<p>I'm trying to get a feel for courseload and schedules at the schools I'm looking at. How many courses do Duke students typically take per semester, and does it seem like a lot of work? I'm trying to gauge Duke's semester system against Northwestern's quarter system.</p>
<p>The typical workload is 4 full credit courses a semester. 4.5 is the max you can take without overloading. You need permission for 5.5 or above and usually you need to work your way up (ie. take 5.5 before taking 6 before taking 6.5). </p>
<p>The courses themselves vary widely in terms of work. You'll obviously get more work with math/science/eng courses since they have lab and recitation and whatnot. Classes can range from 2 75-minute lectures a week to 3 50-minute lectures plus 1 hr recitation plus 3 hr lab a week.</p>
<p>my question isn't completely related to this thread but does duke assign you to a certain major upon acceptance? because my letters from my other colleges all tell me what major i would be but i haven't seen any thing of this sort in duke's letter. is this of any importance? i'm looking to be a biology major going on the premed path so i'd like to know b/c it would be really bad if i enrolled in duke and found out i was enrolled as a art major or something since that's what i put as my second area of interest in my duke app. so anyone offer any help? thanks in advance!</p>
<p>No you definitely won't be assigned a major. Everyone is undeclared when they come in, and you're assigned advisers basically based on your dorm, so nothing to worry about!</p>
<p>How easy/difficult is it to shift from Trinity to Pratt?</p>
<p>Contact them now if you want to switch. It'd be best to switch before registration starts.</p>
<p><a href="http://advising.trinity.duke.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://advising.trinity.duke.edu/</a></p>
<p>If you prefer to wait:</p>
<p><a href="http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/pratt.html%5B/url%5D">http://t-reqs.trinity.duke.edu/pratt.html</a></p>
<p>loveduke22- Maybe it's changed since I was a freshman a few years ago, but my pre-major advisor was kind of related to what I put as interest on my application. I don't think it was assigned by dorms. I thought that they tried to loosely assign you someone near your field of interest (but it doesn't really matter what major you choose when you get here).</p>
<p>don't worry about switching too much yet; as a dukie you can any course your heart desires</p>
<p>the only thing the school matters for is it specifies what you need to graduate four years from now, and your advising</p>
<p>mention switching to pratt to your advisor, look at the pratt website and follow their course schedule, and I think you should be fine</p>
<p>The important thing for switching into Pratt is that you have to choose certain courses freshmen year like EGR53. You might also want to start taking math, chem, physics, etc if you don't have credit for it.</p>
<p>I'll want to do a BS in CS, I've heard that you can only do a BA if you're in Trinity, is that true? :confused: If not, then what's the difference between a BS degree from Trinity and Pratt?</p>
<p>Computer Science is only offered in Trinity and I believe they only give out BAs. If you do Pratt, you cannot only do CS (which Pratt does not offer). Your primary major will have to be in Pratt (ECE/CE/ME/BME) with a double major in CS. I'm pretty sure you'll only get one piece of paper that says BS in some engineering and CS. </p>
<p>I don't think BA and BS matters all that much. If you are doing Pratt purely for that BS then I'd say that's just being cruel to yourself because it's a lot more work.</p>
<p>But on the CS depatment's site they say they give out both BS and BA degrees. Now, I'm really confused. :(</p>
<p>Let me check, since I'm in Pratt I only know the Pratt side of things.</p>
<p>Edit: My apologies, you can indeed do a BS degree in CS in Trinity. The department offers both a BA (usually geared for double majors) and a stand alone BS (for in depth study). The department also offers a BS double major program with ECE (Pratt).</p>
<p>That should put your fears about BA/BS to rest.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for clearing that up. :D I guess I'll be staying in Trinity then. At least, until I get there and see things for myself. ;)</p>