Policies and Forms (CR)

Language Scholarships

All CR students may request scholarship for language study. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • The student must enroll in 12 credits of regular coursework during the semester in which he/she intends to receive the language scholarship.
  • The student must take the language course for a letter grade and receive a grade of “B” or better.
  • The student is expected to take the Government Department’s language proficiency exam in the language for which he/she receives the scholarship.

Failure to comply with any of these guidelines will result in losing future eligibility for language scholarships. If a student does not earn a grade of “B” or better or does not take the language proficiency exam in the language for which the scholarship was received, he/she will be charged the full amount of the scholarship.

Transfer Credit

Effective July 1, 2013, Conflict Resolution students may transfer up to three (3) credits of graduate-level coursework from a university outside of the Washington DC Consortium. To qualify for a credit transfer, the student must receive a grade of “B” or better in a graduate-level course taken at an accredited, degree granting university.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences reserves the right to deny transfer credit requests. If you are considering taking an outside course to transfer to Georgetown, please consult with the CR Program beforehand. While we can never guarantee that a course will successfully transfer, we can provide some general guidance.

In order to apply to transfer credit, you must provide Marie with the following:

  1. A completed Student Petition for Change to Program
  2. An official transcript showing a final grade of B or better
  3. Course syllabus

Please note: Credits will not be approved for transfer if they have been or are being applied toward another degree, either at Georgetown or elsewhere, or if they have already been used to award advanced standing toward a Graduate School doctoral degree. In addition, courses taken seven or more years prior to the request are not usually acceptable for transfer. Students may not satisfy any academic deficiency (e.g.,, low 25 overall GPA or failure to achieve a sufficient grade in a required course) through the use of transferred credits.

To allow the Graduate School adequate time to process these requests, students planning December graduations should submit this paperwork no later than November 15, May graduations no later than April 15. 

Independent Studies

Many CR students choose to take a 3 credit independent study in lieu of a general or directed elective. In order to do this, you need to identify a faculty advisor and work with them to develop a curriculum outlining the purpose of the study, readings, assignments, etc.  To register for this course, you’ll need to complete a Tutorial Registration Form for GOVT-902 (Fall) or GOVT-903 (Spring), which is due (including all signatures) to the Graduate School by the end of Add/Drop. 

Internships for Credit

The program encourages students to gain internship experience while enrolled. While not required, some students elect to earn credit for their internship experiences. To earn three credits for an internship, you’ll need to identify a faculty advisor and follow their individual requirements to earn a final grade. To register, you’ll need to fill out a Tutorial Registration Form and enter sufficient information about the nature of the internship, readings you will complete, assignments that will be completed, and a regular meeting schedule with your advisor. Fall internships are GOVT-902, and spring internships are GOVT-903. You cannot earn retroactive credit for an internship that has already been completed. The form is due (including all signatures) to the Graduate School by the end of Add/Drop. 

Professional Development Funds

CR students are eligible to receive up to $1,100 in Professional Development Fund (PDF) reimbursements each year. Students are not guaranteed the entire amount; each reimbursement is contingent upon the availability of funds and approval of requests. Due to changing university policies, the allowable uses of these funds have changed. Please review the allowable uses and restrictions carefully before submitting a request. All requests for the 2014-15 academic year must be received and approved by April 15, and all paperwork must be submitted by May 1.

ALLOWABLE USES

Each request is subject to program and university approval; reimbursement is not guaranteed.  PDF may be used for:

-Airfare for an internship, Georgetown-sponsored study abroad opportunity, or conference at which you are presenting (requests for airfare for conference attendance will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis).

-Registration fees for professional non-credit workshops or courses/conferences not offered at Georgetown (i.e. TechChange), or membership dues to professional organizations (i.e. the Alliance for Peacebuilding).

-Tuition for language courses/tutoring outside of Georgetown. Requests for funds for this purpose must clearly demonstrate that every effort was made to take the language at Georgetown. Reimbursements of this nature will require proof of successful completion.

RESTRICTIONS

PDF may not be used for airfare for outside academic study abroad programs or business cards. Language materials (i.e. Rosetta Stone or similar online tutoring programs) are no longer acceptable, as the university cannot determine if you used the software or the tutoring. PDF cannot be used to purchase books, magazine subscriptions, electronics (including cameras), clothing, GU tuition, metro fare, or similar.

PROCEDURE

To apply for PDF reimbursement, you must do the following:

  1. Purchase the item(s) to be reimbursed
  2. Submit the completed request form to Marie Champagne (mtc@georgetown.edu).
  3. If Marie approves your request, you will submit original receipts to Justin Harried (jjh76@georgetown.edu). Your reimbursement will not be processed until Justin receives receipts showing the amount and method of purchase (i.e. credit card). For airfare reimbursements, you must also submit boarding passes.
  4. Once your reimbursement request is submitted to the Government Department for final approval, you should receive your reimbursement in 4-6 weeks.

Requesting a Letter of Recommendation

A strong letter of recommendation is crucial when applying for internships, jobs, and further education. To ensure that you obtain the strongest letter possible, keep these points in mind. 

  • You should approach a potential reference at least three weeks before the letter is due. Waiting until the last minute is rude and can hurt you in the long run. The reference will inevitably have other responsibilities and deadlines, and a last minute request could negatively impact the overall quality and depth of the letter.