Advising
Manual
2012-2013
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
1 Claudia Cohen Hall
 South th Street
Philadelphia,  11-
phone 1..1 | fax 1..
www.college.upenn.edu
www.college.upenn.edu/advisors/
Table of Contents
NOTES
Academic Calendar
3
Freshman Advising
From
the Dean of Freshmen
4
About Freshmen
18
4
Freshman Videos
19
For Incoming Freshmen
19
The Advising Questionnaire
5
The Sector Requirement
6
The Major Requirement
6
Free Electives
6
Policies Governing the College Curriculum 6
The Curriculum Chart
6
First-Semester Course Selection
20
20
The Registration Process
Academic Advising for College Students 7
The Registration Tutorial
The College Office and Advising Staff
The College Curriculum
Foundational Approaches
Pre-Major Advising
Role of the Pre-Major Advisor Scope of Knowledge Required
Peer Advising
Student Responsibility
Confidentiality
The College Website
Pre-Major Advising Page on
the College Website
7
7
7
8
8
8
9
9
Advising Timeline
Entry Courses to Majors
Majors with Prerequisites
Registration
30
Academic Opportunities
Scholars Programs
After Graduation
30
30
30
General Policies and Procedures
Academic Integrity
Privacy of Student Information
Holidays
Class Attendance
Final Examinations
Athletic Eligibility
Spring
10
June, July and August
10
Class Standing
Fall Semester Freshman Year
10
Graduation Requirements
Spring Semester Freshman Year
10
Sophomore Advising
10
Fall Semester Sophomore Year
11
Junior and Senior Years
11
Foundational Approaches
Making the Worksheet Official
11
Writing Requirement
Foreign Language Requirement
Quantitative Data Analysis
12
Penn InTouch
13
Advising and Support
14
14
Research/Internships/Fellowships
14
Health Services
14
General Services
14
College Houses
15
Using the Network of Support Services 16
CaseNet
17
31
31
31
32
32
32
32
33
Policies Governing the Curriculum
and Requirements
Academic Worksheet
Tutoring and Learning Skills
29
29
Academic Options
25
28
Requirement
33
34
34
34
Formal Reasoning and
Analysis Requirement
Cross-Cultural Analysis Requirement
Cultural Diversity in the
U.S. Requirement
Sector Requirement
Major Requirement
Free Elective Requirement
Double-Counting Courses
35
35
35
35
36
37
37
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
1
NOTES
Table of Contents
(continued)
Policies Governing Degree Options
Dual Degree
Submatriculation
Policies Governing Honors
37
38
Policies Governing Academic Options
Language Certificate
Minors
The Quaker Consortium
Study Abroad
Internships
38
38
39
39
39
Policies Governing Course Credit
Placement
40
Pre-College Courses
40
College Credit Away
40
Study Abroad Course Approval40
Freshman Seminars
41
Benjamin Franklin Seminars
41
College of Liberal and Professional
Studies (lps) Courses
College 99 Courses
Graduate Courses
Non-College Courses
41
41
41
41
Courseload
Registration Holds
Auditing a Course
Permits
Dropping a Course
Withdrawal from a Course
Risk of Fewer than Four Courses
42
42
42
42
42
43
43
The Grading System
Grade Point Average
Additional Grade Types
Pass/Fail Grade
Incomplete Grades
Review of a Grade
Retaking a Course
45
Honors in the Major
45
Phi Beta Kappa
45
Graduation Honors
45
Policies Governing Academic Difficulty
Course Problem Notices
Academic Standing
Academic Probation
General Academic Probation
Deferred Drop Probation
Mandatory Leave of Absence
Dropped from the Rolls
Readmission After Drop
Petitions
43
45
43
44
44
44
44
45
45
46
46
46
46
47
47
47
Policies Governing Transfers, Leaves,
Withdrawal and Refund
Transfer Within the University
Transfer into the Wharton School
47
48
Transfer into the College from
Another Penn Undergraduate School
Return from Leave of Absence
Withdrawal from the University
Tuition Refund
48
48
48
49
49
Advanced Placement
Policies Governing Grades
Dean’s List
Leave of Absence
Policies Governing Registration
a.p. and i.b. Exams
49
49
a.p. Physics
49
a.p. Mathematics
50
a.p. Biology
50
a.p. Chemistry
51
g.c.e. Advanced a-Level Exams
52
Advanced Placement Equivalence
53
International Baccalaureate Equivalence 54
Language Placement
55
s.a.t.ii Scores for Language Placement 55
International Exams
Credits Needed for Graduation by Major 56
2
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Academic Calendar
NOTES
Fall Term 2012
See Upcoming College
June 25 - July 20
August 10 30 30 September 3
4
4
5
14 21 October 5-7
12 20 24 27 29 November 11 16 22 26 December
7
8 - 11 12 - 19 19 Freshman Advance Registration
Second Summer Session Ends
Freshman Move-In
NSO Begins
Labor Day Observed
Freshman Convocation - Opening Exercises
NSO Ends
First Day of Class
Last Day to Add a Writing Seminar or Language Course
Course Selection Period Ends
Family Weekend
Drop Period Ends
Fall Break Begins
Fall Break Ends-Classes Resume
Homecoming
Advance Registration Begins
Advance Registration Ends
Last Day to Withdraw from a Course
Thanksgiving Break Begins
Thanksgiving Break Ends-Classes Resume
Fall Term Classes End
Reading Days
Final Exams
Fall Semester Ends
Events on the College’s
home page to view the
academic calendar, Penn’s
3-year calendar and additional dates of interest.
The dates of NSO are subject to change. Check the
NSO schedule for details,
www.upenn.edu/nso/.
Spring Term 2013
January February March April May 9
18
21 28 15 2
11 18
31
29 23 24 - 26 29 - May 7 7
12 12 13 First Day of Class
Last Day to Add a Writing Seminar or Language Course
Martin Luther King Day Observed
Course Selection Period Ends
Drop Period Ends
Spring Break Begins
Spring Break Ends-Classes Resume
Advance Registration Begins
Advance Registration Ends
Last Day to Withdraw from a Course
Spring Term Classes End
Reading Days
Final Exams
Spring Semester Ends
2013 College Graduation Ceremony
2013 University Baccalaureate
2013 University Commencement
Summer Term 2013
May
June July August 20 27 28 1
4
9
First Summer Session Begins
Memorial Day Observed
First Summer Session Ends
Second Summer Session Begins
Independence Day Observed
Second Summer Session Ends
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
3
NOTES
From the Dean of Freshmen
Dear Pre-Major Advisors,
Thank you for joining us in the important task of
providing academic advice to freshmen and sophomores in the College of Arts and Sciences. The purpose of pre-major advising in the College is to assist
undergraduates during their first two years in navigating the Penn Arts and Sciences curriculum, and to
support them in crafting a coherent course of study
suited to their individual needs and developing intellectual identity. Academic advising offers students a
personal relationship with a knowledgeable member
of the Penn community that many students point to
as essential to their progress at Penn. A related but
often overlooked benefit of Penn’s academic advising
system is the opportunity it provides advisors to see
students outside of the constraints of the classroom
setting. Advising offers both students and advisors
insight into worlds outside their own.
As a pre-major advisor in the College, you are part of
an academic advising team that includes the assistant
deans in 120 Cohen Hall, a substantial number of the
faculty and a supplementary team of experts in such
specialized fields as career services, learning resources,
health services, and international programs. This
system has proven to be well suited to the type of
student who chooses to attend Penn and to the intellectual life and social culture of our urban research
university. It also means that no advisor is in this
alone. Asking questions and consulting with others
The College Office and Advising Staff
The College Office is home base for undergraduate
students in the School of Arts and Sciences. Some of
the services provided directly to students in the College
Office are:
• Maintaining student records.
• Generating correspondence such as Dean’s letters
and letters of good academic standing.
• Processing graduation applications and auditing
seniors for graduation.
• Coordinating the graduation ceremony.
• Coordinating peer advising programs.
The assistant deans for advising are available to help
with general and special academic circumstances from
Monday through Friday, by appointment from 9:00 to
5:00 and on a walk-in basis for quick questions from
12:00 to 4:00. For more information on the College
advising staff see www.college.upenn.edu/college-advisors/.
4
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
is the mark of the best
advisors as well as the best
advisees in the College.
This manual and the premajor advisor page on the
College website (www.
college.upenn.edu/cadvisors/)
are designed to help you
with this endeavor. They
contain information to
assist you in your two-fold
task of providing answers
and framing questions.
Dr. Janet Tighe
With open and frequent
Dean of Freshmen and
communication with
students as a primary goal, Director of Academic Advising
the College has taken advantage of a variety of new technological tools, including webcasts and an array of online information and
registration systems. This manual will often point you
to these electronic resources. These tools are meant
to enhance, not replace, the face-to-face interactions
between students and advisors that are the hallmark of
College advising.
We in 120 Cohen Hall look forward to working with
you in the coming year.
Janet Tighe and the College Advising Staff
www.college.upenn.edu/college-office/
Assistant deans for advising in the College Office also
support faculty in their role as undergraduate advisors.
Students may be referred to a member of the College
advising staff regarding:
• Clarification of the College’s degree requirements,
policies and procedures
• Special academic programs such as study abroad and
dual degrees
• Supplemental advising if the pre-major advisor is not
available during the summer
• Assistance in locating resources on campus and for
help with academic problems.
In case of emergencies or academic trouble, students or
advisors should speak with a member of the CaseNet
support team (see page 17).
While some advisors have special areas of concentration, all are available to assist students with their
academic concerns.
The College Curriculum
Foundational Approaches
Foundational Approaches are key intellectual capabilities demanded in a variety of disciplines.
Writing
Writing is the primary medium through which the
quality of a student’s intellectual work will be judged.
The ability to express oneself clearly and persuasively in
writing is fundamental for success across all academic
disciplines, and throughout one’s personal and professional life.
For these reasons, writing plays a central role within
the College curriculum. Students must take a writing
seminar to fulfill the College’s Writing Requirement. It
is recommended that students take this course during
their first year of study. Students are also encouraged to
continue development of their writing skills by participating in Penn’s writing programs.
NOTES
toward the Quantitative Data Analysis Requirement, a
course must include such data analysis.
For policies governing the
Formal Reasoning and Analysis
pages 33-37.
In contrast to Quantitative Data Analysis courses,
which deal with inductive reasoning, courses designated
for this requirement focus on deductive reasoning and
the formal structure of human thought, including its
linguistic, logical and mathematical constituents. These
courses emphasize mathematical and logical thinking
and reasoning about formal structures and their application to the investigation of real-world phenomena. In
addition to courses in mathematics, this requirement
includes courses in computer science, formal linguistics,
symbolic logic and decision theory.
Cross-Cultural Analysis
Foreign Language
In our increasingly interconnected world, the CrossCultural Analysis Requirement aims to increase students’ knowledge and understanding of socio-cultural
systems outside the United States.
Competence in a foreign language is essential for an
educated person. Participation in the global community
is predicated on the ability to understand and appreciate cultural difference, and nothing brings this more
sharply into focus than the experience of learning a
foreign language. The foreign language not only affords
unique access to a different culture and its ways of life
and thought; it also increases awareness of one’s own
language and culture. For this reason, College students
are required to attain a certain degree of competency.
College students are required to take at least one course
to develop their ability to understand and interpret the
cultures of peoples with histories different from their
own. The focus may be on the past or the present and
it should expose students to distinctive sets of values,
attitudes and methods of organizing experience that
may not be obtained from American cultures. This
exposure to the internal dynamic of another society
should lead students to understand the values and practices that define their own cultural framework.
While students often opt to satisfy the Language
Requirement by continuing to study the language that
they have already begun in high school or earlier, the
wealth of languages that the University offers is such
that many students decide to explore a new culture and
area of our globe by beginning a foreign language that
they have never studied before. French, Spanish, and
a few other languages are taught at the pre-collegiate
level, but students are less likely to have been exposed
to Arabic, Hindi or Japanese—let alone Uzbek or
Hausa—and each of these languages is a mode of access
to a fascinating culture and history.
Quantitative Data Analysis
In contemporary society, citizenship, work and personal
decision-making all require sophisticated thinking
about quantitative evidence.
Students in the College must complete a course that
uses mathematical or statistical analysis of quantitative
data as an important method for understanding another subject. Through such study, students learn to think
critically about quantitative data and the inferences that
can be drawn from these data. They also gain experience with the use of quantitative analysis to interpret
empirical data and to test hypotheses.
College curriculum, see
Students with a documented disability may be
allowed to fulfill the Foreign
Language Requirement
with an alternate set of
courses. See page 34 for
details.
Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
The Cultural Diversity in the U.S. Requirement
complements the Cross-Cultural Analysis Requirement
and aims to develop students’ knowledge of the history,
dynamic cultural systems and heterogeneous populations that make up the national culture of the United
States.
College students are required to take at least one
course to develop the skills necessary for understanding the population and culture of the United States
as it becomes increasingly diverse. Through historical
inquiry, the study of cultural expressions and the analysis of social data, students will develop their ability to
examine issues of diversity with a focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class and religion. The goal is to
equip graduates with the ability to become perceptive
and engaged members of society.
Courses in calculus and computer science do not fulfill
the requirement because these courses do not require
students to analyze actual data sets with the goal of
evaluating hypotheses or interpreting results. To count
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
5
NOTES
The Sector Requirement
The Major Requirement
The sectors are intended to ensure breadth of education across the sectors or fields of knowledge, along
with interdisciplinary explorations that link several
fields of knowledge.
All College students are required to complete at least
one major. This requirement ensures that all graduates
of the College develop a thorough understanding in
at least one field of knowledge through concentrated
study over several years in at least 12 courses.
I
Society
Great care should be taken in choosing a major.
Students are strongly advised to seek the help of their
academic advisors and of individual faculty members
in making this choice.
Courses in this sector use many analytical techniques
that have been developed to study contemporary society, with its complex relations between individuals and
larger forms of mass participation.
Free Electives
II History and Tradition
In addition to these structural elements, the curriculum provides space in a student’s studies for a number
of Free Electives. These courses provide the freedom to
pursue interests that may lie outside a student’s major
and that extend beyond those addressed in the General
Education Curriculum. Students may wish to take a
course in a field that they have not otherwise encountered. One or more Free Electives may be used to
explore further a subject introduced in a sector course,
or students may elect to learn about a subject that
sheds light on their major.
This sector focuses on studies of continuity and change
in human thought, belief and action.
III Arts and Letters
This sector encompasses the means and meaning of
visual arts, literature and music, together with the criticism surrounding them.
IV Humanities and Social Sciences
This sector comprises courses that combine methods
and approaches at work in at least two of the first three
sectors.
V Living World
Policies Governing
the College Curriculum
This sector deals substantively with the evolution,
development, structure and/or function of living systems.
Students are expected to know the policies and meet
the requirements governing the College curriculum
(see pages 33-37).
Students with questions about the curriculum or any
other degree requirements should speak with their
academic advisor or an assistant dean in the College
Office.
VI Physical World
This sector focuses on the methodology and concepts
of physical science.
The name of Sector VII is
VIINatural Sciences and Mathematics
currrently under review.
This sector engages students with diverse approaches to
the natural sciences and mathematics.
Check the College website for updates.
The Curriculum Chart
www.college.upenn.edu/curriculum-structure/
This chart appears on the College website with links to, descriptions of, and policies governing, each component of the curriculum.
General Education Curriculum
Sectors
Foundational Approaches
Writing
I Society
Foreign Language
II History & Tradition
Quantitative Data Analysis
III Arts & Letters
Formal Reasoning & Analysis
IV Humanities & Social Sciences
Cross-Cultural Analysis
V The Living World
Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
VI The Physical World
VII Natural Sciences & Mathematics
6
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Major
Free
Electives
Academic Advising for College Students
College students need to choose courses, declare a
major and define career goals. They need to examine
their performance in different courses, identify their
skills and those they wish to develop, and decide what
really matters to them. Much of this assessment they
will do themselves, but an academic advisor can help.
All students are welcome and encouraged to speak with
assistant deans for advising in the College Office. These
advisors can help students explore the many options
and opportunities available to College students.
Help Students Make Thoughtful and Timely
Decisions
After each required meeting
Advisors help students with their course and major
selections and adjust their courseloads when appropriate. Students should be encouraged to explore
the wide range of major options and then begin to
focus on a few areas. Advisors can assist them in
identifying strengths and preferences and suggest
related areas of study.
Advance Registration, be
Each student is assigned a pre-major advisor who is
a member of either the School of Arts and Sciences
faculty or the professional staff. This advisor will work
with the student throughout his or her first two years
at Penn to assist in planning courses each semester as
well as the overall program.
Listen
This relationship culminates with the student’s declaration of a major. After major declaration, the student
will have a major advisor for the third and fourth years
of his or her college career.
Students are encouraged to develop a good working
relationship with the pre-major advisor and to seek
this person’s counsel as often as necessary, not limiting
themselves to the required registration meeting.
Role of the Pre-Major Advisor
Help Students to Find Their Academic Direction
Advisors engage students in a substantial, ongoing
discussion about their intellectual development
and academic goals, encouraging introspection and
open-mindedness. Advisors also challenge students
to be adventuresome and take advantage of the
richness that is Penn.
Provide Accurate Information and Make Referrals
Since there are so many options available to College
students, advisors cannot be expected to be familiar with all or most of the courses offered in the
School of Arts and Sciences, let alone the rest of
the University. Advisors should be aware of which
majors and minors are available to College students,
and where to direct their advisees for more information about these and other academic opportunities.
In addition, advisors need to be familiar with entry
courses for majors. The list on pages 23-28 is useful
in basic exploration. Advisors should also be aware
of majors that require specific introductory and prerequisite courses. Check the individual department’s
website for details.
with an advisee prior to
sure to remove the registration hold by using Advisor
InTouch.
Be Accessible
Pre-Major Advising
Pre-major advisors discuss course selection with their
advisees during the summer prior to their first semester
and meet with them during the Advance Registration
period for each of the student’s first four semesters.
NOTES
I t is important to schedule half-hour individual
advising appointments in September and during
the two Advance Registration periods in November
and March/April. (Advisors should permit students
to meet with them at times other than during
regular office hours.)
Provide encouragement and support. Be familiar
with academic support services and refer students
as appropriate.
Write Notes
All advisors are required to keep records of their
contacts with advisees by entering notes on Advisor
InTouch. These should be factual and include
areas covered in the discussion, referrals made, and
specific information given students about degree
requirements. These notes will serve as reminders
at the next meeting with the advisee and will help
avoid repetition. The notes also offer a measure of
accountability.
Scope of Knowledge Required
The College website, www.college.upenn.edu, is an
excellent resource for academic information, useful to
students and advisors. Additional notes and links are
provided for pre-major advisors at www.college.upenn.
edu/advisors/ (see page 9).
view the Freshman Videos
and the Registration Tutorial. Incoming freshmen are
required to do so before
Information Specific to Freshmen
We encourage advisors to
Freshman Videos, page 19
Freshman pages on the College website, page 19
Links to the Freshman Checklist
Freshman Advising Questionnaire, page 20
The Registration Tutorial, page 29
they talk with their premajor advisor.
Degree Requirements
The General Education Curriculum, pages 5-6
Policies Governing the Curriculum, pages 33-37
Credits Required for Graduation, pages 56-57
Academic Support Services and Options
Learning resources, tutoring and other
support services, page 14
The CaseNet support team, page 17
Academic options and opportunities, page 30
continued
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
7
NOTES
College Majors and Prerequisites
Entry courses to College majors, page 23-28
The College website’s links to departments and
programs, www.college.upenn.edu/majors/.
Prerequisites for declaring some majors, page 28
Deadlines and Procedures
The Academic Calendar, page 3
College policies and basic College administrative procedures such as how to withdraw from a course or obtain credit away, pages 31-57
How to declare a major, page 36
Advisor InTouch
Use Advisor InTouch to view student records and
enter notes, https://sentry.isc.upenn.edu/intouch/.
Peer Advising
Peer advisors will assist
the pre-major advisor in
meeting with their group
of incoming advisees
during the first two
weeks of the semester.
Faculty advisors may
wish to ask the peer
advisors to help them
schedule their Advance
Registration advising
appointments in the fall
and spring.
Peer advisors are an integral part of the College’s premajor advising program and the first point of contact
for incoming College students. They provide the perspective of an upperclass student in the College and
assist first-year students in making the transition from
high school to Penn by sharing their strategies for
academic success and knowledge of campus.
Peer advisors contact their advisees during the freshman Advance Registration period in the summer
and remain accessible to the freshmen by email and/
or phone throughout the rest of the summer. During
New Student Orientation peer advisors help freshmen
arrange their meetings with the pre-major advisor.
The peer advisors are recruited from amongst the
College upperclass student body, trained by the College
Office and supervised by a peer manager. The peer
advising system is coordinated by Ms. Angie Estévez
and Ms. Susan Hassett in the College Office.
Peer advisors provide the following kinds of assistance
to first-year students:
• Help facilitate conversations between the student and
pre-major advisor.
• Assist with Advance Registration in the summer and
in November and March.
• Help with the use of Penn InTouch, including creating an academic planning worksheet.
• Help schedule appointments with the pre-major
advisor during Advance Registration.
8
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
• Help find the answers to questions in College and
University publications.
• Answer general questions about degree requirements,
academic support services and University procedures
throughout the first semester.
• Provide information about opportunities for research
and academic pursuits outside the classroom.
• Direct students to the College Office.
Student who do not know who their peer advisor is
should contact Ms. Estévez, aestevez@sas.upenn.edu.
Student Responsibility
in the Advising Program
Students are expected to be responsible for the following in their relationship with academic advisors:
• Be active and informed participants in the advising
process and learn to take responsibility for the shape
of their education and definition of their life goals.
• Familiarize themselves with the Freshman Videos, the
Registration Tutorial, the Policies and Procedures and
the freshman pages on the College website.
• Be aware of registration-related deadlines.
