Academic Calendar

Below you will find important dates for graduate programs at SPS. Prospective students should note the application deadlines, and current students can find quarter start dates and registration deadlines on our calendar.  For more information on the refund schedule, please see the Refund Schedule at the Student Finance website where you can also utilize the Withdrawal Calculator.

Applications are accepted year round and are reviewed by the faculty admissions committee once per quarter. The exceptions are the full-time Accelerated MA in Public Policy and Administration and Accelerated MS in Data Science programs which review applications in December and January for the following fall quarter program start. Applicants will be notified of their admission status approximately four weeks after the deadline.

 

2024–25 Academic and Holiday Calendar

Archived academic calendars from previous years can be found here

LAST UPDATED: July 26, 2024
September 2024

Monday, September 2, 2024

Labor Day; Northwestern University closed

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Deadline to submit the Registration forms for 499, 579, 580, 589, and 590 and all other special registration requests for Fall  Quarter registration by 5pm. Please visit the Canvas course site for your program for guidelines on proposals for independent studies, practicum, and thesis.

Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses.

Monday, September 23, 2024

Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Fall Quarter on-campus and online classes begin.

Monday, September 30, 2024

End of Fall Quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date.

October 2024

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Application for readmission for Winter Quarter due.

Application for admission for Winter Quarter due.

November 2024
Friday, November 1, 2024 Last day to drop a Fall course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript)

Friday, November 8, 2024

Last day to submit a Graduation Application for December graduation

Monday, November 11, 2024

Registration for Winter Quarter opens in CAESAR.

Friday, November 22, 2024

Last day to withdraw from a Fall 2024 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a "W" grade posted to the transcript Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term).

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Thanksgiving Break begins at 6PM (No sync sessions for online classes).

Thursday, November 28, 2024

Thanksgiving Break (No sync sessions for online classes).

Friday, November 29, 2024

Thanksgiving Break (No sync sessions for online classes).

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Thanksgiving Break (No sync sessions for online classes).

Sunday, November 31, 2024

Thanksgiving Break (No sync sessions for online classes).

December 2024

Friday, December 6, 2024

All thesis requirements and approvals due by 5pm for students completing 590 Thesis to receive a December degree.

Saturday, December 14. 2024

Official end of quarter (does not affect graduate course end dates).

Monday, December 16, 2024

Fall quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm.

Deadline to submit Registration forms for 499, 579, 580, 589, and 590 and all other special registration requests for Winter 2024 registration by 5pm. Please visit the Canvas course site for your program for guidelines on proposals for independent studies, practicum, and thesis.

Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses.

Friday, December 20, 2024

December 2024 degrees awarded.

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 Winter Recess, Northwestern University closed
Wednesday, December 24, 2024 Winter Recess, Northwestern University closed
Thursday, December 26, 2024 Winter Recess, Northwestern University closed
Friday, December 27, 2024 Winter Recess, Northwestern University closed
Monday, December 30, 2024 Winter Recess, Northwestern University closed

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Winter Recess, Northwestern University closed

January 2025

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

New Year's Day, Northwestern University closed

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition.

Monday, January 6, 2025

Winter Quarter on-campus and online classes begin.

Friday, January 10, 2025

End of Winter Quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Application for readmission for Spring Quarter due.

Application for admission for Spring Quarter due.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no classes (No sync sessions for online classes).

February 2025

Friday, February 7, 2025

Last day to submit a Graduation Application for March graduation

Friday, February 14, 2025

Last day to drop a Winter course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript)

Monday, February 17, 2025

Registration for Spring Quarter opens in CAESAR.

March 2025

Friday, March 7, 2025

Last day to withdraw from a Winter 2025 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a "W" grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term). 

Friday, March 14, 2025

All thesis requirements and approvals due by 5pm for students completing 590 Thesis to receive a March degree.

Monday, March 17, 2025

Deadline to submit Registration forms for 499, 579, 580, 589, and 590 and all other special registration requests for Spring Quarter registration by 5pm. Please visit the Canvas course site for your program for guidelines on proposals for independent studies, practicum, and thesis.

Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Official end of quarter (does not affect graduate course end dates)

Monday, March 24, 2025

Winter Quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm.

Friday, March 28, 2025

March 2025 degrees awarded.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Students who drop a class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition.

Monday, March 31, 2025

Spring Quarter SPS on-ground and online classes begin

April 2025

Friday, April 4, 2025

End of Spring Quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date.

Friday, April 11, 2025

Last day to submit a Graduation Application for June graduation.

Monday, April 14, 2025

Registration for Summer Quarter begins.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Application for program transfer for Summer Quarter due.

Application for readmission for Summer Quarter due.

Application for admission for Summer Quarter due.

May 2025

Friday, May 9, 2025

Last day to drop a spring course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript).

Monday, May 26, 2025

Memorial Day; Northwestern University closes (No sync sessions for online classes).

Friday, May 30, 2025

Last day to withdraw from a Spring 2025 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a "W" grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term).

June 2025

Monday, June 9, 2025

All thesis requirements and approvals must be complete for students completing 590 Thesis to receive a June degree.

Deadline to submit the Registration forms for 499, 579, 580, 589, 590 and all other special registration requests for Summer Quarter by 5pm. Please visit the Canvas course site for your program for guidelines on proposals for independent studies, practicum, and thesis.

Deadline to submit the Application for Tuition Remission for MFA courses.

Friday, June 13, 2025

Official end of quarter.

Saturday, June 14. 2025

School of Professional Studies Convocation Ceremony

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Commencement for all Northwestern graduates

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Spring Quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm.

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Juneteenth; Northwestern University closed.

Friday, June 20, 2025

June 2025 degrees awarded.

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Students who drop a Summer class after this date will not receive a 100% refund for tuition.

Monday, June 23, 2025

Summer Quarter on-campus and online classes begin.

Friday, June 27, 2025

End of Summer Quarter registration period in CAESAR. Students may not add a class after this date.

July 2025

Friday, July 4, 2025

Independence Day; Northwestern University closed (no sync sessions for online classes).

Monday, July 14, 2025

Registration for Fall 2025 quarter opens in CAESAR.

Friday, July 18, 2025

Last day to submit a Graduation Application for August graduation

August 2025

Friday, August 1, 2025

Last day to drop a summer course without academic penalty (withdrawals after this date will result in a “W” grade posted to the transcript).

Friday, August 15, 2025

All thesis requirements and approvals due by 5pm for students completing 590 Thesis to receive an August degree.

Friday, August 22, 2025

Last day to withdraw from a Summer 2025 course with academic penalty (withdrawals will result in a "W" grade posted to the transcript. Requests for withdrawal can be initiated until the Friday of the ninth week of the term).

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Last day of Summer Quarter for on-campus classes and online classes.

 

September 2025

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Summer quarter grades due from instructors before 3pm.

Friday, September 5, 2025

August 2025 degrees awarded.

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