FAQ for Enrolled Students- OSAA - 2024-25

OSAA Staff Bios

Learn more about our team here and here. 

Feedback for OSAA? 

Email us, schedule a 1:1 appointment, drop in during our 12-3p drop-in hours OR fill out this form.

Questions? Email the OSAA Staff at:

• Assistant Dean of Enrollment and Student Services: shannon.chapman@austin.utexas.edu or lbjosaadirector@austin.utexas.edu
• Student Affairs: lbjstudentaffairs@austin.utexas.edu
• Career Services: lbjcareers@austin.utexas.edu 
• Fellowships: lbjfellowships@austin.utexas.edu 
• General Questions: lbjosaa@austin.utexas.edu 
• Want to have coffee with Shannon Chapman, Asst. Dean for Student?  Email her to set something up!  Shannon.chapman@austin.utexas.edu 

Have a question about your schedule? Confused about a UT Policy? Can't find a form? Want to meet with your OSAA Staff Advisor?

 Schedule an appointment with them below!

• Shannon Chapman – all International (F1 visa) students (email:  shannon.chapman@austin.utexas.edu) 
• Stuart Bone – MPAff/MGPS last name A-K 
  • Book with Stuart
• Laura Roach – MPAff/MGPS last name L-S 
  • Book with Laura
• Rafael Mendoza-Nuñez – MPAff/MGPS last name T-Z & all dual-degree students 
  • Book with Rafael
• Robin Boone – all MPAff DC/MGPS DC students 
  • Book with Robin
• Dr. Mary Evans - all Ph.D students 
  • Contact Dr. Evans via email to schedule an appointment - mary.evans@austin.utexas.edu 

Pave Your Way (PYW) Through LBJ is OSAA's Summer and First-Year programming to ensure student success, belonging, and access to resources. 

Stay tuned for this semester's PYW schedule! 

You can view OSAA's Semester-at-a-glance events here! 

Need extra Quant help?  Join Dr. Alfonso Rojas Alvarez on Fridays from Noon-1:30 for Quant Lab/Overview sessions. OSAA will be there for the first 10 minutes to go over resources, events and other important reminder.

Please note - if you did not pass any section of the final assessment, Friday Quant Lab is REQUIRED!

Here is another option to up those Quant Skills!
 

Want to learn how to program in R, or deepen your skills with the language? Want to learn how to perform advanced analytics and algorithmic computations in Excel? This fall, Professor Rojas-Alvarez and PhD student Kate McArdle will be offering a series of in-depth workshops on both! These workshops are designed to complement LBJ's quantitative courses and equip students with valuable career readiness skills.

 

The workshops will be held from 10-11:30 am every other Friday (on Sept. 8, Sept 22, October 6, and October 27, with a fifth session date TBD) at LBJ, room 3.316. You can sign up for the Canvas course here, to get access to course materials and important announcements: https://bit.ly/lbj-programming-workshops - click the blue "Enroll in course" button.

 

The R workshops will start with the foundations of the language, so no prior experience is required. They will build from there to talk about data cleaning (a must-have skill when working with real-world data), data visualization (a skill sought after by many policy employers), and other topics as desired by students. The workshops on Excel will cover data cleaning using Power Query, Pivot Tables, and Pivot Charts, and data analytics with both functions and the data analytics toolpak.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Professor Rojas Alvarez (arojasa@utexas.edu) or Kate (kate.mca@utexas.edu).

CARE is a program of the Counseling and Mental Health Center that was created in collaboration with the Office of the Provost. CARE counselors are located within the colleges they serve. They are licensed mental health professionals and work with students who have been referred by faculty and staff.

We urge students who are struggling for any reason and who believe that it might impact their performance in the course to reach out to our CARE Counselor. Our school has our own CARE Counselor, Bryce Moffett, LCSW! Bryce is an amazing resource and we encourage you to reach out to her if you feel comfortable to. This will allow Bryce to provide any resources or accommodations that she can.

If immediate mental health assistance is needed, call the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) at 512-471-3515.

You may also contact Bryce Moffett, LCSW (LBJ CARE counselor) at 512-232-4449 or stop by within her office hours on Mondays from 1-2pm in SRH 3.119.

Click here to learn more about Bryce! 

Outside CMHC business hours (8a.m.-5p.m., Monday-Friday), contact the CMHC 24/7 Crisis Line at 512-471-2255.

