Courses: Dropping, Adding, Course Corrections

Last updated: August 26, 2019

Policy

The drop/add period for fall and spring semesters begins immediately after the last day of freshman registration and extends through the first two weeks of the next semester.  During this time you can drop and add courses to your schedule.  The third week of each fall/spring semester is the Schedule Correction Period, in which you should review your schedule and make corrections under limited circumstances. 

Note that summer sessions have a shorter drop/add period.  See the Academic Calendar for registration and drop/add deadlines.

Procedures

Dropping a Course

You may drop a course through DukeHub any time prior to the end of the second week of each fall/spring semester. You do not need an instructor's permission, but you do need to be sure you remain in at least 4.0 credits, the minimum course load. If you drop a course, it does not appear on your Duke transcript. 

After the drop/add period ends, you can no longer "drop" a course, but you may be able to "withdraw" from a course, with the approval of your academic dean. You would receive a W on your transcript instead of a final grade. There are special requirements for withdrawing from a course during the semester, including a withdrawal deadline.

Adding a Course

You can add courses freely through the drop/add period up to the end of the first week of each fall/spring semester. During the second week of each fall/spring semester, you can still add a course but you will need to obtain permission from the instructor (in the form of a permission number). The addition of a course after the first week is at the discretion of the instructor. DukeHub will ask you to enter that permission number when you go to enroll. 

If you have been attending a course during the drop/add period or have requested permission to enroll in a course during the drop/add period, but were unable to complete your enrollment on DukeHub, your academic dean can enroll you through his/her office during the Schedule Correction Period.

After the Schedule Correction Period ends, you may no longer add a course for any reason. It is therefore critical that you review your course schedule carefully every semester at the end of drop/add to be sure you are actually enrolled in the courses you are attending.

Schedule Correction Period

The third week of every fall and spring semester is the Schedule Correction Period. This is not an extension of the drop/add period, but your academic dean may be able to complete your enrollment during this week under very limited circumstances, e.g., you were unable to obtain approval or a working permission number despite reasonable attempts to do so before the deadline. Please provide your academic dean (1) evidence that you have been attending the course or independent study since before the end of the drop/add period, (2) evidence that you made a reasonable attempt to enroll before the deadline, and (3) written permission of the instructor. 
 
Please note that leaving a course during correction period will be processed as a withdrawal.

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