Graduation Requirements for Undergraduates

In the Brooks School of Public Policy .

Students must track their progress towards graduation by comparing their Advisement Report in Student Center with their current transcript and an appropriate curriculum sheet. Official transcripts can be obtained from the Office of the University Registrar (B07 Day Hall). Curriculum sheets are accessible on the Brooks School website.

It is the responsibility of students to plan their course selections carefully to ensure they meet all graduation requirements within eight semesters. Transfer students may have a different timeline based on the number of transferable credits they receive upon admission. Students who require additional semesters to fulfill graduation requirements must schedule a meeting with an advisor at the Brooks Office of Admissions, Student Services, and Career Management. During this meeting, they can request to petition for an extension.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement:

Students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (equivalent to a grade of C) or higher to be eligible for graduation.

Cornell Credit Requirements:

To graduate from Cornell University, a student must fulfill the following credit requirements:

• Earn a minimum of 120 academic credits (physical education credits and 10XX courses do not count toward the 120 required credits).
• Of the 120 credits required to graduate, at least 60 credits must be earned at Cornell University (applicable to transfer students).
• First-year matriculated students may apply a maximum of 15 non-Cornell credits toward the 120 credits required for graduation. These credits include AP, IB, and college credits earned elsewhere (refer to the Advanced Placement Credit section below).
• College credit earned before matriculation and used to meet Cornell’s minimum admission requirements may not be counted in the 120 credits required for graduation (not applicable to transfer students).
• Courses taken in a high school setting or counted toward high school graduation, such as Syracuse Project Advance, are not eligible to count for credits or fulfill graduation requirements.
• Cornell’s extramural credit is limited to 15 credits toward the 120 required (refer to the Extramural Credit section below).
• There are strict limitations on the number of credits that can be applied toward the 120 credit minimum for special studies courses (including but not limited to 4000, 4010, 4020), 4030 courses, and courses taken with an optional S–U grade (refer to the Special Studies section below).

Brooks School Credit Requirements:

The 120 minimum required academic credits at the Cornell Brooks School are structured into four main categories:

1. Distribution:

• Natural Sciences
• Social Sciences
• First-Year Writing Seminars
• Humanities
• Quantitative and Analytical Courses (Math and Statistics)

1. Major Requirements
2. Elective Credits
3. Physical Education

Students are advised to refer to the curriculum sheets corresponding to their major for detailed information regarding course selections. These curriculum sheets can be accessed on the school’s website.

Brooks School and Human Ecology Coursework (43 credits):

Students must complete a minimum of 43 credits of coursework within the Brooks School of Public Policy and the College of Human Ecology including courses from DEA, FSAD, HD, NS, PUBPOL at any level, or HE at the 3000/4000 level.

The following courses are not eligible to meet this requirement: FWS courses, any 4030 Teaching Apprenticeship courses, and any HE coded courses under 1500.

Human Ecology Coursework (9 credits):

Students must complete a minimum of 9 credits of coursework within the College of Human Ecology, (Design and Environmental Analysis (DEA) , Fiber Science and Apparel Design (FSAD) , Human Development (HD) , Human Ecology (HE) , or Nutritional Sciences (NS) ).

These can be taken S/U only if course is NOT used to fulfill a curriculum requirement.

The following courses are not eligible to meet the Human Ecology credits requirement: FWS courses, HE 1006, HE 1105, HE 1110, HE 1115, HE 1200, and any 4030 Teaching Apprenticeship course.

Elective Credits:

Students have diverse objectives when selecting courses beyond the minimum requirements of their major. Cornell University offers a wide range of departments, centers, and special programs, providing almost unlimited fields of study. Staff advisors and faculty mentors are available to help students explore courses that align with their interests and contribute to a well-rounded education.

Elective credits can be earned in any department or college across the university, allowing students to tailor their academic experience to their individual goals and interests.

Physical Education Requirements:

• Students are required to earn 2 credits of physical education (PE).
• These 2 credits are not counted as part of the 120 total academic credits required for a degree, nor do they count toward full-time status.
• PE credits also do not count toward the 60 Cornell credits needed for transfer students.
• Students who transfer externally to Cornell are exempt from the PE requirement.
• Students must also pass the university’s swim test, unless they transfer externally to Cornell, in which case they are exempt from the swim test. Further details can be found in the University Graduation Requirements section of the catalog.

Course Distribution Requirements:

Course distributions are identified by two sets of letters. The first set refers to the course content type, while the second set refers to the college offering the course. The curriculum sheet will only mention the course content types (the first set of letters). This provides flexibility to choose any course with the specified distribution, regardless of the college offering it.

*For more details, refer to the courses of study distribution page.

Minimum Semester Requirements:

• First-year students entering the Brooks School must complete at least 3 credits of PUBPOL coursework each semester for their first four semesters, excluding winter and summer sessions (beginning with students entering in fall 2022).
• Transfer students are required to complete at least 6 credits of PUBPOL coursework in each of their first two semesters.
• Students must carry a minimum of 12 credits each semester, excluding physical education, to be considered full-time students.
• Mature students have a minimum credit requirement of 6 credits each semester.
• In certain circumstances, students may petition to carry between 8 and 12 credits. The General Petition Forms for this exception can be found on the Brooks School website. It is recommended that students meet with the Brooks School registrar or an academic advisor for further discussion and guidance.