• Use Penn InTouch to make course and grading status
changes, confirm the accuracy of their registration
and monitor their academic records.
• Keep appointments with their pre-major advisor and
come to advising sessions prepared with a list of questions and issues to discuss.
• Meet with or email the assistant deans for advising
in the College Office if they need advice outside the
expertise of their pre-major advisor.
Confidentiality
www.upenn.edu/provost/PennBook/confidentiality_of_
student_records/
In high school, students’ grades and other records
are considered their parents’ property as much as
their own. In college, students’ academic and medical
records are considered their own property.
See page 31 for further details.
The College Website www.college.upenn.edu
The Quick Links drop-down menu provides
links to frequently used locations, including
departments and programs.
Advising Chat enables students to chat
with an assistant dean for advising during
selected times.
NOTES
Upcoming events:
Links to a calendar
of academic dates
and deadlines and
events of interest to
College students.
Information For:
Pre-Major Advisors
(see below).
Once you leave the home page, secondand third-tier navigation is available on
the left-hand column of each page.
Academic themes are
explored with videos and
links to related topics.
The College Office, Advisors and CaseNet
www.college.upenn.edu/college-office/
Support for Academic Skills and Subjects
www.college.upenn.edu/academic-support/
With the launch of the new
Calendars
www.college.upenn.edu/calendar/
www.college.upenn.edu/academic-calendar/
Support for Student Health
www.college.upenn.edu/student-health-programs/
urls will change. To the
Archive of Policies and Proceedures by Class
www.college.upenn.edu/policies-archive/
of the most commonly
Resources for Course Selection and Registration
www.college.upenn.edu/course-selection/
any difficulties with the
Curriculum Chart with Links to Requirement Policies
www.college.upenn.edu/curriculum-structure/
Links to Major Departments and Programs
www.college.upenn.edu/majors/
Academic Opportunities (Study Abroad, Research, etc.)
www.college.upenn.edu/opportunities/
Pre-Major Advising Page
College website, many
left are new urls for some
viewed pages. If you have
site, please contact the
College Programs for Exploring Majors
www.college.upenn.edu/explore-majors/
College Office.
www.college.upenn.edu/advisors/
Video of a seminar on academic
advising for students interested in the
health professions.
News of special interest to advisors.
Links advisors use most often.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
9
NOTES
Advising Timeline
Spring
• Participate in faculty advisor training in April.
• Develop a familiarity with key websites and sources
of information for and about students including
the College site, www.college.upenn.edu.
• Develop a familiarity with Advisor InTouch to view
student records and enter notes.
• View the Freshman Videos (http://media.sas.upenn.
edu/college-welcome/), and the Registration Tutorial
(www.college.upenn.edu/registration-tutorial) prior to
talking with your advisees.
June, July and August
Mid June
• Registration mailing is sent by the College Office to
the freshman class.
• Students view Freshman Videos, complete the
Advising Questionnaire and view the Registration
Tutorial.
Mid to late June
We encourage advisors to
view the Freshman Videos
and the Registration Tutorial. Incoming freshmen are
required to do so before
they talk with their premajor advisor.
• Review advising materials and information on
incoming advisees.
• Begin to have discussions with your advisees. Be
accessible in person, by telephone, or via email.
Students will be given sas email addresses in the
spring—this is the first contact for students, and we
strongly encourage making arrangements for phone
or in-person conversations. Each of your advisees
must have a meaningful discussion with you before
their registration hold can be removed.
June 25 - July 20: Freshman Advance Registration
• Continue to meet or speak with your advisees.
Remove registration holds during this summer
Advance Registration period so students may submit
their course selections via Penn InTouch.
August 30 - September 4: New Student Orientation
www.upenn.edu/nso/
• Peer advisors guide students through nso activities.
Fall Semester Freshman Year
• Meet with advisees before the end of the Course
Selection Period (end of the second full week of
classes) to make sure that they have full and appropriate schedules (course registration can be viewed via
Advisor InTouch) and answer any questions.
• Meet with advisees as necessary throughout the
semester to discuss academic direction as well as
difficulties. If students encounter problems, make
appropriate referrals directly to support services or
to the College’s CaseNet team (page 17).
• Remind advisees of drop and withdraw deadlines.
(See academic calendar on page 3.)
10
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
• Meet with advisees individually during Advance
Registration (October 29-November 11, 2012) to
discuss their performance in fall courses and their
course selection for the spring. Remove registration
hold so students may submit their course selections
via Penn InTouch.
Spring Semester Freshman Year
• Check fall grades of advisees via Advisor InTouch.
Contact any advisees who performed poorly and
have them meet with you individually. Meet monthly
with any students on probation. For questions about
academic probation, contact Dr. Tanya Jung, jungt@
sas.upenn.edu.
• Meet with advisees in individual sessions during
Advance Registration (March 18-31, 2013) to discuss
course selection for the fall, progress toward degree
requirements and major selection. Remove registration hold so students may submit their course selections via Penn InTouch.
Sophomore Advising
As students enter their second year in the College, the
issue of the major becomes more urgent. Some will
remain dedicated to the major they decided on when
they first came to Penn. But many will be unsure, having changed direction as a result of courses taken or
perhaps just being intimidated by the over fifty majors
offered by the College. The advisor/advisee relationship
becomes even more important at this critical stage.
Some students will feel an impulse to “get requirements
out of the way,” packing their sophomore fall with
courses chosen from various requirement lists. If these
courses are also chosen with an eye towards a potential
major, that can be fine, but it is worth reminding the
sophomore advisee that requirements can always be
fulfilled later. The third semester is a crucial time for
trying out any course or field that a student has considered, but not yet studied. It is the last full semester
before the major declaration in the spring, and exploration should be a priority.
Widening Horizons
By second semester freshman year and well into sophomore year, many students find that the classes that they
expected to enjoy or in which they thought they would
succeed turn out to be disappointments. Helping
these students find new paths can be one of the most
interesting aspects of advising. At times, a student discovers that a course taken for other reasons may open
up new possibilities for a major. Other students keep
their initial focus, but want to find a way to satisfy it
through a different major. Here are some suggestions
to guide them. All of the major program websites can
be accessed from www.college.upenn.edu/majors/.
For students who loved biology in high school, but
find that the lab sciences at Penn don’t suit them, try:
• Human Biology, a concentration within the
Anthropology major.
• Health and Societies, which looks at issues of health
and health care from multiple perspectives.
• Philosophy and Science, one of several majors offered
by the Philosophy Department, includes courses in
the sciences along with a range of philosophy classes.
Students who begin studies in international relations
with coursework in economics, political science and
history may find that they are better suited for a
History major with a concentration in diplomatic
history or a Political Science major.
Students interested in psychology sometimes find that
the emphasis on experimental psychology that characterizes the Penn Psychology major does not suit them.
Other possible majors that address the nature of human
beings from a different perspective and that may be a
better fit include:
• Sociology, which includes a different type of research
that may be adapted to a student’s particular interests.
• Anthropology, and particularly cultural anthropology.
• Visual Studies, which blends the science of perception
with the study and practice of the visual arts.
Students for whom computing is a fascination but
who do not wish to pursue an engineering degree
may be interested in a Computer Science major or
minor through the Engineering School, or the College
majors in Cognitive Science or Logic, Information and
Computation, which include courses in computing,
psychology, philosophy and linguistics.
Declaring a Major
y March of their sophomore year, students must
B
schedule an appointment to meet with their pre-major
advisor, discuss the major and other requirements, and
complete an Academic Planning Worksheet on Penn
InTouch. At this point, the pre-major advisor approves
the worksheet by changing its status to “Official.”
Students must then meet with the appropriate undergraduate chair to discuss the major section of the worksheet and have the major declared. Pre-major advisors
should use this meeting to check the worksheet to be
sure that the restrictions regarding double-counting
of major courses in the Sector Requirement are being
observed. See page 37.
Students who have not declared a major by March of
their sophomore year will be barred from registering
for the next semester until they have declared. In some
instances, students in their fourth semester may not yet
be able to declare their major of choice. In these cases,
it is appropriate to remove the registration hold. These
students should declare their majors by September of
their junior year.
Fall Semester, Sophomore Year
NOTES
• Meet with returning students during the Course
Selection Period, or at least be accessible to those students who have rethought their plans over the summer. Advisees may be referred to the College Office if
a change of advisor seems appropriate or as a supplement to the pre-major advisor.
• Meet monthly with students who were placed on probation at the end of their first year.
• Meet with all students individually prior to Advance
Registration to discuss progress toward selection of
major and how they plan to structure the rest of their
undergraduate program. Be sure that the students’
Academic Planning Worksheet on Advisor InTouch is
accurate and up-to-date. Remove registration hold so
students may submit their course selections via Penn
InTouch.
• Assist students in identifying research possibilities and
refer them to the Center for Undergraduate Research
and fellowships.
• For students interested in study abroad, refer to Penn
Abroad.
Spring Semester, Sophomore Year
• In this semester, students should declare a major.
• Review the students’ proposed overall program
before they proceed to the major department. At
this time, update the Academic Planning Worksheet
and change its status to “Official” so the student can
finish the major declaration process with his or her
major department. This major declaration process
needs to be done before the end of spring Advance
Registration. The student’s major department will
remove the registration hold so students may submit
their course selections via Penn InTouch.
Making the Worksheet Official
To make a worksheet official, click on the “Select
Action” pop-up menu in the Worksheet section of the
main Advisor InTouch page. From this pop-up menu,
select “Status Change.”
Junior and Senior Years
Optional informal advising only. Direct students to
their College Contact in 120 Cohen Hall for periodic
updates on their progress toward graduation as well as
information on study abroad, research opportunities
and other special programs. See the College website,
www.college.upenn.edu/opportunities/ for information on
these options.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
11
NOTES
Academic Worksheet
The Academic Planning Worksheet is a tool available to both students and advisors. It can be used to track a student’s progress toward graduation, visualize the requirement structures of various majors or minors, and plan for
future coursework. New worksheets can be created in Penn InTouch and updated by both students and advisors.
In the sophomore year, the worksheet will be used as the document by which the student declares her or his major.
It is a good idea to use
the worksheet on Advisor
InTouch as a planning tool
When creating a new worksheet, College students
should select “College of Arts and Sciences – ba”
from the pop-up menu of degree programs. This
worksheet comes automatically loaded with all of
the College’s General Education requirements.
In addition to the General Education requirements, templates for any College major or
minor can be added to the worksheet. This
is done on the main screen of Penn InTouch,
before opening the worksheet.
when you meet with your
advisee. Peer advisors can
help students create an
Tools available here include
a g.p.a. calculator and a
legend explaining the various symbols used on the
worksheet.
academic worksheet.
It is also recommended
that the advisor and the
student update the worksheet each semester dur-
All courses for which the
student already has credit,
as well as the courses in
which the student is currently enrolled, appear
along the right side of the
worksheet.
ing their regular meetings,
paying special attention
to double-counting rules
between the major and the
Sector Requirement. See
page 37.
The “+” symbol indicates
a course used in more than
one place on the worksheet. Students should
be sure that they are in
compliance with all policies
regarding double-counting
of courses. See page 37.
The worksheet can be
viewed either according
to the requirement structure or by the semester in
which the course is taken
(including future planned
semesters).
The “Auto assign”
button will assign
any newly registered
courses that have not
yet been slotted.
12
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
To select a course to fulfill
a requirement, either use
the drop-down menu at
the bottom of the worksheet or click on the course
list at right.
The planning feature
allows students to designate
courses to be taken in a
future semester to fulfill
a requirement.
This button provides a
quick way to return to
the main screen of Penn
InTouch.
Penn InTouch
NOTES
Penn InTouch is the information and registration system for Penn students.
Penn InTouch is also avail-
To use Penn InTouch, a PennKey and password are
required. (See www.upenn.edu/computing/pennkey/ for
information about obtaining a PennKey.)
dropdown menu on the
able from the Quick Links
College home page.
Some of the functions of Penn InTouch include:
• Addresses: Update local and permanent addresses.
• Privacy Settings: Indicate to whom academic and/or
financial information may be disclosed.
• Course Search: Find courses for an upcoming semester. This tool allows students to search for courses
by subject, time, instructor, requirement or other
criteria.
• Registration: See page 29 for details about registration
using Penn InTouch.
• Student Schedule: View current or past course schedules, class locations and instructors.
• Transcript: View course and grade information, g.p.a.
and unofficial transcript.
• Academic Planning Worksheet: See page 12.
www.upenn.edu/pennintouch /
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
13
NOTES
Advising and Support Services
One of the strengths of the
College advising system
is the close relationship
between the College and
key support offices on
campus. Advisors should
be comfortable referring
students to these offices
whenever they feel it is
appropriate. Members of
the College’s CaseNet team
(see page 17) can answer
questions about making
referrals.
For descriptions of and
links to advising and
support services, see the
College website.
www.college.upenn.edu/support/
Tutoring and Learning Skills
Tutoring Center
www.vpul.upenn.edu/tutoring/index.php
Weingarten Learning Resources Center
www.vpul.upenn.edu/lrc/
Marks Family Writing Center
http://writing.upenn.edu/critical/writing_center/
Communication Within the Curriculum (cwic)
www.sas.upenn.edu/cwic/
David B. Weigle Information Commons
http://wic.library.upenn.edu
Language Direct
www.plc.sas.upenn.edu/language_direct/
Penn Libraries
www.library.upenn.edu
PENNCAP
www.vpul.upenn.edu/#/penncap/
Health Services
Office of Health Promotion and Education
www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs/health_proedu.php
Student Health Service
www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs/
Counseling and Psychological Services
www.vpul.upenn.edu/caps/
Alcohol and Other Drug Program Initiatives
www.vpul.upenn.edu/alcohol/
Penn Athletics
www.pennathletics.com
Student Disabilities Services
www.vpul.upenn.edu/lrc/sds/index.php
General Services
Career Services
www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/
Research / Internships / Fellowship
Computing Support for Students
www.sas.upenn.edu/computing/help/students/
Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships
(curf) www.upenn.edu/curf/
Financial Services
www.sfs.upenn.edu
College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal
(curej) http://repository.upenn.edu/curej/
Registrar
www.upenn.edu/registrar/
Student Conduct
www.upenn.edu/osc/
University Ombudsman
www.upenn.edu/ombudsman/
14
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
NOTES
College Houses
The undergraduate residences below are a hub of intellectual, social and recreational activities. Each House has
a resident house dean responsible for the administrative functions and program supervision. As advisors in the
College of Arts and Sciences, house deans are available to provide curricular advice to freshman and sophomore
students.
W.E.B. Du Bois College House
Rodin College House
215.898.3677
215.573.3576
House Dean: Patricia C. Williams
pcw2@pobox.upenn.edu
House Dean: Ryan Keytack
keytack@pobox.upenn.edu
Harrison College House
Riepe College House
215.573.3539
215.898.2855
House Dean: Dr. Frank Pellicone
frankpel@pobox.upenn.edu
House Dean: Dr. Marilynne Diggs-Thompson
diggst@pobox.upenn.edu
Fisher Hassenfeld College House
Harnwell College House
215.573.4295
215.573.3497
House Dean: April Herring
aherring@pobox.upenn.edu
House Dean: Dr. Suhnne Ahn
suhnnea@pobox.upenn.edu
Hill College House
Stouffer College House
215.898.5237
215.573.8473
House Dean: Stephanie Weaver
sweaver@pobox.upenn.edu
House Dean: Alison LaLond Wyant
alalond@exchange.upenn.edu
Gregory College House
Ware College House
215.573.4633
215.898.9531
House Dean: Dr. Christopher Donovan
cdonovan@pobox.upenn.edu
House Dean: Dr. Utsav Schurmans
schurman@upenn.edu
Kings Court English College House
215.898.2530
House Dean: Dr. Krimo Bokreta
bokreta@pobox.upenn.edu
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
15
NOTES
Advisors who have concerns about a student who
seems to be dealing with
personal issues should
contact the College’s
CaseNet support team
(see page 17).
Using the Network of Support Services
The following is a list of resources to consider when
you suspect or discover that a student has a specific
issue for which he or she will need support, academic
or otherwise. You will note that in each instance there
are several options you might pursue or recommend
to your student. These services generally work together
and will refer the student to another service if appropriate, so any referral you make should prove a useful one.
(Unless otherwise noted, services are without charge.)
When a student fails an exam:
The Weingarten Learning Resources Center to
arrange for help in studying, especially if you sense
that the student needs help in test preparation
methods or in developing test-taking skills.
The Tutoring Center to arrange for a tutor if you
sense that the student needs help with the content
of the course.
Counseling and Psychological Services for help with
test anxiety or assessment and support for learning
difficulties.
When a student is having trouble with writing papers:
The Marks Family Writing Center to work with a
writing tutor or one of the Center’s Peer Writing
Advisors.
The Weingarten Learning Resources Center for
assignment to a staff member for writing help.
English Language Programs for assessment and
suggestions for help (for a student whose primary
language is not English).
Counseling and Psychological Services for help with
writer’s block or procrastination.
If a student indicates that he or she is being investigated by
the Office of Student Conduct for a plagiarism charge:
Counseling and Psychological Services for help with
the anxieties and emotional problems the student
may be experiencing.
When a student is having financial difficulties (having
trouble buying books, working too many hours at a job,
inability to resolve financial holds):
Student Financial Services for help sorting out
financial aid options/ramifications.
The CaseNet contact in the College Office to be
sure the student’s academic performance is not
being affected. For more on CaseNet see page 17.
When a student’s concern about a career or choice of a
major becomes evident:
Career Services to make an appointment with a
counselor who can help the student with the career
decision-making process.
Counseling and Psychological Services for assignment to a counselor who may provide career testing
or counseling and help a student find direction.
16
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
When an especially promising student is looking for extra
challenge or information about grants, research, or other
opportunities:
The University Scholars Program or Benjamin
Franklin Scholars Program for connection to
research opportunities and a community of other
undergraduate scholars.
The Center for Undergraduate Research and
Fellowships (curf) for information on Rhodes,
Marshall, Fulbright and other international fellowships and awards.
Career Services for access to extensive funding
resources through their Career Library. Materials are
arranged for self-help, but an appointment with a
counselor might provide special guidance.
The Tutoring Center, where a student may become
a tutor at an hourly wage.
When an international student is having trouble getting
acclimated:
International Student and Scholar Services (part
of the Office of International Programs) to find a
mentor or other help.
English Language Programs for assessment (courses
and tutoring are not free).
Counseling and Psychological Services for adjustment concerns.
The Weingarten Learning Resources Center for a
schedule of study strategy workshops for international students, including their “Academics Plus”
workshops, offered in both the spring and fall
semesters, or for assignment to a specialist for individual instruction.
The Greenfield Intercultural Center for information
about University and student cultural groups.
The Penn Women’s Center for referral to an international women scholars’ group (Multicultural
Women at Penn) or individual advising.
When a student athlete seems to be having trouble managing both study and sport responsibilities:
The Academic/Athletic Coordinator in the Athletics
Department (215.898.9479) to alert the relevant
coach and arrange for help.
The Weingarten Learning Resources Center to
arrange for help with time management and other
study skills that emphasize efficient study methods.
The Tutoring Center to discuss various sorts of
assistance, including individual tutoring and participation in a special athletic study hall.
When a student tells you he or she has or suspects a disability, or you are uncertain how to help with any sort of
disability:
Student Disabilities Services to discuss what options
are available, including referrals for neurological
or psycho-educational testing and the possibility
accommodations.
The Weingarten Learning Resources Center for
assignment to a specialist or for suggestions on
teaching strategies that would be especially helpful
for various forms of learning disabilities.
Counseling and Psychological Services to join a
group of students dealing with similar challenges, or
to get counseling if the disability seems to be causing special difficulties, or for assessment and referral.
When a student’s religious concerns seem to be interfering
with academic or personal life:
The Office of the University Chaplain, who can
provide resources for students of any faith tradition.
CaseNet
CaseNet is a team of advising staff in the College
Office who work together to provide a centralized
response to all College students in academic difficulty.
At any time during regular business hours, a member of
the CaseNet team will be available to respond to email
or phone messages from instructors, advisors, staff and
others who have concerns about particular students.
The CaseNet contact will ensure that the student is
referred to the appropriate academic or personal support resources and follow up with the student’s advisor
as necessary.
To reach CaseNet, call 215.898.6341 or email
col-casenet@groups.sas.upenn.edu.
When a student reveals a personal concern that is interfering with daily living (common examples: stress, procrastination, bereavement, parental divorce, sexual orientation,
relationship and/or roommate problems, trouble making
friends, parental pressure, eating disorders, depression,
anxiety):
Counseling and Psychological Services for assignment to a counselor.
The CaseNet contact in the College Office to discuss whether the student’s academic work is being
affected.
The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center for
information and support.
The Penn Women’s Center for information and
support.
If the student lives on campus, the student’s House
Dean to sort out room or roommate difficulties.
See page 15 for a list of House Deans.
When a student has a physical ailment or problem, or is
worried about one:
NOTES
Student Health Services for evaluation and for
access to information about eating disorders, sexual
health, and other topics of concern.
The CaseNet contact in the College Office to be
sure that the student’s academic work is not being
affected.
If you suspect or discover that a student is having problems
with alcohol or drugs:
Counseling and Psychological Services for assignment to a counselor or recovery group or for referral.
The CaseNet contact in the College Office to be
sure that the student’s academic work is not being
affected.
When a student has been missing a significant amount of
class or seems otherwise absent:
The CaseNet contact in the College Office.
CaseNet can coordinate with other campus offices,
such as the student’s House Dean or the office of
the Vice Provost for University Life, to find the student and inquire into his or her situation.
If you encounter a student who is in crisis (disoriented,
showing bizarre thinking, having hallucinations or intense
or rapidly variable moods, making references to thoughts of
harming self or others):
Call Counseling and Psychological Services,
215.898.7021 and ask for the on-call counselor.
