Add Period and Pass/Fail Guidance
Add Period
Brandeis offers students the opportunity to explore course offerings during the add period.
Advisors can give the following guidance to students:
Students should consider the following when adding or dropping a class after the first session:
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Instruction begins on the first day of class; students are responsible for learning material and completing assignments from the beginning of the course.
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Your peers and professors expect you to be prepared for and participate in class even if you are not sure whether you will be remaining in/ admitted to the course.
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Check the syllabus; professors may have requirements about attendance and completion of work that apply specifically to the first session/s of class.
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If you decide to drop a course, do so promptly, so that students on the waitlist list have the opportunity to add the course and faculty know you are no longer in the course. Refer to the Academic Calendar for the specific drop deadlines.
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Adding a class after the first session/s can set you far behind in the material – particularly if the class meets only once a week
Chairs can give the following guidance to faculty:
Faculty who are concerned about students adding or dropping courses after the first class session/s should consider including syllabus statements, such as:
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Students must attend the first (number of) class session/s in order to remain enrolled in the class.
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Instruction begins on the first day of class; students are responsible for learning material and completing assignments from the beginning of the course.
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Students who do not attend the first (number of) class session/s may not (be able to) make up missed work.
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Students who do not attend the first (number of) class sessions run the risk of not being able to (succeed in/ understand/ keep up with) later material.
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Students may only miss (number of) class sessions before being dropped from the class.
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Missing (number of) class sessions will result in a lower grade.
Faculty can also request that the Registrar’s office add an “instructor’s signature required for admission” provision for the course to regulate add/drops.
Instructors cannot drop students directly from a course, and must request that the Registrar’s office manually intervene; such drops will only be accommodated if there is explicit language in the course description and syllabus regarding the required attendance policy.
Pass/Fail Option
The pass/fail option is available to students as noted on the Academic Calendar. The pass/fail option works as a form of 'academic insurance' for a course that may be out of your comfort zone, but you still want to take a chance on.
When guiding students’ enrollment choices, advisors might share the following sentiments:
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As a liberal arts institution, Brandeis encourages students to explore across disciplines. The university encourages students to explore classes beyond their majors and the Brandeis Core.
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Brandeis encourages students to prioritize deep learning over GPA considerations.
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Consider taking courses outside of your major and core requirements for enrichment rather than for grades; there is a pass/fail option for non‐required courses.