Repeating a Course
Students may repeat a course once for the purpose of demonstrating a higher level of mastery. Students may only earn credit once per course (unless the course is explicitly defined as allowing repetition for credit). Students repeating a course in which they have already earned a passing grade must enroll in at least 12 credits in addition to the course being repeated if they are in a full-time program.
As defined by the department, students may not repeat a course for credit at a lower level, when they have successfully completed a higher level course in the same sequence with a grade of C or higher for undergraduates, B or higher for graduate students.
Undergraduates who receive grades below a C for the original course and for the repeated course may petition to be allowed a second repeat attempt. Petitions will be heard by the Executive Council of the Committee on Academic Standing and require the consent and support of the department and instructor offering the course. Petitions are initiated through the student's advisor in the Office of Academic Services.
This policy applies to courses repeated when the second or final attempt is taken in fall 2019 or later. It does not apply to repeated courses taken prior to fall 2019; these courses are governed by the prior policy.
Repeating Courses and the Effect on GPA and Earning Credits
- The original course grade remains on the transcript, but is not factored into the calculation of the GPA when the repeated course is taken and a final grade is assigned.
- The grade in the repeated course, regardless if it is lower than the original course grade, will be factored into the GPA.
- If the student earns a passing grade on the repeated course, it will earn credit toward the credits required for graduation, and the original course will not.
- If a grade of E is earned during the first attempt, the repeated passing course grade will be calculated into the GPA and earn credits towards the graduation requirement.
- Original courses with outstanding incompletes will not be deemed repeatable until a grade is posted.
- If a repeated course has an outstanding incomplete, the original course grade will be factored into the calculation of the GPA until a final grade in the repeated course is assigned.
- A repeated course that is dropped with a W will not be identified as a course repeat.
- If the original course is dropped with a W, the second attempt will not be considered a repeated course.
Repeating Courses and Transfer Credit
Students may not repeat a course for which transfer credit has been granted. Additionally, repeating a course at another institution will not affect how the original Brandeis course is counted toward the GPA.
Repeating Courses with Duplicate Content
Students may not earn duplicate credit for courses that have substantially similar content. For example, duplicate credit cannot be earned for the following:
- Both a regular version of a course and an honors version of that course.
- Courses taken under a newly assigned course number if already taken under an old course number.
- Certain specific courses that duplicate material, as defined by the department.
Students with questions about repeating courses or duplicating course content should consult with the Office of the University Registrar or the Office of Academic Services.