Be sure to indicate that you have a matter of some
concern or urgency. You may wish to accompany
the student to Counseling and Psychological
Services.
The CaseNet contact in the College Office to be
sure that the student’s academic work is not being
affected or to consult on academic issues related to
the student’s behavior.
If a student becomes unmanageable:
University Police at 511 or 215.573.3333 to escort
the student directly to the Emergency Room of the
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Student
Health is not equipped to handle the agitated or
physically aggressive student.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
17
NOTES
Freshman Advising
About Freshmen
Alice Van Buren Kelley, Associate Director of Academic
Advising, Assistant Dean for Advising
Freshman year of college is probably one of the most
difficult transition years in a student’s entire education,
and both the differences amongst incoming freshmen
and the similarities they share can be sources of stress.
To begin with the differences: Any professor who asks
students in a freshman seminar to introduce themselves
will begin to get a sense of their variety. There will
probably be a reasonable number from Long Island or
New Jersey or the Philadelphia suburbs, but there will
be others from California, Wyoming, Hong Kong and
Russia. Beneath the geographical differences, which
carry their own adjustment issues, will be other even
more striking variations. Some students will be the first
in their families to attend college and will be venturing
into new territory. Some will be the children of three
generations of Penn alumni, all of whom may expect
their children to follow in their footsteps. Some will
have lots of worry about money, and some will have
money to burn. Some will be from conservative families and communities with uniform values—I think of
Mormon students, knowing that they have two-year
missions to undertake that can interrupt their undergraduate careers. Some will be from heterogeneous
cosmopolitan backgrounds, having moved from city to
city, even country to country, with a diplomatic family
or a family tied to an international corporation. They
will be different in race, ethnicity, social skills, religion,
maturity. Each will have to adjust to feel at home at
Penn.
Then there are the similarities. Practically no students
coming to Penn will have experienced education,
university style. Whether they come from small,
competitive private schools in which expectations for
them were high and demands great, or from large
high schools in which they could shine without much
studying, Penn will be alien ground. Almost all high
school students have lived very structured lives, with
classes following one another across the day, broken
only by study halls or lunch hour, that academic pattern often followed by regularly scheduled after-school
events and evening homework time with parents in the
background. Assignments in high school are generally
numerous, evaluations frequent, and personal attention,
especially for bright students, the norm. Thus large
classes in which attendance is never taken, exams that
come only twice or three times in a term, even classes
18
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
that meet, in total, no more than fifteen hours a week,
all require an ability to manage time, space out studying, master readings that aren’t gone over in class, and
monitor one’s own progress. All require new skills for
most students. Of course, another adjustment arrives
with grading, for few if any Penn students have ever
earned a c, let alone a d or an f, in a high school class,
so the first midterms or paper grades at Penn can create
their own crises.
In the dorm, students will be learning how to live, most
for the first time, with a roommate, share a communal
bathroom with strangers, and socialize with no immediate parental supervision. They will be faced with the
task of finding new friends and with examining their
own values in the face of wide-ranging diversity. With
their families, these freshmen will be renegotiating relationships with parents by phone or email. They may
also experience tumult from changes at home, for it is
not uncommon for parents to divorce when their children leave for college, thinking that their children can
now take care of themselves, not realizing that stability
at home is especially important for students experiencing upheaval and change at school. (As one of my students put it, “I expected that I would leave home, not
that home would leave me.”) They will also deal with
unspoken self doubts and confusion about career goals,
even, on the part of College students, the pre-professional pressure created by the presence of Wharton as
well as high family expectations. (Parents are no more
likely to expect below a grades from their children than
the children do themselves.) Those freshmen who do
not have a clear major or career goal in mind may feel
that they suffer in comparison with pre-med or preinvestment banking roommates.
It is no wonder that helpful, understanding advising is
so important to young men and women at this stage
of their lives. Some will rely on their parents, still, to
guide them day by day; but most will realize that, for
the first time in their lives, they are being asked to
make their own decisions, and this change is likely to
be challenging not only for them, but for parents who
have been used to hovering. Penn offers a wealth of
advising that is thoughtful, well-informed, readily available, but not intrusive—well suited to the new independence of its students. Watching freshmen grow into
self-assured, competent, creative men and women who
have learned both from their triumphs and from their
failures—this is one of the pleasures given both parents
and those in the university community who foster the
students’ growing.
Freshman Videos
www.college.upenn.edu/welcome/
This collection of videos introduces incoming freshmen to key academic concepts and points them to further
details on the College website. The four main videos introduce such topics as: The College curriculum, academic
opportunities such as study abroad and research, and studies in the liberal arts as preparation for 21st-century lives
and careers. These videos also outline the advising program, student responsibilities and where they can go for academic help. Students should view at least the four main videos and the Registration Tutorial prior to talking with
their pre-major advisor this summer.
NOTES
We encourage advisors to
view the Freshman Videos
and the Registration Tutorial. Incoming freshmen are
required to do so before
they talk with their premajor advisor.
Four main videos present
key concepts for incoming
students. Each video ends
with links to the College
website where students can
find additional information.
After each of the four main
videos, viewers have the
option to go to the next
main video, or view related
videos on topics just introduced.
For Incoming Freshmen
www.college.upenn.edu/incoming-freshmen/
From this page, incoming freshmen
can link to the academic information
they will need through the summer
before their first semester:
• The Freshman Videos
• Information about the curriculum
and requirements
• The Freshman Checklist
• The Advising Questionnaire
• New Student Orientation
• Placement examinations
• Policies and Procedures (.pdf)
• Course selection and registration
• The Registration Tutorial.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
19
NOTES
The Advising Questionnaire
1.
hat are your summer plans before coming to
W
Penn?
This questionnaire helps
facilitate the first conversation with the pre-major
advisor about academic goals and options.
Students should complete
the online questionnaire
prior to the summer advising session and course
selection for fall semester,
Now that you have been admitted to Penn, tell us
more about who you are, your strengths, and areas
you hope to improve upon by answering the following questions. Your pre-major advisor will use
this information to get to know more about you so
they can more effectively connect you to the best
resources and opportunities during summer academic advising.
2. What are your educational goals for the next four
years? (We realize that your goals will change over
the course of the next four years, but we would
like you to reflect on the state of your goals at this
moment.)
3. What are the academic subjects and areas of intellectual endeavor that most interest you? Why?
4. Please list the number of years and the title of the
highest level course that you studied the following
in high school: English, chemistry, physics, math,
biology, foreign language (which language), other
(specify). For example: Math, 3 years, pre-calculus.
5. What is your most memorable intellectual experience to date?
6. Which subject areas that you did not study in
high school would you like to pursue at Penn? You
may want to explore our department web pages
(www.college.upenn.edu/majors/) to familiarize yourself with the opportunities available through the
College. (Please name at least three.)
7. Describe your experience in a class that you excelled
in and what led to your success.
8. Are there any academic subjects you considered
studying in college, but have decided against? If so,
which area? Why have you decided against it?
9. Are there subject areas that cause you anxiety? Why?
10.
ist any extra-curricular activities (including athletL
ics and jobs) in which you intend to participate.
1 1. Tell
us about your most significant role model to
date, what their job is, and how you know them
(friend, family member, teacher, etc.).
12.
s you come to Philadelphia, what expectations do
A
you have for your experience, both intellectual and
social?
13.
I s there anything else you would like us to know
about you, as a person or a scholar, that would help
us work with you in academic advising?
One of the secrets to success in college (and life) is
being able to assess your own strengths and weaknesses
while developing ways to enhance and compensate for
them. How would you characterize yourself in the areas
listed in these final questions?
1=very strong, 2=strong, 3=acceptable, 4=needs work,
5=needs lots of work, 6=not sure how to judge
• Listen to and synthesize oral presentations.
• Read critically.
• Write effectively.
• Use quantitative data to develop and answer questions.
• Understand the process of science and experimentation.
• Appreciate art, literature, music, drama.
First-Semester Course Selection
Freshman Videos and Tutorials
Each of your advisees
should have completed
the Advising Questionnaire and viewed the
Freshman Videos and
the Registration Tutorial
before his or her discussion with you.
Incoming students are expected to view the Freshman
Videos as the first step in understanding academics in
the College. Video Four of the Freshman Videos deals
specifically with summer advising and course selection.
After viewing the Freshman Videos, students should
watch the Registration Tutorial. This tutorial discusses resources for course exploration and provides a
detailed demonstration of the Course Search and Mock
Schedule tools as well as the registration process on
Penn InTouch.
Course Search
The Course Search function of Penn InTouch provides a
powerful tool for choosing courses based on a wide variety
of criteria. Click on “Show more search criteria” in the
Course Search tool to view the full range of search options.
Students may wish to find specific courses or to view
all courses offered in a given term by a particular
department. This can be done using the “Course id /
Subject” field: “psyc001” will bring up all sections of
20
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
the Introduction to Experimental Psychology course
that are being offered; “psyc” will return all courses
offered by the Psychology department in that term.
Students may also wish to search by instructor name,
to see what a particular faculty member is teaching in a
given semester.
Students with busy schedules may find it useful to
search based on the day or time of day the course
occurs. It is also possible to pinpoint the sort of course
that is desired, by course level (introductory, intermediate, advanced), by special program (writing seminars,
etc.) or by the type of requirement the course fulfills.
Searches can be run incorporating multiple search criteria.
Perhaps the most interesting searches are those done
by keyword or catchphrase. Using the “Description
includes” field, it is possible to find an eclectic group of
courses based on a set of general interests or concerns.
For example, a search using the keywords “environment” and “politics” will yield results in fields as diverse
as English, Environmental Studies, History and Urban
Studies. Students are encouraged to use this keyword
method to broaden the scope of their searches and take
advantage of the interdisciplinary offerings available in
the College.
Course Exploration
Although incoming freshmen are restricted to 4 to
4.5 c.u., and many will have courses they need to take
for a variety of reasons, it is important to try to leave
at least some room in the roster for exploration and
experimentation. There are several ways for students to
browse listings of interesting courses they may not have
otherwise considered.
Students who have had little or no calculus in high
school, or who took ab Calculus but scored poorly
on the exam, should take math 103 to prepare themselves for math 104.
Students with a.p. credit for math 104 may choose
from one of two courses for Calculus ii: math 114
and math 115.
Some majors (such as Biochemistry, Chemistry,
Mathematics, Physics) require math 104 and 114;
otherwise students needing a second semester of calculus
may take either math 114 or 115.
NOTES
It is generally a good idea
for freshmen to strive for
a balance between large
lecture and small seminar
courses. For those students
The Freshman Course Selection page (www.college.
upenn.edu/freshman-courses/) provides links to lists of
freshman seminars, writing seminars and entry courses
to potential majors, as well as links to the Registration
Tutorial and the Course Search tool (see below).
Students who are interested in math or science might
also want to consider a more challenging honors version of Calculus i and ii, math 116 and math 260
(the analogues of math 114 and math 240). These
courses will cover the material in greater depth and
involve discussion of theory as well as computations.
who are inclined to take a
Freshman Seminar
A placement exam will be given in all math 103 and
104 classes at the beginning of the semester to assist
students with course selection.
while also fulfilling require-
www.sas.upenn.edu/curriculum/freshman-seminars/seminars/
Fall2013/
While not required, freshman seminars are an excellent
introduction to College academic life, and are highly
recommended for first- or second-semester students.
The primary goal of the freshman seminar program is
to provide every freshman with the opportunity for a
direct personal encounter with a faculty member in a
small class setting devoted to a significant intellectual
endeavor. Listings of freshman seminars are available
from the Freshman Course Selection page.
Enrolling in the Proper Course
Language Course
Advanced Placement
www.college.upenn.edu/language-study/
It is recommended that students begin to satisfy the
Foreign Language Requirement in their first semester
and continue to take courses without break until the
requirement is fulfilled. Students planning to continue
with a language that they have studied previously
should know about language placement on page 24.
Students who decide to start a new language at Penn
should anticipate that it will require four full semesters
of coursework to achieve competency in the language
and to fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement.
Writing Seminar
writing.upenn.edu/critical/seminars/choosing_the_right_
seminar.php
Students should satisfy the Writing Requirement by
taking a writing seminar sometime in their first year.
number of large introductory courses, freshman and
writing seminars provide
opportunities for variety
ments.
Students who request a math course may not get the
exact lecture or recitation section they want. It may
take some persistence to get into the course. The department never turns a student away because a course is full.
The student can always be fit in somewhere, although
not necessarily in the section or at the time the student
prefers. Students who need help getting into a course
should contact the department.
For detailed information on a.p. and other advanced
placement credits, see pages 49-55.
The Course Selection Page
www.college.upenn.edu/freshman-courses/
The links on this page can help both advisors and
students explore new areas of interest.
• Freshman and writing seminars
• Entry courses to majors
• Courses that fulfill General Education requirements
• The Course Search tool on Penn InTouch
• The Registration Tutorial
• Freshman Videos
• Information on Advanced Placement
It becomes much more difficult to register for one as
an upperclassman. Listings of writing seminars are
available from the Freshman Course Selection page.
Resources for freshman
Mathematics
www.college.upenn.edu/
A variety of majors and pre-professional curricula
require calculus, and many undergraduates take some
math. Students should consult with their advisor to
determine whether they need to enroll in a calculus
course.
course selection are at
freshman-courses/.
Students who have taken an ab Calculus class in high
school should register for the Calculus i course, math
104.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
21
Entry Courses to Majors
Africana Studies
See the department’s website.
African Studies
afrc:
001 Intro. to Africana Studies
070 Colonial Latin America
075 Africa Before 1800
076 Africa Since 1800
077 Jazz: Style & History
081 African-American Literature
117 African-American Religion
176 African-American History, 1550-1876
177 African-American History, 1876-Present
Ancient History
anch:
025 Ancient Near East
026 Ancient Greece
027 Ancient Rome
146 Ancient Mediterranean Empires
Anthropology
anth:
001 Intro. to Archaeology
002 Intro. to Cultural Anthropology
003 Intro. to Human Evolution
004 The Modern World and its Cultural Background
012 Globalization
104 Sex & Human Nature
238 Intro. to Medical Anthropology
Architecture
arch:
101 Architecture Today
201 Visualization I: Representation:
440 Intro. to Computers in Architecture
Asian American Studies Minor
asam:
001 Asian Americans in Contemporary Society
002 Intro. to Asian American Literature
003 Intro. to Asian American History
205 Asian American Communities
Biochemistry
chem 241Principles of Organic Chemistry
(taken before or concurrently with chem 251) Note
that this course has chem 101 and chem 102 as
prerequisites.
chem 251Principles of Biological Chemistry
Both 241 and 251 should be completed by the end of
the sophomore year.
NOTES
Biological Basis of Behavior
bibb:
040Sleep: What is it, why do we need it, and how
050
109
can we get more?
Forensic Neuroscience
Intro. to Brain & Behavior
For links to major departments and programs see
www.college.upenn.edu/
majors/.
Biology
Track I:
Recommended for students with a.p., i.b. or other
advanced biology courses and high school chemistry:
biol 121Intro. to Biology: The Molecular Biology
of Life (lec. and rec., 1.0 c.u.)
biol 123Introductory Molecular Biology Lab (lab
only, 0.5 c.u.), must be taken concurrently
with biol 121
biol 124Introductory Organism Biology Lab (lab
with one hour lecture, 0.5 c.u.)
Track II:
Recommended for students with one year of high
school biology:
biol 101 Intro. to Biology A (lec. and lab, 1.5 c.u.)
biol 102 Intro. to Biology B (lec. and lab, 1.5 c.u.)
Biophysics
The main introduction to the major is:
phys 280 / bche 280 Physical Models of
Biological Systems
Note that phys 280 has phys 101, math 104 and
math 114 or math 115 as prerequisites.
Chemistry
Courses that introduce the major:
chem:
101 General Chemistry I with chem 053 lab
115Honors General Chemistry I with chem 053
lab
Students who have passed the chem 101 placement
exam may take:
102General Chemistry II with chem 054 lab
116Honors General Chemistry II with chem 054
lab
Students who have passed BOTH chem 101 and
102 Placement exams should consult the Chemistry
Department website.
Cinema Studies
cine:
101 World Film History to 1945
102 World Film History, 1945-present
103 Intro. to Film Theory
116 Screenwriting
150 Television Studies
201 Topics in Film History
202 Topics in Film Practice
continued
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
23
NOTES
280 Topics in Film and Literature
292 Study of an Author
392 Topics in Cinema Studies
Classical Studies
anch 026 Ancient Greece
anch 027 Ancient Rome
Any 100-level course, such as:
clst 100 Greek and Roman Mythology
clst 102 Classical Traditions
clst 111 Intro. to Mediterranean Archaeology
anch 146 Ancient Mediterranean Empires
Cognitive Science
cogs 001 Intro. to Cognitive Science
Also counting toward this major:
cis 112 Networked Life
ling 001 Intro. to Linguistics
ling 106 Intro. to Formal Linguistics
phil 005 Formal Logic I
phil 244 Intro. to Philosophy of Mind
psyc 149 Intro. to Cognitive Neuroscience
psyc 151 Intro. to Cognitive Psychology
Communication
comm:
105 Spiritual Communication
108 Speaking Body & Mind
123 Communication & Popular Culture
125 Intro. to Communication Behavior
130 Intro. to Mass Media & Society
240 Intro. to Film Forms & Contexts
225 Children & Media
226 Intro. to Political Communication
262 Visual Communication
Comparative Literature
coml:
100 Intro. to Comparative Lit
125 Narrative Across Cultures
360/ 094 Intro. to Literary Theory
383 Literary Theory, Ancient to Modern
Creative Writing Minor
engl:
010 Creative Writing
112 Fiction Writing Workshop
113 Poetry Writing Workshop
116 Screenwriting
121 Writing for Children
135 Creative Nonfiction Writing
157 Intro. to Journalistic Writing
24
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Criminology
crim:
100 Criminology
200 Criminal Justice
Earth Science
In the first two years take:
geol 125 (Earth & Life Through Time) or
geol 100(Intro. Geology) Chemistry, Physics, Math
& Biology (depends on track)
Good entry courses also include:
envs 200Intro. to Environmental Analysis
envs 204Global Climate Change
geol 096Field Approaches to Understanding Earth
and Environmental Sciences
geol 111 Geology Lab
geol 103 Natural Disturbances & Human Disasters
geol 130 Oceanography
East Asia Area Studies
ealc 001 Intro. to Chinese Civilization
ealc 002Intro. to Japanese Civilization
hist 120 Korean History before 1860
hist 121 Korean History after 1860
East Asian Languages & Civilizations
China concentration:
ealc 001 Intro. to Chinese Civilization
ealc 131 Intro. to Classical Chinese Thought
Japan concentration:
ealc 002Intro. to Japanese Civilization
ealc 152Love & Loss in Japanese Literary Traditions
Overall:
ealc 013 Art & Civilization in East Asia
ealc 016 Gender & Sexuality in East Asia
Economics
econ:
001 Intro. Micro-economics
002 Intro. Macro-economics|
Mathematical Economics
econ 001 Intro. Micro-economics
econ 002 Intro. Macro-economics
math 104 Calculus i
math 114 or 116 (Honors) Calculus i i
English
engl:
020 Literature Before 1660
040 British Poetry, 1660-1914
057 Literature of the Americas to 1900
069 Poetry and Poetics
081 African American Literature
00
0
102
103
104
105
1
1 1
Intro. to Literary Study
Study of an Author
Study of a Literary Theme
Study of a Literary Genre
Study of a Literary Period
Topics in Literature & Society
Environmental Studies
In the first two years take:
envs 200 and Economics & Statistics
(depends on track)
Good entry courses also include:
geol 096 Field Approaches to Understanding
Earth & Environmental Sciences
envs 204Global Climate Change
geol 100Intro. to Geology
geol 103 Natural Disturbances & Human Disasters
geol 130 Oceanography
geol 125 Earth & Life Through Time
Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies
gsws:
002 Gender, Culture and Society
004 The Family
114 Discrimination: Sexual/Radical Conflict
118 Iran Cinema: Gender, Politics, Religion
122 Sociology of Gender
235 Psychology of Women
242 Science of Sex & Sexuality
Health & Societies
hsoc:
002 Medicine in History
010 Health and Societies: Global Perspectives
102 Bioethics
145 Comparative Medicine
150 American Health Policy
238 Medical Anthropology
275 Medical Sociology
Fine Arts
fnar:
061 Video I
123 Drawing I
142 3-Dimensional Design
145 Sculpture I
222 Mural Arts: The Big Picture
251 Etching
252 Printmaking: Relief & Screen Printing
255 Book Arts & Letterpress
260 Clay Handbuilding
261 Clay Wheel I
264 Digital Design Foundations
271 Photo I
340 Digital Photo I
280 Figure Drawing I
Hispanic Studies
German Studies
History of Art
arth:
101Intro. to Art History: Prehistory to Early
See the department website.