OSAA utilizes varied and robust communications channels to try and meet students where they are.  PLEASE make sure you read our communications. If you don't, you are missing out.  Reading OSAA's communications is critical to student success.  OSAA does the hard work to put all this together, we ask that ALL students meet us half-way and read what we are producing.

• Monday ListServ Email
• Tues/Thurs Instagram posts (follow us at @lbj_osaa )
• Wednesday Canvas Announcement (OSAA's New Enrolled Student Canvas site)
• Friday Newsletters:  Missed the monthly newsletter? Check out our OSAA Newsletter Archives here! 
• Signs/posters/notices posted around the LBJ building (OSAA Hallway, bathrooms, digital sign, 2nd and 3rd floor common areas)
• OSAA Events
  • Weekly Calendar
  • Semester-at-a-glance Calendar

The Enrolled Student Canvas site is OSAA's one stop shop for all of the important updates, information, and upcoming deadlines. We encourage you to check this page regularly throughout the semester. 

Log into Canvas here!

Looking to connect with our OSAA team, faculty members, or your peers? Check out our events calendar below to see what OSAA has to offer! 

Weekly OSAA Events

OSAA Events- Semester-at-a-glance

Our team wants to make sure that we are offering events and programs that cater to your needs and what is going to help you be successful during your time here. If you have any feedback for us, do not hesitate to fill out our feedback form!

Our OSAA team wants you to be engaged with us throughout your entire academic career! Not only are we here to offer you academic support, but we are also here to provide you with a co-curricular experience that gives you a sense of belonging. 

Check out our Student Engagement overview to see what fun events OSAA has planned for you! 

Here is this semester's list of OSAA Events:  https://utexas.app.box.com/s/sasisy5n3y50x0to9tjoqwh3oudpwz6s 

OSAA's Careers Team puts on many events each year (workshops, labs, fairs, etc.).  Click here for an overview of OSAA's events. 

Check out OSAA's Career Team Canvas pages here.

• Find out info about Current Student Fellowships? 
  • Visit the LBJ Fellowships page and the Funding page on OSAA's Canvas site
• Find out info about Internship/Policy Apprenticeship Fellowships? 
  • Visit the LBJ Fellowships for Student Internships and Policy Apprenticeships page
• Contact the LBJ Fellowships coordinator  

To place a room reservation request, please follow the below steps:

1. Review the Main LBJ CalendarLinks to an external site. before filling out this formLinks to an external site. to ensure there are not conflicting events, especially if the event has the same target audience. Please note this does not automatically ensure you will receive your first choice in date/time/room. In an effort to not duplicate efforts or host competing events, we will not approve simultaneous events geared at the same audience.
2. Fill out this room reservation request formLinks to an external site. at least two weeks before your event but no more than 45 days out due to system restrictions. Please be sure to note guest/external speakers so the communications team can be properly notified. You are also required to fill out the necessary paperwork, such as an OOEF, if your event has a budget.
3. Please list at least three options for date/time/location since rooms are in high demand. 
4. If you do not receive an email from LBJOSAA@austin.utexas.edu within three business days of submitting this form, please send a follow-up email.

An overview of the steps required for registration is offered in the Registration Information session during Orientation. This is a summary of those steps:  

• Degree planning and academic advising with your Graduate Advisor
• Consulting your Registration Information Sheet (RIS) online.
• Clearing your registration bars.
• Course schedule consultation and review.  
• Submitting relevant registration paperwork prior to registration.  
• Registering for classes. 
• Using the online Course Waitlist system.  
• Fine-tuning your schedule during Add/Drop periods.
• Paying your tuition bill and/or confirming your attendance to class.

Helpful planning sites: 

• For past syllabi, check out this Canvas page:  https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/1226465/pages/spring-2023-draft-syllabi
• Registrar’s Course Schedule site:  https://registrar.utexas.edu/schedulesLinks to an external site.
• Registration site: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/registration/chooseSemester.WBXLinks to an external site.
• LBJ Course schedule site for course descriptions:  https://lbj.utexas.edu/course-schedulesLinks to an external site.

You can find your registration access date and times on your Registration Information Sheet (RIS). Update your contact information if it has changed. For more information about registration, visit the One Stop Registration and Degree planning site here. 

