Course Registration Process
Once you are accepted to the Focus Program, the Focus Program and the University Registrar’s Office will enroll you into your FOCUS courses, including seminar courses and the interdisciplinary discussion course (IDC). These courses will be visible in your DukeHub schedule.
You cannot drop or add the Focus Program courses through the DukeHub system. You must meet with the program coordinator for approval to change your course schedule. All questions about your FOCUS courses should be directed to the program coordinator.
Your Focus Program courses will fulfill multiple graduation requirements as specified in Trinity College’s T-Reqs and the Pratt School of Engineering’s general degree requirements.
Electives
You may choose additional courses, taken outside the Focus Program, as your electives. Enrollment for these courses will happen within the usual registration windows designated by the University Registrar's Office. First-year students will follow the instructions in your Blue Book to register for additional courses. All first-year students are required to take one seminar course and one Writing 101 requirement course. The Focus Program seminars fulfill your first-year seminar requirement; however, you will still need to take a Writing 101 course.
Upon arrival at Duke University, you will meet with your Academic Advisor and will obtain a personal identification number (PIN) enabling you to drop or add courses. Questions about course options should be directed to either the Academic Advising Center or to the Pratt School of Engineering.
You may also add a partial credit or half credit course to your schedule during the drop/add period with permission for a credit limit override from your academic dean. These courses usually include: physical education, performing and visual arts, music, and some language and math courses.
All FOCUS courses count toward the 34 credits needed for graduation and may count toward requirements for a Trinity College major, minor, or certificate.
Pre-Health Coursework
Many first-year students adapt pre-medical/pre-health academic plans around participation in the Focus Program. Use these general guidelines to help you decide on pre-health course-work:
- AP credit in Math – recommended course in Chemistry;
- AP credit in Chemistry – recommended course in Math;
- AP credits in both Math and Chemistry – any recommended course that appeals to you; and,
- No AP credits in Math or Chemistry – recommended courses in Chemistry and Math.
More advice on pre-health course work is available at the Academic Advising Center and at the Office of Health Professions Advising.
Engineering Coursework
Engineering students do participate in the Focus Program and find it is an incredible enhancement to their engineering studies. It is recommended that Pratt Engineering students have AP credit in either Math or Chemistry to participate in the Focus Program. Engineering students may apply to participate in any of the FOCUS clusters. Questions about Engineering course-work can be directed to pratt-advising@duke.edu or 919-660-5996 and someone from the Pratt School will get back to you.
Advanced Placement Scores
You may not know your Advanced Placement (AP) scores when you apply to the Focus Program. This is not a problem. You may still apply to the Focus Program even if you are unsure of your AP scores at the time of application. If accepted to the Focus Program, your schedule will be adjusted as needed when scores are published in late June or July.