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Course Placement

phone: 919-660-5996 | email: pratt-advising@duke.edu | pratt.duke.edu/undergrad/students/first-year

You may be able to receive credit for coursework or examinations that you complete prior to matriculation at Duke. This section contains information to guide you through the transfer request process by credit type. 

PRE-COLLEGE WORK

There are three types of pre-college work that we recognize: 

  • Advanced Placement exams (AP) 
  • International Placement Credit exams (IPC) 
  • Pre-matriculation courses (PMC) 

Each of these is handled a little differently, and each is explained below. 

All course equivalents for your Duke-recognized AP, IPC and PMC credits will be listed on DukeHub in the Academics section under the Student Test Credit window and on your Duke transcript after Duke has received the appropriate documentation. These credits can fulfill prerequisites or graduation requirements, depending on the major and program. Pratt students are allowed to count more than two AP or IPC Credits toward the 34 credits for graduation. It is possible to use a maximum of two AP or IPC credits to satisfy the Pratt social sciences/humanities (ss/h) requirement, in addition to the few exceptions noted on the AP table (see below). 

AP and IPC credits are reviewed and awarded by the Office of the University Registrar. Be sure to have your official scores sent to them for review. For more information on AP and IPC, visit the link pratt.duke.edu/undergrad/policies/3483

AP EXAMS

In order to receive credit for your AP exams, you must request your official scores be transmitted directly to the Office of the University Registrar by AP Services. 

The AP table outlines the AP exams that Duke recognizes, scores required for corresponding Duke course equivalent and placement guidelines. If you have asked AP Services/College Board to report your scores to Duke, they will be received and evaluated by the Office of the University Registrar, usually in the first week of July. To confirm if your AP credits have arrived at Duke and have been added to your record, go to your Academics page in DukeHub and view the Student Test Credit box. Your official AP credits will be listed there. If you have not sent your scores to Duke, do so as soon as possible. 

AP EXAMSCOREDUKE CREDITELIGIBLE TO TAKE
Arts: Art History5ARTHIST 20200-400 level courses
Arts: Studio Art: 2-D Design5ARTSVIS 21200-400 level courses
Arts: Studio Art: 3-D Design5ARTSVIS 21Advanced level courses
Arts: Studio Art: Drawing5ARTSVIS 21Advanced level courses
Biology4BIOLOGY
20 (a)
Advanced level courses
Biology5BIOLOGY 21BIOLOGY 203L (Spring Only) or
BIOLOGY 201L (Fall and Spring)
Chemistry4CHEM 20 (b)BIOLOGY 203L (Spring only) or
BIOLOGY 201L or 202L (Fall and Spring)
Chemistry5CHEM 21 (b)CHEM 201DL.002 OR 110DL (Fall term only), 201DL or 101 DL (All Terms)
Chinese: Language and Culture4 / 5CHINESE 201204 or 200-400 level courses
depending on placement score
Computer Science: Principles5COMPSCI 20 Any Computer Science Course
Computer Science: A4 / 5COMPSCI
10 L
COMPSCI 201
(A&S only, No Pratt Credit)
Economics: MicroeconomicsNo creditN/AN/A
Economics: MacroeconomicsNo creditN/AN/A
English: Literature & Composition4 / 5ENGLISH 20Any course except ENGLISH 20
English: Language & Composition4 / 5ENGLISH 22Any course except ENGLISH 22
Environmental Science4 / 5ENVIRON
20
ENVIRON 21
French: Language & Culture5FRENCH
204
Any 300 level FL course
except FRENCH 302
German: Language & Culture4GERMAN
29
GERMAN 204 or 305S
German: Language & Culture5GERMAN
29
GERMAN 305S or above
History: World4 / 5HISTORY 21Any history course.
History: United States4 / 5HISTORY
23 & 24
Any history course.
History: European4 / 5HISTORY
25 & 26
Any history course.
Human GeographyNo Credit N/AN/A
Italian: Languages & Culture4ITALIAN
204
ITALIAN 301
Italian: Languages & Culture5ITALIAN
204
Any 300 level course
Japanese: Language & Culture4 / 5JAPANESE 203JAPANESE 204 or 305
depending on placement score
Latin Literature 4LATIN 25 LATIN 204  
Latin Literature 5LATIN 25LATIN 300 level course or above 
Math: Calculus AB5MATH 21MATH 122L (Fall) or 112L (Spring)
Math: Calculus BC4MATH 21 (c)MATH 122L (Fall) or 112L (Spring)
Math: Calculus BC5MATH 21 & 22 (c)MATH 221, 212, or 202
Music: Theory4 / 5MUSIC
161-1
Any course except MUSIC 161-1
Physics C: Mechanics4 / 5PHYSICS
25 (d)
Consult department
Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism4 / 5PHYSICS
26 (d)
Consult department
Physics 1& 2: Algebra-BasedNo CreditN/AConsult department
Pol Sci: United States Government & Politics4 / 5POLSCI 20Any 200-400 level course
Pol Sci: Comparative Government & Politics4 / 5POLSCI 21Any 200-400 level course
Psychology5PSY11Any course. AP cannot be
used towards major requirements.
Spanish: Language & Culture5SPANISH 204Any 300 level course
Spanish: Language & Culture4 / 5SPANISH 204Any 300 level course
Statistics5STA 20 (e)STA 101, 102, 198, or 199

AP EXAM NOTES AND UPDATED INFORMATION

Some courses (for example Biology 201L, Econ 201D, Math 202, 212, 218, 221 and Physics) have pre-requisites that you will need to have before you can enroll; pre-requisites are listed on the class detail page for each course. AP credit in English does not exempt any student from WRITING 101. 

