How many courses/credits must I take each semester to be considered a full-time student?
In order to complete the degree in a maximum of eight semesters, the normal course load per semester is four courses (the equivalent of 16 semester hours). The record of each student with a credit deficiency will be reviewed by the Committee on Academic Standing at the end of each semester.
A degree-seeking student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours to be eligible for on-campus housing. Campus housing is not available for RTC students.
How many credits are courses worth?
Most courses are worth four credits each. There are, however, courses that are one- and two-credit courses and occasionally a five or a six-credit course. If courses are worth fewer or more than four credits, this will be indicated in the course schedule and in the catalog.
How many credits do I need for graduation?
You need a minimum of 128 credits to graduate.
Are there limits on the number of one- and two-credit courses I'm allowed to take?
There are no limits on the number of one- and two-credit courses you may take. However, students who matriculated prior to fall 2019 may only count four one-credit courses toward the minimum of 128 credits required for the degree. Students who matriculated in or after fall 2019 may count eight one-credit courses toward the 128 credit degree requirement. Students who exceed the number of one-credit courses that may count toward the degree requirement must earn more than 128 credits in order to graduate.
What if I want to take more than 16 credits in a semester?
Students may take up to 19 semester hours per term, subject to approval from their faculty adviser. Any additional coursework is considered overpointing and is subject to additional guidelines and restrictions. Students may not overpoint during the pre-registration period, but must wait until the beginning of the Add Period. First-semester first year students are not allowed to over-point. Requirements for overpointing are as follows:
From 20 to 23 credits: Students must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.0 during the previous semester and must obtain the signature of their faculty adviser. Students whose grade point average from the previous semester was below 3.0 must obtain approval from both their faculty adviser and their academic dean.
From 24 to 27 credits: Students must obtain approval from both their faculty adviser and their academic dean.
Students may not take more than 27 credits per semester without the approval of the Committee on Academic Standing. Under normal circumstances, a student may not take more than six courses that are worth four or more credits.
Will I receive credit for college courses taken in high school?
College-level courses completed prior to matriculation at Connecticut College may be transferrable. Please refer to Criteria for Pre-Matriculation Transfer Credit for more information.
How do I get credit for courses if I transfer in from another college?
College-level courses completed prior to matriculation at Connecticut College may be transferable, subject to an evaluation conducted by the Office of the Registrar. Transfer credit is granted only for courses with an approximate counterpart in the Connecticut College curriculum with grades of C or higher. Transfer applicants are required to submit transcripts for all coursework to the Office of Admission as part of the application process. Transfer students, in most cases, will receive their transfer credit determination upon admission.
How do I get credit for my International Baccalaureate (IB) degree?
Students are advised to discuss credit transfer with their class dean and to determine the best time in their career to submit the request. Additional information can be found on the Advanced Level Work and Advanced Standing page.
What courses should I consider taking at my current institution, in order to prepare to apply to transfer to Connecticut College?
Information about the types of courses you should consider taking is available on the Transfer Credit Roadmap page.
Will I receive credit for my AP (advanced placement) courses?
You must receive at least a 4 or a 5 to receive credit for your AP courses, but not all of your AP courses will satisfy departmental requirements. Individual departments have the discretion to decide if Advanced Placement and its equivalents should count toward the major or minor and to determine the course equivalency. Advanced Placement credit may not be counted toward the Modes of Inquiry or any other components of the Connections program. Additional information can be found on the Advanced Level Work and Advanced Standing page.
Are there times when AP credits could be a problem?
Besides being aware that not all AP credits are accepted by academic departments, you should also know that sometimes AP credits may conflict with 100-level courses, even if the academic department will not accept those credits. Check with your adviser or the department in question to make sure that there is no overlap between your AP credits and a 100-level course you are thinking of taking.
May I use AP credits toward graduation or to repair deficits?
Students may use AP credit in one of two ways: either to repair credit deficiencies that arise from course withdrawals or failing grades or to accelerate. If a student uses AP credit to repair deficiencies, he/she may not use more than eight semester hours. If, on the other hand, the student chooses to accelerate, he/she may use 16 semester hours of AP to graduate in seven semesters or 32 hours to graduate in six semesters. Students may also use AP credits to cover a leave of absence or withdrawal from the College. Degree credit will not be awarded for AP work if an equivalent introductory course has already been taken, either at Connecticut College or transferred from another institution.