Academic Information

Introductory level courses are numbered below 100; advanced level courses are numbered 100 and above. Courses numbered from 200-299 are primarily for seniors and graduate students.

Maximum Course Program. The maximum program for one term of the summer session is two courses, one of which may be a laboratory science course. In addition, a student may enroll in a physical education activity course for one-half course credit or an applied music course for one-quarter or one-half course credit, not to exceed a total of 2.5 course credits. A greater load may be possible on rare occasions with the approval of the student’s dean or the appropriate director of graduate studies. Visiting students must obtain approval for an overload from the director of the Summer Session.

Minimum Enrollment Required. Some courses are offered subject to minimum enrollments. If a course must be canceled because of inadequate enrollment, this decision is made as early as possible in an attempt to avoid undue hardship on students. Students already enrolled in a course to be canceled will be notified immediately. If at all possible, courses are offered as scheduled.

Adding

Students may add a course or courses before the beginning of the term, or during the official drop/add period (see Calendar & Schedules). Currently enrolled Duke students must use ACES; all other students must contact the Summer Session office.

Drop/Add

Drop/add (dropping one class and adding another class in its place) may be done prior to the beginning of the term or during the first three days of the term. There are no charges for dropping and adding, as long as no reduction in course load takes place after classes begin. A reduction in course load after the term begins, however, will result in the assessment of a withdrawal fee. Currently enrolled Duke students must use ACES to drop and add; all other students must contact the Summer Session office.

Currently Enrolled Duke Students. Registering for a class but never attending, or registering but not paying prior to the beginning of the term, will not drop you from the class roll. Non-attendance does not constitute an official drop and will not drop you from the class roll(s) nor release you from financial obligations. Course withdrawal fees will be assessed.

Course Descriptions and Synopses

Every course has an official description of a few sentences that has been approved by an academic department and a faculty committee. Current course descriptions may be found in the Bulletin of Undergraduate Instruction, 2008-2009 (available on the web at http://registrar.duke.edu/bulletins/Undergraduate/).

“Summer courses allow you to gain the same knowledge that you would during the academic year, but in a more relaxed environment because you are taking fewer courses in smaller class settings.”              

-Student, Summer 2008