A bar may be placed on your student record for a variety of financial or non-financial reasons. Please remember to check your Registration Information Sheet (RIS) prior to registration to take care of any bars before your assigned registration time. There, you can find the reason and impact of a bar, how to resolve it, and whom to contact if you have questions. When registration for the next semester approaches, check your RIS frequently. It is important to resolve your holds, as they can delay you from registering for classes and ordering a transcript or diploma.

How to Check Your Bars

• Step 1: Log into RIS and select the desired semester.
• Step 2: Review what bars/holds, if any, are on your record.
• Step 3: If there is a bar/hold, take care of it with the provided link or contact information.

Check with your Graduate Advisor for approval before registering for an outside elective. In practice, approval is routinely granted as long as the non-LBJ School course contains policy or management content, or is a relevant research method course. Undergraduate courses are never approved as electives. Students may request Graduate Advisor registration approval for a non- LBJ School course by submitting a Request to Enroll in a Non-LBJ School Course form to the Graduate Advisor for consideration. This form is available here.

Program Curriculum Summaries: 

• MPAff Curriculum 
• MGPS Curriculum 
• DC Concentration Curriculum 

Program Worksheets: 

• MPAff Program of Study Worksheet
• MGPS Program of Study Worksheet 

Sample Schedules:

• MPAff Sample Schedule 
• MGPS Sample Schedule

Students may register for a Conference Course (PA 189C or PA 389). A conference course is an individualized learning experience that satisfies either a one-hour or three-hour elective requirement. The Conference Course agreement is a contract between a student and an LBJ School faculty member that defines the content of the learning experience and the resulting academic deliverable. Students must submit a Conference Course Registration form, signed by the supervising faculty member, to their OSAA Advisor to register for the PA 189C or PA 389 Conference Courses. Conference Courses supervised by faculty members outside of the LBJ School should be registered with the supervisor’s home department, but the internal filing requirement at the LBJ School still applies. 

Things to consider: 

• MPAff students are allowed to count up to three (3) three-hour Conference Courses toward their program of study, but they may enroll in no more than one Conference Course per semester without permission from their Graduate Advisor. 
• MGPS students are allowed to count up to nine credits of Conference Courses toward their program of study, preferably not in the same semester.

You can find the form at: https://lbj.utexas.edu/conference-course-registration-form 

The Policy Research Project (PRP) is a minimum of a 3 credit PRP class, and it can be 6 credits/2- semester class, or 6 credits total consisting of a 3 credit PRP class combined with an official 3 credit LBJ partner class per LBJ policy, In the PRP class, students, under the supervision of a faculty director, work together on a project for a client. The primary learning objective is to gain an understanding of the substantive issues and research processes, including problem structuring, policy formulation, project management, group dynamics, ethics, and report presentation. PRP faculty directors introduce students to the PRP course options over the summer via online videos. In August of their second year, students will complete an online form to indicate their preferences. The Graduate Advisor then assigns students to PRPs based on expressed preferences, subject to space availability and any particular skill requirements for a specific PRP (e.g., foreign language, statistical skills). Students will be placed in PRPs their second year, with dual degree students being placed in their second year or third year. Some students will take a 3 credit PRP class; students in a 6 credit PRP class must remain in the same PRP class for the entire academic year, or in the same 6 credits combination consisting of a 3 credit PRP class combined with an official 3 credit LBJ partner class per LBJ policy.

• Read more here!
• Need help understanding your Tuition Bill? Review our Graduate Tuition Bill Guide
• Don’t forget to confirm your enrollment during registration or you will be dropped from ALL of your classes! 

The LBJ School Dean's Certificate program, launched during the 2019–20 academic year, gives students an opportunity to earn an additional credential by exploring in-depth policy areas that are increasingly critical in the public affairs arena. The program combines academic knowledge, analytical skills and practical application to help give students a leg up.

• The certificates for the MPAff program are Data Science and Policy Analysis, State and Local Finance, and Cities and Urban Affairs.  Learn more here. 
• The certificates for the MGPS are in Data Science and Policy Analysis and Cities and Urban Affairs. Learn more here. 

There are options if you fall behind or if you happen to go below a required 3.0 GPA.  It is up to the student to be proactive and reach out for help. Don't be afraid to talk to your professor, OSAA or the Assoc. Dean for Academics, Lorinc Redei.  
 

