Senior-Year FACT OR FICTION: Can't change your major in your final semester?

Welcome to a new series, Senior-Year FACT OR FICTION, wherein we address persistent rumors about credits, graduation, rules, exceptions, etc. so that you can distinguish Senior FACT from Senior FICTION.  

Heard a rumor and want to know if it's true?  Submit requests for this series to SeniorClassDean@barnard.edu

FACT OR FICTION:
Is it true that graduating seniors cannot change their major during their last semester?

YES; this is FACT. In general, graduating seniors cannot change their majors in their final semester.

There are just a few possible exceptions:

• You may change from a double major to a single major if you will be unable to complete one of the two majors.
• You may change your concentration within a major (e.g. from a general biology major to Cellular Molecular Biology).
• If you believe you have an extremely good reason or extenuating circumstance that warrants changing your major in your final semester, you may petition the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing. Such petitions may or may not be successful. Meet with your class dean to discuss. 
• Related: You may add a minor in your final semester if you have already completed or are in the process of completing all the minor requirements this semester. If you are working on an undeclared minor, please file the minor declaration ASAP. Deadline to declare a minor is March 1.

Heard a rumor and want to know if it's true?  Submit requests for this series to SeniorClassDean@barnard.edu

**NEW PROCESS** You can request permission to late-add in Vergil this 3rd week only!

During this 3rd week of classes, students can request a late add into courses using the approval workflow in Vergil.

When looking at the course information, instead of the Register or Join Waitlist buttons, you will now see a “Request Add” button:




If you request to add, it will be routed to the course’s instructor as well as the Registrar Office for approval.
 

If approved, you will need to go in and confirm registration to be added

Students can see the status of their requests from the “My Registration Requests” on the Vergil homepage. 

Research Funding Opportunities For Barnard Seniors!

Hello Seniors!

We wanted to share information about two funding opportunities for Barnard seniors!

The Lucyle Hook Travel Grant provides funding for travel related to research for the Barnard senior thesis.

The CJC for the Arts Grant provides funding for expenses related to senior theses or other independent projects in film, studio art, dance, theater, or related fields.

Electronic applications and full grant information are available at the links above, and are both due on November 10th, 2025.  

Students interested are encouraged to make an appointment with Dean Siegel (or stop by walk-in hours) as strongly advised to do so before submitting an application. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to her directly at esiegel@barnard.edu

Senior Class Dean 2025-2026 Walk-In Hours!

Got a quick question?

Need to talk to a dean ASAP?

If you have something complicated or want to be sure you can talk at length, please make an appointment via Dean Grabiner's online scheduler.

Otherwise, during the semester, you may walk in virtually or in person beginning at any of the times below.  

Tuesdays 3:30-4:30pm Eastern Time -- canceled 9/23 

• Enter waiting room via this Walk-In Hours Zoom Link or visit 105 Milbank,
  
• We will see students on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• If we run out of time and can't see you, we apologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to schedule an appointment, to try walk-ins on a different day, or for time-sensitive matters, to call the office at 212-854-2024 during business hours.

Wednesdays: Degree Audit Drop-Ins 3:30-4:30pm Eastern Time -- canceled 9/24 & 10/1

• Enter waiting room via this Walk-In Hours Zoom Link or visit 105 Milbank
• We will prioritize students seeking degree audit advice but will see other students if time permits 
• If we run out of time and can't see you, we apologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to schedule an appointment, to try walk-ins on a different day, or for time-sensitive matters, to call the office at 212-854-2024 during business hours.

Thursdays 3:30-4:30pm Eastern Time

• Enter waiting room via this Thursday Afternoon Walk-In Hours Zoom Link or visit 105 Milbank.
  
• We will see students on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• If we run out of time and can't see you, we apologize for the inconvenience and encourage you to schedule an appointment, to try walk-ins on a different day, or for time-sensitive matters, to call the office at 212-854-2024 during business hours.

How to drop a class by the Oct 7 deadline

Friday, 9/12/2025 was the deadline to add a class, but you can still drop up to the October 7 deadline (after the drop deadline, you can withdraw with a W on or before November 13)

Follow the easy online steps below to drop a class on or before the deadline. 