French Studies
fren:
202 Advanced French
211 French for the Professions I
212 Advanced French Grammar & Composition
214 Advanced French Composition & Conversation
221/222 Perspectives in French Literature
217 French Phonetics
226French Civilization & History from the
Beginnings to the French Revolution
227Modern France: from the Revolution to the
Second World War
NOTES
See the department website
History
hist:
001 The Making of the Modern World
011 Deciphering America
048 The Rise and Fall of the Russian Empire
076 Africa since 1800
091 Modern Japanese History
126 Europe 1789-1890
136 Modern American Culture
137 The 20th Century: An International History
170The American South: Rise and Fall of the Slave
South, 1609-1865
171 The American South Since the Civil War
02
103
104
106
1
Renaissance
Renaissance to Contemporary
East Asian Art & Civilization
Intro. to Art in South Asia
Architect in History
International Relations
hist 105/395 East Asian Diplomacy
hist 420European International Relations 16481914
hist 421European International Relations
1914-present
hist 159 Technology, Policy & War
hist 160 Strategy, Policy & War
hist 451 U.S. War & Diplomacy
continued
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
25
NOTES
intr 200International Relations Theory & Practice
intr 290 Transnational Issues in Global Politics
psci 150 Intro. to Intetnational Relations
Italian Studies
ital:
201 Advanced Italian I
202 Advanced Italian II
203 Italian Literature
204History on Screen: How Movies Tell the Story
of Italy
300 Topics: Italian Culture­—Fascism, Communication & Consensus
333 The Divine Comedy
310 The Medieval Reade
380Italian Literature of the 20th-Century Italian
Family in Film & Literature
380Italian Literature of the 20th-Century Italian
Neorealism
Jewish Studies
jwst:
100 Themes in Jewish Tradition
101 Translating Cultures
102Modern Hebrew Literature & Culture in
Translation
102 Women & Jewish Literature
130 American Jewish Experience
150 Intro. to the Bible
151 Great Books of Judaism
154Modern Hebrew Literature & Culture in
Translation
156 Jews & Judaism in Antiquity
157 Medieval & Early Modern Jewry
158 Jews in the Modern World
Latin American and Latino Studies
lals:
070 Colonial Latin America
071 Latin America 1791 to Present
072 Intro. to Latin America Studies
125 Anthropology of the Americas
235 Latinos in U.S.
258 Music of Latin America
Linguistics
ling:
001 Intro. to Linguistics
051 Proto-Indo-European Language & Society
058 Language & Cognition
102 Intro. to Sociolinguistics
110 Intro. to Historical Linguistics
120 Intro. to Speech Analysis
160 African-American & Latino English
26
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Logic, Information & Computation
See department website.
Mathematics
See department website.
Modern Middle Eastern Studies
arth 217 Islamic Civilization & Its Visual Culture
hist 081 History of the Middle East Since 1800
hist 084From Oil Fields to Soccer Fields: The
Middle East in the 20th Century
hist 371 Africa & the Middle East
nelc 102 Intro. to the Middle East
psci 211 Politics in the Contemporary Middle East
psci 253 International Politics of the Middle East
rels 146 Islam in the Modern World
rels 143 Intro. to Islamic Religion
Music
musc:
021 1000 Years of Musical Listening Music
050 World Musics and Cultures Music
070 Music Theory and Musicianship i Music
075 Jazz: Style and History Music
130 Intro. to the History of Western Music
140 Intro. to Musical Life in Ameria
150 Intro. to Global Music
Near Eastern Languages &
Civilizations
See the department website.
Philosophy
See the department website.
Philosophy, Politics & Economics
econ 001Micro
phil 002 Ethics
phil 008 Social Contract
ppe 110 Intro. to Decision Theory
ppe 153 Judgments & Decisions
psci 150 Intro. to International Relations
psci 183 American Political Thought
psci 271 Constitutional Law
Physics & Astronomy
Courses that introduce the major (math 104 prerequisite to both.):
phys 150 Principles of Physics I
phys 170 Honors Physics I
Courses for students with advanced background in Physics:
phys 151 Principles of Physics II
phys 171 Honors Physics II
For non-majors & of interest to potential majors:
phys 016 Energy, Oil & Global Warming
Political Science
psci:
110 Intro. to Comparative Politics
130 Intro. to American Politics
150 Intro. to International Relations
180 Ancient Political Thought
181 Modern Political Thought
Psychology
psyc:
001 Intro. to Experimental Psychology
For students with an a.p. waiver:
111
49
151
160
162
170
1
Perception
Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Personality Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Social Psychology
Religious Studies
rels:
001 Religions of Asia
002 Religions of the West
003 Religion & Literature
005 Women & Religion
117 African American Religion
123 Intro. to Judaism
133 An Intro. to Christianity
143 Intro. to Islamic Religion
173 Intro. to Buddhism
Russian Language, Literature &
Culture & Russian Culture & History
Level dependent on the student’s literacy and prior
studies.
russ:
360 Literacy in Russian I
460-470 Courses in this range are also appropriate
Language, literature & culture in English translation:
100 Figuring Out Russia: Intro. to Russian Culture
130 Russian Ghost Stories
136 Portraits of Russian Society: Art, Fiction, Drama
145 Russian Literature before 1870
155 Russian Literature after 1870
187 Portraits of Soviet Society: Literature, Film,
Drama
Science, Technology & Society
Sociology
soci:
001 Intro. to Sociology
004 The Family
006 Race & Ethnic Relations
010 Social Stratification
122 Sociology of Gender
137 Sociology of Media & Popular Culture
275 Medical Sociology
NOTES
South Asia Studies
sast:
001 Intro. to Modern India
002 The City in South Asia
003 History, Culture, Religion in Early India
004 India’s Literature
005 Performing Arts in South Asia
006 Hindu Mythology
063 East/West: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Cultural
History of the Modern World
Theatre Arts
thar:
076 Theatre in Philadelphia
100 Intro. to Theatre
120 Intro. to Acting
130 Intro. to Scenic Design
Urban Studies
urbs:
010 Homelessness & Urban Inequality
103 The Industrial Metropolis
104 The Urban Crisis
112 Urban Sociology
121 The Origins and Cultures of Cities
178 Urban University-Community Relations
202 Urban Education
210 The City
322 Pig Pictures: Mural Art
Visual Studies
arth 102 Renaissance to Contemporary
cogs 001Intro. to Cognitive Science
fnar 123 Drawing I
phil 004 History of Modern Philosophy
vlst 101 Eye, Mind & Image
vlst 102 Two Dimensions: Forms & Meanings
stsc:
001 The Emergence of Modern Science
003 Technology & Society
123 Darwin’s Legacy
160 The Information Age
212 Science, Technology & War
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
27
NOTES
Majors with Prerequisites
The following majors require students to complete
certain coursework before they are eligible to declare.
Architecture: Students must complete arch 201 in
the fall of their sophomore year prior to declaring the
major.
Communication: Students must complete two of the
following three courses: comm 123, comm 125 or
comm 130. They must also have completed or be
enrolled in at least 3 c.u. of Communication coursework before applying for the major.
Economics: Students must have credit or waivers for
econ 001 and econ 002. They must also have
completed 2 c.u. of Economics coursework at Penn
before declaring the major. In order to advance in the
major beyond econ 002, students must have completed math 114 or 115, Calculus ii.
German: Students must have completed grmn 104 or
received placement or equivalent credit for this course
before courses can be taken that apply to the major.
28
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Philosophy, Politics and Economics: Students must
complete the major’s “Rigorous Reasoning” pre-requirement. Courses that fulfill the requirement are listed at
www.sas.upenn.edu/ppe/Requirements/PPEmajor/Rigorous/
classes.html.
Psychology: Students must complete psyc
taking any further psychology courses.
001 before
Majors in Romance Languages (French Studies, Hispanic
Studies, Italian Studies): Students must have completed
the fourth-semester course in the language (fren 140,
span 140, ital 140), or received placement or equivalent credit for this course before courses can be taken
that apply to the major.
Russian: Students must have completed russ 004 or
received placement or equivalent credit for this course
before courses can be taken that apply to the major.
Registration
The Registration Process
Registration at Penn occurs at two distinct times:
Advance Registration and the Course Selection Period.
Each period functions differently.
Advance Registration
Students request courses for the upcoming semester
during the Advance Registration period. For students
in the Class of 2016, freshman Advance Registration
begins on June 25 and ends on July 20, 2012.
During Advance Registration, students submit their
preferred courses, as well as alternate courses, using
Penn InTouch, the on-line registration system. Students
can submit their requested courses at any time during
this period. All course requests are processed at the conclusion of the Advance Registration period, regardless
of when the request was submitted. There is no advantage to registering early and no guarantee that students
will be enrolled in all their requested courses.
The Registration Tutorial
NOTES
It is very important to take part in Advance Registration. Students who do not advance register may find
themselves closed out of the courses they wish to take.
Course Selection Period
The Course Selection Period begins a few weeks after
Advance Registration and extends into the semester.
During this period, students can make immediate
changes to their course roster. The Course Selection
Period allows students to visit classes before finalizing
their schedules, but students are expected to attend
all classes they may wish to add in order to keep up
with assignments and material. Even during this period,
instructors may choose to grant admission only to
students who have been attending regularly.
Unlike Advance Registration, during the Course
Selection Period courses are filled as students register
for them, so timing is important and students know
immediately if they are enrolled.
www.college.upenn.edu/registration-tutorial/
The Registration Tutorial offers a comprehensive look at first-semester course exploration and selection as well as
a step-by-step demonstration of Advance Registration on Penn InTouch. We strongly recommend that students
watch this tutorial, in addition to the four main videos on the Freshman Video site (page 19) prior to their summer advising session and advance registering for fall.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
29
NOTES
Most descriptions of
academic options on the
College website include
Academic Options
Pre-major advisors can play an important role in encouraging students to enrich their undergraduate careers by
taking advantage of academic opportunities such as research and study abroad. Assistant deans for advising in the
College Office are particularly knowledgeable about these options should you or your advisee have questions.
links to policies and procedures governing that
option. Also see pages
38-40 for policies governing academic options.
From Academic Opportunities,
select an area including Study
Abroad; Research; Writing,
Speaking and Language; and
Off-Campus Expereience.
Academic Resources, including
those listed below, are described
and links provided to their sites.
Academic Opportunities
Dual Degree Programs
www.college.upenn.edu/dual-degree/
Foreign Language Study
www.college.upenn.edu/language-study/
Joint Degree Programs
www.college.upenn.edu/joint-degree/
Public Speaking Programs
www.college.upenn.edu/public-speaking/
Study Abroad
www.college.upenn.edu/study-abroad/
Submatriculation Programs
www.college.upenn.edu/submatriculation/
Undergraduate Research
www.college.upenn.edu/research/
Writing Programs
www.college.upenn.edu/writing-programs/
Off Campus Experiences
Academically Based Community Service Courses
www.college.upenn.edu/service-courses/
Penn in Washington
www.college.upenn.edu/penn-in-washington/
The Quaker Consortium
www.college.upenn.edu/quaker-consortium/
30
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
The Washington Semester
www.college.upenn.edu/washington-semester/
Travel Grants for Academic Conferences
www.college.upenn.edu/travel-grants/
Undergraduate Internships
www.college.upenn.edu/internships/
Scholars Programs
BFS Integrated Studies Program
www.college.upenn.edu/integrated-studies/
Civic Scholars
www.college.upenn.edu/civic-scholars/
McNair Scholars Program
www.college.upenn.edu/mcnair-scholars/
University Scholars Program
www.college.upenn.edu/university-scholars/
After Graduation
Career Exploration
www.college.upenn.edu/career-exploration/
Careers in the Health Professions
www.college.upenn.edu/health-careers/
Careers in Law
www.college.upenn.edu/law-careers/
Graduate Study
www.college.upenn.edu/graduate-study/
Policies and Procedures
The policies and procedures detailed below are in effect
for the academic year 2012-2013. Since policies may
change in the future, students are advised to refer to
the College website for updated information. Links
to specific policies can be found on pages introducing
particular academic topics or in the section on Policies
and Procedures.
The PennBook, www.upenn.edu/provost/PennBook/ is
another useful resource for finding Penn policies.
If a policy does change, students should speak with an
advisor in the College Office to determine what effect,
if any, that policy change may have on them.
General Policies and
Procedures
Academic Integrity
The fundamental purpose of the University as an
academic community is the pursuit of knowledge.
Essential to the success of this educational mission is
a commitment to the principles of academic integrity.
Academic work represents not only what we have
learned about a subject but also how we have learned
it. Values and beliefs about academic integrity have
been adopted by scholars so that others may trace our
honorable footsteps, verify what we have learned and
build upon our work. Every member of the University
community is responsible for upholding the highest
standards of honesty at all times.
As members of the University community, students
are also responsible for adhering to the principles and
spirit of the Code of Academic Integrity. Penn believes
strongly in the importance of academic integrity.
Students who violate its precepts are subject to punishment through the judicial system. Ignorance of the
rules is no excuse. If a student is unsure whether his
or her action(s) constitute a violation of the Code of
Academic Integrity, it is that student’s responsibility to
consult with the instructor to clarify any ambiguity.
The best strategy for maintaining academic integrity is
to avoid situations where academic dishonesty might
occur. When in doubt, cite. There are many publications, such as the Chicago Manual of Style or the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (which has been
placed in Rosengarten Reserve by the Honor Council),
that provide information about methods of proper
citation. Failure to acknowledge sources is plagiarism,
regardless of intention.
• Consult with instructors about assignments.
• Plan ahead to leave sufficient time to complete work.
• Contact the Weingarten Learning Resources Center
for help with time management and study strategies.
For more information consult the Office of Student
Conduct.
NOTES
Privacy of Student Information
In high school, students’ grades and other records
are considered their parents’ property as much as
their own. In college, students’ academic and medical records are considered their own property. Penn’s
policy regarding student information is that students
are adults, and the University generally will not share
their academic and other records (apart from directory information) with third parties without their
explicit consent. This is in accordance with the federal
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Though
there are situations in which the University can choose
to divulge information without a student’s consent
(for example, if they are listed as dependents on their
parents’ tax returns), for the most part, students must
decide who has access to their academic record. They
can indicate whether or not they wish their parents or
others to see their educational records using the Privacy
Settings screen on Penn InTouch.
As students begin their careers at Penn, it is very
important for them to think carefully about their
own responsibility and to have a discussion with their
parents about these confidentiality rules. The College
expects students to be aware of their grades, course registration and all other aspects of their academic career.
The Penn InTouch system provides 24-hour access
to this information. The pre-major advisor is there to
help students make the most of their academic career,
and the University provides a wide range of support
services for both academic and non-academic concerns.
Students are expected to familiarize themselves with
these services and make use of them when appropriate.
While there are many people at Penn who can help,
ultimately it is the student who must take responsibility
for the decisions he or she makes.
Also see www.upenn.edu/provost/PennBook/
confidentiality_of_student_records/.
Holidays
The University observes the following holidays: Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor
Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and New Year’s
Day.
The University also recognizes that there are several religious holidays that affect large numbers of
University community members, including Christmas,
Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first two days of
Passover and Good Friday. In consideration of their significance for many students, no examinations may be
given and no assigned work may be required on these
days. Students who observe these holidays will be given
an opportunity to make up missed work in both laboratories and lecture courses. If an examination is given
on the first class day after one of these holidays, it must
not cover material introduced in class on that holiday.
The University further recognizes that there are other
holidays, both religious and secular, which are of
importance to some individuals and groups on campus. Students who wish to observe such holidays must
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
31
NOTES
inform their instructors within the first two weeks of
each semester of their intent to observe the holiday
even when the exact date of the holiday will not be
known until later so that alternative arrangements convenient to both students and faculty can be made at the
earliest opportunity.
• Examinations that are postponed because of illness, a
death in the family, for religious observance or some
other unusual event, may be taken only during the
official periods: the first week of the spring and fall
semesters. Students who have such an issue should
call the College Office at 215.898.6341 immediately.
Also see www.upenn.edu/provost/PennBook/policy_on_
secular_and_religious_holidays/.
• No classes or required class activities may be held during the reading period.
Class Attendance
• Final exams for College of Liberal and Professional
Studies (LPS) courses must be given on the regular
class meeting night during the week of final examinations. No change in scheduling is permitted without
unanimous consent of all students in the class and
the director of LPS. An LPS final exam may not be
administered during the last week of class or on a
reading day.
Some professors and departments are very strict about
class attendance; others do not consider it part of the
grading system. If the instructor thinks a student has
an excessive number of absences, the student’s final
grade may be lowered. Some departments, the foreign
languages in particular, have very precise rules for attendance.
If a student must miss class at any point during the
semester, he or she should notify the instructor as soon
as possible. In cases of absences lasting longer than a
day, or in case of missed exams, the student should also
contact the College Office. In any event, it is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was missed
and to catch up as quickly as possible.
Failure to attend a class for which one is registered does
not result in being automatically dropped from the
class. Students should check Penn InTouch before the
end of the Course Selection period and before the end
of the Drop period each semester to verify their roster.
Absence Due to Illness
If a student is absent from class for one or more days, it
is his or her responsibility to contact the instructor and
find out how to make up any work missed.
Athletes
Athletes are responsible for making up any work missed
because of athletic obligations.
Final Examinations
• No instructor may hold a final examination nor
require the submission of a take-home final exam
except during the period in which final examinations
are scheduled; when necessary, exceptions to this
policy may be granted for postponed examinations.
• No final examinations may be scheduled during the
last week of classes or on reading days.
• No student may be required to take more than two
final examinations on any calendar day during the
period in which final examinations are scheduled. If
more than two are scheduled, the student may postpone the middle exam. If a take-home final exam is
due on a day when two final examinations are scheduled, the take-home exam shall be postponed by one
day.
• Examinations that are postponed because of conflicts
with other examinations, or because more than two
examinations are scheduled on the same day, may be
taken at another time during the final examinations
period if the faculty member and student can agree
on that time. Otherwise, they must be taken during
the official period for postponed examinations.
32
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Athletic Eligibility
Like all student athletes at Penn, College athletes must
meet certain academic eligibility standards set by both
the NCAA and the University.
In order to be fully eligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics, students must keep their g.p.a. at or
above a 2.0, maintain full-time student status, earn at
a minimum 1.5 c.u. each term, (important for student
athletes who wish to study abroad) and complete an
average of at least 8 courses per academic year. Students
whose academic performance falls below these standards may, in some circumstances, retain eligibility
to compete by designing, with the help of Dr. Gary
Purpura and the Academic Coordinator for Athletics,
an Academic Enhancement Plan and completing the
terms set out in that plan. Student-athletes enrolled in
the College are also required to have a declared major
by the beginning of their junior year. Any questions
about these or any other eligibility issues should be
referred to Dr. Gary Purpura in the College Office.
Class Standing
A student’s class standing is determined by the number
of credit units the student has accumulated. In addition to course work taken at Penn, this includes a.p.
credit, transfer credit from other institutions and credit
issued for departmental examinations. Course work in
progress is taken into consideration in determining a
student’s classification for Advance Registration for a
future term.
For students in the College, the classification is as follows:
• Freshman: less than 8.00 c.u.
• Sophomore: from 8.00 - 15.99 c.u.
• Junior: from 16.00 - 23.99 c.u.
• Senior: from 24.00 c.u.
Graduation Requirements
Degree Requirements
Students are responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of their curriculum.
At the end of junior year, students should confirm that
their Academic Planning Worksheet on Penn InTouch
is updated and accurate. This includes meeting with the
major advisor to be sure that the major section of the
worksheet has been updated with all relevant courses.
The College will conduct an audit of rising seniors’
worksheets during the summer and inform them of
any missing requirements, as well as other graduationrelated issues the students needs to address.
Credits for Graduation
The total number of credit units (“c.u.,” or “credits”) needed for graduation varies between 32 and 36
depending on the number of credits required in the
major. Each major specifies a certain number of credits
that must be completed, but never less than 12. In
addition to the major, students must normally complete 20 credits outside the major. No more than 36
credits will be required for graduation. Those whose
majors require more than 16 credits may take correspondingly fewer than 20 outside the major.
The 20 credits taken outside the major will include
courses taken to fulfill General Education requirements
and Free Electives. Some of the general education
courses will also count toward the major (see Policies
for the particular requirement). In this case students
will take additional Free Electives. Since the College
confers a bachelor of arts degree, 16 of the 20 credits
outside the major must be Arts and Sciences courses.
This means that most students may count as many as
four courses from schools outside Arts and Sciences
towards the degree. Students who wish to take more
than the minimum number of credits for graduation
may take even more than four courses from other
schools. If a major requires more than 16 credits, correspondingly fewer than 4 courses from other schools
may be counted toward the degree.
Seniors should consult with an advisor in the department in which they wish to minor, to confirm that the
minor has been certified on the Academic Planning
Worksheet and posted to the student’s transcript.
56-57 for the number of
Because the value of the Penn experience lies not only
in courses taken but also in participation in the life
of the University community both in and outside the
classroom, at least four semesters of full-time study
must be completed in Philadelphia while enrolled at
the University of Pennsylvania. Students must also be
registered for their last two semesters at the University,
including registration through its approved programs
for study abroad. Students with less than 3 c.u. to complete for graduation may request permission from the
College graduation coordinator to finish those credits
elsewhere, though such permission will only be granted
in cases with extenuating circumstances.
credits needed for graduation listed by major.
No student may graduate with a B.A. from the
University of Pennsylvania unless he or she has completed at Penn at least one-half of the total number of
required credit units. He or she must also complete at
Penn at least one-half of the courses required for his or
her major (though some major programs may require
more than this number).
Undergraduate Transcripts
All courses taken for credit at the University of
Pennsylvania before a student receives an undergraduate degree are recorded on the student’s undergraduate
transcript. At the date of graduation, the transcript is
closed, i.e., no changes may be made thereafter.
Petitions for Seniors
It is possible that students who are waiting for a decision from the Committee on Undergraduate Academic
Standing on a petition submitted regarding graduation
requirements may not be cleared in time for graduation. It is, therefore, important to submit any necessary
petitions as early as possible.
Policies Governing
the Curriculum and
Requirements
Application for Graduation
Foundational Approaches
An Application for Graduation (emailed to seniors
by the College Office) must be submitted early in the
semester of expected graduation. Seniors must adhere
to a graduation schedule prepared each year by the
College Office. A late fee will be charged for failure to
apply for graduation by the date specified. Check the
application timeline for May, August and December
graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware
of upcoming deadlines, including the deadline for
completion of the graduation application.
See the chart on pages
Residency Requirement
Grade Point Average
Students must maintain a 2.0 overall grade point
average, and a 2.0 (or better, depending on the department) in major courses.
NOTES
• With the exception of the Foreign Language
Requirement, none of these requirements may be
satisfied with advanced placement credit (including A-Levels, I.B., and other similar credit based on
external examination). In addition, credit awarded by
departmental exam can also not be used to fulfill any
Foundational Approach.
