Waiver Processes by Class

The following core courses offer waiver/placement exams for students who have a strong background in the subject(s). See the bottom section of this page for information on replacing waived core courses.

Computer Science with Applications I & II 

To obtain waivers for CAPP 30121 Computer Science with Applications 1 and/or CAPP 30122 Computer Science with Applications 2, you must take and pass the programming placement exam(s) run by the Masters Program in Computer Science (MPCS). Placement is determined solely by the results of the placement exam(s). We will not place students into classes based on prior educational background, work experience, projects, code samples, etc.

The first programming placement exam, which is typically offered in June and July, covers core programming concepts. Students who pass this exam earn a waiver from CAPP 30121 and will take a core programming class from the MPCS in place of CAPP 30122. Passing the first exam entitles students to enroll in MPCS 51402 Python Programming as their replacement for CAPP 30122.

Students who pass the first MPCS programming placement exam will be invited to take a second exam in late July/early August that covers more advanced material. Students who pass this exam earn a waiver from CAPP 30122 Computer Science with Applications 2. Depending on their performance on this exam, students who do not earn a score high enough to waive CAPP 30122 may be invited to take MPCS 51046 Intermediate Python Programming or Advanced Programming (MPCS 51100) as their replacement for CAPP 30122.

Other CAPP Core Courses in Computer Science

Students enroll in CAPP 30271 Mathematics for Computer Science and Data Analysis in winter of their first year. Students with a strong background in linear algebra may waive CAPP 30271 by passing a written placement exam. This exam is typically offered immediately before the start of the Autumn quarter.

Students enroll in CAPP 30235 Databases for Public Policy in spring of their first year. Students with a strong background in databases may waive CAPP 30235 by passing an oral placement exam. The oral exams will be offered during Winter Quarter.

Students enroll in CAPP 30254 Machine Learning for Public Policy in spring of their first year. Students with a strong background in machine learning may waive CAPP 30254 by passing an oral placement exam. The oral exams will be offered during Winter Quarter.

Statistics for Data Analysis

MSCAPP students enroll in PPHA 31002 Statistics I and PPHA 31102 Statistics II in the autumn and winter quarters of their first year. Students with a strong background in statistics can instead elect to take the advanced offerings, PPHA 31202 Advanced Statistics I and PPHA 31302 Advanced Statistics II, to fulfill these requirements.

It is possible to waive out of the statistics core requirements by taking and passing a waiver exam for each course. The placement exam is typically offered in September.

Analytical Politics

Students enroll in PPHA 30800 Analytical Politics I in the autumn quarter of their first year. It is possible to waive this course by taking and passing a waiver exam. The placement exam is typically offered in September.

Microeconomics for Public Policy

MSCAPP students enroll in PPHA 32300 Microeconomics I and PPHA 32400 Microeconomics II in the autumn and winter quarters of their second year. Students with a strong background in microeconomics can instead elect to take the advanced offerings, PPHA 32310 Advanced Microeconomics I and PPHA 32410 Advanced Microeconomics II, to fulfill these requirements.

It is possible to waive out of the microeconomics core requirements by taking and passing a waiver exam for each course. Please note that students may take one or both of these exams. It is possible to earn a waiver from Microeconomics II without earning a waiver from Microeconomics I. These exams are typically offered in September.

Replacing a Waived Course

If a student earns a waiver for any core course, the waived course must be replaced with an elective from the same department (e.g. a PPHA core course must be replaced with a Harris (PPHA) elective during the student’s course of study; similarly, a CAPP core course must be replaced with a Computer Science elective). 

See details about what counts for each type of elective, as well as overall degree requirements, on our Curriculum page.