House Courses FAQ

Does my house course have to be held in a residential hall?
Yes.

Who is the departmental Chair? The departmental Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS)? Where do I go to obtain their signatures?
You must obtain BOTH these signatures for your application to be considered complete. If you are unclear who to see or where to go, visit the Duke Departmental Directory. A current listing of Directors of Undergraduate Studies is available at the T-Reqs website.

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Who is the Residence Coordinator?
Please see the Residence Life and Housing Services Directory.

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If I have taught a house course in the past, do I still need to submit two letters of recommendation?
No. Please note the semester and year you previously taught a house course on the application checklist. If you are co-teaching the course with a new instructor, your co-instructor must still submit two letters of recommendation.

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If I am co-teaching the house course with one or two other instructors, do we each need to submit two letters of recommendation?
Yes. Two recommendations are required for each instructor.

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Can my recommendations be sent to 011 Allen directly by the Trinity faculty member?
Yes. They can either be mailed to 011 Allen Building, Box 90050 or emailed to Dell Williams at dellw@duke.edu .

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Does my second recommendation need to be from a Trinity professor?
Yes, preferably in a field related to the subject of the course.

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Can I have an extension on the house course application?
No. If you do not make the deadline, you may resubmit your application for the following semester.

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When and how will I find out if my house course has been approved?
We will notify you via email, usually within two weeks.

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When can students start signing up on ACES?
The list is usually posted on ACES in the beginning of May (for the fall term) and December (for the spring term). Students may register from that time until the end of Drop/Add.

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Can I be reimbursed for related course expenses?
Yes. Instructors should first email Dell Williams at dellw@duke.edu with an estimated expense request and obtain approval that the expense can be reimbursed. After the expense is incurred, bring the original receipt to 011 Allen (or mail it to Box 90050). All requests are processed through Duke Accounting Services. The reimbursement check will be mailed to you.

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What is the policy regarding field trips?

Waivers are not necessary for field trips on the Duke campus. For field trips within the city of Durham (local restaurants, theaters, etc.), waiver forms do not need to be completed if the participants will arrange their own transportation. If a house course includes trips only in Durham, instructors should indicate whether participants will arrange their own transportation.

Forms MUST be completed for Durham field trips for which group transportation is provided for students and for any trips to other cities/areas beyond Durham. To ensure that University policy is followed, instructors should submit a waiver of liability form to Shelby Tyson before the beginning of the semester. A template is available on this website, to be altered in accord with the needs of each course. It should then be submitted to shelby.tyson@duke.edu and must be approved by her, at which point her office will notify 011 Allen Building. After the form is approved, all students participating in the trip must complete and sign it.

Instructors of courses needing to use a waiver form should bring the original signed forms to 011 Allen well before the field trip takes place and keep a copy for their own records in case it is needed after normal office hours.

Any one who has not signed the waiver form should not be permitted to participate in the trip.

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What do I need to do as a house course instructor after my house course is approved?
For a list of guidelines for student instructors of house courses, click here. This list is also emailed to instructors after their house course is posted on ACES.

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Whom do I contact for other questions?
Mr. Dell Williams
Trinity College of Arts and Sciences
011 Allen Building, Box 90050
Tel: (919) 684-5585
Fax: (919) 684-8494
dellw@duke.edu

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