Incoming & First-Year Students

All students must take WRITING 101 and a seminar in their first year.

WRITING 101: If you are assigned to take WRITING 101 in the fall, you will see a message in DukeHub, under the Message Center section, telling you this. You are required to register for WRITING 101 in the fall if you are assigned to take it then. Those who are not assigned to WRITING 101 for fall will not see a  message and will receive this notification when registering for the spring semester. Find tips for choosing a WR101 course along with detailed information about the fall courses here.

Seminars: Seminars are small-group learning experiences that allow you the opportunity to engage closely with a faculty member and other students. Students usually take their seminar the semester they are not taking WRITING 101, but you could take both in the same semester. There are special seminars designed just for first-year students, but you can also take any one credit class that has an 'S' at the end of the course number, though it's usually best to stick with courses lower than the 300 level, depending on your background in the subject.

1. Your first year is for exploration!
The departmental and course offerings at Duke are so much broader than in high school, there's a lot to discover. The first year is your opportunity for exploration.

2. Don’t worry too much about meeting Trinity or major requirements in your first semester.
Virtually any class you take in your first semester will meet multiple curriculum requirements. In the long run, taking time to explore and try new things now will help you more than ticking off requirements. However, it's a good idea to be familiar with the Trinity Graduation Requirements.

3. Discover new courses.
Duke offers hundreds of classes in dozens of departments every semester. Browsing different majors, minors and certificate programs, is a great way to stumble upon classes you didn't know existed, and to learn about what courses different academic disciplines offer and require.

4. What about foreign language classes?
You do not have to start your foreign language requirement your first semester but it is a good idea to get started in your first year, especially if you’re interested in study away.

5. Are you considering a health profession post-graduation?
If you are considering medical school or other health professions there are required courses you should be familiar with. You can learn more about these requirements on Duke’s health professions website.You do not have to get started your first semester if you are unsure about a health professions pathway.

6. Think about balance in your schedule.
Generally, a mix of larger and smaller classes is a good idea. It is also important to take courses from different academic disciplines, or what we call Areas of Knowledge.

7. Don’t forget to leave time between classes.
Be sure you have enough time to get from one class to the next. Need to catch a bus? Grab some coffee? What about lunch?

8. Consider how your classes are spread across each day and throughout the week.
You may prefer to have your classes concentrated on a few days each week or to spread them out more evenly. You might avoid early morning classes if you are not a morning person.

 

Be sure to look at introductory courses, or 100 or 200 level elective courses as these are a good way to explore departments and subjects. Use Advanced Search in DukeHub to look at classes by general academic area, like the natural sciences, arts and humanities, and social sciences. You can also search for fall courses in the course catalog and schedule of classes.

For an overview of the course registration process, and information on how to register, refer to the Registrar's Registration Guides or the Registration section of the Blue Book.

What is the shopping cart?
Your shopping cart in DukeHub is a tool to help you plan your registration before your registration window opens. While doing a class search or when using Schedule Builder, you can place courses of interest in your shopping cart. You can add a selection of different courses or multiple sections of a single course in your shopping cart as you start to put together a fall schedule. When your registration window opens (your registration day) you’ll choose four courses from your shopping cart and enroll. You can see your registration window in DukeHub, under Enrollment, Enrollment Dates. The Blue Book Registration section is the best resource for using your shopping cart and the registration process.

When does the shopping cart disappear?
Your shopping cart will be deleted when drop/add ends, after the first two weeks of the semester. If you find courses that you’d like to remember for future semesters, save them in the Planner tab of DukeHub. Your Planner is always open.

What is drop/add?
This is the time that follows the registration windows, after everyone has had a chance to register, when all students can add and drop classes and make schedule changes. You can learn about the policy here and you can learn about the drop/add dates for this summer on the Registrar's Registration page.

What does “validate a schedule” mean?
It means that DukeHub will check your proposed schedule for missing prerequisites (for courses with enforced prerequisites) and time conflicts. If validation is successful, it means that you are eligible to enroll in those courses if they are open. Note that it does not necessarily mean you will be able to get into all your preferred courses. It is possible that a course will fill before or during your registration window, because many students enroll on each registration day. Learn how to validate a schedule here.

I’m validating my schedule but can’t seem to enroll. What’s wrong?
You can validate your schedule on any day, but you can’t actually enroll until your registration window opens. Check DukeHub, Enrollment, Enrollment Date to see what day you register. If it's your registration day, there might be some other issue, such as missing enforced prerequisites or a time conflict. If there's a course that requires certain AP credit and you don't have that credit listed in your record, you won't be able to enroll in the class (you can find your AP credit listed under DukeHub, Academics, Test Scores). Refer to the Registration section of the Blue Book, or these Registration Guides for help figuring out what the issue might be.

What should I do if many of the courses I have in my shopping cart are full when my registration window opens?
Search for more classes. This is a good time to use the advanced class search on DukeHub. Check “Show Open Classes Only,” and DukeHub will only show you classes that are still open. It is helpful to check your shopping cart the night before your registration window opens to see if there are still spaces in your preferred courses.