For more details on academic probation, falling below a 3.0, how to reach out for help and more, see here:  https://utexas.app.box.com/s/ch6u2ndn4wuu58pqupv0tv6rxgdtcjuu 
 

For many more tips, tricks and resources, view OSAA's Canvas page about getting help.

Please always start with your professor. You can also talk to your OSAA Staff Advisor for advice.  For escalation, you should first reach out to Assoc. Dean for Academics- Dr. Lorinc Redei, and/or Shannon Chapman, Asst. Dean for Enrollment and Student Services. 

You can also talk to your OSAA Staff Advisor for advice.  For escalation, you should first reach out to Assoc. Dean for Academics- Dr. Lorinc Redei, and/or Shannon Chapman, Asst. Dean for Enrollment and Student Services. 

You can find LBJ's Student Handbooks here.

UT requires a ton of forms! Curious about what forms to use when?  See the list of the most commonly used forms below and click here for more info (remember, you can easily find the form/policy by utilizing Google Search, this list is to help get you started):

https://lbj.utexas.edu/forms-policies-and-procedures 

UT Austin Definitions of a Passing Grade:
The Graduate School at UT Austin considers any grade of C or higher to be a passing grade in a graduate course. Anything below that (i.e. C- or below) is considered a failing grade—courses that earn such grades do not count toward a student’s program of work toward their graduate degrees.
 

UT Austin Graduate School GPA Requirements:

The Graduate School at UT Austin requires that all graduate students maintain at least a 3.0 (i.e a B) cumulative GPA throughout the course of their graduate study. If a student at any point has a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0, they will be placed on Academic Probation.

If you are worried about falling below a 3.0 please read this.  

The maximum course load allowed for a graduate student in the fall and spring semesters is 15 credit hours. The maximum course load for a graduate student in summer semesters is 12 credit hours. Each summer is divided into two five-week sessions, with some courses meeting the whole summer. The 12-hour limit is for any combination of summer courses. Most LBJ students take 12 credit hours per semester—you should consult your Advisor if you plan on exceeding that number. Enrolling in more than 15 credit hours in any given semester requires a petition letter to the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) from your Advisor. You should remember to leave enough time in your schedule for extra-curricular learning: attending talks and lectures, working with research centers, and participating in social and networking activities

Students admitted with conditions should meet with the Assistant Dean for Academics for advising as soon as possible to work toward removal of the conditions. Similarly, any master’s student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 in a given semester will be placed on academic probation for the following semester. Students on academic probation should see the Assistant Dean for Academics for academic advising and to have the subsequent semester’s registration bar cleared. A graduate student whose cumulative graduate grade point average falls below 3.00 at the end of any semester or summer session will be warned by the Office of Graduate Studies that their continuance in the Graduate School is in jeopardy. The student must attain a cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.0 during the next semester or summer session they enrolled or be subject to dismissal. During this period, the student may not drop a course or withdraw from the University without the approval of the Graduate Advisor and the Graduate Dean. 

More information is available here: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/academics/policies/warningstatus-academic-dismissal    

Two consecutive semesters on academic probation places students in the status of unsatisfactory academic standing and is cause for dismissal from the University of Texas Graduate School. 

The LBJ School MPAff and MGPS Graduate Studies Committee also maintains a definition of satisfactory academic progress. A student will be deemed to meet expectations for satisfactory academic progress if they meet the following three criteria:

• Maintains an average 3.0 GPA across all courses, 
• Achieves grades of C or higher in each required (‘core’) class in the student’s respective degree program, 
• Has completed or has plans to complete the administrative requirements of the respective degree program (e.g., internship requirement). 

LBJ School fellowship recipients must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA to receive fellowship awards. More information on academic dismissal policies listed here: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/academics/policies/warning-status-academic-dismissal

Students on probationary status are not allowed to work as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) at The University, but they are otherwise eligible for part time University employment. Students admitted with conditions are not allowed to work as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Research Assistant, and furthermore, they are NOT eligible for any other University employment during their first semester.

For options if you're worried about falling below a 3.0, PLEASE READ THIS.

Graduate students at The University of Texas at Austin may apply for a leave of absence of no more than two semesters. 

A student on leave may not use any University facilities nor is the student entitled to receive advice from any member of the faculty.  A leave of absence does not alter the time limits for degrees or course work. 