1. Contact your adviser to discuss and obtain their approval

Best practice is to have an advising conversation where you discuss options and any possible implications of this drop on your full-time status or your graduation progress, but depending on how much you and your adviser have already discussed things, they may agree to review and approve your form without such a meeting

2. Submit the online Drop Request Form

You will only be able to drop online if your adviser has granted this permission. Be sure that you are not attempting to drop below 12 credits unless approved via CARDS or as a final-semester senior  -- the system will not allow drop below 12 credits without additional approval.

 

3. As soon as your adviser grants permission, you will receive an email informing you that you have permission to drop the class(es) discussed.

While this adviser permission is for the specific class you request, functionally it reopens your ability to drop in general, so be sure to drop the right class and nothing else.

 

4. Log into Vergil to drop the class within two days and on or before the October 7 deadline.*

If you don't drop within the 2-day window, you will need to request permission again. 

*Note that you must drop on or before the drop deadline if you want the class removed from your transcript.

 

FAQ: I filled out the form and it was approved. Why is the class still on my record?

A: The form/permission does NOT drop you from the class; it just temporarily reopens your ability to drop a class yourself -- don't forget to do step 4 above!

 

FAQ: I dropped the class and it was removed from my transcript, and I just noticed that it is mysteriously back there now?!?! 

A: This is rare, but there is a known technical glitch that sometimes causes this to happen. If you notice a previously dropped class has returned to your schedule, please email registrar@barnard.edu.  

 

FAQ: I heard graduating seniors can take fewer than 12 credits in their last semester if they don't need 12. Why won't the drop form let me do that?

A: There is a separate process to request this permission. See recent blog post for directions and link.

Moving with the Voice (DNCE-BC2456) open for Fall 2025!

We wanted to send out a message from the Dance department about an open Dance course available to students if you are interested in taking this course (this course is worth 2 credits.) Please see the following information down below:

Moving with the Voice (DNCE-BC2456) is a voice-movement-theater improvisation and composition class  inspired by the work of MacArthur Genius grant recipient, Meredith Monk. Allison Easter is teaching the course and has worked with Meredith Monk since 1985.

The class is open to all interested students. No experience  necessary, just a willingness to sing and move! 

Broaden your horizons. Explore your creativity. Get PE credit. 

Days/Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:40-3:55PM 

Location: Streng Studio, Barnard Hall, first floor (opposite the fitness center) 

Instructor: Allison Easter

Link to the course listing on the CU Course Directory and on Vergil if you would like more information.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to Allison Easter at aeaster@barnard.edu

American Studies courses open for students!

We wanted to share two American Studies courses that still currently have available seats for students who are interested: AMST BC2001: Third World Studies and AMST BC1030: Everything for Everyone: Social Movement. You can find more information on these courses down below!

AMST BC2001: Third World Studies 

Meets: MW 2:40PM- 3:55PM

Location: 302 Barnard Hall

Instructor: Manu Karuka

Link to course on CU Course Directory

Course description: Between 1967 and 1969, groups of American Indian, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Mexican, and Puerto Rican college students began to articulate demands for a transformed university, touching everything from admissions, relations to community, and curriculum. Their proposals contributed to the Third World Liberation Front strike at San Francisco State University, the longest student strike in US history. Drawing inspiration from Gary Okihiro, founding director of Columbia’s Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, this course takes student activists’ proposals for Third World Studies seriously. Our readings will draw on the traditions of anti-racist and anti-colonial struggle in North America, alongside perspectives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

AMST BC1030: Everything for Everyone: Social Movement

Meets: MW 8:40AM - 9:55AM

Location: 302 Barnard Hall

Instructor: Dani Joslyn

Link to course on CU Course Directory

Course description: Over the past months, social movements have captured the nation’s attention: from protests against immigration enforcement to Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York City. From the Haitian and American Revolutions to the campaign for an eight-hour day, the Civil Rights movement, indigenous demands for land back, and Black Lives Matter, this course will explore the long history of movements for economic and social justice across North America. Questions that we will explore together include: how have different groups demanded economic justice over the past two hundred years? What lineages and breaks can we trace in these efforts? What divisions emerged among and within various movements over time? How did groups debate and disagree over the concept of “socialism” and what their ideal visions of liberated society would be? What role have race and gender played as dividing lines and as sites of new liberatory forms of struggle?

