Graduation Requirements

Policy

In order to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Trinity College, you must complete the following Trinity College Curriculum requirements:

1. The General Education Requirements

Areas of Knowledge. To graduate you must successfully complete two courses in each of five Areas of Knowledge.
Modes of Inquiry. To graduate you must successfully complete two courses (or 1-3 in a Foreign Language and 3 in Writing) in each of six Modes of Inquiry.

Courses are associated with the various Areas of Knowledge and Modes of Inquiry by virtue of the Curriculum codes that they bear. The relationship among the Areas of Knowledge and the Modes of Inquiry is graphically represented in this Matrix.

Thirty-four course credit total. To graduate, you must successfully complete a total of at least 34 course credits (with at most two courses counting in which D grades were earned). There are restrictions on the number of certain types of half-credit courses, professional school courses, internships, and military science courses that count toward the degree. See Credit Limitations for more information.
First-year writing. You must successfully complete Writing 20 in your first year of enrollment. Sections of Writing 20 are offered in the fall and the spring. Note: If you fail to successfully complete Writing 20 in your first two semesters, you will be required to enroll in Writing 20 during summer session II (if offered) or in the fall of the sophomore year. Failure to do so can result in academic withdrawal from Duke for two semesters.
First-year seminar. Before you begin your third semester at Duke, you must successfully complete a seminar (a course usually designated with an "S" following the course number). Participation in the Focus Program or completing one of the seminars in the 49S-series (open to first-year students only) will fulfill this requirement. Additional seminars (including ones in the 20S-series) are offered in the fall and spring. Any seminar for which you are qualified can be taken in fulfillment of this requirement. Note: If you fail to take a seminar in your first two semesters you will be required to enroll in a seminar during summer session I or II. Failure to do so can result in academic withdrawal from Duke for two semesters.
Small Group Learning Experiences (SGLE). After your first year, you must complete two SGLEs. Seminars, tutorials, thesis courses, and independent study courses are considered SGLEs.

2. The Major

You need only one major for graduation. If you have a strong secondary interest in another discipline, you might consider a minor or certificate or even a second major. No more than two majors are allowed, and the combined number of majors, minors, and certificates that appear on your transcript cannot exceed three.

You can view lists of all majors, minors, and certificate programs offered in Trinity College. The specific requirements of the majors, minors, and certificate programs are defined in the departmental listings in the Bulletin of Undergraduate Instruction and generally also on departmental Web sites.