To request a leave of absence, complete the forms required here. If you have any questions, email OSAA at lbjstudentaffairs@austin.utexas.edu.

Students can add and drop courses on their own online through the fourth-class day for fall and spring semester, and the second-class day during the summer sessions) After the fourth-class day, but before the 12th class day (or after the second but before the fourth-class day during the summer sessions), the student must submit paper forms, with Graduate Advisor approval. After the 12th class day (or after the fourth-class day during the summer sessions) students may not add a course, except for rare and extenuating circumstances which must be approved by the Graduate Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS). Requests to add a course under these circumstances require a letter of petition from the Graduate Advisor to the Graduate Dean of OGS and a completed Add/Drop form with all required signatures. For more information, please see https://gradschool.utexas.edu/academics/policies/adding-and-dropping-courses 

General Academic Forms

• Request for Change of Letter Grade to CR/NC or Request a Q Drop **Use for grade status change, add/drop after deadline and Q/F Drop--contact Graduate Coordinator for form instructions
• Request a Withdrawal (W) from the University
• Conference Course Registration
• Core Course Waiver Request
• Petition for Late Registration **Used only if enrolling late in a semester and not registered in any classes
• Law Course Approval Form for Non-Law Graduate Students
• Change of Major Information  

To either change your major, add a dual degree, or to remove a dual degree, you must follow the steps listed here. 

If you have any further questions about this process, email OSAA at lbjstudentaffairs@austin.utexas.edu

MPAff and MGPS core classes must be taken for a letter grade. Outside of the core curriculum, students may take up to nine elective credit hours on a Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) basis, not counting the internship or PR. A maximum of three elective credit hours (typically one class) may be taken on the CR/NC basis per semester. Courses taken on a Credit/No Credit basis are not included in the calculation of graduate student GPA.

Students may register for an elective class on a CR/NC basis during the registration period. After the registration system closes, students may change a class to CR/NC status (or vice versa) one time, until the deadline published in the UT academic calendar.

To change the grade status of a course after the registration system closes, obtain a Grade Change Status form from your GAPC. You must obtain your Graduate Advisor’s signature before submitting the form to the Office of Graduate Studies by the mid-semester CR/NC deadline.

Where to Find Jobs:

On Campus Graduate Student Employment 

Handshake

OSAAs Career Team's Canvas page

Need help in the job search process? 

• Watch our Career/PD overview and GRA/TA Workshop Recording here. 
• Review all UT Academic and Resource policies here. 

Internship Approval Forms: 

• DocuSign Approval Form for MPAff and MGPS
• DocuSign Waiver Request 

Internship Evaluation Forms: 

• Agency Evaluation Form
• Student Evaluation Form 

Visit the OSAA Career Internship page here. 

Find all of OSAA Careers resume and cover letter resources on the Careers Resume Canvas Page. 

Looking for help to write your next cover letter? Watch our workshop about writing cover letters as a policy student here. 

For more resources to help you with your cover letter, explore the Careers Canvas Page. 

Do you need help with the job search process? Explore our Jobs Corner on our canvas page here. 

The OSAA Career team offers a full suite of initiatives and events to help keep our students on track in the job search journey, including career roadmaps, semester action plans, workshops, labs, information sessions and 1:1 counseling. View our semester calendar here to see our upcoming events! 

Our Careers Staff is here to help you with all your career needs, from document reviews, to mock interviews, to job search help, and everything in between! Click their booking links below to schedule a 30 minute meeting, and feel free to email them at lbjcareers@austin.utexas.edu any time.

Book a time with AC: Here

Book a time with Lauren: Here

Student organizations are a great way to get involved in the LBJ School and broader UT community.

Discover the various student organizations that we have to offer here! 

Info for newly admitted students:  https://community.utexas.edu/disability/future-students/

How to Register with Disabilities and Access:  https://community.utexas.edu/disability/how-to-register-with-ssd/ 

Campus Testing Center for in-person testing accommodations: https://ssdportal.ddce.utexas.edu/clockwork/user/instructor/default.aspx

Sure Walk is a resource for students to request someone to accompany them on a cross-campus walk for safety purposes.

UT Night Rides is a partnership with Lyft that provides after-hours ride share for UT Students through the Lyft app.

For more information on what UT Health has to offer, please visit their webpage here.