The preregistration steps were supposed to be completed, but I was traveling and didn’t complete them. Is it too late? 
No. Complete them as soon as you can.

When do I really register for classes?
Initial enrollment in classes is in early August. You will see your enrollment date in DukeHub, under Enrollment, Enrollment Dates.

How do registration windows work? 
The registration process works like this: Seniors register for classes on one day. Juniors register next, with two registration days/ windows. Sophomores register after that, also with two registration windows. First-year students register last, in two registration windows, in the summer. You will be assigned to one of two registration days for your class. Assignment is based on the last two digits of your Student ID number which is displayed in DukeHub. Your registration window will change each semester, if you are in the second window for fall registration, you will move to the first window for spring classes.

Does being in the second registration window mean I won’t get an 89S seminar or WRITING 101 class? 
If there is one specific 89S seminar or one WRITING 101 section that you want it may be full. These are small classes, and they tend to fill up quickly. However, be flexible and look for other sections or classes. There are many WRITING 101 sections and they all teach the same basic skills, and there are many interesting seminars at the 89S and <199 levels.

Remember that this is the beginning of enrollment and not the end of enrollment. Drop/add is open until the second week of classes, so you have time to keep checking and see if classes you want are open, or find other classes. Once you are on campus, you'll be able to speak with students, advisors and instructors about course choices. You should be able to find four interesting and useful courses for the fall, no matter what your registration window.

How do I know I’ve enrolled in courses? I’m not sure I really registered. 
Once you enroll you should see Enrollment Results. You can also view your schedule under Enrollment, View/Drop Classes, or the Schedule Builder.

What is a waitlist?
If there's a waitlist for a class you want, you can add yourself to the waitlist,  but you should be cautious because if you're on a waitlist, that class doesn't count as an enrolled class so you won't be enrolled in a full course load. It's best to find four classes you can enroll in when you initially register, but if there's a class with a small waitlist (less than 10) that you'd really like to be in, you can put yourself on the waitlist. Be sure that you keep your eye on the waitlist and if it doesn't seem like the waitlist is getting smaller close to when classes start, you should have a backup class that you will be able to enroll in to have a full four course schedule. 

How do I enroll in classes that have multiple parts (discussion, lecture, lab) like Chemistry?
Many classes have a required discussion or lab component as part of the lecture. For most of these courses, you will register for a discussion section, and will then automatically be enrolled in the lecture. If there is a required lab component, you'll also have to register for that separately. You can see what the required components for any class are by looking at the Class Detail page, from Class Search.

The courses I wanted to take are full. Can you help me?
Don't worry if you don't get the classes you'd hoped for. Duke has hundreds of course options each semester. Try to be flexible and use Advanced Search to look broadly for classes in different areas, like Social Sciences (SS), or Arts, Literature and Performance (ALP) knowing that every class you take will count toward Trinity requirements.  You can speak with your college advisor to discuss options and ways to search for interesting classes, or call the Academic Advising Center at (919) 684-6217 to speak with an advisor.

I can’t get into a chemistry or math course; the lectures and labs are all full.
For chemistry, put the course in your shopping cart and wait for instructions from the chemistry department. The chemistry department may raise the cap on courses or add sections once they see what the demand is for a course. For math, see the department's enrollment policies.

I can’t access DukeHub. What should I do?
The server could be down. Check the top right corner of the Office of Information Technology site to learn of any outages or problems. Or, call the OIT help desk at (919) 684-2200. You can also email help@oit.duke.edu. You should be able to login here, at dukehub.duke.edu.

Should I take a foreign language course in my first semester?
It's a good idea to begin your foreign language requirement early, especially if you're planning to study away or develop a high level of language facility. If you can enroll for the course you place into based on the department's placement recommendations, it's a good idea to start in the fall. If the appropriate level class is full, you can postpone until spring, but you can also check the class later, before classes begin, to see if it opens up. Many language departments offer most options in fall and spring, but some less common languages only begin in fall, so check with the departments to see when classes are offered. You can find contact information for the language departments here.

A class I want to enroll in requires a permission number. Should I contact the instructor now? Can I register for the course before I get the permission number? 
You can try to contact the instructor (use the Duke Directory to find their email information). If you can't find contact information there, search for the department and their general contact information and try there. You can call or email the department and ask if they can tell you how to get in touch with the instructor. Many instructors are not at Duke during the summer and may not have access to permission numbers. If you email an instructor and don't receive an answer, choose another course. You can try again when you get to Duke in August. You can't register for a course that requires a permission number without the number.

I want to enroll in a music course that requires an audition. Can I enroll now? 
No. Auditions will be held after you arrive on campus, so postpone enrollment until then.

How do I use permission numbers? Do all courses require them? 
No, most courses do not require a permission number. If a class requires one, use this guide to see how to enter it.

Does Duke have a foreign language requirement?
Yes. You will need to take one, two or three courses in a language other than English, depending on your placement. The Trinity College website explains the requirement and outlines the languages taught at Duke.

Can I use my AP (IPC, PMC) credits to satisfy the FL requirement?
No, but you can use them as a guide to place into an appropriate level of foreign language.

How do I know if a course counts toward the foreign language requirement? 
You will see an FL as a curriculum code on the Class Detail page on DukeHub.