New sections of COMS BC1016 and COMS BC1017!

Computer Science has recently added an additional section of COMS BC1016 (Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science), along with two new sections of its co-requisite lab COMS BC1017. 

This course and lab introduces students to the methods and tools used in data science to obtain insights from data. Students learn how to analyze data arising from real-world phenomena while mastering critical concepts and skills in computer programming and statistical inference. The course involves hands-on analysis of real-world datasets, including economic data, document collections, geographical data, and social networks. The course is ideal for students looking to increase their digital literacy and expand their use and understanding of computation and data analysis across disciplines. No prior programming or college-level math background is required.

The new COMS BC1016 section is MW 1:10PM - 2:25PM, and there are four lab sections that still have space. Students in any lecture section can sign up for any lab section.

The class counts as a science (lecture, not lab), for the Thinking Digitally and Technologically requirement, and for the Thinking Quantitatively and Empirically.  It does not count for the Computer Science major, but prospective Computer Science majors can take the course as a pre-intro class before they take COMS W1004 Introduction to Computer Programming if they wish.

If you have any further questions, please be in touch with Professor Rebecca Wright at rwright@barnard.edu

Open Psychology Course for Fall 2025! ~~ PSYC BC1088: The Science of Living Well

The Psychology Department is offering a popular course that has not been offered recently and wanted to let you know there are still seats available! Please see the following course information down below:

PSYC BC1088: The Science of Living Well (4 points), taught by Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, and includes a lecture (TR 11:40AM-12:55PM) and discussion section each week (F 11:40AM-12:55PM).

The course is part science, part self-discovery, and part "revolution" against emotional numbness. You'll walk away with practical tools for personal development, as well as a deeper understanding of yourself and others. You do not have to be a psych major to take this course. This is an interdisciplinary class and is often best experienced when attended by a mix of all majors. Some topics and questions explored in the course are:

• Why so many of us feel stuck, and how to break through
• The science behind purpose, meaning, and joy
• How to face hard emotions without totally shutting down
• What it means to actually live well in a messy world

If interested, enroll in PSYC BC1088, Call Number: 00102 (Link to Course Directory listing and on Vergil)

If you have any questions, you can reach out to Professor Kaufman at skaufman@barnard.edu

Senior FAQ: Can I take more than 19 credits? How/when can I get permission?

Q: I heard it's possible for students to get permission from their adviser to take more than 19 credits. Is that true, and if so, how/when can I get permission?

A: Yes, in rare cases, and only once the semester has begun. You may request adviser permission* for more than 19 credits only during the final registration period (Sept 2-12 for fall 2025). 

--> You may request approval via this form: https://slate.barnard.edu/register/max_credit_request

NOTE: Approval after the registration deadline is by petition only.

*Please note that these requests will only be granted for urgent reasons, such as completion of a major, a minor, or for graduation requirements.

 

Q: What if I get in off a waitlist that puts me over the limit?

A: If you are removed from a waitlist and temporarily find yourself in more than 19 credits, you will need to drop the "extra" class or receive approval to exceed the limit 

Warning: if you neither request permission nor drop below 19 credits, the registrar will drop you from the most recently added class.

DEADLINE REMINDER: Registration, Adviser Approval, Enrollment Confirmation deadline Friday, Sept 12

Welcome back!

Don't forget:

1.  Your Fall 2025 Course Plan in Student Planning must show, in green (i.e. fully registered), all courses that you are taking this semester, including any PE, Dance technique, Varsity sport, or rehearsal/performance course for which you will earn credit this semester. 

2.  Your adviser must approve your course schedule by clicking "CONFIRM" in Slate.  Ideally, they will do this during an advising meeting with you.  If there are extenuating circumstances making it impossible for you and your adviser to meet until next week, your adviser may click CONFIRM upon confirming an appointment day/time with you.  Need advice/approval and can't reach your adviser?  Visit us in the Deans' office!

