Transfer Credit

For university policy on transfer credit for courses taken elsewhere, see pages 39-40 in the Bulletin of Duke University 1996-97: Undergraduate Instruction. Note specifically the sentence on page 40 that reads, ``Students wishing to transfer credit for study at another accredited college while on leave or during the summer must present a catalog of that college to the appropriate dean and director of undergraduate studies and obtain their approval prior to taking the courses.''

Thus, before enrolling at another school in a course for which transfer credit is wanted, a student must (1) obtain departmental approval for the course, and (2) obtain approval from the student's academic dean.

To obtain departmental approval a student must meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for courses in mathematics numbered above 103 and with the Supervisor of First-year Instruction for courses numbered 103 and below. (Additional considerations, not cited below, may apply to courses numbered 103 and below.)

Although the decision to approve or disapprove a particular course will be made by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Supervisor of First-year Instruction, a student can often make a preliminary determination by following the procedure below.

1. Obtain the regular catalog (or at least a copy of the pages containing descriptions of the mathematics courses) from the other school. All undergraduate mathematics courses should be included, so the course in question can be considered in the context of the other school's mathematics program. Summer catalogs seldom contain enough information; and some regular catalogs are not sufficiently detailed, and in such a case, the petitioning student must obtain a syllabus or other official written description of the contents of the course.
2. Determine whether the school is on the semester system or the quarter system. If it is on the quarter system, two courses are needed to obtain one credit at Duke.
3. For summer courses, determine how many days the class meets and how long each period is. Duke summer courses meet 31 days for 65 minutes each day.
4. After determining that a course qualifies under all the criteria above, see the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Supervisor of First-year Instruction, as appropriate for the course number (see above).
5. If transfer credit is approved by the Department of Mathematics, seek the approval of the appropriate academic dean.

To receive transfer credit, a course grade of C- or higher is required; however, the university does not include a grade earned at another school as part of a student's official transcript.

A student who has obtained transfer credit may still enroll in the corresponding Duke course, but transfer credit will then be lost.

A student considering a course offered during a summer term should bear in mind that such courses are frequently cancelled, owing to low enrollment.

General questions about university policy on transfer credit should be addressed to John Rider, to whom the required approval forms and transcripts are sent (103A Allen Building, 684-5353, facsimile: 684-4500, jwr@acpub.duke.edu).