Yale Course Credit Requirements

Olive_Tree · 07-17-2008, 08:48 PM

I've been looking over the course requirements for a BA at Yale and I have a few questions: when they say that you need two course credits in a specific subject, do they mean taking two classes in that subject? Also, how many credits are classes at Yale worth? Are they the same or do they vary?

I'm sorry if these seem like trivial questions but I'm not very familiar with college credits and requisites.

Thank You!

heyyou · 07-18-2008, 12:03 AM

most classes are worth 1 credit. exceptions are labs which are usually 0.5 credits and foreign languages can often be 1.5 (but not all of the languages)...i dont know of any other exceptions, but i'm sure they exist

T26E4 · 07-18-2008, 02:01 AM

In addition to heyyou, 1 credit in Yale context is part of the 36 credits (or full classes) one needs to graduate. Comparable to other colleges, 1 credit equals 3 hours.

azsxdc · 07-18-2008, 02:46 AM

So if students take 4 classes a semester, that's 8 credits a year. Four years of these = 32 credits. Does this mean one NEEDS to take 4 5-class semesters in order to graduate? Or take classes during summers?

Booklady · 07-18-2008, 08:32 AM

Most students take 4 classes one semester and 5 the other, each year. 9 x 4 = 36.

Olive_Tree · 07-18-2008, 08:35 AM

All right, thanks everyone!

rd31 · 07-18-2008, 10:55 AM

many science students do 4.5 credits a semester (the 0.5 being a lab) .

azsxdc · 07-18-2008, 02:33 PM

I see thanks!

svalbardlutefisk · 07-19-2008, 03:11 AM

Intro and intermediate language courses (which meet every day) are 1.5 credits, so that's another way to take 4.5 in a semester.

T26E4 · 07-19-2008, 11:22 AM

One thing you'll see is that most students start w/perhaps 6 or 5 classes a semester and then drop to 5 or maybe 4. It allows them more flexibility for their non-core classes. "Do I want to keep the interesting Euro History seminar or should I get another of my major's requirements out of the way? Hmmm... my other courses are heavier this semester (or my sports season is this semester)... I'll take the easier route and keep the seminar and drop the course in my major."

Shopping period is a godsend.

Booklady · 07-19-2008, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Shopping period is a godsend.

Indeed. As is Credit/D/Fail for that 6th, or even 5th, course.

azsxdc · 07-19-2008, 12:26 PM

Booklady, where can I find these Credit/D/Fail classes?

Booklady · 07-19-2008, 02:31 PM

Other than the ones for your major, or for distribution requirements, you can take most courses Credit/D/Fail. Consult your Blue Book or the online course guide.

T26E4 · 07-19-2008, 02:59 PM

The Credit/D/Fail option was instituted to allow students to try out classes w/o worrying too much about the grading. I think I took it a few times. You can even drop the Credit/D/Fail option if your grade is going well and convert it to a normal grade

svalbardlutefisk · 07-20-2008, 01:33 AM

Under the Credit/D/Fail rules that began with the class of '09, all courses can be taken Credit/D, but any course take Credit/D will not count toward your distribution requirements. Different majors have different rules about how many Credit/D courses can count toward your major. In any case, you can receive credit for at most 4 Credit/D classes while at Yale, and can take no more than 2 in any semester. The Credit/D option can be dropped, as T26E4 indicates, until about 2 weeks after midterm. Since you have to choose Credit/D at the beginning of the semester in order to take a given course that way, a lot of people end up switching from Credit/D to a grade.