Brandeis University is essential. Academic insufficiency or failure to make suitable progress toward the degree may require withdrawal.

Requirements for the Degree

Detailed information about the requirements for the degree programs offered by The Heller School can be found in a later section of this Bulletin. Please refer to pages 159-161 for the requirements for specific degrees.

Registration and Course Enrollment

Every resident, post-resident, and continuation student must register at the beginning of each term, whether attending regular courses of study, carrying on research or independent reading, writing a thesis or dissertation, or utilizing any academic service or facility of the University. Registration requires enrollment in a course--whether a regular course, independent research, or a status course for post-resident and continuation students.

Students work closely with their advisors in planning their program of study. M.B.A. and M.M. students actually file an "Individualized Learning Plan" (ILP) with the Heller Office of Student Records. At the end of the registration period for each term (see "Academic Calendar" for specific date), no additional courses may be added to a students schedule and enrollment is to be considered to be final, unless a student formally drops the course prior to the drop deadline.

Auditing Courses

The privilege of auditing courses without fee is extended to all regularly enrolled full-time, graduate students. No courses may be audited without the permission of the instructor. Auditors may not take examinations or expect evaluation from the instructor. No credit is given for an audited course.

Course Changes and Exemptions

Students are allowed to drop courses after the end of the telephone and Web registration period. To do so, an Add/Drop Form is obtained from and returned to the Heller School’s Office of Student Records or the Office of the University Registrar. Courses must be dropped no later than one week prior to the beginning of an examination period.

Grades and Course Standards

Graduate students are expected to maintain records of distinction in all courses. Letter grades will be used in all courses for master’s-level students. Doctoral students receive "satisfactory"/"unsatisfactory."

Any letter grade below B- is considered unsatisfactory. A course in which the student receives an unsatisfactory grade will not be counted toward graduate credit. Students will need to work out with their programs how an unsatisfactory mark in a required course will be handled.

At the end of each academic year the Office of the University Registrar issues a formal grade report to each student.

Incompletes

A student who has not completed the research or written work for any course may receive an EI (incomplete) or a failing grade at the discretion of the course instructor. A student who receives an EI must satisfactorily complete the work of the course in which the incomplete was given in order to receive credit for the course. An incomplete must be made up no later than the end of the term following the term in which it was received. An EI that is not resolved within the stated time limits will automatically become a permanent incomplete (I).

Residence Requirements

Residence requirements for all Heller degrees are computed by determining the amount of registration for credit and the tuition charges. Part-time students pursuing part-time programs of study for credit complete their residence requirements when their fractional programs total the amount required of a full-time student.

Full-time students have a two-year residency period and must finish all requirements for the degree in 10 years. Part-time students have a three-year residency period and have 12 years to finish all degree requirements.

Full-time students have a 15-month residency period. Part-time students are expected to enroll in two courses per semester. Full-time and part-time students must complete all degree requirements within six years.

Students have a one-year residency requirement and must complete all degree requirements within five years.

Full-Time Resident Students

A full-time student is one who devotes the entire time, during the course of the academic year, to a program of graduate work at Brandeis University.

A full-time program may include a combination of teaching and research assistance, and other work leading to the fulfillment of degree requirements, such as preparation for qualifying, comprehensive, and final examinations; supervised reading and research; and Ph.D. dissertations; and regular course work.

A full-time resident student must take a minimum of three courses (12 credits) per term unless otherwise approved by their program director. An accelerated program of study, or payment of more than the full-time tuition rate in any single academic year, may not satisfy the minimum residence requirement for any degree.

Part-Time Resident Students

A part-time student is one who devotes less than the entire time to a program of graduate work at Brandeis University. Part-time students are expected to enroll in two courses per term unless otherwise approved by their program director.

Students receiving financial aid from the University who wish to change their status from full-time to part-time residency must request permission to do so from their program director and file their change of status with the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid with an explanation of why full-time study is no longer possible.

Post-Resident Students

A graduate student who has completed residence requirements and who needs to utilize the full range of academic services and University facilities while completing degree requirements is a post-resident student. Post-resident students must enroll in a status course (CONT 500) as they are considered to be full-time students.

Continuation Students

A doctoral student who has completed all degree requirements (including the dissertation proposal defense) except the dissertation is eligible for continuation status. A student in this category may enroll on either a half-time basis (CONT 510) or a full-time basis (CONT 520). Full-time continuation students are eligible for University health insurance, borrowing privileges in the Library, a computer account, use of gym facilities, and purchase of a parking sticker.

M.A./SID students are considered continuation students during their second year when engaged in their field projects.

Special Students

Properly qualified applicants who wish to audit or to take courses without matriculating into a degree program may be admitted. Special Students are not eligible for University loans, scholarships, fellowships, or teaching or research assistantships. Special Students who later wish to change their status to that of part-time or full-time students working for a degree must apply for admission as resident students. No more than two courses taken for credit may be transferable if the student is admitted to one of Heller’s degree programs.

