Immersion Week Objectives
- Establish program expectations
- Develop academic and social readiness
- Build community for teamwork and leadership development
- Connect students to resources and support
Student Life in Accelerated Master's Programs
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies is committed to your success, offering events and services that expand your knowledge, broaden your perspective, and connect you with opportunities in your field. Our programming includes academic workshops, study groups, distinguished speaker series, and networking events, all culminating in a capstone presentation. Through these experiences, you'll discover diverse opportunities that enrich your learning journey at Northwestern while building lasting professional connections.
Events
The school gives you the opportunity to explore the surrounding neighborhoods and many interesting international communities.”
Networking, engagement, community
Custom programming for accelerated students focusing on networking and engagement. Many events are partnered with local professional organizations, nonprofits, and businesses. We also provide many opportunities to learn more about Chicago and the local area.
Immersion Week
During immersion week you’re going to meet a lot of new friends and get to know your instructors — and that is very helpful for you being in a new environment.”
What is Immersion Week?
One week of unique programming to build community, meet faculty and support staff, and develop key skills for academic success. All meals, transportation, and event activities included.
Past Activities from Immersion Week
- Evanston library visit and workshops with specialist librarians
- Faculty led and invited speaker workshops
- Private Chicago neighborhoods tour with program focus
- Team-building scavenger hunt in the Chicago Loop
- Local Chicago catering
- Lake Michigan lunch cruise social & networking
Capstone Presentations
The MA in Public Policy and Administration Capstone
The capstone project course represents the culmination of the Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) program, showcasing each graduate student's comprehensive mastery of the curriculum and core competencies in public policy and administration. This course challenges students to conduct a substantial research project or a rigorous case study analysis, allowing them to approach the MPPA curriculum as an integrated whole. Through this capstone experience, students draw upon a broad range of concepts, analytical skills, and practical applications acquired throughout their coursework, applying these insights to address real-world policy or administrative issues.
As part of this final project, students engage in an in-depth exploration of their chosen topic or case study that results in a final academic paper. The course culminates in a formal poster presentation, where students have the opportunity to share their findings and insights with a diverse audience, including industry experts, faculty, and peers. This platform not only strengthens students’ presentation and communication skills but also provides them with valuable feedback from experienced professionals and underscores the importance of applied learning to public policy and administrative challenges
Accelerated Academic & Language Support
Custom workshops, study sessions, and language support based collaboration and coordination with faculty for program and course specific support.
Examples of Academic and Language Support:
- Power Hour Study Sessions for group work and individual support
- Midterms/Finals Prep Workshops
- Assignment-based revise and review study sessions sessions
- Express Yourself! Workshops (pronunciation and discussion skills workshops to improve pronunciation, boost confidence, and communicate with clarity)
- International student tutoring and language support (one-to-one, small group, online, and in-person)
- Study skill support and workshops (time management, academic reading, research skills, etc.)
Student Leadership Council
Student Leadership Councils (SLC) for SPS master's programs strive to broaden awareness of their relevant fields in practice and build a sense of community in their program by fostering relationships among students, alumni, and leading industry professionals.