Distribution Requirements

<p>It looks like Carleton does not apply AP credits to distribution requirements except for part one of the writing requirement. And according to my look at the website there are 11 classes to take plus 4 terms of PE (that is if classes are 6 credits). Does this concur with what others have seen or know? THanks!</p>

<p>Yes, this is pretty much it. I think the requirements changed a little for '14, they have announced that graduation reqs will be different with new incoming freshman class.</p>

<p>Here are [the</a> new requirements](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/academics/requirements/]the”>http://apps.carleton.edu/academics/requirements/), which links to a comparison with the old requirements. At first glance, the new reqs are a lot more confusing. It used to be fairly easy to satisfy the distro requirements; I don’t know anyone who had trouble doing so, or even anyone who found it really inconvenient. It also looks like they still have the writing portfolio, which was a pain.</p>

<p>Uh-oh. I’m definitely not loving those new requirements, especially the literary analysis and the intercultural domestic studies requirements.</p>

<p>How many classes are “six credits”?</p>

<p>^Almost all of them. The only classes that aren’t six credits are music lessons, chamber groups, etc.</p>

<p>Ok, got it. The distribution requirements say that you have to have 6 credits in a bunch of areas but I just didn’t know how many classes that would actually be.</p>

<p>Yep, that would just be one class. 12 credits = 2, 18 credits = 3, and so on.</p>

<p>Do you know if they take high school languages into account at all? I’m more than happy to take more French, but is it possible to skip out of some if you can demonstrate proficiency/fluency? I only ask because the requirement seems kind of vague (“proficiency in another language”).</p>

<p>You’ll take a language test over the summer, which will place you out of 101, 102, 103, or 204 (assuming you do, in fact, know the language). If you have a decent background in French, you’ll probably place into 103 or 204. Once you pass 204, you have completed the language requirement.</p>

<p>If you take the AP test and get a 5, I think you’re exempt from the language requirement.</p>

<p>In addition to mflevity’s list:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Important for any science majors, most labs are given separate credits - usually 2 - independent of the lecture class (usually 6 credits).
e.g. genetics lab, bio chem lab, computational chem lab, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>There are some classes that run for only 1/2 the trimester (i.e. 5 weeks) that are 3 credits.</p></li>
<li><p>To expand on the “arts” list, participation in chorus, orchestra, dance, theater groups and classes usually grant 1 credit (music lessons usually 2).</p></li>
<li><p>There are “Coffee and News” small weekly seminar get-togethers to improve conversational strength in a foreign language, e.g. French, German, etc., that grant 2 credits. Can be lots of fun.</p></li>
<li><p>Visiting speaker seminar series are sometimes held granting 1 credit.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Many of the 1-2 credit courses are offered only pass-fail (“SCRUNCHed”) making for an even more easy going, enjoyable experience.</p>

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<p>I think a good enough SAT II score will also get you out of the requirement. Way back when I took the Spanish placement test, it was actually just an old SAT II. </p>

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<p>Did they start doing this for the intro level labs? Having to take a zero-credit, four-hour weekly lab always seemed pretty unfair.</p>

<p>@Americanski: no, the lab credit arbitrariness has not changed. The 2 credit labs are only for certain advanced bio, chem, or psych labs. I’m pretty sure that physics and geology majors only have 0 credit labs, yet they have the same weekly time commitments as the 2 credit labs in other subjects.</p>