Leave of Absence

Students may petition for a leave of absence. The petition must have the approval of their program director. Leaves of absence up to one year will normally be granted to students. Leaves of absence beyond one year are extended only for medical reasons. Any student wishing to extend the leave of absence must submit a written request with medical documentation before the leave expires. If there are outstanding Incompletes when a student begins a leave, the student will not be allowed to re-register until they have been completed.

Degree Pending

This designation applies to graduate students who have completed all degree requirements. Master’s and Ph.D. students who have completed final defense of the thesis or dissertation, with only minor revisions remaining, are also eligible for this status. Students in this category are not eligible to use any academic services or University facilities nor are they eligible for student loans or loan deferments. Students normally remain in this status for one semester only.

Withdrawal

A student who wishes to withdraw voluntarily from The Heller School during a semester must do so in writing to the program director and must file their request with the Office of Student Records before the last day of instruction of the semester. Failure to notify in writing of a withdrawal may subject the student to loss of eligibility for refunds in accordance with the refund schedule outlined in the fees and expenses section. Permission to withdraw voluntarily will not be granted if the student has not discharged all financial obligations to the University or has not made financial arrangements satisfactory to the Bursar. When a student withdraws during or at the end of a semester course enrollments are not expunged from his/her record, rather a grade of W ("dropped") is entered for each course.

Students who are obliged to register and fail to do so by the appropriate deadline or who fail to pay their bill will be administratively withdrawn. They may be readmitted (see below) for study in a subsequent term, but not for the term in which they were withdrawn for failure to register. Belatedly fulfilling financial obligations will not negate the effects of administrative withdrawal.

Readmission

A student who has not been enrolled in The Heller School for more than one year and who did not obtain a leave of absence should file an application for readmission and will be charged the readmission fee. The student's program will determine in each case whether a student should be readmitted. If the program's requirements have changed during the student's absence or the student is not deemed current in his or her field of study, the program may require the student to repeat or supplement previous academic requirements including qualifying exams. When a student is reinstated, he or she will be informed of current status regarding credits and time to degree.

Students who have surpassed their time limit for the degree may petition their program for readmission.

Graduate Cross-Registration

A full-time graduate student at Brandeis University may enroll in one graduate course each term at Boston College, Boston University, Tufts University. The Heller School has cross-registration agreements with MIT, UMass, and Bentley College School of Business Administration. Information on courses for cross-registration at each of the host institutions is available at the Graduate School office of each institution.

A student who wishes to enroll in a course at one of these institutions should consult with the instructor in the particular course and should expect to satisfy the prerequisites and requirements normally required for admission to the course, including adherence to the academic calendar of that course.

A student at Brandeis University who wishes to enroll in a graduate course at one of the host institutions should obtain a cross registration petition from The Heller School Office of Student Records. And should present this petition to the Office of the University Registrar of the host institution. The completed petition should be returned to the Office of the Brandeis University Registrar.

Tuition and Expenses

The following tuition and fees are in effect for the 2002-03 academic year. These figures are subject to annual revision by the Brandeis Board of Trustees.

Payable by all applicants for admission at the time the application for admission is submitted.

Payable by all SID students in the fall of their second year.

Ph.D. Program

Full-time: $27,345/year

Part-time: $1,832/course

M.B.A./M.M. Program

Full-time: $7,585 per semester (four semester, 15-month program)

Part-time: $1,596/course

Dual Heller/Hornstein

$22,554/year

M.A./SID Program

$27,345 for first year

$855 continuation fee for second year

Refunds

The only fee that may be refundable, in part, is the tuition fee. No refund of the tuition fee will be made because of illness, absence, or dismissal during the academic year. A student who is withdrawing must notify Heller in writing; refunds will be based on the date of notification and calculated in accordance with the following:

Withdrawal

Before the opening day of instruction: 100% of the term's tuition.

On or before the second Friday following the opening day of instruction: 75% of the term's tuition.

On or before the fifth Friday following the opening day of instruction: 50% of the term's tuition.

After the fifth Friday following the opening day of instruction: no refund.

Requests for refunds should be addressed to the Bursar's office.

In the case of a scholarship student who withdraws, the student's account will be credited with the same proportion of the term scholarship as charged for tuition: 75% if the student leaves on or before the second Friday; 50% on or before the fifth Friday and no refund thereafter.

In compliance with federal law, special refund arrangements apply to first-time students receiving aid under Title IV. Contact The Heller School financial aid officer for additional information.

Financial Aid

The Heller School attempts to assist as many students as possible in securing financial aid, although it is expected that candidates for admission will explore a variety of outside funding sources, such as private scholarships, state scholarships, and G.I. Bill benefits. The Heller School offers scholarships and fellowships that are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic merit. These grants rarely cover the full cost of study plus living expenses, but, in combination with Stafford Loans, make up the typical aid package. Part-time students are not eligible to receive Heller scholarships or fellowships.

For more information about fellowships, scholarships, and loans for all of our degree programs, visit the Heller Website at http://www.heller.brandeis.edu, or contact the appropriate admissions office.