Major and Minor Certification
• The same course cannot be used to satisfy more than
one Foundational Approach. However, courses taken
to satisfy Foundational Approaches may also be used
to satisfy the Sector and/or Major Requirement.
Each department, program or individualized major
advisor will certify students as having met the requirements for the respective majors and minors.
• Non-College courses approved for the Foundational
Approaches are counted as College courses in calculating total credits needed for graduation.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
33
NOTES
• Courses taken to satisfy these requirements must be
taken for a letter grade, not pass/fail.
• Each of the requirements that make up the
Foundational Approaches is satisfied by taking a single course from a list of Requirement Courses, with
the exception of the Foreign Language Requirement
(which may require anywhere from 0 to 4 c.u.
depending on the student’s background in the given
language).
Writing Requirement
Students can fulfill the Writing Requirement by taking
a Critical Writing Seminar, and are strongly encouraged
to do so their freshman year.
• Courses taken to satisfy the Writing Requirement
must be taken for a letter grade, not pass/fail.
• Students must earn a minimum grade of C- in courses taken to fulfill the Writing Requirement.
• Writing seminars may not be used to fulfill any other
College requirement.
Foreign Language Requirement
• Foreign Language Requirement courses may not be
used to fulfill any other General Education requirement.
• Pre-College credit, transfer credit, credit away and
credit earned studying abroad may be counted
toward the Foreign Language Requirement only
when departments award credit using the number
of a Penn course approved for the Foreign Language
Requirement.
• All courses taken to satisfy the Foreign Language
Requirement must be taken for a letter grade, not
pass/fail. The final course in the competency sequence
must be completed with a minimum grade of C- in
order to fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement.
Language Placement
At the time they first enroll in a beginning- or intermediate-level language course, all students who have
previously studied that language must have a placement score. The only students exempt from having a
placement score are those who have never studied the
language before. Credit will not be given for a language
course taken at a lower level than a student’s placement
score indicates.
French and Spanish offer computerized exams. Written
exams for Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Hebrew, Russian,
Latin and German are offered at the beginning of each
semester. The schedule and location of these exams in
September will appear on the New Student Orientation
website during the preceding summer.
Students wishing to be evaluated in a modern language
other than those taught by the language departments
should consult the Penn Language Center.
Students who feel their placement scores do not accurately reflect their language level, or students who have
other questions about their language study, should
make an appointment to speak with the coordinator of
their particular language program.
34
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Students who have taken the S.A.T.II exam as part of
their application to Penn may use that score to place
them in the proper level. See the chart on page 55.
Language Requirement Substitution
Students who believe that they have a documented disability that precludes learning a foreign language should
contact the Student Disabilities Services Office (SDS).
A member of their professional staff will explain the
assessment procedure, which requires up-to-date neuropsychological testing.
If a student’s disability is verified by SDS and course
substitution is approved, the student should meet with
Dr. Niel McDowell in the College Office to select
appropriate substitute courses. The number of courses
each student will require will depend upon the number
of foreign language classes he or she has completed
before applying for the substitution. A full substitution will require four substitute courses. If a student
has completed one or more Penn language classes,
which is the norm, the remaining courses, up to the
number of four will be selected as follows: Each student
will choose one geographical area in the world, where
English is not the primary language, and will take at
least one course in literature in translation from that
country or region and one class in linguistics or anthropology of language. The remaining courses will focus
on the culture or literature of that same geographical
area. All classes for the language substitution must be
approved by Dr. McDowell.
Quantitative Data Analysis
Requirement
• Students fulfill the Quantitative Data Analysis
Requirement by taking a course from the list of
approved courses.
• The Quantitative Data Analysis Requirement can
only be satisfied by courses taken at Penn. In some
cases exceptions to the restriction on transfer credit
may be made for transfer students.
• Courses taken to satisfy the Quantitative Data
Analysis Requirement must be taken for a letter
grade, not pass/fail. Students must earn a minimum
grade of C- in courses taken to fulfill the Quantitative
Data Analysis Requirement.
• A course used to satisfy the Quantitative Data
Analysis Requirement may be double-counted
toward other requirements in the General Education
Curriculum (except for the Writing and Foreign
Language Requirements) as well as toward the Major.
• College students who complete a dual degree program with either the Wharton School or the School
of Engineeering and Applied Science will be considered to have fulfilled the Quantitative Data Analysis
Requirement. Students who withdraw from the dual
degree program will need to satisfy the requirement in
the normal way, with a course selected from the list of
approved courses.
Formal Reasoning and Analysis
Requirement
Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
Requirement
• Students fulfill the Formal Reasoning and Analysis
Requirement by taking a course from the list of
approved courses.
• Students fulfill the Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
Requirement by taking a course from the list of
approved courses.
• Courses taken to satisfy the Formal Reasoning and
Analysis Requirement must be taken for a letter
grade, not pass/fail. Any passing grade, from A+
through D, is acceptable in order for a course to fulfill
the Formal Reasoning and Analysis Requirement.
• Courses taken to satisfy the Cultural Diversity in the
U.S. Requirement must be taken for a letter grade,
not pass/fail. Any passing grade, from A+ through
D, is acceptable in order for a course to fulfill the
Cultural Diversity in the U.S. Requirement. A course
used to satisfy the Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
Requirement may not be double-counted toward
the Cross-Cultural Analysis, Writing or Foreign
Language Requirements. However, a course fulfilling this requirement may be double-counted toward
any other General Education requirement as well as a
major or minor.
• A course used to satisfy the Formal Reasoning and
Analysis Requirement may be double-counted
toward other requirements in the General Education
Curriculum (except for the Writing and Foreign
Language Requirements) as well as toward the major.
• Pre-College credit, transfer credit, credit away and
credit earned studying abroad may be counted toward
the Formal Reasoning and Analysis Requirement only
when departments award credit using the number
of a Penn course approved for the Formal Reasoning
and Analysis Requirement.
• Neither advanced placement credit nor credit by
departmental exam may be used to fulfill the Formal
Reasoning and Analysis Requirement. However, students who receive credit for MATH 104 in either of
these ways and who take any Arts and Sciences course
that has calculus as a prerequisite or co-requisite may
use that course to fulfill the Formal Reasoning and
Analysis Requirement.
NOTES
• Pre-College credit, transfer credit, credit away and
credit earned studying abroad may be counted toward
the Cultural Diversity in the U.S. Requirement.
Advanced Placement credit may not be used to fulfill
the Cultural Diversity in the U.S. Requirement.
Sector Requirement
To satisfy the Sector Requirement, students must take
a different course in each of the sectors, for a total of
seven courses.
Courses fulfilling the Sector Requirement
Cross-Cultural Analysis Requirement
• The lists of approved courses indicate all courses that
fulfill the Sector Requirement.
• Students fulfill the Cross-Cultural Analysis
Requirement by taking a course from the list of
approved courses.
• Sector VII may be satisfied by taking one course from
the Sector VII list or an additional Living World or
Physical World course.
• Courses taken to satisfy the Cross-Cultural Analysis
Requirement must be taken for a letter grade, not
pass/fail. Any passing grade, from A+ through D, is
acceptable in order for a course to fulfill the CrossCultural Analysis Requirement.
• In addition to the courses listed in the various sectors, students may use freshman seminars and BFS
seminars to fulfill the various Sectors. One freshman
seminar may be used in this way as a substitute for a
course on the relevant sector list. Up to two Benjamin
Franklin seminars or one Benjamin Franklin seminar
and one freshman seminar may be used.
• A course used to satisfy the Cross-Cultural Analysis
Requirement may not be double-counted toward the
Cultural Diversity in the U.S., Writing or Foreign
Language Requirements. A few courses are approved
for both the Cross-Cultural Analysis and the Cultural
Diversity in the U.S. Requirements; students may
count such courses toward either requirement but will
still have to take a second course to fulfill the other
one. However, a course fulfilling the Cross-Cultural
Analysis Requirement may be double-counted toward
any other General Education requirement as well as a
major or minor.
• Pre-College credit, transfer credit, credit away and
credit earned studying abroad may be counted toward
the Cross-Cultural Analysis Requirement. Advanced
Placement credit may not be used to fulfill the CrossCultural Analysis Requirement.
• Non-College courses approved for the Sector
Requirement are counted as College courses in calculating total credits needed for graduation.
Grade type
Courses taken to fulfill the Sector Requirement must
be taken for a letter grade, not pass/fail. Any passing
grade, from A+ through D, is acceptable in order for a
course to fulfill the Sector Requirement.
Advanced Placement and other equivalent
credits
• The Sector Requirement may not be satisfied with
advanced placement credit (including A-Levels, I.B.,
and other similar credit based on external examination). In addition, credit awarded by departmental exam can also not be used to fulfill the Sector
Requirement.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
35
NOTES
• Students who receive an advanced placement credit
or waiver in a Living World or Physical World field
(Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science
or Psychology) and who take a more advanced course
at Penn in that subject may use the additional course
to fulfill the relevant sector. In Psychology, the additional course must have an odd number at the 100-level.
Grade type
• Pre-College credit, transfer credit, credit away and
credit earned studying abroad may be counted toward
the Sector Requirement only when departments
award credit using the number of a Penn course
approved for the Sector Requirement.
For policies governing double-counting major courses,
see Double-Counting on page 37.
Double-counting courses
• Most students may double-count no more than
one course toward both the Major and the Sector
Requirement.
• Students in majors that allow courses from both the
Living World and Physical World sectors to fulfill
their major requirements are permitted to count both
courses toward the Sector Requirement. In this case
students are permitted to double-count two courses
toward the Major and the Sector Requirement.
Majors in which this double-counting is permitted
include (but are not limited to) Biological Basis of
Behavior, Biology, Biophysics, and the Paleobiology
concentration in Earth Science.
• Students who are double majoring may count
one course from each major toward the Sector
Requirement.
• There is no limit to the number of courses that may
be double-counted between minor and General
Education Requirements.
• The same course cannot be used to fulfill more than
one Sector (i.e. the seven Sectors must be fulfilled
using seven different courses).
Major Requirements
Students are subject to the specific policies and requirements of a given major in effect at the time they
declare that major, and they remain so even if the
major requirements are subsequently changed. With
the approval of the department or program, however,
one may be permitted to abide by the new requirement
structure.
Qualifications for admission to the major
• Students must have a g.p.a. of 2.0 in major and
major-related courses already taken. Some majors
require a higher g.p.a.
36
All courses taken for a major must be taken for a letter grade, not pass/fail. Some departments have a
minimum grade requirement for all courses within the
major.
Double-counting courses
Credits needed for graduation
See the listing of credits needed for graduation by
major on pages 56-57.
Declaring a Major
Application to a major must be made by the second
semester of the sophomore year prior to Advance
Registration for the first semester of the junior year.
Students who have not declared a major by March of
their sophomore year will be barred from registering
for the next semester until they have declared. Athletes
must be declared by the beginning of junior year to
retain eligibility.
When students are ready to declare their major, they
should:
• Update their Academic Planning Worksheet on Penn
InTouch, adding the appropriate major. Students
should consult the departmental website for the
intended major to gather details on requirements.
• Have a conversation with their pre-major advisor. If
there are any concerns or doubts about choosing the
right major, they should be discussed at this time.
By the end of the conversation, a decision should be
made on the major, even if it is tentative. The premajor advisor will make any needed adjustments to
the General Education Requirements section of the
worksheet and then change its status from Unofficial
to Official. NOTE: This is only the first step. An official worksheet does not, by itself, constitute a major
declaration.
• Contact the major program and ask about declaring the major. The steps at this point vary. In some
departments students will speak directly with the
undergraduate chair. Some will ask students to fill out
and submit an application. Some will assign a faculty
advisor within the major with whom the student
must speak before declaration is complete. It is the
student’s responsibility to be sure that all the required
steps have been taken. If not, the student may still
find him- or herself on hold for Advance Registration.
• Some departments and programs (including
Architecture, Communication and Economics)
require specific coursework or other pre-requisites
before application to the major. (See page 27.)
Engineering Major for Students in the College
Transfer credits
• Only the department or program advisors determine
which credits transferred from another institution can
count toward the major.
• Because College students who pursue an engineering major do not earn the Bachelor of Science in
Engineering (BSE) degree, they do not receive professional certification and are not thereby qualified to sit
for any certification exam in Engineering.
• At least half the courses in the major must be taken at
Penn. Some departments require more.
• The engineering major does not fulfill the College’s
Major Requirement for graduation and must be
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
• College students pursuing an engineering major DO
NOT earn a dual degree. They earn a single degree
from their home school.
declared as a second (or third) major. College students
pursuing a major in engineering must have a major in
the School of Arts and Sciences.
• For College students pursuing an engineering major,
the graduation requirement of at least 16 courses in
the School of Arts and Sciences outside of the College
major still applies.
• Policies governing academic actions (mandatory leaves
of absence and drops), academic standing (probation), and petitions are those of the student’s home
school.
Free Elective Requirement
Free Electives, by definition, fulfill neither General
Education requirements nor the Major Requirement
but are counted toward the total number of credits
required for graduation. Students should consult
with their academic advisor to discuss how their Free
Electives fit into their overall curriculum, and how
many they are likely to need.
A maximum of 8 c.u. of Free Electives may be taken
on a pass/fail basis, though normally it is not recommended that students take this many pass/fail courses
(two or three is more typical).
Double-Counting Courses
Foundational Approaches
Courses may be double-counted toward a Foundational
Approach and the Sector Requirement and between a
Foundational Approach and the major but not among
two or more Foundational Approaches.
This means that the Writing, Foreign Language,
Quantitative Data Analysis, Formal Reasoning
and Analysis, Cross-Cultural Analysis and Cultural
Diversity in the U.S. Requirements must all be fulfilled
using distinct courses.
Sector and Major Requirements
Most students may double-count no more than one
course between the major and the Sector Requirement.
Students with a double major may double-count one
course for each major.
Students in majors that allow courses from both the
Living World and Physical World sectors to fulfill
their major requirements are permitted to count both
courses toward the Sector Requirement. In this case
students are permitted to double-count two courses
toward the Major and the Sector Requirement. Majors
in which this double-counting is permitted include
(but are not limited to) Biological Basis of Behavior,
Biology, Biophysics, and the Paleobiology concentration in Earth Science.
Students who are double majoring must have a
minimum of 18 unique credit units between the two
majors. Students who are triple majoring must have a
minimum of 24 unique credit units among the three
majors. Major departments may have additional rules
limiting such double-counting.
Minors
NOTES
There is no limit to the number of courses that may be
double-counted between minor and General Education
requirements.
Submatriculation
In any submatriculation program, a maximum of 4
credit units at the graduate level may be included in
both the B.A. and the M.A. degrees. Thus, the minimum number of credit units for a submatriculation
program is 36. These four courses may be part of the
major requirements or the electives of the undergraduate program, but may not include courses in independent study. Some graduate programs may permit fewer
than four courses to be double-counted.
For students in the b.a./j.d. submatriculation
program, no more than 8 courses in all can be doublecounted toward both degrees.
Policies Govering Degree
Options
Dual Degree
• Students who have been accepted to dual degree
programs must complete 14 College courses outside
the major, including courses for the Foundational
Approaches, Sector Requirement and Free Electives.
• The total number of credit units for both degrees is
between 37 and 48. Students must complete worksheets with their advisors in both schools showing
how they will meet graduation requirements.
• Dual Degree with the Nursing School: A g.p.a. of
3.00 is necessary for consideration. Consult the
Nursing School for further details.
• Dual Degree with the School of Engineering and
Applied Sciences: The Engineering School looks for
a cumulative g.p.a. of 3.00. The School also likes
to see MATH 104, MATH 114, PHYS 150, PHYS
151, and CHEM 101 and CHEM 053. By the end of
the second year, the student should have at least one
sophomore-level engineering course. The total number of credit units a student must have for the two
degrees may be as high as 46.
• Dual Degree with the Wharton School: Students
must have a minimum 3.40 cumulative g.p.a. at the
time of application. This g.p.a. does not guarantee
admission to the program. In order to apply at the
end of the first year, a student needs to have taken or
have credit for MATH 104, and a waiver or credit
for ECON 001 and ECON 002. In order to apply
in the middle of the sophomore year, students must
have taken STAT 101 and ACCT 101 and BEPP 250.
In order to apply at the end of the sophomore year,
students must have taken STAT 102 and ACCT 102
as well. Students who transfer to the College with
junior standing, whether they are internal or external transfers, may not apply for a dual degree with
Wharton.
The same course cannot be used to fulfill more than
one Sector (i.e., the seven Sectors must be fulfilled
using seven different courses).
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
37
NOTES
Application
In order to apply at the end of the first year at Penn,
students must have completed at least 8 credit units
at Penn. Students may not apply to the dual degree
program with unresolved I’s, NR’s or GR’s on their
transcripts.
Applications for a dual degree can be submitted at the
end of the freshman year, after the first semester of the
sophomore year or at the end of the sophomore year.
Students are usually not eligible to apply for the dual
degree after the sophomore year.
Both degrees must be awarded at the same time even
if the requirements for one are completed in an earlier
semester.
Submatriculation
• The minimum course requirement for the master’s
degree is 8 credit units, although some graduate programs may require more than this minimum. Courses
earning credit for the master’s degree must be at the
graduate level as specified by the graduate program,
usually at the 500 level and above.
• In any submatriculation program, a maximum of 4
credit units at the graduate level may be included in
both the B.A. and the M.A. degrees. Thus, the minimum number of credit units for a submatriculation
program is 36. These four courses may be part of the
major requirements or the electives of the undergraduate program, but may not include courses in independent study. Some graduate programs may permit
fewer than four courses to be double-counted.
• College students submatriculating in Arts and
Sciences professional master’s programs or in nonArts and Sciences graduate programs will normally
receive their Bachelor of Arts degree after four years
and then be considered solely graduate or professional
students.
• The submatriculating student should go to the graduate school office in November of the student’s senior
year to ensure that papers for the M.A. are in order.
• Some of the professional master’s programs, such as
those from the Graduate School of Education, may
require students to receive their Bachelor of Arts
degree and then be considered solely graduate or professional students. Students on financial aid should
consult with Student Financial Services if they will
become solely graduate or professional students.
Residency
All coursework for a master’s degree from Arts and
Sciences must be completed at Penn. No transfer,
study abroad, or study away courses will be accepted.
Requirements for non-Arts and Sciences programs may
vary.
Policies Governing
Academic Options
Language Certificate
• The language certificate may be earned by completing three courses of language study or courses in
literature and culture taught in the original language.
Courses used for the language certificate must be at a
level beyond that required for the Foreign Language
Requirement by the relevant department. The courses
must be taught in the original language.
• Study abroad courses may be used with departmental
approval.
• Students must earn a minimum average grade of B+
in the three courses used for the language certificate.
The courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
Students who would like to obtain a language certificate should apply to the department in which that
language is offered. If it is not offered in any department, they should apply to the Director of the Penn
Language Center. The department or Center will verify completion of the requirements for the certificate.
• Completion of the certificate will be noted on the
student’s transcript at the time of graduation.
Minors
• Minor courses must be taken for a grade (not pass/
fail).
• Students adding any of the interschool minors to
their College programs may need to complete more
than the minimum number of courses for graduation,
since only the College courses in these minors will
count toward the required number of College courses
outside the major. They should consult a College
advisor in planning their program.
• It is not possible to do a minor in the Wharton
School.
• Students who wish to declare a minor should meet
with their pre-major advisor or an assistant dean for
advising in the College Office. The advisor will add
the minor to the student’s official Academic Planning
Worksheet on Penn InTouch. The student must then
meet with the undergraduate chair or other appropriate representative of the department or program
to have the minor courses slotted in and the minor
posted to the transcript.
Interschool Minors
College of Arts and Sciences students may pursue
Interschool minors that draw on courses in Nursing,
Wharton and Engineering. Interschool minors are designated with an asterisk on the list of minors.
All College students must complete no less than 16 c.u.
of coursework outside the major in the College of Arts
and Sciences. This means that no more than 4 c.u. of
non-College coursework (and in some cases, less) will
count as electives toward their degree. Since interschool
minors involve elective coursework outside the College,
students considering such minors are urged to meet
38
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
with a College advisor while planning the minor to be
sure they will be able to graduate on time.
Minors in Engineering
College students receive official recognition on their
transcripts for completing the requirements of minors
offered by the School of Engineering and Applied
Science (SEAS).
To inquire about or apply for these minors, please contact the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate
Education in SEAS, 109 Towne Building,
215.898.7246.
The Quaker Consortium
• College students wishing to enroll in courses at Bryn
Mawr, Haverford or Swarthmore should call the
College office to make an appointment with Dr.
Wally Pansing.
• Students will need a dean’s letter of permission and
must have the chosen course(s) approved for credit
by the equivalent Penn department. At the end of the
semester, students should request that a transcript be
forwarded to the College Office. Upon receipt of the
transcript and signed credit forms, the courses and
the grades will be entered onto the Penn transcript.
The grades will be included in the Penn g.p.a.
• Summer sessions at Bryn Mawr, Haverford
or Swarthmore are not subject to the Quaker
Consortium agreement and are treated as credit away.
Study Abroad
• Transfer students must complete one semester at
Penn before applying. They must have completed
two semesters at Penn before studying abroad and
be enrolled at Penn the semester before their departure. Junior transfer students are not eligible to study
abroad.
• Petitioning for an exemption from these policies is an
option if there are compelling academic and intellectual reasons to be away from Penn the semester before
study abroad. Students should contact the College
study abroad advisor to discuss petitioning.
NOTES
XCAT is the online
External Course Approval
Tool used to determine
transfer, study away and
study abroad credits.
• Students studying abroad pay regular Penn tuition
and continue to receive financial aid as if they were in
residence on Penn’s campus. They will receive credit
for their coursework as long as the relevant academic
departments at Penn approve this credit. Their grades
become a regular part of their transcript and are calculated into their Penn g.p.a.
• Credit will not be awarded for programs that
are not formally affiliated with the University of
Pennsylvania.