Students must have earned Chem 21, 101DL or 110DL credit in order to enroll in Biology 201L. 

CHEM 110DL is only offered in the fall. In the Pratt School of Engineering, CHEM 20 will not satisfy the Biomedical Engineering chemistry requirement. Biomedical Engineering students are required to take CHEM 110DL and CHEM 201DL. For discussion of placement, see https://chem.duke.edu/ undergraduate/placement-guidelines. 

See www.math.duke.edu/undergraduate/course-placement/guidelines for discussion of placement. Students who are interested in economics and social sciences and who are confident they will not pursue math, physics, chemistry, or engineering may take MATH 202 instead of MATH 212. The engineering math requirement sequence is Math 111L, 112L, 218D-2, 219, and 353. 

In Pratt School of Engineering, at least ONE Physics course must be taken post-matriculation to satisfy the Physics requirement in the Engineering curriculum. Students receiving AP credits for PHY 25 and 26, must: a) take a Duke Physics course at or above PHY 153L; b) decline the AP credit for PHY 26 and take PHY 152L; or c) decline both AP credits and take PHY 151L and 152L. In Trinity College, AP credits for PHYSICS 25 and 26 are not accepted for Physics and Biophysics majors. Any of the introductory physics course sequences are accepted for Physics and Biophysics majors, but PHYSICS 161 and 162 are strongly encouraged. The introductory physics requirement for Physic and Biophysics majors with AP credits for PHYSICS 25 and 26 can be satisfied with PHYSICS 163.

AP credit only applies to students in Trinity College. No credit is awarded for Engineering students and will not count toward the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree. 


In order to have your AP credits placed on your Duke record/transcript, you must have the AP Service send your scores to the Office of the Registrar at Duke. To send AP scores to Duke, contact AP Exams, CN6671, Princeton, NJ 08541-6671; http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_rep.html; 609-771-7300 or 888-225-5427. Duke’s CEEB number is 5156. 

WHERE DO I SEND MY AP EXAM INFORMATION?

The information should be sent to the University Registrar at: Attn: Office of the University Registrar Box 104804, Duke University, Durham, NC 27701. The Registrar’s phone number is 919-684-2813 and the fax number is 919-684-5400. Feel free to also email with questions: registrar@duke.edu. URL: registrar.duke.edu 

INTERNATIONAL PLACEMENT CREDIT (IPC) 

Duke University also recognizes various international standardized examinations and grants a limited amount of credit and placement in advanced courses for students whose performance in these examinations meets certain standards established by the University. These credits can be awarded only in those subject areas for which there is an AP exam offered domestically. Credits awarded for International Placement exams are counted as credit in the same way as AP credits are awarded. Scores of all examinations must be directed to the attention of the Office of the University Registrar. Only original documents, not copies, are accepted. Scores needed for International Placement exams are listed below. 

EXAMINATIONSCORE
British, Hong Kong, Scottish, Singapore or Zimbabwe A-levelA or B
Austria Matura Certificate Exam1 or 2
Cambridge Pre-U ExamM3 or higher
Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam1 or 2
French Baccalaureate14 or higher
German Abitur10 or higher
Higher Secondary Certificate Exam (India)84 or higher
All India/Delhi Senior School Certificate Exam84 or higher
Indian School Certificate Exam84 or higher
International Advanced Level (AIL) ExamA or B
International Baccalaureate6 or 7 on the higher level
Israeli Matriculation Certificate (Bagrut)75 or higher
Swiss Maturite4 or 5
Victorian Certificate of Education38 or higher

Request that the scores of your examinations be sent directly to the Office of the University Registrar as soon as you can or bring your official certificates with you and present them at the Registrar’s Office when you arrive. For questions or concerns, contact the Registrar’s Office (registrar@duke.edu). If you have questions about the use of IPC for placement into Duke courses, contact an academic dean in Pratt. 

PRE-MATRICULATION CREDIT (PMC) 

If you studied at another college or university while attending high school, you may be eligible to receive Pre-Matriculation Credit. Such work must not be part of the high school program nor high school graduation requirements. A complete list of criteria that must be met for Pre-Matriculation Credit policy, procedure and the necessary forms can be found at https://registrar.duke.edu/student-records-resources/transfer-credit