Don't forget to drop any classes or waitlists that you no longer need.

If you are unable to add a course that you know that you're in, or if you are unable to drop a course or leave a waitlist for something you're not taking, please visit or contact the Registrar's office, registrar@barnard.edu).

It is possible that a credit for a P.E. course, Dance technique course, or Varsity sport may appear after the registration deadline (if the course is eligible for credit for the P.E. requirement). If this does not happen automatically, you may need to fill out a form.

Friday, Sept 12 is the last day you may officially add a course to your schedule. If you need to add a course to your schedule after that date, you may need to petition the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing for permission to do so (contact your class dean if you need info about this), and a late fee may be charged.

You may still drop courses until the Drop Deadline (see Academic Calendar for drop deadlines.  To drop a course after this Friday, you will need to meet with your adviser for approval. Find this and all other deadlines on the Academic Calendar and consider adding the Academic Calendar to your gBear calendar.

 

 

Reminder that all students must confirm enrollment by (1) registering for classes and (2) paying your bill by the registration deadline. Contact the Bursar if you need to discuss your bill.

**Note about Courseworks/Canvas**
Until the registration deadline, your Courseworks/Canvas page may not look exactly like your Vergil page because it takes some time for an added class to appear on Courseworks, and it takes some extra time for a dropped class to disappear. Courseworks will catch up eventually. The most important thing is to make sure that your enrollments are accurate on your Vergil schedule. 

How to uncover grades of P from Spring or Summer 2025 by the Sept 12 deadline

When: Students* who elected the P/D/F grading option for a Spring 2025 or Summer 2025 can uncover a P grade through Friday, September 12.

How: This is not yet in Vergil, so:

1, Go to SSOL 

2. Click on “P/D/F grading,” 

3. Select “PDF Option Change Request,” 

4. Select “Pass/D/Fail Uncover.”

If you experience any technical difficulties or error messages, take a screenshot and email it along with your question to registrar@barnard.edu

*NOTE: you cannot uncover grades of P elected in your final semester.

Senior-Year FACT OR FICTION: Can't uncover grades of "P" for classes taken in final semester?

FACT OR FICTION:
Is it true that graduating seniors cannot uncover grades of P for classes taken in their last semester?

YES; this is FACT. Graduating seniors cannot uncover P/D/F grades for classes taken during their final semester. (If a graduating senior elects P/D/F in a course that is required for the major, the Registrar’s Office will uncover the grade the month before graduation, but the student cannot uncover any P/D/F grades for the final semester.)  

Heard a rumor and want to know if it's true?  Submit requests for this series to SeniorClassDean@barnard.edu

Senior Life Hack: How to check your remaining credits and see if you're on track for graduation

Your Unofficial Transcript in Student Planning is the best place to check how many credits you have left before graduation.
It is easier to find and understand the credit math on the Transcript than on the Degree Audit, particularly if you have repeated classes that allow you to earn credit more than once (e.g. Dance Technique, Advanced Language Through Content, Supervised Research, etc.) or are registered for a yearlong thesis that only gives you grades and credits in spring.

How to check how many credits you still need to complete your degree:

How to search Vergil for classes with open seats or other relevant criteria

Did you know you can use the Course Search in Vergil to filter for classes that have open seats?

Select “Only show classes with open seats” in the search results!

There are a bunch of other useful things you can filter for, including  classes that satisfy Barnard General Education (Foundations) requirements, classes with a particular number of credits, etc. 

NOTE ON FOUNDATIONS REQS: for Barnard requirements, it's safest to cross reference anything found here with the Slate listing of courses approved for Foundations requirements. 

NOTE ON LAB SCIENCE: Do NOT rely on Vergil for acceptable lecture-plus-lab science pairings. See recent blog post for more info on this. 

Senior year is approaching -- now is a good time to check your degree audit

Planning to graduate this year?  Now's a good time to double-check that you're on track to complete all of your requirements on time. 

Step 1: Open up both your Degree Audit and your Unofficial Transcript -- both in Student Planning

See related blog post for how to check remaining credits on your Transcript.