Special Studies:

• A maximum of 12 credits of special study coursework from the Brooks School or other colleges will count towards the overall 120 credits required for graduation. These courses will be indicated on the class roster with a Component of either IND or RSC (additional credits can be taken but will not be applied toward graduation).
• A maximum of 12 credits from the 4000-4030 level may count towards the 43 credits required within the Brooks School.
• A maximum of 3 credits from the 4000-4020 level (excluding PUBPOL 4030 - Teaching Apprenticeship ) may count towards the 9 Human Ecology credits
• Students cannot TA (PUBPOL 4030 - Teaching Apprenticeship ) the same course for credit more than once or take and TA the same course simultaneously. PUBPOL 4030 does not fulfill any major requirements. Registration for PUBPOL 4030 may not exceed 5 credit hours per semester.

10XX Courses:

Academic support courses numbered 10XX do not count towards graduation requirements but do contribute towards maintaining full-time semester status.

Requirements for Majors:

Students are expected to meet the requirements specified for a major that is in effect at the time of their enrollment or later. These requirements are outlined in curriculum sheets that are updated and maintained for each academic year.

S-U Grade Options:

• S/U grading option may NOT be used for any required course unless it is the only grade option offered for those courses.
• S/U grades MAY be used for electives in and in the 9 Human Ecology credits.
• Students can apply a maximum of 12 credits of S-U grades toward the 120 credits required for graduation. Courses offered only as S-U grades do not count towards this limit. Additionally, PUBPOL 4990 - Honors Program  taken as S-U does not count against the 12-credit maximum limit.
• Students have the option to take additional S-U courses beyond the 12-credit limit, but those credits will not count toward graduation requirements.

First-Year Writing Seminars:

In their first two semesters at the Brooks School of Public Policy, students must enroll in a Knight Program First-Year Writing Seminar . This requirement also applies to transfer students. However, transfer students may have one or more seminars waived if the college registrar grants credit for equivalent coursework taken prior to matriculation at Cornell.

Failure to fulfill this requirement on time may result in referral to the program committees on academic status. Please refer to the Criteria for Good Standing  for details on warning statuses applied to students who do not meet this requirement.

First-year writing seminars must be completed at Cornell and cannot be taken in absentia. Students who achieve a score of 5 on either the English Literature and Composition or English Language and Composition Advanced Placement (AP) exams may be exempt from one semester of their first-year writing seminar requirements. Other AP scores do not grant exemptions or allow for elective credits in the college. It’s important to note that the add/drop period for first-year writing seminars may be shorter than that of most Cornell classes.

Advanced Placement Credit:

Students can earn advanced placement credit through the following methods:

• Achieving the requisite score on a departmental examination at Cornell (typically conducted during orientation week) or on a College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) achievement test. The required scores for CEEB exams are determined by the relevant department at Cornell and vary by subject.
• College-specific rules apply to many AP courses such as biology, English literature, English composition, and statistics.
• Completing a regular course at an accredited college as a college student and receiving approval from the relevant department at Cornell. Some departments delegate the review of courses to college staff based on formulated guidelines, while others review each request individually. The acceptance of credit from accredited colleges may vary by department.
• Evaluation of credit from the International Baccalaureates (IB)  is done on an individual basis.

Please refer to Cornell Credit Requirements for information on how many Advanced Placement (AP) credits can be applied toward the 120 credits required for graduation.

*It’s important to note that Cornell does not accept credit for courses sponsored by colleges but taught in high schools to high school students, courses at colleges targeted at high school students, or courses used toward high school credit. These courses also cannot be used to fulfill college requirements. However, students who have taken such courses may qualify for credit by taking the appropriate CEEB test.

Foreign Language Study and Placement:

Students who have prior experience studying a foreign language and wish to continue their language studies at Cornell have the following options:

• Take the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) test in that language.
• Take a Cornell departmental language placement test.

To determine which test to take and for information on testing schedules, students should contact the appropriate language department at Cornell.

Proficiency in another language is often necessary for Brooks School students who plan to work with non-English-speaking individuals, both domestically and internationally. Many study abroad programs in non-English-speaking countries require the equivalent of two years of college-level language study. Therefore, students are encouraged to develop proficiency in another language to enhance their academic and career opportunities.

Extramural Credit:

Extramural credit is managed by the Office of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, located at B20 Day Hall. They may be contacted by phone at (607) 255-4987. Extramural credit is charged based on the credit hour at the endowed tuition rate.

Students are allowed to apply a maximum of 15 credits of extramural credit toward their degree requirements. However, there are specific regulations regarding enrollment for extramural credit:

• Students may enroll for extramural credit during the fall or spring semester only if they are not registered in the Brooks School of Public Policy. For instance, some students may enroll for extramural credit before officially matriculating at Cornell.
• An exception to this rule applies to credit earned through the Ithaca College or Wells College exchange programs. Students participating in these programs can maintain their status as students registered in the Brooks School of Public Policy while simultaneously enrolled in these exchange programs.

For further inquiries or details about extramural credit enrollment and regulations, please contact the Office of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions.