Topics of interest to parents

Common topics of interest to parents

Students struggling with course work

The transition from high school to college is substantial and it is not unusual for some first-year students to experience problems as they adjust to demanding course work, different teaching styles, greater faculty expectations of them, and a wide array of tempting and time-consuming cocurricular activities. Moreover, such problems are not limited to the first year; sophomores also face their own set of challenges, including anxiety over selecting a major, the realization that a long-planned and much anticipated program of study may not be right for them and disappointment about grades.

If your son or daughter expresses anxiety about one or more of his/her courses or uncertainty about academic plans, encourage a visit to the Academic Advising Center. Your child’s academic dean can help him/her identify the sources of the academic difficulty and work on solutions to get back on track. The academic dean is at the center of a constellation of faculty, staff, and support offices and is in the best position to get the information needed for an accurate assessment of your son's or daughter’s situation. You are also welcome to contact your son's or daughter’s academic dean if you have any concerns or questions.

Grades

Copies of midterm grade reports are mailed to parents of first-year students in the fall and spring semesters. Final course grades for all students and midterm grades of sophomores, juniors and seniors are not sent to parents. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does not permit Duke faculty and staff (including academic deans and advisors) to give you information about course enrollments or final grades without the written consent of your son or daughter. ˆ Topics ˆ

Choosing a major

Trinity College offers nearly 100 majors, minors and certificate programs. Students must complete the requirements of one major in order to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Major declaration can occur as early as the second semester of enrollment at Duke, although most students declare during the sophomore year. The deadline for major declaration is the end of the eighth full week of the fourth semester of enrollment (which for most students will be the beginning of spring break in the sophomore year). Thereafter, students may make changes to their major at the Registrar’s Office.

Students have opportunities to learn about different majors, minors and certificate programs though department-sponsored information sessions, the annual fall semester Majors Fair, their peers and their academic advisors. Comprehensive descriptions of majors and their course requirements are also available on departmental and program Web sites.

Contrary to what many parents and students believe, the choice of a major does not affect future career or professional school options. For example, students interested in business, law or medicine can major in any subject area. Statistics from Duke’s Office of Health Professions Advising show that over the past several years the choice of a major by Duke students has had no effect on their acceptance rate to medical schools. The Prebusiness Advising Office and Prelaw Advising Center also report that business schools and law schools are less interested in an applicant’s undergraduate major than in the set of skills and experiences a student will bring to an institution.

The Duke Career Center provides a diverse array of resources to help students identify potential career interests, gain experience through summer jobs and internships and prepare for employment after graduation. Through the Career Center’s alumni database, DukeConnect, and guides to majors in their Resource Room, students can also discover the many career paths that can be taken from various undergraduate majors.ˆ Topics ˆ

Concerns about advising

The Academic Advising Center is committed to providing first-year and sophomore students the support they need to make a successful academic transition to Duke. A key component of this support is the academic advisor and the guidance given to students as they learn about graduation requirements, choose courses, and prepare for major declaration.

The relationship between students and their academic advisors should be built on trust and mutual respect. We think it is important that parents give their sons and daughters space to negotiate this dynamic on their own terms and not inject themselves into the advising relationship. Because grades and course schedules are part of a student’s educational record and are protected by FERPA, contacting your son or daughter’s academic advisor places the advisor in a difficult position with respect to preserving confidentiality. If you have any concerns about the quality of your son or daughter’s advising experience we encourage you to contact the Academic Advising Center and ask to speak with your child’s academic dean. ˆ Topics ˆ

Course access and registration windows

Course availability is generally not a problem at Duke, provided that students are flexible on the days/times they take desired classes and that they understand that some very popular classes may have to be delayed until the sophomore or junior year. In-demand introductory and gateway courses are typically offered in both the fall and spring semesters and very often are also taught during Duke’s summer session.

Registration priority is determined by the student’s class year with seniors registering first, then juniors, sophomores, and first-years. Within the registration period each class year is assigned a set of registration windows. The assignment of registration windows to students is based on the last two digits of the student identification number. Each student (matriculating in Fall 2005 and after) will enroll in the first window for his or her class four times during his or her academic career.

Current registration windows are listed and explained in detail on the Web site of the University Registrar. ˆ Topics ˆ

Missing class because of illness, family emergency or religious holiday

On occasions when students have to be away from class because of illness, a personal emergency (such as the death of a family member), or observance of a religious holiday, Trinity College and the Pratt School of Engineering have policies and procedures in place to guide students. Please visit the following Web sites for details:

Short-term illness: http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/illness/

Extended illness or hospitalization: http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/deansexcuse.html

Personal or family emergencies: http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/deansexcuse.html

Religious holidays: http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/holidays.html

Please note that class absences resulting from travel plans around fall, spring, and summer breaks, or because of family celebrations such as weddings, graduations, or award ceremonies will not be excused by a student’s academic dean. If graded work such as exams or presentations will be missed as a result of these absences, it is entirely at the instructor’s discretion whether he or she will permit the student to make up the missed work and the instructor is under no obligation to do so. We recommend that students and parents carefully check the official Academic Calendar for the start and end dates of university holidays and breaks before making travel plans. ˆ Topics ˆ

Spending time away from Duke

Students may voluntarily take a break in their studies if personal or medical circumstances make it difficult to hold down a normal course load or if they would like to temporarily pursue other interests before graduating, such as an internship, community service, or travel. Information about personal and medical leaves of absence is available on the T-Reqs Web site. Students should also discuss leave of absence options with their academic dean. ˆ Topics ˆ

Graduating early

Although our expectation is that students will graduate in eight semesters, students may elect to complete their degree requirements in six or seven semesters by taking additional classes at Duke over the summer, enrolling in more than four course credits each semester or using additional Advanced Placement or other acceleration credits beyond the two elective prematriculation credits that can be applied toward the 34 credit graduation requirement.

Students and parents who are interested in learning more about early graduation can find details on the T-Reqs Web site. ˆ Topics ˆ