• All College academic policies apply to students while
away including add, drop, withdraw and grade type
change. Students who are interested in applying to
study abroad should speak with their pre-major advisor and refer to the Penn Abroad Step-by Step for
more information on the application process.
Summer Study Abroad
Students who wish to study abroad on a Penn summer
program should contact the College of Liberal and
Professional Studies.
The College faculty, in concert with Penn Abroad and
therefore, academic advising in the College, closely
monitors the academic quality of the programs in
which Penn students enroll. Students are required to
meet with a College advisor and their major advisor to
discuss their choice of program and the courses they
wish to take abroad to ensure that the program is academically appropriate and that they will receive credit
upon their return.
Students may choose to study abroad in the summer
through an institution other than Penn. In order to do
so, they must seek prior approval from Penn departments through XCAT in order to transfer their credits.
These courses are considered credit away, and the
grades will not be calculated into the Penn g.p.a.
• Good Academic Standing and a minimum cumulative g.p.a. of 3.0 are required to apply for study
abroad; some programs stipulate a higher g.p.a. If
their admission is conditional, students must satisfy
all conditions. If students do not meet good academic
standing or violate academic integrity prior to study
abroad, permission to participate will be revoked even
if admission has been granted and travel arrangements
have been made. Students are not allowed to study
abroad if a grade notation of “I”, “NR” or “GR” or if
more than two “Fs” appear on their Penn transcript
or if their major is undeclared, unless permission is
specifically granted by the College study abroad advisor. Some abroad programs also require a minimum
level of language skill. Refer to the Penn Abroad website for more information on language requirements.
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Career
Services office recognize that it is important for students to gain practical experience through internship
programs that augment their formal education and
enhance their professional preparation. The College
prefers that its students be paid for their work, but
when this is not an option and companies insist that
the students receive credit as a condition of their
“employment,” the College will place a notation as a
“comment” on their transcript indicating that they have
completed an internship, e.g., “Internship: Summer
2011.” Students will not earn a credit unit toward their
degree.
• Students who enter Penn as freshmen must complete
three semesters of full-time study in Philadelphia and
be enrolled at Penn the semester before applying to
study abroad.
The College Office will then write to the sponsoring
company/organization granting the student permission
to work there as an intern while making it clear that
the University will not indemnify the company or orga-
Internships
In order for students to have a notation regarding their
internship placed on their transcript, they must fill out
a request form and submit it to the College Office.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
39
NOTES
XCAT is the online
External Course Approval
Tool used to determine
transfer, study away and
nization during the internship. The University will not
insure the student during the internship.
When the College Office receives confirmation that the
student has successfully completed an internship, the
notation will be placed on the transcript.
For further information and credit forms, contact Margaret Mary Thomas in the College Office,
215.898.6341.
study abroad credits.
Policies Governing
Course Credit
Placement
See the charts on pages
49-55.
The University of Pennsylvania recognizes that many
incoming students have participated in special programs of study that may earn them college credit or
placement. These programs include exams such as
Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate,
s.a.t.ii, gce A-levels, and other international exams
as well as courses taken at other colleges or universities
before matriculation at Penn (“pre-College” credit). It is
important that students understand the policies governing the award of credit in these cases since they will be
responsible for submitting the appropriate materials.
Penn will grant either credit or placement (a “waiver”)
for high achievement on most Advancd Placement
(a.p.) exams taken before matriculation if the student
indicated on the exam registration form that the scores
were to be sent to Penn. Note that the ETS code for
Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences is 2926.
After arriving at Penn, students should check their
transcript using Penn InTouch. If expected a.p. credit
does not appear, they should contact the Office of the
Registrar (215.898.6636). If expected A-Level, A.B.,
I.B. or S.A.T.II credit does not appear, they should
contact Ms. Eddrena Owens in the Undergraduate
Admissions office (215.898.7507).
It is wise for students to bring their student copy of the
Advanced Placement score report with them to campus.
Pre-College Courses
Some students enter Penn having already taken collegelevel courses during high school, either in competition
with college students or as part of a special program
taught at their high school. Penn treats these two cases
differently, and students must be careful to observe the
criteria below.
In order to seek credit for college work completed
prior to matriculation at Penn, a student must log in to
XCAT and submit a course syllabus to the appropriate
Penn department. Students should be sure to check
“pre-college course” when they make the request in
XCAT.
• Any college courses used to fulfill high school graduation requirements are not eligible for credit at Penn.
• The college or university must be a fully accredited
four-year institution.
• The course must correspond to a course offered by
Penn, or be deemed equivalent in depth and intensity.
40
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
• A grade of C or better must have been received.
• The course must be part of the normal curriculum
published in the college’s catalogue.
• The course must be taught on the college campus by
a member of the regular faculty.
• The course must be open to enrollment by, and graded in direct competition with, regularly matriculated
undergraduates at that college.
• The student must request that the external college or
university send an official transcript directly to Ms.
Eddrena Owens in the Undergraduate Admissions
office (215.898.6080) along with a letter stating that
the course was part of the normal curriculum published in the college’s catalogue, taught by the regular
faculty on the college campus and was open to enrollment by, and graded in direct competition with, regularly matriculated undergraduates at that college.
Please note: Acceptance of pre-college credit is at the
discretion of the individual Penn department or program. Instead of awarding pre-college credit, some
departments may provide an assessment exam that may
result in Penn credit. Please contact the undergraduate
chair for confirmation.
College Credit Away
Students wishing to apply for College credit away must
obtain approval from the appropriate department at
Penn before enrolling in the course. To request credit
away through a Penn department, login to XCAT
(External Course Approval Tool) and submit a course
syllabus and other supporting materials from the external institution.
A minimum grade of C is required for a course to be
eligible for credit away. The grade itself, however, will
not appear on the Penn transcript.
No credit will be granted for:
• Courses taken at two-year institutions (e.g. junior or
community college)
• Courses taken in time frames significantly different
from the regular University schedules (academic year
and summer sessions)
• Courses other than field courses taken on sites without the appropriate facilities of a college or university
(e.g., libraries and laboratories) unless supervised by
School of Arts and Sciences faculty
• Distance learning or online courses taken with institutions other than Penn.
After matriculation at Penn, students may not transfer
more than 5 c.u. of credit away. Only 4 c.u. may be
transferred for work done during one summer. Students
must complete the final two semesters of full-time
study in the College.
Study Abroad Course Approval
The College faculty, in concert with the Office of
International Programs and academic advising in the
College, closely monitor the academic quality of the
programs in which Penn students enroll. Therefore,
students are required to meet with a College study
abroad advisor and their major department to discuss
their choice of program and the courses they wish to
take abroad, to ensure that the program is academically
appropriate and that they will receive credit upon their
return.
Students applying to study abroad are required to meet
with the College study abroad advisor who oversees
the relevant abroad programs in order to discuss course
choice during the application process. After consulting the course offerings in the program abroad, students should have an idea of preferred course of study
before meeting with the College study abroad advisor.
Individual academic departments at Penn are solely
responsible for determining which courses taken abroad
are equivalent to Penn courses in particular disciplines
and whether the courses fulfill major or other requirements. Students submit requests for approval and
departments make determinations through the online
XCAT (External Course Approval Tool).
In some cases, the department may impose additional
requirements for course equivalency to be granted, or
the department may wish to evaluate courses upon the
student’s return from study abroad. Students should
be aware that it is difficult to fulfill General Education
Requirements with courses abroad. Whether pursuing courses for free electives or for the major, students
should consult with the College study abroad advisor
for their area, submit electronic syllabi through XCAT
and bring back all papers, exams, bibliographies and
syllabi from abroad.
Freshman Seminars
In addition to the courses listed in the various sectors,
one freshman seminar may be used as a substitute for a
course on the relevant sector list.
Benjamin Franklin Seminars
Benjamin Franklin Seminars are small, in-depth courses
with a heavy focus on class discussions, readings from
primary sources and paper writing. While most of
these seminars are taught by faculty in the School of
Arts and Sciences, seminars are also offered by faculty
from the other schools, including Wharton, Medicine,
Engineering and Law. The Benjamin Franklin Scholars
program offers approximately fifty of these seminars
each year.
Students who are members of the Benjamin Franklin
Scholars program have automatic access to these
seminars; however, any undergraduate may enroll in a
Benjamin Franklin Seminar. While most are introductory, they may be taken at any time. For a current list,
please see www.upenn.edu/curf/courses/.
Students may count two Benjamin Franklin seminars
or one Benjamin Franklin seminar and one Freshman
Seminar toward the Sector Requirement.
LPS Courses
The College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS)
is a division of the School of Arts and Sciences. LPS
administers programs for adult, professional and parttime students, and offers late-afternoon, evening and
Saturday courses at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate levels.
• Students in the College of Arts and Sciences may register for LPS courses through Penn InTouch.
NOTES
• Note that a certain number of spaces may be reserved
for LPS students until the first week of classes, and
some classes have restricted enrollments for LPS students only.
XCAT is the online
• College students may direct questions about enrollment policies for specific LPS classes to the LPS
office.
transfer, study away and
External Course Approval
Tool used to determine
study abroad credits.
• Students can find LPS courses using the Course
Search tool on Penn InTouch. A complete LPS course
guide, with full descriptions of courses offered, is
available at the LPS office or at www.sas.upenn.edu/lps/
course_guides/.
College 99
• The student must produce an academic paper in
connection with the study. A copy of the paper with
a recommended evaluation by the sponsor must be
submitted to the Committee on Individualized Study.
The committee will assign the final grade.
• Only one c.u. of College 99 will be allowed per
semester.
• Only two c.u. total of College 99 may be counted
towards the Bachelor of Arts degree. If a second unit
of credit is requested for the same project, a formal
letter requesting the second credit unit must be
submitted by the deadline. Some written work completed during the first semester of the independent
study project, normally the term paper, must be made
available to the Committee on Individualized Study
before a second credit unit will be considered.
Graduate Courses
Courses numbered 500-599 are designed as mixed
courses primarily for graduate students. Permission of
the instructor is required for registration by undergraduates in these courses; however, registration for courses
numbered 600 and above requires permission of the
instructor, a letter from the chair of the department in
which the course is offered, and the endorsement of the
Dean of the College.
Non-College Courses
In addition to the major, College students must take
up to 20 c.u. outside the major in order to graduate.
These include courses that fulfill General Education
Requirements and Free Electives.
Because College students will receive a B.A. from the
College of Arts and Sciences, 16 of these credits outside
the major must be Arts and Sciences courses. That
means students may count a maximum of 4 courses
from schools outside Arts and Sciences (“non-College
courses”) toward their degree (excluding any such
courses that are allowed in the major).
Students should note that, if the major is larger than
16 credits, they may not be able to count as many as 4
non-College courses toward their degree. For example,
for a Biological Basis of Behavior major:
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
41
NOTES
18.5
major courses +
College required courses outside the major +
maximum of 1.5 non-College courses =
16
36 c.u. required to graduate
Non-College courses that fulfill General Education
requirements, and those that are cross-listed with
College departments, are counted as College courses in
calculating total credits needed for graduation.
Students considering a minor that includes non-College
coursework should consult with an academic advisor to
confirm that they have will have enough College credits
to graduate.
Policies Governing
Registration
Courseload
College students are limited to 5.5 credit units per
semester. Students can raise these limits with permission from their pre-major advisor or the College Office.
This generally requires a g.p.a. of 3.3 or better and no
outstanding Incompletes.
Students should always speak with an academic advisor
before any action is taken that would cause the student
to earn less than 4 c.u. in a given term. (See page 43.)
Special Circumstances
First Semester Credit Limit
First semester freshmen are limited to 4.5. Outstanding
science students may request permission to register for
two laboratory sciences in their first semester.
Probation
Students placed on probation are required to limit their
rosters to 4 or 4.5 c.u. per term.
Full-time with 3 c.u. (see below)
In extenuating circumstances, students may elect to
take only 3 c.u. Special permission is not needed. Full
tuition is charged. However, students considering 3 c.u.
should consider carefully the risks of being enrolled in
fewer than four courses. (See page 43.)
Part-time status for seniors
Seniors in their final semester who need less than 3 c.u.
to complete their degree requirements may consider
declaring part-time status. Students who are considering part-time status must first meet with their major
advisor and then with an assistant dean for advising in
the College. These advisors will verify that the student
needs only one or two credits to graduate and make the
adjustment. Simply registering for one or two courses is
NOT sufficient to become part-time; the student must
follow the above procedure in order to make the status
change official. Part-time status must be declared by the
beginning of the semester in question.
42
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Registration Holds
A registration hold may be placed on a student’s record
that will prevent the student from registering until
action has been taken to resolve the issue. If students
are unable to register using Penn InTouch, it is their
responsibility to contact the College Office or other
relevant office promptly to determine the cause of the
problem and resolve it in a timely manner. Students
may see what registration holds, if any, have been
placed on their account by reading the messages on the
front page of Penn InTouch.
Any of the following circumstances may prevent a student from accessing Penn InTouch and registering for
courses:
• A freshman or a first-semester sophomore has not
seen their pre-major advisor to discuss registration.
The student should make an appointment to do so
immediately.
• A second semester sophomore, a junior or a senior
has not declared a major. The student should meet
with the pre-major advisor or with an assistant dean
for advising in the College Office.
• A student has an unpaid bursar bill. Contact Student
Financial Services.
• The Student Health Services office does not have upto-date insurance and immunization records.
Other types of registration holds
• Departmental hold: Certain departments require
their majors to meet with a major advisor at points
throughout their academic careers. The hold is
removed by the department after the student has met
with his or her advisor.
• Judicial hold: A judicial hold is the result of some
judicial action or inquiry concerning the student. The
student will be barred from registering until the hold
is cleared and should contact the Office of Student
Conduct for more information.
Auditing a Course
College students may not register for courses as auditors. However, with the approval of the instructor they
may sit in on courses offered in the University. These
courses will not appear on students’ records. Some
departments do not allow this type of informal audit.
Permits
Under certain circumstances special permission may be
required to register for a course. Department/Program
coordinators may enter such permits into the system,
enabling the student to register for that course through
Penn InTouch. As soon as the Course Selection period
begins, an unclaimed permit is dropped in the nightly
update of the systems.
Dropping a Course
Students may drop a class before the end of the first
five weeks of the semester by using Penn InTouch.
Failure to attend a course does not automatically result
in being dropped from the course. Courses that are
dropped will no longer appear on a student’s transcript.
Withdrawal from a Course
Students may withdraw from a course through the
tenth week of the semester with the permission of the
instructor. After the tenth week, students must petition
the Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing
to withdraw from a course. Such petitions will not be
granted without documentation of extenuating circumstances. Withdrawals are indicated on the student’s
transcript by a report of W and will not affect the student’s grade point average.
To withdraw from a course from the fifth to the tenth
week:
• Meet with an advisor in the College Office and pick
up a Withdrawal form.
• Bring it to the instructor for discussion and (if the
instructor grants his or her approval) signature.
• Return it to the College Office by the Withdrawal
deadline (the end of the tenth week of the semester).
In order to submit a petition to withdraw from a
course after the tenth week, the student should follow
the above steps and, in addition:
• Fill out a petition form, including a petition statement that explains the reasons for the request.
• Submit the Withdrawal form, the petition form, and
any accompanying documentation to the College
Office as soon as possible.
Students should be aware that their petition may be
denied.
Students considering either a drop or a withdrawal
should speak with an advisor before taking any action
and should be aware of the risks of being enrolled in
fewer than 4 c.u.
Risk of Fewer than Four Courses
Students should understand that failure to enroll in at
least 4 c.u., or dropping or withdrawing below that
number of credits, may have adverse effects in a variety
of circumstances. The most common concerns are for
Athletes
The NCAA requires that all student athletes complete
8 c.u. per year; carrying less than a full load may
jeopardize athletic eligibility. Dr. Gary Purpura is the
College’s athletic eligibility officer.
International Student
The visas that allow most international students to
study in the U.S. require carrying a full load of at least
4 c.u. per semester. Any reduction in that number may
call their visa status into question. The International
Student and Scholar Service Office can provide more
information.
Students with Financial Aid
Many aid packages require that the student complete
an average of 4 c.u. per semester. Carrying less than
this amount may cause the student to lose some or
even all of his or her financial aid. Call the Student
Financial Services office for more information.
Policies Governing Grades
NOTES
The Grading System
The policies below apply only to College students.
Students taking courses in other schools within the
University will be graded according to the policy of
those schools.
Letter grades ranging from A+ to F (with no D-) are
used to report the standing of a student upon the
completion of each course.
Grade Point Average
Grade point averages (g.p.a.’s) are computed at the
end of each semester and on a cumulative basis. The
numerical values of letter grades are:
a+ = 4.0 b+= 3.3 c+ = 2.3 d+ = 1.3 f = 0.0 a = 4.0 b = 3.0 c = 2.0 d = 1.0 a- = 3.7
b- = 2.7
c- = 1.7
(There is no d-)
The g.p.a. is calculated by multiplying the credit units
for each course (usually 1 c.u.) by the numerical equivalent of the grade received. The total for all courses is
then divided by the total number of credit units taken.
Students may calculate the g.p.a. for a selected group
of courses (major or minor courses, for example), by
using the “g.p.a. calculator” function of the Academic
Planning worksheet on Penn InTouch.
Additional Grade Types
p (Pass): The pass awarded in a pass/fail course is not
used in the computation of the grade point average,
but does confer credit. See below.
w: indicates an approved withdrawal from a course.
The following grade designations are not permanent,
i.e., students will not be graduated until these grades
have been resolved:
s and u (Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory Performance):
s and u are used to indicate the level of performance
after the first semester in a two-semester course for
which the grade is given after the second semester.
They are replaced by a final course grade after the second semester is completed.
gr: This notation often indicates that a student never
attended class or never formally dropped the class, but
his or her name still appears on a grade sheet. Students
with a gr must clarify their status with the professor
and the College Office. A student may not graduate
with a gr on the transcript.
nr: This notation indicates that no grades have been
submitted for a particular course.
i (Incomplete): A report of “i” or “ii” indicates that
a student’s work in a course is incomplete with the
instructor’s permission. For more on incompletes, see
below.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
43
NOTES
Pass/Fail Grade
Review of a Grade
In registering for courses, students may choose between
normal grading status (receiving a letter grade) and
pass/fail.
The instructor who gives an evaluation, exam or course
grade has sole authority for changing such evaluation,
exam or course grade provided the instructor remains on
the faculty (or the emeritus faculty) of the University of
Pennsylvania. In cases in which faculty appointments
have terminated, or faculty have resigned or are deceased,
sole authority for changing an evaluation rests with the
undergraduate chair of the relevant department.
• In courses taken on a pass/fail basis, a passing letter
grade (any grade above an F, including D) assigned
by the instructor is converted to P by the Registrar’s
Office and entered on the student’s transcript. P is
not calculated into the cumulative average, but an F is
entered as a 0.0 and does affect the grade point average. Instructors are not informed by the Registrar as
to who is enrolled on a pass/fail basis.
• Courses taken to fulfill any Foundational Approach
requirement, the Sector Requirement, the Major
Requirement or minor requirements cannot be taken
pass/fail.
• Students may change the grading status of a course
from normal to pass/fail (or vice versa) through the
end of the fifth full week of classes.
Should this meeting not yield a resolution that is satisfactory to both the student and the instructor, or not
be possible, the student may ask the undergraduate
chair of the relevant department for assistance in the
matter. Should the matter not be resolved with the aid
of the undergraduate chair, the student may seek the
assistance of the dean of the College. The role of the
dean is limited to insuring that the department has
arranged for a proper review of the matter.
Freshmen are strongly advised not to take courses on a
pass/fail basis.
Period for Grade Review
• College students may take no more than 8 c.u. of
coursework pass/fail, though advisors generally recommend against this many.
Incomplete Grades
Students should be aware that receiving Incompletes
can be problematic for a variety of reasons. In general, it is a far better idea to plan ahead, use advising
and academic support resources, and take other steps
to ensure finishing on time. Incompletes should be
requested sparingly if at all.
• Incompletes affect the number of credits earned in
the short term, and can have an impact on financial
aid, athletic eligibility or visa status for international
students. (See page 43.)
• Students who receive an Incomplete are rendered
ineligible for the Dean’s List and possibly Phi Beta
Kappa, even if their academic qualifications would
have otherwise been sufficient.
• Students with multiple Incompletes may be placed on
Academic Probation or even on a Mandatory Leave
of Absence. This leave of absence prevents students
from re-enrolling at Penn until all of the incomplete
coursework has been finished and those courses’
grades reported. This frequently entails at least one
semester off from school.
• Students often find that incomplete coursework from
previous semesters is very difficult to finish when they
also have a new roster of courses in which they are
enrolled.
The decision as to whether to grant an Incomplete or
not is solely that of the faculty teaching the course.
If the work for a course is incomplete as a result of the
student’s unexplained failure to hand in assigned work
or to take the final examination at the regularly scheduled time, the instructor will issue a grade of F for the
course.
44
Students in the College who wish to have an evaluation, exam or course grade reviewed must first discuss
the matter with the instructor who gave the evaluation
unless the instructor is no longer a member of the
University of Pennsylvania faculty or emeritus faculty.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Once a grade from A+ to F has been entered on a
student’s transcript and has remained through the end
of the next regular semester in which the student is
enrolled, it is considered permanent and changes will
not ordinarily be permitted. Any exception to this rule
must be approved by the Dean of the College.
Retaking a Course
Students who receive an F in a course may retake the
course for credit. Both the new grade and the original
F will be tabulated into the final g.p.a. and a credit unit
will be awarded if the student receives a passing grade.
If a student fails a course that is required for a major, he
or she should think carefully before taking the course
again, since poor performance in an introductory
course may indicate a need to consider another major.
Some students opt to repeat a course in order to demonstrate their ability to achieve a better grade. If a student re-takes a course for which he or she has received
a passing grade (including a P in a pass/fail course), the
second grade will be recorded on the transcript, but it
will not be counted in the student’s cumulative average,
and no additional credit will be awarded for it.
