X. Continuing Studies and Summer Session
CONTINUING STUDIES
The Duke Office of Continuing Studies serves women and men who are local residents and who wish to take regular Duke courses on the undergraduate or graduate level, for credit or for audit, on a non-degree basis. University employees form a large percentage of these individuals. Continuing Studies students, typically older and out of school for a time, enroll in undergraduate courses for a variety of reasons: to obtain the Duke baccalaureate degree, to finish degree requirements for another institution; to develop additional competencies, usually for admission purposes to graduate or professional school; and to pursue personal intellectual interests. (These latter two categories frequently attract recent Duke graduates.) Occasionally, upperclass degree students at other United States colleges and universities and gifted high school students who have exhausted their institution's resources are admitted to take courses in a defined area. Admission for credit course work is the joint responsibility of Continuing Studies and Undergraduate Admissions.
ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR
The Director of Continuing Studies acts as the dean for Continuing Studies students and serves as their liaison with the faculty, University Registrar, Bursar, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the deans of Trinity College and the School of Engineering, and the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid. The Director supplies general information about the university’s academic resources and support services, course advising, and career guidance – either in terms of helping students to prepare for admission to Trinity College or to realize professional goals.
APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO TRINITY COLLEGE
After completing at least four Duke courses (two of which must be taken in the fall or spring semester), a Continuing Studies student in good standing may be considered for admission to Trinity College. Students file an application obtained from the Office of Continuing Studies and Summer Session, with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions; admission is not automatic. Applications are normally filed at the end of the fall or spring semester and are acted upon prior to the beginning of the next academic term. Students admitted to Trinity College will typically declare their major at the time of admission.
SUMMER SESSION
Summer Session operates with a very different calendar and pace from the academic year, yet its curriculum and procedures accord with those of the mainstream. The program is designed to meet the needs of degree and non-degree students primarily for undergraduate study.
Summer Session, like most summer schools nationwide, serves primarily its own. Duke students take summer courses not only to catch up, but also to accelerate the completion of their degrees, to fulfill requirements toward areas, majors, and certificates, and to broaden their programs with studies that otherwise would not fit into their academic schedules. Duke students register for summer courses using ACES Web; their PIN registration number is the same as that for the fall term following. They may begin registration for Summer Session in the two-week period preceding Spring Break. During those two weeks they do not need a PIN to register for summer courses although they will need one once the official full registration period begins for fall and summer courses.
Summer Session also enrolls students from outside Duke. College graduates, individuals who have attended and were in good standing at another accredited institutions, students currently enrolled and in good standing at an accredited institution, and students who have been accepted at an accredited institution are eligible to register for summer courses at Duke. The summer schedule provides opportunities for nondegree (unclassified) students to take courses for transfer to their home institutions or for career development, professional advancement, or personal enrichment. The Director of Summer Session serves as the academic dean for non-Duke students attending the summer school.