How do I figure out my placement in a foreign language? 
Go to the Trinity languages page, and click on the department of the foreign language you are interested in and then look over their placement guidelines. You can also Google, Duke (name of foreign language) placement. Do your best to choose a course based on the departmental placement recommendations, and then talk with the instructor the first day to make sure the course is a good fit for you.

Would a 300-level seminar in a foreign language course satisfy both my FL requirement and a seminar in my first year? 
Yes, if the course is listed as a seminar in the course description and has an FL code, it will satisfy both.

Should I take a foreign language course in my first semester? 
It's a good idea to begin your foreign language requirement early, especially if you're planning to study away or develop a high level of language facility. If you can enroll for the course you place into based on the department's placement recommendations, it's a good idea to start in the fall. If the appropriate level class is full, you can postpone until spring, but you can also check the class later, before classes begin, to see if it opens up. Many language departments offer most options in fall and spring, but some less common languages only begin in fall, so check with the departments to see when classes are offered. You can find contact information for the language departments here.

 

What do AP, IPC and PMC credits count for?
Please review the Trinity College site's Credit section to learn more about the different kinds of credit and how they work. You can also refer to your Blue Book, in the "Learning at Duke" section. AP credits do not satisfy any curriculum codes for Trinity requirements but can be used for placement into higher level classes, and to meet co-requisite requirements for some majors (math, economics, computer science, and others). AP placement is most important in STEM majors as most humanities and social science courses don't have pre-requisite requirements. A Trinity student can subtract a total of two AP/ IPC/ PMC credits from the 34 needed for graduation, so students with at least two credits will only need to complete 32 credits to graduate in four years, taking four classes a semester, which is a full time load. You don't select which AP credits to use, just submit all your scores to Duke via the College Board. Students may also use additional AP credits later if they want to graduate early. You can see how your scores will equal Duke credit on this chart.

Should I send all my AP scores to Duke? 
Yes, send all your scores. To receive credit for your AP exams, you need to request that the College Board  sends your scores directly to the Office of the Registrar at Duke.

I took Calculus BC and do not have my AP scores back yet. Will I be able to see them before I have to register for classes?
Probably yes. AP scores are usually sent by the College Board to the Duke Registrar’s office the first week of July, and credits will be posted on the Academics tab of DukeHub, under Test Scores.

How will I know that my AP scores have been received?
Check your Test Scores under the Academics tab on DukeHub.

Other students have their AP scores, but mine are not showing up. What should I do?
Check with the College Board to see if they have been sent. If the College Board says they’ve sent your scores, then check with the Office of the University Registrar (registrar@duke.edu, 919-684-2813) to see if they’ve been received, but wait until after the first week of July to give the Registrar's office time to process them.

I had my AP scores listed on my DUke application, so the Duke Admissions Office should have them. Is this sufficient?
No. All AP scores must be sent from the College Board directly to the Registrar’s office.

I am just now having AP scores sent, and registration is tomorrow. Based on my scores, I should place into CompSci 201 and Math 202. Can I enroll in CompSci 201 and Math 202, or do I have to wait for my AP scores to be received and posted?
You can enroll in courses that don’t have an enforced prerequisite, but not those with an enforced prerequisite. (MATH 202 has an enforced prerequisite; COMPSCI 201 prerequisite is not enforced, so you can enroll without AP scores.) Refer to the individual department's placement guidelines for more information. Look on the class details page, under the Class Attributes section, to see if there is an enforced prerequisite. Unenforced prerequisites are listed under the Description section of the class details page.

Can AP scores be used to fulfill curriculum requirements like QS, ALP and CZ?
No, AP credits don’t fulfill curriculum requirements.

I took Calculus AB my junior year and will have credit for Math 21. Do I have to take more calculus at Duke? 
Only if you choose a major that requires higher-level calculus courses. Majors that require additional math include biophysics, computer science, chemistry, economics, math, neuroscience, physics, psychology (BS degree) and statistics. Biology majors usually take an additional semester of calculus or statistics.

I have AP credit for MATH 21 and MATH 22, but I was thinking of enrolling in one of these again as a refresher. Will DukeHub let me do that? 
Yes. If you have AP credit for MATH 21, you can enroll in MATH 111L. However, you will lose the AP credit as this is considered repeating a course. (See the Math's Department's placement information.)

I scored a 5 on the AP Chemistry exam, so I can go into CHEM 201DL (organic chemistry). How hard is organic chemistry? 
It requires excellent study habits and good memorization skills. Enroll according to your placement and re-evaluate when you come to Duke by checking the textbook and syllabus and talking with the instructor. You can postpone chemistry until spring semester if you wish. Refer to the Chemistry Department's placement guide for more information.

I have a 3 on the AP Chemistry exam, but I’d like to enroll in CHEM 110DL. I have lots of research experience in chemistry. I think I just had a bad day on the AP exam. Is this OK?
Maybe. Read the chemistry website for placement information. Also, check with the director of undergraduate studies in chemistry (dus@chem.duke.edu), and/or enroll as you think you should and then evaluate more fully when you arrive on campus in August.