Please note: A few courses offered at Penn are sufficiently alike that the College will not grant credit
for both if both are taken. These include (but are not
limited to):
Physics 101 and Physics 150
Statistics 101 and 111, and Mathematics 114 and 115.
Students should check with a College advisor if there
are any questions.
Policies Governing Honors
Students who have Incompletes on their transcripts
may be denied membership.
Dean’s List
Students must have a minimum of 16 completed credits and not have been subject to a disciplinary action
for an academic integrity violation in order to be eligible. It is the practice of the Delta Chapter to elect no
more than 8 percent of the graduating class each year.
A small number of juniors is also selected at the spring
meeting.
The Dean’s List citation appears on the transcript and
is awarded annually to any student who achieves a
combined g.p.a. of 3.7 for the fall and spring semesters
provided that during the two semesters he or she has:
• Completed 6 or more c.u. for letter grades
• Received no grades lower than C
Eligibility
• Completed all courses on time with no Incompletes,
NR’s or GR’s.
In addition to grades, the committee looks for independent research, participation in honors programs,
advanced work in the major and in cognate disciplines,
and evidence of intellectual rigor in an undergraduate
program.
A student who is found by the Office of Student
Conduct to have violated the Code of Academic
Integrity of the University of Pennsylvania or who has
received a sanction of suspension or greater for a violation of the Code of Student Conduct is not eligible for
Dean’s List in the academic year in which the violation
occurred. The Dean’s List citation will be removed
from the transcript if the finding occurs after this
honor has been posted or if the violation occurs during
the summer term following the academic year in which
this honor was awarded.
Honors in the Major
• Students with a minimum g.p.a. of 3.0 may apply to
their department or program to become candidates
for honors in the major. Some majors will require a
higher g.p.a.
• Applications for honors in the major are usually taken
in the first semester of the junior year.
• The requirements for honors in the major vary from
program to program and may include special courses
and individual research on specialized subjects under
the guidance of a faculty advisor. In some departments additional credit is authorized for work done
by honors candidates.
• Students who complete honors in the major will have
this designation entered on their transcript.
Phi Beta Kappa
The Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was founded at
the University of Pennsylvania in 1892. The Electoral
Board meets every spring to elect new students who
have distinguished themselves through undergraduate
research and by breadth of study in the liberal arts.
Questions should be addressed to Dr. Janet Tighe,
Secretary of the Delta Chapter.
Selection Process
Students may not apply for Phi Beta Kappa. Those
juniors with a 3.85 g.p.a. or higher and seniors with a
3.7 g.p.a. or higher by the end of the fall semester are
automatically considered and their transcripts are evaluated by the Board, which also solicits letters of recommendation for eligible students.
The records of students who graduated the previous
year are reviewed, and a number of these students may
be elected as well. Therefore, each student is granted at
least two opportunities for review by the committee.
NOTES
Notification
Students are notified of election by letter at the end of
the spring term, prior to graduation.
Graduation Honors
In recognition of distinguished academic achievement
and high standards of academic integrity, the University
of Pennsylvania awards Graduation Honors to undergraduate students based on the cumulative g.p.a. on
their transcripts at the time of graduation:
• Summa Cum Laude: 3.80 or higher
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.60 or higher, but less than
3.80
• Cum Laude: 3.40 or higher, but less than 3.60
Students who are found by the Office of Student
Conduct to have violated the Code of Academic
Integrity of the University of Pennsylvania or who have
received a sanction of suspension or greater for other
violations of the Code of Student Conduct are not eligible for Graduation Honors. Notation of Graduation
Honors will be removed from the transcript if the finding occurs after this honor has been posted.
Policies Governing
Academic Difficulty
Course Problem Notices
When the work of a student in a given course becomes
unsatisfactory for any reason, the instructor may send
a Course Problem Notice email to the student. This
notice will indicate the nature of the problem and
suggest an appropriate person for the student to meet
with, including the instructor, a teaching assistant,
or an academic advisor. Students are expected to follow the recommendations made in these notices. The
College Office receives copies of all notices sent to
College students.
Academic Standing
The College expects all of its students to maintain good
academic standing, which is defined as follows:
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
45
NOTES
• The student must maintain a term and cumulative
g.p.a. of 2.00 or higher.
• The student may not earn more than one Incomplete
or F in a given semester
• The student must complete at least a total of 6 c.u.
over a period of two consecutive semesters (summers
not included).
• The student must be making progress toward a
College degree.
Students who do not fulfill these criteria will be placed
on Academic Probation or may be Dropped from the
University Rolls at the discretion of the Committee on
Undergraduate Academic Standing.
Students will be placed on Deferred Drop Probation if:
• They fail to meet the requirements for recovery from
General Probation as specified by the Committee on
Undergraduate Academic Standing, or
• Their academic semester or cumulative g.p.a. is below
1.70.
Students on Deferred Drop Probation must achieve a
minimum g.p.a. of 2.00 for that semester. If they do
not, they may be dropped from the rolls.
In addition, all other rules pertaining to General
Academic Probation apply to Deferred Drop Probation.
Students who earn more than one F may be dropped
immediately even if previously in good standing.
Mandatory Leave of Absence
There are several categories of probation:
Students who accumulate two or more incomplete
grades in a given term or in cumulative terms may
be placed on a mandatory leave of absence by the
Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing until
such work is finished satisfactorily.
• General Probation: Student has not met the criteria
for good standing.
• Deferred Drop Probation: Student has fallen far short
of criteria for good standing and will be dropped if
improvement is not achieved.
• Incompletes Probation: Student has multiple
Incompletes.
Students who accrue multiple Incompletes may also be
placed on a Mandatory Leave of Absence.
Students who fail to return to good standing within
one semester may be placed on Deferred Drop
Probation or Dropped from the University Rolls at
the discretion of the Committee on Undergraduate
Academic Standing.
Students are responsible for having accurate, updated
contact information on Penn InTouch so they can be
reached about their academic status in a timely fashion.
General Academic Probation
Students will be placed on General Academic Probation
if they have not met the criteria for good standing.
Students on all types of academic probation (General
Academic Probation, Deferred Drop and Incompletes
Probation) must meet the following conditions to
return to good standing:
• Meet with their academic advisor once a month while
on probation.
• Complete exactly 4 c.u. on time, with no grades of F,
I, GR (no show) or NR and no more than one pass/
fail course.
• Achieve a minimum g.p.a. of 2.00 for that semester.
Students who fail to meet these requirements for
recovery from academic probation may be placed
on Deferred Drop Probation or Dropped from the
University Rolls at the discretion of the Committee on
Undergraduate Academic Standing.
46
Deferred Drop Probation
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Students on mandatory leave will not be allowed to
re-enroll until all work is completed from ALL previous
semesters. This action is not intended to be punitive;
rather, it as an opportunity to finish incomplete courses
so that a student may start a new term without the burden of extra work.
There are a number of things to consider when placed
on a mandatory leave:
• Courses for the following term may be dropped
immediately and students will not be able to request
a return until the work for all incompletes is finished
with passing grades.
• If one or more of the incomplete courses results in
a failing grade or the term or cum g.p.a. is below a
2.0, students may be placed on academic probation
including a drop for a year. A return from mandatory
leave of absence is contingent upon achieving good
academic standing.
• Students may not receive credit for courses at any
other institution while on leave.
• Student PennCards will be deactivated.
• Students may not live in University-owned housing
and should contact Housing and Conference Services
and their House Dean to clarify the housing situation
as soon as possible.
• Students should also contact Student Financial
Services and Student Health Services if they carry
Penn Health Insurance.
• It is important to be aware of the procedures for
requesting a return from mandatory leave. Refer to
the College’s official mandatory leave notification and
the Academic Standing Coordinator for more information. Students may be asked for additional documents or evaluations to help determine their readiness
to successfully resume full-time studies.
Dropped from the Rolls
The Petition Process
Students may be dropped from the rolls by the
Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing if:
The student must first discuss the issue with an assistant dean for advising in the College Office. If that
advisor is unable to resolve the matter, the student may
submit a petition, which will be evaluated by the faculty Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing.
Petitions for waivers of deadlines submitted during the
semester in which the student is enrolled in the course
are heard by the College’s Committee of Assistant
Deans.
• They receive two or more F’s in a given semester or
term, or
• They fail to meet the terms of recovery from General
Academic Probation or Deferred Drop Probation.
Students who have been dropped from the rolls are
required to take a mandatory year away from Penn.
They may not receive credit at Penn for courses taken
at another institution during the term of the drop.
Students who have been dropped will be eligible to
apply for readmission after one full (calendar) year; a
second drop is permanent.
Note that a drop supersedes any previously granted
leave of absence. Students who have requested a leave
of absence for a given semester may still be dropped if
their previous term’s grades qualify them for the action.
Readmission After Drop
A student in the College who has been Dropped from
the University Roll will only be considered for readmission after one full (calendar) year following dismissal.
When a student wishes to return from a drop, he or she
must submit a request to return no less than six weeks
prior to the start of the desired semester (July 15 for
the fall semester, November 15 for the spring semester), or before the beginning of the relevant Advance
Registration period, if the student wishes to advance
register. This is done by contacting an advisor in the
College Office and asking for the request to return
from drop form.
Any return request submitted to the College later than
the above-indicated deadlines may be denied by the
College. Timely submission of requests and documentation is a condition of all drops. The student may be
asked for additional documents or evaluations to help
determine his or her readiness to successfully resume
full-time studies.
All students readmitted from a drop will be required
to meet with a College advisor to discuss their plan for
re-integrating themselves in the academic community
of the University. This discussion will include plans for
completing the student’s degree program as well as the
use of appropriate University support services.
Petitions
Students in the College who believe that their circumstance might warrant an exemption from a College rule
or requirement may submit a petition. They may do so
by filling out a petition form and writing a statement.
In this petition statement the student must demonstrate why he or she feels that this exemption should be
allowed. If extenuating circumstances, such as health or
family troubles, are cited, proper documentation will be
necessary.
NOTES
The committee will consider the student’s petition
statement and any supplementary materials (such as
medical documentation) that the student submits.
The student will be notified of the committee’s decision, usually within a few days of the committee
meeting. Petitions are submitted through the College
Office. Dual- and joint-degree students should address
petitions related to degree requirements to the school(s)
whose degree requirements are affected; in some cases,
a petition to both schools will be required. All other
petitions (e.g., late drop, late add, late withdrawal, late
change of grade type) should be submitted to the primary school.
Policies Governing
Transfers, Leaves,
Withdrawal and Refund
Transfer Within the University
Students who wish to apply for an internal transfer
to any of the four undergraduate schools should meet
with an advisor in their home school as well as an advisor in the school they wish to enter. Students must
indicate what course of study they plan to pursue in the
new school. A transfer request must be filed through
the student’s home school advising office; the request is
sent to the other school for consideration.
• Students are not eligible for transfer until they have
completed 8 c.u. (or two semesters, whichever comes
later) at Penn.
• Applications for internal transfer will not normally be
considered after the end of the sophomore year.
• Students applying for internal transfer must be in
good academic standing in their home school and
should have no NR’s, GR’s or I’s on their record.
• Internal transfers to any of Penn’s undergraduate
schools or divisions are not eligible to transfer again
within the University.
• External transfers admitted to any of Penn’s undergraduate schools or divisions are not eligible to transfer again within the University.
• Students in Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional
Studies are not eligible to apply for an internal transfer into the College of Arts and Sciences.
If the committee does not believe that the case warrants
exemption, the petition will be denied. Decisions are
final. Students may appeal a decision only if they can
present additional information or documentation.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
47
NOTES
Transfer into the Wharton School
Leave of Absence
Students should be aware that the Wharton School
requires a 3.4 minimum g.p.a. for transfers, though
students should have closer to a 3.7 g.p.a. in order
to be competitive. However, very few students will
be accepted for transfer into the Wharton School.
Students who transfer to the College with junior standing, whether they are internal or external transfers, may
not apply for a dual degree with Wharton.
• Students must meet with an advisor in the College
Office to discuss a leave request.
• If applying at the end of freshman year, students must
have completed ECON 001 and 002 and MATH
104.
• If applying in the middle of sophomore year, students
must have completed BEPP 250 or ECON 101 as
well as STAT 101 and ACCT 101.
• In order to apply at the end of the sophomore year,
students must have taken STAT 102 and ACCT 102
as well.
Transfer into the College from
Another Penn Undergraduate School
Students whose curricular interests change after
they have matriculated into one of the other fulltime undergraduate programs at the University of
Pennsylvania (Engineering, Nursing or Wharton) may
apply to transfer into the College of Arts and Sciences.
Any student considering such a transfer should meet
with an advisor in the College Office to discuss her
or his academic interests and plan for completing a
College degree. In preparation for this meeting, the
student should:
• Review the curriculum of the College of Arts and
Sciences and consider possible majors
• Create and update a College worksheet on Penn
InTouch.
The Committee will look for indications of future success in the College by reviewing students’ academic
records from Penn and their high school. Since this is
a competitive process, applicants who wish to pursue a
liberal arts program are encouraged to consider opportunities at other institutions as well.
The College will consider applications of students who
have demonstrated an interest in the liberal arts and
completed at least 8 c.u. at Penn. Competitive candidates will typically have a minimum Penn g.p.a. of
3.0 and high school grades and testing consistent with
College of Arts and Sciences freshmen.
Normally applications will not be considered after a
student’s fourth semester at Penn. All applicants are
expected to be in good academic standing with regard
to academic integrity. Students may apply through May
15 for entry the following fall, and January 1 for the
spring.
External transfers admitted to any of Penn’s undergraduate schools or divisions are not eligible to transfer
again within the University.
Students in Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional
Studies are not eligible to transfer into the College of
Arts and Sciences at Penn.
48
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
• The student must submit a written request for leave
of absence, detailing the reasons for the desired leave.
Written parental approval is required for students
under 17 years of age.
• The leave request will be evaluated by the College.
If the request is approved, the College will stipulate
conditions that must be met by the student before
returning from leave.
• The student will be notified with the result of the
leave request. The College may deny any request for
leave. In granting leaves, the decision of the College
is final.
Timing of Request
Students are encouraged to request a leave of absence
before the beginning of the semester in question.
Leaves requested after the beginning of the semester
may be denied. If a student is granted a leave after the
beginning of the semester in question, the normal drop
and withdrawal deadlines apply.
Students who are granted a leave of absence after the
first five weeks of the semester will receive the notation
of W (withdrawal) after each course on their transcript.
After the withdrawal period (10th week) a leave of
absence will be granted only under extremely extenuating circumstances and with proper documentation.
Duration
The standard length of a College leave of absence is
one full (calendar) year. Students may request an early
return from leave after one full semester on leave, but
should bear in mind that this request may be denied.
Students who remain on leave longer than two years
and who do not respond to the University’s attempts to
contact them will be withdrawn from active status.
Return from Leave of Absence
When a student wishes to return from a leave of
absence, he or she must submit a request to return
no less than six weeks prior to the start of the desired
semester (July 15 for the fall semester, November 15
for the spring semester), or before the beginning of the
relevant Advance Registration period, if the student
wishes to advance register. This is done by contacting
an advisor in the College Office and asking for the
request to return from leave form.
Any return request submitted to the College later than
the above-indicated deadlines may be denied by the
College. Timely submission of requests and documentation is a condition of all leaves.
The standard length of a College leave of absence is
one year. Students may request an early return from
leave after one full semester on leave, but should bear
in mind that this request may be denied.
Conditions for Return
Request within the first two weeks of class...........100%
All conditions for return as specified in the original
letter granting approval for the leave must be satisfied
before the beginning of the term in which the student
wishes to enroll. Students who have not satisfied all
conditions of their return by the first day of classes may
be denied return from leave, or, if they have been provisionally returned, may be placed back on leave until the
following semester.
Request within the third and fourth weeks of class.....50%
All students returning from a leave of absence will be
required to meet with a College advisor to discuss their
plan for re-integrating themselves in the academic community of the University. This discussion will include
plans for completing the student’s degree program as
well as the use of appropriate University support services.
Incompletes
Students with Incompletes will be required to resolve
them and receive final grades for the courses in question before they may return from leave.
Financial Holds
Students who have been placed on financial hold by
the Student Financial Services office must resolve these
issues and have the hold cleared before the start of the
term in which they wish to re-enroll.
Medical
Students whose leave request indicated medical circumstances as at least part of the reason for that request will
be required to present an appropriate physician’s current evaluation of the medical condition to the relevant
health office (Counseling and Psychological Services
and/or Student Health Services). The College, in consultation with these offices, will determine whether the
results of the evaluation suffice to satisfy the conditions
set forth in the original letter granting approval for the
leave.
Withdrawal from the University
A student who wishes to withdraw from the University
must inform the College Office in writing. If a student withdraws after the fifth week of the semester, all
course grades from that semester will be reported on
the transcript as W (withdrawal).
Tuition Refund
A student who withdraws from the College (or who is
requested to withdraw for failure to maintain a satisfactory scholastic standing) or who is granted a leave of
absence during either term of the academic year will
be eligible for a reduction in tuition and fees in accordance with the conditions set forth below. The effective
date of separation is the date the student files a written
request for withdrawal or leave of absence.
A student who is required to withdraw because of
a violation of University regulations will receive no
tuition refund.
For all other students, the percentage of the term
charges will be adjusted as follows:
NOTES
Thereafter..................................................................0%
In the case of students receiving financial aid, eligibility for the term will be redetermined based on actual
charges and prorated allowances for living expenses.
For rules regarding reductions in residence and meal
contract charges, see the current year’s residential handbook and the terms and conditions of meal plans.
Advanced Placement
Students may be able to enroll in higher-level courses
based on recognition of previous work. This is known
generally as placement and can be assessed through the
scores of standardized tests taken before matriculation
(including a.p., i.b. and s.a.t.ii) or by taking exams
administered by the department once on campus. In
either case, the relevant department will recommend
which course the student should enroll in.
A.P. and I.B. Exams
Penn will grant either credit or placement (a “waiver”)
for high achievement on most Advanced Placement
(a.p.) exams taken before matriculation if the student
indicated on the exam registration form that the scores
were to be sent to Penn. Note that the ETS code for
Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences is 2926.
After arriving at Penn, students should check their
transcript using Penn InTouch. If expected a.p. credit
does not appear, they should contact the Office of the
Registrar (215.898.6636). If expected A-Level, A.B.,
I.B. or S.A.T.II credit does not appear, they should
contact Ms. Eddrena Owens in the Undergraduate
Admissions office (215.898.7507).
International Exams
A detailed policy statement governing credit equivalence is available from the Office of Transfer Credit.
Credit is awarded for the following on a case-by-case
basis:
• ... -Level Examinations
• French Baccalauréat
• German Abitur
• Swiss Maturité
• Canada’s  Program (nd year only)
• Italian Maturità
• Denmark’s Studentereksamen
• Finland’s Matriculation Examination.
Credit cannot be granted until Penn is in receipt of
official exam results and official certified translations.
For the most current information about advanced
placement credit see
www.college.upenn.edu/
advanced-placement/.
See the chart on page 53 for a-Level equivalencies.
A.P. Physics
Credit will be granted to students who achieve a score
of 5 on the appropriate Advanced Placement (a.p.)
exam. Students may also receive credit based on their
performance on the A-level, International Baccalaureate
or other centrally administered examinations.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
49
NOTES
Students who wish to receive credit for prior lab experience must submit their lab reports and lab manual
to the undergraduate chair for evaluation. In general,
the evaluation as to whether credit will be awarded for
laboratory work performed at another institution will
be based on the number of experiments performed,
the perceived difficulty of each experiment, the level of
analysis required (including graphical presentation of
data and error analysis), and the choice and spread of
topics. Students with a.p. credit who need to satisfy
the lab requirements will be allowed to register for
PHYS 050 or 051 to receive lab credit.
Note: A student who takes PHYS 101/102, 150/151 or
at Penn will lose the corresponding physics
a.p. credit.
170/171
A.P. Mathematics
A student may receive credit for MATH 104 (1 c.u.) by
earning:
• A score of 5 on the Advanced Placement (a.p.)
Calculus BC exam
• A score of 7 on the International Baccalaureate
(Mathematics [Higher Level] plus Further
Mathematics).
No credit is given for the a.p. Calculus AB exam
regardless of score.
The Math department does not give credit for foreign
examinations, such as the German Abitur, the French
Baccalaureat, and the English A-Level.
Advanced placement credit in biology can be obtained
by earning a sufficient score on the ETS Advanced
Placement Test, the International Baccalaureate exam,
or the British A-Level exams. Credit is given as BIOL
091 only for the lecture portion of an introductory
biology course. BIOL 091 does not fulfill the Living
World sector or Biology major or pre-med requirements. Any student (with or without BIOL 091 credit)
may take a Biology Department Advanced Placement
Exam given early in the fall and spring semesters.
Credit for a departmental placement exam results in
lecture credit for the equivalent course (BIOL 101, 102,
or 121). See the Biology website for details (www.bio.
upenn.edu).
Students planning to major in Biology or BBB, or those
satisfying pre-med requirements should follow one of
these two recommended tracks:
Track 1
Recommended for students with a.p., i.b., or other
advanced biology courses and high school chemistry.
Introductory level:
BIOL 121* Introduction to Biology: The Molecular
Biology of Life (lecture and recitation,
1.0 c.u.)
BIOL 123* Introductory Molecular Biology Lab
(lab only, 0.5 c.u.)
BIOL 124 Introductory Organism Biology Lab (lab
with one hour lecture, 0.5 c.u.)
A.P. Exams Within the Math Department
* NOTE: BIOL 121 and 123 must be taken concurrently.
All students are eligible to take the Math Department’s
internal a.p. exams, which are offered at the beginning
of the fall semester. Near the end of the summer, the
times and dates of the exams will be posted near the
top of the Math Department’s undergraduate web page.
