Academic Services

The "W" notation is simply a notation that signifies that you took a class and decided to withdraw from it for whatever reason. One or two "W" notations during your career is nothing to be concerned about. A "W" will not prevent you from getting into graduate school or make you less qualified for a job. In fact, a "W" notation is not calculated into your permanent GPA, so sometimes it is a good idea to withdraw from a class that you are struggling in (after you have exhausted available sources of support) or if you feel that a class is preventing you from focusing on your other work. If you are proactive when choosing your classes during the add/drop period, realistic about the topic and the amount of work involved, and if you familiarize yourself with the deadlines on the academic calendar, then you have the best chance to be ready to withdraw from the class before the last day to drop without a "W" notation, should you need to do so.

Students who have attended Brandeis for 8 semesters and are one or two classes short of graduating can go on "Extended Credit." This status allows you to participate in Commencement ceremonies and complete your final classes afterwards. Most students on Extended Credit choose to complete their final classes that summer, although you have up to two years. Under some circumstances, the final classes can be taken at schools other than Brandeis. Contact the Office of the University Registrar for more details.

Numeric Credit

Numeric credit is credit that goes towards the 32 courses/128 credits that students need for the residency requirement and ultimately to graduate. A combined maximum of 16 credits from the external sources listed below may be applied toward the 128 credits needed for graduation. Students may request credit from these sources through the Office of the University Registrar.

• Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Exams
• Approved courses taken while on a leave of absence for medical reasons
• Approved courses taken through an approved summer study abroad program
• For students who applied for fall-term admission as freshmen, but who were accepted for the following spring term as members of the midyear class:
  • Approved college courses taken during the fall semester immediately prior to entering Brandeis
  • Approved courses in General Chemistry I and II (plus labs) taken the summer prior to entering Brandeis

Purpose Credit

All courses in the Brandeis curriculum can satisfy Brandeis Core/general education requirements and/or major/minor requirements. For example, Psychology 10a fulfills the school of social science (ss) requirement and is a required course for the Psychology major and minor. The Registrar's Schedule of Classes lists Brandeis Core designations underneath course titles. Students should look to the University Bulletin to learn how particular courses can be applied to majors and minors. In general, students enrolling in courses at Brandeis are earning both numeric and purpose credit (4 credits for the course and completing the SS requirement).

There is no deadline for declaring AP or IB credits. Fill out the AP/IB Declaration Form, found at the Registrar's Office and confirm that they have an official copy of your scores. If they don't, have them sent directly from the College Board or the IB Office.

Yes. In a number of cases the credits from AP or IB tests could to allow you to take a lighter courseload in future semesters. There is no downside to declaring the credits even if you choose not to use them.

Based on a your individual situation, AP credits may be used for "purpose credit" and/or "numeric credit." Look at the AP chart in the University Bulletin (for the year you entered Brandeis) and confirm whether Brandeis accepts the specific AP exam you took and the score you received.

You may receive "purpose credit" for the exam by checking to see whether the exam fulfills a university requirement and/or a particular Brandeis course. If you have already taken the equivalent Brandeis course, you cannot claim the AP credit.

You may only receive "numeric credit" for the exam if there is a semester course credit denoted on the chart, and you have not maxed out on the 4 courses/16 course-credits that students can transfer to Brandeis based on the residency requirement. The set of 4 courses/16 course-credits include AP/IB credits, Brandeis Summer School, a second semester of study abroad, approved courses taken while on a medical leave of absence, or approved courses taken the fall semester prior to matriculation as members of the mid-year class.

AP scores can be claimed any time between your first and senior year. Students should email transfer@brandeis.edu (Registrar's Office) to officially claim their AP credits. If you did not send your scores to Brandeis, you will need to request to have them sent.

The way that Sage has been programmed, the foreign language requirement is listed as "not started" until you register for the 30 level (or higher) course. At that time Sage will say "Projected to Complete" and once a passing grade has been submitted it will change to "Complete." "In process" is never used in Sage in reference to the foreign language requirement.

Students are required to fulfill the foreign language requirement by successfully completing a minimum of a third semester course in a language sequence. If you wish to be exempt from the requirement from a language not taught at Brandeis you must petition the Foreign Language Oversight Committee by submitting a letter describing your formal and informal education in the language, including your proficiency level in reading, writing and speaking.

Students are strongly encouraged to begin this process as early as possible in order to ensure completion of this requirement by their expected graduation date.

You should speak with your thesis advisor and discuss your situation. If you both agree that it is appropriate to not complete your thesis, the second semester can be dropped. Although the thesis will still be listed as a "99" on your transcript, you will not be eligible for departmental honors. The basis for grading the work done during the first semester will vary depending on the field and nature of the thesis and this will be decided by your thesis advisor in consultation with others in the department. In some cases, a grade will be issued based on the work you have already completed, and in other cases the instructor will require that you write a paper summarizing your research. If your thesis was registered as a 99a and 99b you can drop the 99b as you would any other class (paying close attention to drop deadlines). If it was registered as a 99d then you should fill out an add/drop form and bring it to the Registrar's Office.

Brandeis awards academic credit for the completion of an internship in conjunction with a faculty-led internship course. Read more about internships in the University Bulletin.  Students have the option to register for INT 92g over the summer in a one-credit course, or register for INT 89a in the fall semester for two credits.  Four-credit internship seminars are offered in fall/spring semesters in select departments.

Brandeis Summer School

All courses through Brandeis Summer School allow students to earn numeric credit (towards the 128 credits needed to graduate).  Course grades appear on transcripts and factor into cumulative GPAs.

Non-Brandeis Summer School 

The non-Brandeis summer school policy and petition process can be found here. If you would like to complete a course at another institution, obtain a copy of the syllabus, and submit through the form on this page. The Registrar's Office will review your petition, and will share with an academic department if you're looking for the course to count towards a major or minor. You will receive a decision from the Registrar's Office as soon as possible. (Please do not register for the course until you receive approval.) After you finish the course (with a B- or above), have an official transcript sent to Brandeis. 

Coursework completed at other institutions over the summer can be transferred back to Brandeis for purpose credit only: satisfying a general education/Brandeis Core requirement, or as a course towards a major or minor. Numeric credits do not transfer back to Brandeis, nor does the grade earned in the course factor into your cumulative GPA.

The total number of summer courses that can be applied to a student's degree, no matter where the courses are taken, cannot exceed three semester courses/12 credits each summer.