Step 2: Check for some important stuff

T

On your Unofficial Transcript

1. Are all the classes you took listed, are all the grades on your transcript, and do you have credit for all PE and dance classes you need?
2. Are all external credits you expect -- previous college credit, summer credit, AP/IB credit, study abroad credit, etc. -- listed? 
3. If you're planning to graduate this May:
1. Have you completed at least 86 credits, thereby attaining senior status? 
2. Are you registered -- or will you soon register -- for a schedule that puts you on track to finish everything that remains by the end of the spring?

On your Degree Audit

1. Is your expected graduation date correct?
2. Are all courses showing up as counting for the requirements you expect them to count for? Or are things listed in "Other" that you expected to see under General Education Requirements (GERs) or in your major?  
3. If you're planning to graduate this February, everything should be completed or in progress.

Step 3: Address any issues you identified in Step 2

 

Summer location change -- How to find Dean Grabiner in Millbank 119b Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and these Mondays: 6/9, 6/23, 7/7, 7/21, 8/4, & 8/25

Due to construction this summer, the class deans are being temporarily relocated to the offices of kind colleagues who are sharing space with us this summer. We should be back in our normal space in 105 Milbank by the second week of classes.

Dean Grabiner is around and available for appointments (walk-ins are virtual-only for the first week of classes) on zoom or by phone any weekday, and in-person on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and the following Mondays: 6/9, 6/23, 7/7, 7/21, 8/4, and 8/18.

How to find Dean Grabiner's summer office:

Go to Milbank Hall

Swipe your ID to enter

 

Walk up the small flight of marble stairs directly in front of you

 

 At  the top of the stairs, turn right and walk through the open doors to the carpeted hallway

Find the Access Barnard 119 Milbank suite on your right after the elevator. Open this glass door and walk straight ahead

If Dean Grabiner is available, her 119b door, directly in front of you, will be open -- come right in!

 

If Dean Grabiner's door is closed, take a seat on the bench in the hallway directly opposite, and Dean Grabiner will come invite you in when ready

 

Use this link to make an appointment with Dean Grabiner any time: https://deangrabiner.youcanbook.me/

Apply to be a Peer Academic Coach!

Are you interested in helping students build their academic skills and your leadership skills as a Peer Academic Coach for the upcoming academic year? Please see the following flyer below for more information for qualifications and how to apply!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Program Coordinator, Allie Johnston, at ajohnsto@barnard.edu

Senior FAQ: I submitted a form online -- how do I know if it was received, reviewed, or approved?

Did you submit one of the online forms that are available via the Slate for Students website? 

Wondering how to track its progress, i.e. to see if/when it was received, approved, processed, etc.?

Here's how to check.

1. Log into Slate directly or find it on the Barnard Portal under the Academics tab

 

 

 2. In the Home tab of Slate, scroll down to the bottom of the page, to Forms Submitted. There you'll see any forms you have submitted and can track them along their route from submitted to approved and processed. The legend below explains any symbols

3. That's it!

When/where/how to take your approved deferred exam from spring 2025

Deferred exams for Spring 2025 classes

Deferred exams from Spring 2025 will be held on Friday, Sept. 5th & Monday, Sept. 8th.  We will be in touch with you to confirm the location & room details regarding your exam details the week before exams.

Friday, September 5, 2025 9:00AM – 12:00PM - Room TBA

Friday, September 5, 2025 1:00PM – 4:00PM - Room TBA

Monday, September 8, 2025 7 9:00AM – 12:00PM - Room TBA

Monday, September 8, 2025 – 4:00 PM - Room TBA

For most in-person deferred exams, we will follow a self-scheduled exam model. You will be contacted directly if your exam has a specific day and time. Otherwise, this model, followed by a number of peer institutions, allows students to select when to take their exams from among a number of blocked exam time periods. 

Spring 2025 deferred exams must be completed by Monday, September 8, 2025.

Pro Tips:

• If you have an unavoidable conflict between a deferred exam and a current class, prioritize the exam and email your instructor, copying your class dean, to say you were advised to do this and ask how to catch up on missed content
• If you have a choice, plan to take your deferred exam at the earliest possible opportunity -- that will give you a Plan B option if anything goes awry.

