Brandeis Online

• GPS Student Handbook (pdf) — A comprehensive set of policies, procedures, academic regulations, rights and responsibilities, and resources for Brandeis GPS students.

• Course Drop Form — Students can drop a course at any time prior to the end of week six of the session.
• Course Waiver Form — Students accepted to a master's degree may occasionally waive a required course in which they can demonstrate proficiency. Brandeis Online makes final decisions on course waiver applications.
• Request Deferral — Students accepted into a master's degree program can defer their start of courses for up to one year from the time of acceptance; i.e., for four sessions.
• Add a Master's Certificate to Program of Study — Students accepted into a Master's program can request to add a Master's Certificate to their academic record so they can earn certificate credit as they progress through their Master's program. This option is only available to students who have not yet completed their Master's degree requirements.
• Request Incomplete Grade — Requests for incomplete grades may be presented to an instructor after successful completion of the first seven weeks of courses and prior to the final week. Students must make a written agreement with their instructor, outlining specific work to be completed and corresponding due dates.
• Request Credit Transfer — Students may petition for the evaluation of academic credit for transfer from another regionally accredited university or college in the United States to be applied for credit toward a master's degree.
• Request Itemized Statement — Students can request an itemized statement to use for employer reimbursement.

• Boston Library Consortium (BLC) — BLC is composed of 17 academic and research institutions in the New England area. Current Brandeis GPS students can visit and borrow books and other materials from other BLC institutions. 
• LinkedIn Learning — Access more than 5,000 high-quality educational videos on topics ranging from using different technologies to building business and professional skills.
• Student Accessibility Support — The university is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with appropriately documented physical, learning, or psychological disabilities, short-term and long-term.
• Textbooks — Purchase textbooks at the Brandeis University Bookstore. To view required reading materials for each course, please access your course syllabus in Engage.
• UNet Home Space — For personal network-based file storage. Use it to back up files, share files with others by publishing to the web, or move files from one computer to another.
• Workday Job Aids — Find step-by-step guides for important processes in Workday.

• Financial Responsibility Agreement
• State-Specific Refund Policy
• Sequential Degree Policies
• Financial Aid Instructions

For Graduate Professional Studies and International Business School

Any student who feels they have a grievance with faculty regarding an academic matter, including dissatisfaction with grades or grading procedures, should contact the faculty member within 10 business days after the grade in question is made available. If such a meeting results in a mutually acceptable solution, then the matter shall be considered closed. If either party wishes to have a written statement of the outcome, the parties should put the solution in writing, sign it and each retain a copy.

If the academic grievance is unresolved or the complaint is of a non-academic nature, the student may proceed with the following steps:

1. The student must initiate the grievance and/or complaint procedure by submitting a formal written statement within 10 business days utilizing the Academic Grievance and Complaint Form. The written statement must specify the nature of the complaint and the remedy desired. The Director of Student Services will oversee the resolution of the matter within 14 days from submission of the written complaint.
2. The written complaint will be reviewed by the Program Chair, Director of Faculty Operations, and Director of Online Learning.
3. Once a decision is reached, the student will be notified in writing via email from the Director of Student Services.
4. For GPS programs, the student may appeal the decision, in writing, to the Vice President of the Rabb School within 14 business days of the decision. The appeal should specify why the proposed solution is not acceptable. The Vice President’s decision is final. For the MSBA, appeals will be reviewed by the International Business School.

For Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

A student who has a concern about an academic decision may utilize this grievance process to seek resolution.

Within thirty (30) days of the incident that led to the concern, the student should submit a written statement, specifying the complaint and the remedy desired, to the chair of the department and/or the Director of Graduate Studies of their program. The chair and/or DGS will seek to resolve the matter and send a written response to the student within fourteen (14) calendar days (provided that the University is open) from the submission of the complaint.

The student may appeal in writing the department chair and/or DGS's decision to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences within fourteen (14) calendar days of the receipt of the chair’s written response. The appeal should specify why the proposed resolution is not acceptable. The Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or designee) will confer with members of the faculty and/or administration, as appropriate, and send a written response to the student within fourteen (14) calendar days (provided that the University is open) from the submission of the complaint. The decision made by the Dean (or designee) is final.

If the student feels that the chair of the department and the DGS have a conflict of interest (e.g,. the chair and DGS are also the student’s advisor), then the student can submit the written statement directly to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. In this case, in addition to specifying the complaint and the remedy desired, the statement should explain why the student elected to bypass the department chair and the DGS. The Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (or designee) will confer with members of the faculty and/or administration, as appropriate, and send a written response to the student within fourteen (14) calendar days (provided that the University is open) from the submission of the complaint. The decision made by the Dean (or designee) is final.

The Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs of GSAS is available to consult with students at any step in the grievance process.

Massachusetts Residents and Online Students in Non-SARA Member States and Territories

Students must attempt to resolve the issue at the institutional level. If the matter is not resolved at the institution level, students may seek to file a formal complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) by using the consumer complaint form. The AGO consumer complaint form should be used by students who are located in:

• Massachusetts
• Non-SARA member states or territories (e.g., California, Guam, etc.)

California and Guam residents may also file complaints with their home state or territory by using the following links:

• California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
• Island of Guam

Online Students Located in SARA Member States and Territories

Students located in SARA member states and territories must attempt to resolve the issue at the institutional level. If the matter is not resolved at the institution level, non-Massachusetts residents that are located in NC-SARA member states may seek to file a formal complaint with the DHE by using the SARA complaint form.

If you are unsure of which process to pursue, please contact Harry Skoyles, Director of Student Services.

Brandeis Online students are required to complete a free orientation before the start of their first session. Students will receive more information about orientation by email shortly after their enrollment.

About Orientation

The self-paced, online course should take students four to five hours to complete and is designed to increase their readiness and confidence in pursuing online learning. By completing this course, students will be able to:

• Gain familiarity with the Brandeis Online approach and our standard course structure.
• Access required materials and systems you'll use throughout the session, including your Brandeis email account, Workday and Engage (our learning management system).
• Find and adhere to important student policies and procedures.
• Learn how to participate effectively and appropriately in online course discussions.
• Use Engage efficiently to track unread posts, submit assignments, retrieve graded work and edit your profile settings (including your time zone as applicable).
• Access Zoom and configure your audio/video.
• Apply time management techniques and other best practices to increase your online learning success.
• Work effectively within online student groups.
• Find resources and support for student services.