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Special Student Program

Adults holding at least a baccalaureate degree (BA or BS) may take 1-2 undergraduate courses in the fall, spring, or summer terms after being accepted as a special student. While first priority for enrollment must be given to Brown degree candidates – and thus special students may not enroll in "limited enrollment" courses or in most "special permission required" courses - a wide variety of courses is available.

For students who have not yet completed their undergraduate degree and who wish to matriculate at Brown, please visit the Resumed Undergraduate Education (RUE) Program sponsored by the Dean of the College.

Courses

• A full listing of courses for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters is available through the Brown University Online Course Catalog
• A listing of summer courses is also available through the website of Brown Continuing Education.
• Each Brown course carries 4 semester credit hours.
• Fall and Spring Semesters are each 12-13 week terms with an additional period of approximately 2 weeks for reading period and final examinations.
• The Summer term has 6 weeks of classes and an additional week for reading period and final examinations.
• Special students may take a maximum of two courses in any one term.

Credit and Audit Options

• In the Fall and Spring semesters, Special Students may enroll in courses either to receive academic credit or as an auditor.
• In the summer, courses are available on a for-credit basis only. No auditing is permitted in the summer.

Credit

• The student must meet all the course requirements as specified by the instructor.
• Students are also subject to the same academic policies regarding course prerequisites, grading options, extension of work, etc. as any other Brown student.
• These policies are outlined in the University Course Announcement Bulletin and are available for the summer term through the publications of Brown Continuing Education.

Audit

• Auditing is permitted only at the discretion of the instructor and students are generally not permitted to audit laboratory, writing, or language courses.
• No transcript is generated for auditors.
• Auditors are not issued a University identification card, nor are they granted access to University facilities beyond the classroom where their course(s) is scheduled to meet.
• In the summer, courses are available on a credit basis only. No auditing is permitted in the summer.

Additional Policies

• Students requesting additional time to complete a final paper or assignment must have the instructor sign an incomplete form, which must be filed with the Registrar's Office.
• All incomplete course work must be finished within one year for Fall or Spring semester courses or by the start of the fall semester for the Summer term courses.
• Excuses from final examinations require the permission of an academic dean.