Senior Year FACT or FICTION: possible to take fewer than 12 credits in your last semester????

FACT OR FICTION:
Is it true that you can take fewer that 12 credits in your last semester?

YES; this is FACT, BUT ONLY IN VERY SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES and by following proper procedure. 

As stated in the Barnard College Catalogue:

"Graduating seniors who need fewer than twelve credits to complete their degree – and who have already satisfied the College’s academic residency requirement and completed at least four full-time semesters in academic residence – may be approved to take a minimum of nine credit hours. Because Barnard students are charged a flat rate of tuition per semester, reducing one’s course load to nine credits will not change the tuition owed in the last semester. International students must consult with International Student Services in advance to determine eligibility.  Students who meet these criteria and are approved to be enrolled in nine credits are still eligible to live in Barnard’s residence halls. 

If any student who is not an eligible senior needs to register for fewer than twelve credits for disability-related reasons, they should reach out to CARDS to discuss the reduced course load process at cards@barnard.edu."

Submit this form by the drop deadline to request approval **Note that this request can only be made at the start of your final semester, for that semester**: https://slate.barnard.edu/register/final_semester_request

Heard a rumor and want to know if it's true?  Submit requests for this series to SeniorClassDean@barnard.edu

Need an extra credit or two this fall? Here are a few options

Doing that degree-audit arithmetic and need one or two more credits?

If you're having trouble getting up to the number of credits you need and are looking for a 1-2-credit course to add, here are some options and tips. Pay special attention to the start dates of these courses.

**Be sure to check course descriptions for special registration procedures or necessary permissions.

Know of something that's not on here? Email SeniorClassDean@barnard.edu, and we'll add it!

1-2 credit course options:

Senior FAQ: How can I tell what counts for the Lab Science Foundations requirement?

PSA that, while the Vergil search and the searchable Foundations list on Slate can help you find which courses can fulfill the Lecture Science requirement (and other distributional requirements & Modes of Thinking), these searches will NOT work for Lab Science!

The only places to find a comprehensive listing of which lecture-plus-lab combinations can fulfill the Science-with-Lab General Education Requirement are:

1. Your degree audit if you have not yet satisfied this requirement.

2. This list made by the Barnard registrar, which is posted on the searchable Foundations list Slate page:  https://slate.barnard.edu/doc/lab_sci_GER.PDF

 

PSA: How to search Vergil for Barnard courses/sections -- pro tip: Use "Department Search" NOT "School Search"

Looking up course options on Vergil and need to know which are Barnard classes?

Do NOT use the "School Search" option

This may give inaccurate results for some departments like Spanish and Math 😭😭😭

 

Instead, use Department Search -- once you start typing a department and part of the word Barnard, it will helpfully autocomplete to what you need:

 

Searching this way will return only actually-Barnard results:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slate??? Student Planning???? Vergil???? Where do I go for which things????

Now that registration is fully in Vergil, are you feeling confused about which website to use for which tasks around your academic record?

Worry no more! The Registrar has you covered with this handy chart.

Also: Pro Tip: Almost anything that you need to do with courses/your record can be found under the Academics tab in the Barnard Portal.  

Never miss a deadline!: Add the Barnard Academic Calendar to your gBear calendar with one click!

Worrying about keeping track registration dates, add/drop deadlines, p/d/f and W deadlines, and the like?

The Registrar has you covered with its Google Calendar version of the Academic Calendar -- you can add this to your gBear calendar with just one click!  Registration and add/drop periods for fall are already added in, so this will help you ASAP

I'm in!  How can I add the Barnard Academic Calendar to my gBear Calendar?

1.  Go to https://barnard.edu/academic-calendar (or, honestly, just google-search "Barnard Academic Calendar" -- that's how I find it every time...)

2.  Click on View Barnard's academic calendar on Google Calendar (note: you must be logged into gBear to access this!). 

3.  In the google calendar that opens, go to the bottom right-hand corner and click on the blue square with the white plus sign (you'll know you're in the right place because when you hover your mouse there, text saying "Add to Google Calendar" will pop up).

4. Once you've added the calendar, set up notifications. Some recommended settings: