Frequently Asked Questions

Competence Course Questions

When do I have to have competence courses completed?
W certification must be met by the end of the sophomore year; Q certification must be met by the end of the junior year; and S certification must be met by the end of the senior year. If certification is not completed on time, then you must enroll in the specific competence course each semester thereafter until you earn certification.

Can I take a competence course pass/fail, even if I do not need the competence credit? Competence courses may be taken pass/fail only if the course is offered as such and you have already completed the competence certification.

Can I withdraw from UNIV 101, English writing (ENG 130) or a competence course before the withdrawal deadline?
Students must complete UNIV 101 and English writing the semester they are assigned. Likewise students may not withdraw from a competence course if it is the semester they are to fulfill the requirement or beyond. Exceptions for extenuating circumstances are granted only by petition.

Group Questions

How have distribution requirements changed for students entering in 2005-06 and after? Prior to 2005-06, students could omit two courses from the group requirements, though they could not omit the two courses from the same group. Beginning in 2005-06 students are required to complete all the groups: 2 courses in Group 1 (including one lab science course); 2 courses in Group 2; 2 courses in Group 3 (including one literature course); 2 courses in Group 4; second semester proficiency in a language; and 1.5 courses in Group 6 (including at least .5 courses in PE activity but no more than 1.0 courses in PE Activity.)

Does group 1 have to have a laboratory science course if it is not being completed?
No, you only have to have a lab if you plan to complete group 1 (computer science and math courses with labs do NOT complete the lab requirement for group 1). Students entering in the 2005-06 academic year or after must complete group 1, which means that one of the courses must be a lab course.

Does group 3 have to have a literature course if it is not being completed?
No, you only have to have a literature class if you plan to complete group 3. Students entering in the 2005-06 academic year or after must complete group 3, which means that one of the courses must be a literature course.

What is the minimum requirement for group 5? What is needed to complete group 5?
For students entering prior to the 2005-06 academic year, the minimum requirement for group 5 is one course at the first semester level (ie SPAN 131, FREN 101, GER 111, etc). However, two first semester languages will not fulfill group 5. In order to complete group 5 you must achieve the second semester level proficiency (ie SPAN 132, SPAN 140, FREN 102, FREN 110, GER 112, GER 142, etc) or complete the requirement as a result of a placement exam. Students who complete group 5 with one course (SPAN 140, FREN 110, GER 142, etc) or by exam are considered to have completed the equivalent of two of the required 9.50 group courses.

Students entering in 2005-06 or after must complete group 5, that is, they must achieve second semester level proficiency in a language.

Does group 6 have to have a PE activity course if it is not being completed? Can it be all PE?
Group 6 must have at least .50 credit of PE activity but no more than 1.00 credit of PE activity if you plan to complete group 6 - group 6 only requires 1.50 credits to be completed. If you are planning to omit part of group 6, only .50 credit or its equivalent is required for partial completion and it does NOT have to be a PE activity course.

Students entering in 2005-06 or after must complete group 6, which means that they must have at least .50 credit of PE activity.

Does dance count as a PE activity?
No, only activities offered in the KINS department count as PE activities (those numbered below 099). Dance is applied toward the other part of Group 6.

What counts as an PE activity toward group 6?
Only classes in the KINS department numbered below 099 count. Dance in the School of Music counts as a group 6 but not a PE activity. KINS theory courses do not count toward group 6.

Do I have to get a 'C' to get group credit?
No, a passing grade (D-) is the minimum requirement for group satisfaction.

Can I take a course for a group pass/fail?
No, pass/fail courses will not satisfy a group course EXCEPT for PE activity courses - PE may be taken pass/fail and still satisfy group 6.

Can I omit an entire group?
No, students are required to take at least one course in each of the groups, except group 6. Group 6 requires only 0.50 of a credit to partially complete the group. Students entering in 2005-06 or after may not omit courses from the distribution requirements.

Can Off-Campus Study courses satisfy groups?
Not automatically. But if a student and the corresponding department chair believe that a course would satisfy a group, then the student must file a petition in the registrar's office to have the course considered.

Major Questions

Can I take a course in my major department pass/fail if it is not needed to satisfy my major?
No, a course in the major department is not allowed to be taken pass/fail regardless of the fact that it does not count towards the major or is an additional course not needed for the major.

Do I have to get a 'C' in a course for it to count towards my major?
No, University policy is that you must have a 2.0 average in your major, although it could be that the major department has certain minimum grades required for a course to count towards the major.

What courses count in determining major or minor GPA? All courses taken in the major subject count unless a course is specifically excluded from counting in the major (i.e., ENG 130 does not count toward the English major).

How many courses am I allowed to take in my major? You must have 19.00 credits outside your major department, therefore if you are planning to graduate with 31.00 credits, you are allowed 12.00 credits at the most in your major department (dual departments are allowed 15.00 credits in the department but only 12.00 in the major subject).

Off-Campus Study Questions

Do my off-campus study grades count towards my GPA?No, off-campus grades are not calculated into your GPA, although the grades do appear on your transcript. The DePauw Vienna Program is an exception to this policy.

How many courses am I allowed to take off-campus and have them count towards my major/minor? Usually departments accept no more than two courses taken off-campus, but there may be exceptions to this - you should check with the department chair.

How many course credits can I take off-campus?Normally students take between 3.00 and 4.50 credits. Any credit taken over 4.50 will be charged additional tuition.

Can Off-Campus Study courses satisfy groups? Not automatically. But if a student and the corresponding department chair believe that a course would satisfy a group, then the student must file a petition in the registrar's office to have the course considered.

Pass/Fail Questions

When can I take a pass/fail course? You are eligible to take a pass/fail course when you have achieved Junior status.

How many pass/fail courses am I allowed to take? You are allowed to take three pass/fail courses - PE activity courses and ENG 120 are not included in this three allowance.

Can I take more than one pass/fail class a semester? You are allowed to take only one pass/fail class per semester. The exception to this is that you are allowed to take PE activity courses pass/fail concurrently with another pass/fail class.

Can I take a course in my major department pass/fail if it is not needed to satisfy my major? No, a course in the major department is not allowed to be taken pass/fail regardless of the fact that it does not count towards the major or is an additional course not needed for the major.

Can I take a course for a group pass/fail? No, pass/fail courses will not satisfy a group course EXCEPT for PE activity courses - PE may be taken pass/fail and still satisfy group 6.

Repeated Courses

What courses am I allowed to repeat? You may repeat any course in which you received a D+ or lower. You must repeat the course at DePauw and exactly the way you first took it - for example, if you took the course pass/fail you must repeat it as a pass/fail. The original course and original grade remain on your transcript, but neither are counted towards the cumulative totals. You only earn credit for the course once and the second grade counts; you could lose credit if the grade goes from a D to an F.

Winter Term Questions

Does a grade of 'D' count as satisfactory Winter Term? Yes, a grade of 'D' does count as a satisfactory Winter Term. Winter Terms with a grade of 'U' do not count towards the three required for graduation.

Miscellaneous

How do I qualify for "half" tuition?
Seniors needing 2.25 or fewer credits are automatically eligible for PARTIAL tuition. Tuition will be charged on a per course credit basis - it is not actually "half" tuition. If you are wanting partial tuition during any semester other than the one mentioned above, you must file a petition in the registrar's office to be considered.

Is there a maximum amount of PE, Applied Music, Internship, Student Teaching, and ROTC courses I am allowed to take?
You are allowed to take 1.00 credit of PE activity courses, 4.00 credits of applied music courses, and 4.00 credits of ROTC courses. Three courses of internship credit may be counted. Student teaching is considered an internship. Any credit taken over the maximum allowed will be coded as non-applicable meaning that the credit and grade will not be figured into your cumulative totals. You will however, be charged any fees or additional tuition charges.

How do I calculate my GPA?
You may calculate your GPA before grades go out at the end of the semester by using the GPA Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Competence Course Questions

Group Distribution Questions

Majors and Minors

Off-Campus Study Questions

Pass/Fail Questions

Repeated Courses

Winter Term Questions

Miscellaneous

Competence Course Questions

Group Questions

Major Questions

Off-Campus Study Questions

Pass/Fail Questions

Repeated Courses

Winter Term Questions

Miscellaneous