Track 2
Anyone who has studied calculus should consider taking these exams. The department keeps no record of
those who do not pass; thus, students who take the
exams and fail have lost nothing. The exams are open
to all without charge. More information is available on
the Math department website, www.math.upenn.edu/
ugrad/Undergrad.html.
50
A.P. Biology
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
ecommended for students with one year of high
R
school biology. Introductory level:
BIOL 101 Introduction to Biology A (lecture and
lab,1.5 c.u.)
BIOL 102 Introduction to Biology B (lecture and
lab, 1.5 c.u.)
A.P. Chemistry
NOTES
Credit in chemistry can be obtained by earning a sufficient score on the a.p. chemistry exam, on the i.b. exam or
on the British a-Level exams. Credit is given only for the lecture portion of an introductory chemistry course.
For example, a student who has a score of  on the a.p. test is given l c.u. for introductory chemistry, 
1. More complete advice and explanations of advanced placement policies can be found on the Chemistry
Department website, www.sas.upenn.edu/chem/.
Do you have .. or .. credit? ( 1)
YES
Does your course of study (major, pre-med)
require a full year of chemistry?
Does your course of study (major, pre-med)
require a full year of chemistry?
NO
NO
YES
YES
Are you interested in
taking the departmental
placement exam?
No further chemistry is required.
You will have 1 c.u. of 
1 toward graduation.
If you wish to take a chemistry
course, consult the chemistry
undergraduate coordinator.
YES
Take the departmental
placement exams for
 11 and 1.
If you pass both exams, you may
take more advanced chemistry
classes. Students who pass either
exam may apply for waivers for
the labs (  or 
). (See Note #2 below.)
NO
Consider chemistry for non-science
majors such as
 1.
NO
Take chem 101 (with lab 053) and
chem 102 (with lab 054). If you have
had less than one year of high school general chemistry, consider taking chem 001
instead of chem 101.
(See Note #1 below.)
If you do not pass either exam,
you keep any chem 091 credit
and take chem 101 and 102
before moving on to more
advanced chemistry classes.
(See Note #3 below.)
If you receive credit for only one
course, you should take the other
course before moving on to more
advanced chemistry classes.
(See Note #3 below.)
Note #1
Note #2
Note #3
Students with less than one
year of high school general
chemistry may choose to take
chem 001, which is similar
to chem 101 but includes a
greater emphasis on introductory concepts and problem
solving.
Students who have passed one or more Chemistry
placement exams can apply for lab waivers.
Applications for lab waivers will not be evaluated
unless a student has passed one of the departmental placement exams or has taken and passed
chem 101 or 102 (with a grade of c or better).
Students must also have an ap score of 5 from
high school level ap Chemistry.
Students with an advanced background in
chemistry from high
school can also consider
taking chem 115 and
116, Honors General
Chemistry.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
51
NOTES
Placement Charts
G.C.E. Advanced A-Level Exams
EXAMINATIONS GRADE OF A*, A OR B Accounting
No credit
No credit
Biology•
 1  091 No credit
No credit
* or a=Waiver for  1, 
=No waiver
English
Departmental reviewDept. review
Greek
grek Free (1 c.u.)
No credit
History No credit
* or =Choice of hist 041, 042 or 044 (2 c.u. limit)
=No credit
Latin
latn Free (1 c.u.)
No credit
Math
w/Further Math (Edexel)•
No credit
No credit
Math w/Special paper
w/merit (Cambridge)
No credit
No credit
* or = , , , 1 (Total  c.u.) = 1, , 11, 1 (Total  c.u.)
No credit
Chemistry•
Economics
Physics
GRADE OF C
No credit
• An internal departmental examination is also available for credit.
Students must show their original A-Level certificates to Ms. Eddrena Owens in the Admissions Office
(215.898.6080) in order to have their scores evaluated for credit.
For any exams not listed above, and for those which specify “departmental review,” students will be sent to each relevant department with a Transfer Credit form and a recommendation of 1-2 c.u. for a grade of A* or A or B.
For Advanced Supplementary (“AS”) level examinations, students will be sent to each relevant department with a
Transfer Credit Form for review.
Policies remain under ongoing review, and are subject to change without notice. See www.admissions.upenn.edu/
applying/a-level.php for updates.
52
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Advanced Placement Equivalence
EXAMINATIONS SCORE NOTES
EQUIVALENT
Art History
Waivers (no credit) for  16 or  1 (consult with
Art (studio)
 No credit (possible exemptions for majors, portfolio considered)
biol 1 (1 c.u., no .. credit given for labs)
 chem 1 (1 c.u., no .. credit given for labs)
 cis 110 (1 c.u., credit given for the a or ab exam, but not both)
, 4 cis 110 (1 c.u., credit given for the a or ab exam, but not both)
 Waiver for econ 1 (no credit)
 Waiver for econ  (no credit)
 engl Free (1 c.u., does not fulfill the Major or Writing Requirements)
 engl Free (1 c.u., does not fulfill the Major or Writing Requirements)
   (1 c.u. non-majors only, majors must see department)
 hist 1 (1 c.u.)
 fren 1 (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 fren  (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 grmn 1 (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 ital 1 (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
5 latn Free (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
5 latn Free (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
Mathematics-
-
Mathematics-*
Policies remain under ongoing review, and
 math 1 (1 c.u.)
are subject to change without notice. See
phys 1,  ( c.u.)**
www.admissions.upenn.edu/applying/a-level.php
for updates.
phys  (1 c.u.)**
phys  (1 c.u.)**
 Waiver for psyc 1 (no credit)
 span 1 (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 span  (1 c.u., fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
 stat 111 (1 c.u.)
 hist  (1 c.u.)
 hist  (1 c.u.)
Biology*
Chemistry*
Computer Science-
Computer Science-
Economics (Micro)
Economics (Macro)
English Language/Composition
English Literature/Composition
Environmental Science
European History
French Language
French Literature
German Language
Italian Language
Latin/Literature
Latin/Vergil
Physics-
Physics- (Mechanics)
Physics- (Elect. & Magnet.)
Psychology
Spanish Language
Spanish Literature
Statistics
United States History
World History
undergraduate chair)
No credit
* An internal departmental examination is also available for credit.
** For information on laboratory credit, see page 22.
The subjects and scores listed here receive the equivalencies indicated. These policies are in effect for students
entering Penn during the 2012-2013 academic year. All policies remain under ongoing review and are subject
to change without prior notice. All scores of 4 to 1 receive no credit or equivalency unless otherwise indicated.
If an a.p. exam is not listed here, Penn does not grant credit for it. For the most up-to-date listings see www.
admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/advanced.php. “Free” indicates that students receive credit without a specific
course listed on their transcript.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
53
NOTES
International Baccalaureate Equivalence
www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/baccalaureate.php
EXAMINATIONS SCORE EQUIVALENT
Anthropology
-
Biology• , biol 1 (1 c.u., no i.b. credit given for labs)
, chem 1 (1 c.u., no i.b. credit given for labs)
, 
Waiver for econ 1,  (no credit)
, , engl Free (1 c.u., does not fulfill the Major or Writing
Chemistry•
Economics
English /
No credit
Requirement)
French ••
French ••
Geography
German ••
German ••
History of the Americas
History of Europe
Latin••
Mathematics•
Math with Further Math•
Music
Philosophy
Physics
Psychology
Spanish ••
Spanish ••
Theatre Arts
, 
fren  (1 c.u.)

fren 1 (1 c.u.)
, 
fren 1 (1 c.u.)
, 
Geography Free ( c.u.)

Geography Free (1 c.u.)
, 
grmn 1, grmn Free ( c.u.)
, 
grmn 1 (1 c.u.)
, 
grmn 1, grmn Free ( c.u.)
, grmn 1 (1 c.u.)
, , 
hist  (1 c.u.)
, , 
hist 1 (1 c.u.)

latn Free (1 c.u.)
No credit (fulfills the Foreign Language Requirement)
-
No credit

math 1 (1 c.u.)
-
No credit
, , 5
Departmental review on case-by-case basis
,  1, 2 (2 c.u., for information on laboratory credit,
see page 22)
, 
Waiver for psyc 1 (no credit)
, 
span  (1 c.u.)

span 1 (1 c.u.)
, 
span 10 (1 c.u.)
, , 
Departmental review on case-by-case basis
• An internal departmental examination is also available for credit.
•• All language credits fulfill the Foreign Language Requirement.
All other Higher Level International Baccalaureate examinations will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Credit is awarded for superior performance on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level exams. These
policies are in effect for students entering Penn during the 2012-2013 academic year. In several instances evaluations have changed from previous years. All of these policies remain under ongoing review and are subject to
change without prior notice. Scores of 4 to 1 receive no credit unless otherwise indicated. For up-to-date listings
see www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/baccalaureate.php. “Free” indicates that students receive credit without a
specific course listed on their transcript.
54
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
Language Placement
At the time they first enroll in a beginning- or intermediate-level language course, all students who have
previously studied that language must have a placement score. The only students exempt from having a
placement score are those who have never studied the
language before. Credit will not be given for a language
course taken at a lower level than a student’s placement
score indicates.
French and Spanish offer computerized exams. Written
exams for Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Hebrew, Russian,
Latin and German are offered at the beginning of each
semester. The schedule and location of these exams in
September will appear on the New Student Orientation
website during the preceding summer.
Students wishing to be evaluated in a modern language
other than those taught by the language departments
should consult the Penn Language Center.
Students who feel their placement scores do not accurately reflect their language level, or students who have
other questions about their language study, should
make an appointment to speak with the coordinator of
their particular language program.
NOTES
a.p. and s.a.t.ii scores can be used to fulfill the
Language Requirement or to determine placement.
See the charts on pages 53-55.
Languages Offered
The University of Pennsylvania offers instruction in
well over 50 languages, including Arabic, Bengali,
Chinese, Dutch and so on. In addition to the language
courses that are offered as part of the degree programs
in various majors, the unique institution of the Penn
Language Center (www.plc.sas.upenn.edu) allows the
University to offer a wide variety of less commonly
taught languages, as well as other language courses for
special purposes.
S.A.T.II Scores for Language Placement
Students who have taken the s.a.t.ii exam as part of their application to Penn may use that score to place them
in the proper level:
S.A.T.II
score
register for:
French
Under 380
380 - 440
450 - 540
550 - 640•
650 or above
German
Under 350
350 - 440
450 - 540
550 - 640••
650 or above
Hebrew
700 or above••• Exempt
Italian
Under 380
380 - 440
450 - 540
550 - 640•
650 or above
fren 110
fren 121
fren 130
fren 140
Exempt
grmn 101
grmn 102
grmn 103
grmn 104
Exempt
ital 110
ital 120
ital 130
ital 140
Exempt
•Students who score between
an oral exam.
S.A.T.II
score
register for:
Japanese
Latin
S tudents who score 650 or above
may satisfy the requirement by
demonstrating oral proficiency in an
interview.
Under 450
latn 101
450 - 540
latn 102
550 - 590
latn 203
600 - 640
latn 204
650 or above
Exempt
Russian
Under 350
russ 001
350 - 440
450 - 540
550 - 640•
650 or above
russ 002
russ 003
russ 004
Exempt
Spanish
Under 380
span 110
380 - 440
450 - 540
550 - 640•
650 or above
span 120
or 121
span 130
span 140
Exempt
600 and 640 can be exempted from the Language Requirement if they pass
600 and 640 in German can be exempted from the Language Requirement
if they achieve a rating of intermediate or better on an oral exam. Students may sign up in the German
Department office before the end of the first week of classes.
••Students who score between
•••Students who score under 700 in Hebrew must sign up to take the placement exam in the office of the
Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. A score of 70 or above on Part 2 of the Jerusalem
Examination also exempts students from the Language Requirement in Hebrew.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
55
NOTES
Credits Needed for Graduation by Major
The number of credits (c.u.) required for graduation is always between 32 and 36, and is usually computed by
adding 20 to the number of courses required for the major.
Major
African Studies
Africana Studies
Ancient History
Anthropology
Architecture
Intensive Architecture
Biochemistry
Biological Basis of Behavior
Biology•
Biophysics
Chemistry
Cinema Studies
Classical Studies
Cognitive Science
Communication
Comparative Literature
Criminology
Earth Science
Paleobiology
East Asian Area Studies
East Asian Languages and Civilizations
Economics
Mathematical Economics
English
Environmental Studies
Fine Arts
French Studies
Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
German Studies
Health and Societies
Hispanic Studies
History
History of Art
Individualized Major
56
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
c.u. for the Major 12
c.u. Total c.u.
Outside the Major for Graduation
20
12
20
12
20
14
20
16
20
19
17
18
18
18.5
17.5
16
20
20
16
17
19
13
20
12
20
16
20
14
20
14
20
1420
15
20
18.5
17.5
12
20
14
20
12
20
16
20
12
20
15
20
16
20
12
20
13
20
12.5
20
14
20
12
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
32
32
32
34
36
36
36
36
36
36
36
33
32
36
34
34
34
35
36
32
34
32
36
32
35
36
32
33
32.5
34
32
32
33
34
Credits Needed for Graduation by Major
Major
c.u. c.u. for the Major International Relations
14
Italian Studies
12
Jewish Studies
14
Latin American and Latino Studies
12
Linguistics
14
Logic, Information and Computation
18
Mathematics
13
Modern Middle East Studies
12
Music
14
Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
14
Philosophy
12
Humanistic Philosophy
16
Philosophy and Science
16
Philosophy, Politics and Economics
16
Physics and Astronomy•
17.5
Political Science
12
Psychology
13
Religious Studies
12
Romance Languages (two languages)
18
Russian
12
Science, Technology and Society
14
Sociology
14
South Asia Studies
12
Theatre Arts
14
Urban Studies
14
Visual Studies
15
NOTES
Total c.u.
Outside the Major for Graduation
20
20
20
20
20
18
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
18.5
20
20
20
18
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
34
32
34
32
34
36
33
32
34
34
32
36
36
36
36
32
33
32
36
32
34
34
32
34
34
35
• Some concentrations in this major will require more than this number of c.u. to complete; in these cases fewer
courses outside the major will be required, but the total graduation requirement will remain 36 c.u.
he numbers above represent minimum credits required; depending on their individual situations, some students
T
may need more than this in order to finish their degree program. Students with any questions about their graduation requirement should meet with a College advisor.
minimum of 16 c.u. of the courses outside the major must be taken in departments within the School of Arts
A
and Sciences.
Students who are completing more than one major must use their largest major to calculate the required graduation credits. For example, a student majoring in English (12 c.u.) and Fine Arts (16 c.u.) needs at least 36 c.u. to
graduate.
Students who are completing a dual degree with the College and another undergraduate school at Penn must meet
with advisors in both schools to determine their graduation requirement.
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
57
NOTES
Index
A
C
Academic Advising
Assistant Deans for Advising 4
CaseNet 17
College Houses 15
College Office 4
Freshman 18-21
Peer Advising 8
Planning Worksheet, Academic 12
Pre-major Advising 7
Questionnaire 20
Sophomore 10-11
Student Responsibility 8
Support Services 14, 16-17
Timeline 10-11
Academic Calendar 3
Academic Difficulty 45-47
Academic Probation, General 46
Course Problem Notice 45
Deferred Drop 46
Dropped from the Rolls 47
Mandatory Leave of Absence 46
Readmission After Drop 47
Academic Integrity 31
Academic Options 30
Policies 38-40
Academic Planning Worksheet 10-11, 12
Making the worksheet official in Penn InTouch
Academic Probation (see Academic Difficulty)
Academic Standing 45
Academic Support (see Academic Advising)
Advance Registration 29
Advanced Placement (See Placement)
Assistant Deans for Advising 4
Athletes Class Attendance 32
Eligibility 32
Risk of Fewer Than 4 c.u. 43
Attendance, Class 32
Holidays 31-32
Auditing a Course 42
Calendar, Academic 3
CaseNet 17
Chemistry (Advanced Placement) 23
Class Standing 32
College 99 41
College Office 4
College Houses 15
College of Liberal and Professional Studies Courses 41
Final Examinations 32
Summer Study Abroad 39
College Website 9
Academic Options 30
Course Selection 21
Freshman Page 19
Freshman Videos 19
Pre-Major Advising Page 9
Registration Tutorial 29
Confidentiality (Privacy of Student Information) 31
Counseling and Psychological Services 14, 16-17
Course Problem Notice 45
Course Selection
First-Semester 20-21
Course Search Tool 19-21
Courseload 42
Risk of Fewer Than Four Courses 43
Courses
Advanced Placement 33-37, 49-55
Auditing 42
Choosing 20-21
College 99 41
Dropping 42
Double-Counting 36
Entry Courses to Majors 23-27
Graduate 41
Language 34, 55
Liberal Arts and Professional Studies 41
Non-College 41
Permits 42
Placement 49-55
Pre-College 33-37, 40
Retaking 44
Selection 20-21
Withdrawal 43
Credit Away (Study Away) 40
Credit Load (See Courseload)
Credits Needed for Graduation 33, 56-57
B
Benjamin Franklin Seminars 41
Biology (Advanced Placement) 50
58
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
11
Cross-Cultural Analysis Requirement 5,
Cultural Diversity in the u.s. 5, 35
Curriculum, The College 5-6, 33-37
35
D-E
Dean of Freshmen 4
Dean’s List 45
Incompletes 44
Deferred Drop Probation 46
Degree Requirements for Graduation 33
Disabilities Services, Student 14, 16,
Language Substitution 34
Double-Counting Courses 36
Dropped from the Rolls 47
Readmission After Drop 47
Dropping a Course 42
Dual Degree 37-38
Electives, Free 6, 37
Entry Courses to Majors 23-37
External Course Approval Tool (xcat)
College Credit Away 40
Pre-College Courses 40
Study Abroad 41
Summer Study Abroad 39
F-G
Final Examinations 32
Foreign Language Study
Advanced Placement 34, 55
First Semester 21
Foreign Language Requirement 5, 34
Substitution 34
Language Certificate Program 38
Languages Offered at Penn 55
Formal Reasoning and Analysis Requirement 5, 35
Foundational Approaches 5, 33-35
Free Electives 6, 37
Freshman
Advising Questionnaire 20
Course Selection 20-21
Seminars 21, 41
Videos 19
General Academic Probation 46
General Education Curriculum (See Curriculum)
Grades 43-44
Grade Point Average 43
Incompletes 44
Pass/Fail 44
Review of a Grade 44
Graduate Courses 41
Graduation
Credits needed by major
Honors 45
Requirements 33
NOTES
56-57
H
Health Services 14, 16-17
Hold, Registration 42
Holidays, Secular and Religious
Honors 45
House Deans 15
31-32
I-K
Incomplete Grades 44
International Baccalaureate (see Placement)
Internships 14, 39
L
Language Requirement
(see Foreign Language Study)
Leave of Absence 48-49
Mandatory Leave of Absence
46
M-N
Majors
Credits Needed for Graduation by Major
Declaring a Major 11, 36
Double-Counting Courses 36
Entry Courses to Majors 23-27
Honors in the Major 45
Major Certification 33
Major Requirement 6, 36-37
Non-College Courses 41
Prerequisites 28
Mandatory Leave of Absence 46
Mathematics
Advanced Placement 50
Course Selection 21
Minors 33, 38-39
Non-College Courses 41
56-57
P
Part-Tme Status
Courseload 42
For Seniors 42
Risk of Fewer than Four Courses
Pass/Fail 43, 44
43
Class of 2016 Advising Manual
59
NOTES
Peer Advising 8
Penn InTouch 13
Course Search 20,
Registration Process 29
Privacy Settings 31
PennKey 13
Permits 42
Petitions 47
Graduating Seniors 33
Phi Beta Kappa 45
Incompletes 44
Physics Advanced Placement 49
Placement 40, 49-55
-Level Exams 52
Advanced Placement Equivalence 53-54
Biology 50
Chemistry 51
International Baccalaureate Policy 49, 54
International Exams 49
Language 55
Mathematics 50
Physics 49
s.a.t.ii 55
Requirements (Fulfilling) 33-37
Pre-College Credit 40
Pre-Major Advising (also see Academic Advising)
Scope of Knowledge Required 7-8
Timeline 10-11
Web Page 9
Pre-Medicine
a.p. Biology 50
a.p. Chemistry 51
Video for Advisors 9
Probation (see Academic Difficulty)
Prerequisites 8, 27-28
Privacy (Confidentiality) 31
S
... 49, 55
Scholars Programs 30
Sector Requirement 6, 35
Seminars
Freshman 21, 35, 41
Writing 21, 34
Sophomore Advising 10-11
Standing, Class 32
Study Abroad 14, 39
Course Approval 40-41
Submatriculation 37
Support Services 16-18
T
Transfer Credit 32-36
Transfers Within the University 47-48
Tuition Refund 49
Tutoring, Subject
Tutoring and Learning Skills 14
Using the Network of Support Services
U-Z
7
Q-R
Quaker Consortium 39
Quantitative Data Analysis Requirement 5, 34
Questionnaire, Advising 20
Refund, Tuition 49
Registration 29, 42-43
Course Selection 20-21
Hold 42
Penn InTouch 29
Tutorial 29
Requirements, Degree (See Graduation Requirements)
Residency Requirement 33
Submatriculation 38
Review of a Grade 44
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Withdrawal from a Course 43
Withdrawal from the University 49
Worksheet, Academic Planning 10-11, 12
Writing
Writing Requirement 5, 34
Writing Seminars 21, 34
xcat (External Course Approval Tool
College Credit Away 40
Pre-College Courses 40
Study Abroad 41
Summer Study Abroad 39
16-17
NOTES
The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.
The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion,
color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam Era Veteran or disabled veteran in the administration of educational policies, programs or activities; admissions policies; scholarship and loan awards; athletic, or other
University administered programs or employment. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to:
Executive Director, Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Sansom Place East,  Chestnut
Street, Suite , Philadelphia,  11-1 or by phone at 1.. (Voice) or 1.. ().
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