PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH COURSE CHALLENGES Undergraduate University policy: The official policy on challenges is described in the University Bulletin. The main points are: "The University allows a student the opportunity to receive resident credit for courses by examination without his having attended the regular classes." Standards of eligibility are set by the various schools and colleges. In the Franklin College the specific requirements are set by the Departments. Since residence credit is awarded, the University may charge a fee. The student should make the necessary arrangements for the payment of the fee (if any) with the Registrar. General rules. The student must demonstrate independent study to master the relevant material. The student must not be enrolled in the course to be challenged. The student must not have previously completed the course. The student must complete a Course Challenge Form and file the same with the Registrar. The student is to receive a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) for the challenged course. Department policy Non-laboratory courses The student must take the next regularly scheduled final examination in the course in question except in courses wherein the final exam is not cumulative. In such a case a special examination will be prepared by a course instructor selected by the Head. An examination grade will be assigned by the instructor administering the examination. The student shall have one and only one opportunity to challenge a course and take the examination. The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee shall meet and consider the student's challenge. The Committee will examine the evidence presented by the student, and evaluate the student's performance in meeting the criteria described above. The Committee shall assign a course grade. The Head and the Chairman of the Committee are required to sign the official Course Challenge Form which is then sent to the Registrar. Laboratory courses The student must take the next regularly scheduled final examination in the course in question except in courses wherein the final exam is not cumulative. In such a case a special examination will be prepared by a course instructor selected by the Head. In extraordinary circumstances, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee may exempt the student from the examination requirement described in the previous paragraph (IB2bi). The examination exemption will be given only if the student can document, to the Committee's satisfaction, that he or she has excelled in a similar, nearly equivalent course at another college or university. The student must document that he or she has had equivalent laboratory experience at another college, university, or scientific laboratory. Alternatively to paragraph IB2b(iii), the student must attend all of the regularly scheduled laboratory meetings of the laboratory section to which he or she is assigned of the course he or she is challenging. He or she must complete all of the regularly required laboratory work connected with the course. Student procedures: The student should execute the following steps in the order given below. The student writes a letter containing any supporting evidence to the Department Head stating his or her challenge. The Head passes the challenge on to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The Committee meets to decide whether to permit a challenge on the basis of the information before it. If the challenge is permitted, the student should obtain an Official Course Challenge Form and obtain the signature of his or her advisor. The student follows the instructions of the Committee in order to satisfy the challenge requirements discussed in earlier paragraphs. This is to include examinations and laboratory work (if any). After the requirements are met by the student, the Committee will assign a grade. The Department Head will complete the Official Challenge Form and submit it to the Registrar. Graduate Challenges are not permitted.
