Frequently Asked Questions - Distinction
No, instead students may receive distinction in the major if they are eligible.
Distinction is awarded to majors who have earned grades of A or A– in three–quarters of the credits in the major and a grade of A or A– on the senior essay. All courses that are counted for the major are included in the calculation for distinction. Courses taken on a Credit/D/Fail basis are included as non–A grades.
For more information, please visit this site: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/default/files/distinction.pdf. Please also click on this link (http://yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/default/files/calc_table.pdf) to assist in your calculations.
Yes. Courses taken Credit/D/Fail count as non-A grades when it comes time to calculate distinction in the major.
Yes. Any course that is cross-listed with Political Science counts toward distinction in the major (regardless of how it appears on your transcript.)
No. All courses in the major must be counted. If a student has taken more courses than are required for the completion of the major, then all of his or her courses must still be taken into account. A student may not be nominated on the basis of his or her 12 or 14 best grades; the performance in all courses taken in the major determines his or her eligibility.
Yes. Because Political Science allows students to count related courses in other departments toward their major requirements (pending DUS approval), we also include these courses in our distinction calculations. Please remember that seniors must submit their DUS and IDC Approved Exceptions forms before spring recess in the final term of their enrollment.
Yes. We include all of your DUS approved exceptions in our distinction calculations, unless you indicate otherwise. (Please see the next question.)
Yes. If you receive a non-A grade in one of your DUS approved non-Political Science courses, you can have this courses deleted from your file so that it does not affect your chances of receiving distinction. Please know that in order for this course to be officially deleted from your file, seniors must communicate this information to the Undergraduate Registrar (undergrad.polisci@yale.edu) before spring recess in the final term of their enrollment. Please also know that once it is deleted, this course no longer counts toward fulfillment of your major requirements.
Yes. In order for non-Yale courses to count toward your Political Science major requirements, you must first get approval from the DUS. More information about how to do this can be found under Question 12. If the DUS approves these courses and you have submitted your grades for them to the Undergraduate Registrar (undergrad.polisci@yale.edu), then those grades will be used in your distinction calculations. If you do not provide these grades, they will be entered into your record for CR (credit), which are essentially non-A grades.
Yes. In order for non-Yale courses to count toward your Political Science major requirements, you must first get approval from the DUS. More information about how to do this can be found under Question 12. If the DUS approves these courses and you have submitted your grades for them to the Undergraduate Registrar (undergrad.polisci@yale.edu), then those grades will be used in your distinction calculations. If you do not provide these grades, they will be entered into your record for CR (credit), which are essentially non-A grades.
This is also true for other non-Yale courses taken throughout your time at Yale.
PLSC 480, 490 and 491 all carry course credit, which means these courses are treated like any other when it comes to calculate distinction. For example, if you receive an A or A- on your senior essay in PLSC 480, your grade on your essay is also your grade in that class. This course then counts as one A grade and one course credit toward your total number of courses for distinction purposes.
This is also true for PLSC 490 and PLSC 491. If you earn an A or A- in PLSC 490 and 491, which each carry one term course credit, you will receive 2 A grades and 2 course credits toward your total number of courses for distinction purposes.
Senior essays written in seminars do not carry course credit. Let’s say you get an A or A- on your senior essay and an A or A- in the seminar. (Remember that your grade on the essay is not necessarily your grade in the seminar, because there is potentially other graded coursework that counts toward your final grade in the seminar.) The seminar automatically counts as one A grade and one course credit toward your total number of courses. In addition, we add another A for your essay toward your total number of A grades and one course credit toward your total number of courses. Thus, you get 2 As toward your total number of A grades and 2 course credits toward your total number of courses for distinction purposes.
Let’s say you got an A or A- on your essay, but a B+ in the seminar. In this case, you get one A grade to count toward your total number of A grades and one course credit toward your total number of courses. However, your seminar grade will count as a non-A grade.
Let’s say you get a B+ on your essay and an A in the seminar. In this case you are disqualified from receiving distinction, because you must have an A or A- on your senior essay in order to qualify for distinction.