Enrollment Policies

Course Format

The Duke University School of Nursing offers courses in three delivery formats: campus courses, hybrid courses, and online courses. Course formats are defined as follows:

Campus Courses. Campus courses meet as regularly scheduled class sessions on campus throughout the semester. 

Hybrid Courses. Hybrid courses combine online learning with on-campus face-to-face sessions. This does not mean synchronous courses for which some students are on campus and others join remotely.

Online Courses. Online courses consist of instructor-designed, student-driven, interactive modules of instruction delivered via a learning platform that is virtually available on the Internet. Online courses may have a synchronous component (planned activities at specific times when students and/or faculty interact—as in an online chat or videoconference) or may be fully asynchronous.

The ABSN Program, the PhD Program, and the DNP Program with nurse anesthesia specialization are campus-based.

Definition of Full-Time Enrollment Status

Full-time status is defined as follows:

  • Full credit load for fall and spring semesters: 6 credit hours/semester

  • Full credit load for summer semester: 4 credit hours

  • Full credit load for international students: 6 credit hours for fall/spring semesters and 4 credit hours for summer semester; no more than 3 credit hours per semester may be taken in online format

Required Level of Courses

No students enrolled in graduate programs of the School of Nursing may take undergraduate courses (those numbered 500 or under) to meet requirements of their degrees. Undergraduate courses may not be applied toward the required credits needed for a post-baccalaureate degree and will not be included in cumulative GPA or cumulative credit calculations.