Some courses offered at Deerfield terminate at the conclusion of winter term. 9th and 10th graders enrolled in these courses should already be scheduled into a course for the spring term, but 11th and 12th graders must request spring term electives during winter term to take the place of these courses.
In order to request spring electives, you must meet with your academic advisor to discuss your program and submit your requests online. While making your requests, keep in mind Deerfield’s graduation requirements. Note that periods have been assigned to electives so only request electives that are offered in your free periods. If you have any questions about any of the procedures, please contact the Registrar.
Course Period Shifts or Changes
In order to maintain course continuity and avoid further scheduling difficulties, you may not shift the class period of any continuing course. All exceptions must be approved by the Academic Affairs Office.
Course Load
All students must carry five courses or their equivalent during the spring term. “The equivalent of five” accounts for the fact that some seniors are involved in an Alternate Studies Project, which may take the place of one or more courses.
Guidelines for Seniors Only
Course Load
Seniors must continue all courses that are graduation requirements. In addition, they must continue all yearlong courses unless they receive special permission from the appropriate department chair and the Dean of Studies to drop the course. To receive a diploma in May seniors must pass all courses for both the spring term and for the year.
Alternate Study: A senior whose project has been provisionally approved to take the place of one or more courses should register only for the number of courses he or she anticipates taking in the spring. Should a project subsequently be altered or rejected, then it is the student’s responsibility to be enrolled in five courses on the opening day of the spring term. If in doubt, check in with the Academic Affairs Office.
Directed Study
A senior who wishes to do a Directed Study in any department must prepare a proposal, which must be approved by the teacher and the appropriate department chair and submitted to the Academic Affairs Office by the spring term course request deadline.
Course Failures
A senior may NOT drop any continuing course which he or she is failing. In the event that a senior fails a course that ends in March, the Academic Standing Committee will determine how the student might meet his or her diploma requirements.
English Department Requirement
Some seniors will be required to take English during the spring term; others may choose whether or not to take English in the final term. One-year seniors, PGs, and any NCAA Division I or II hopeful (see NCAA Eligibility Guidelines) must take spring term English. All other seniors may request English as an elective.
NCAA Clearinghouse Guidelines
Approved one term courses can only be used for credit if you previously took a two term course in the same subject area, e.g. a two term history (Modern Times) combined with a history spring term elective (Moot Court) could be counted as a full year of history.
Not all classes you hope to take to meet high school graduation requirements may be used as core courses. Check Deerfield’s list of approved core courses at the eligibility center web site at ncaaclearinghouse.net.
If you intend to play Division I or II sports in college you need to pay attention to whether or not courses have been approved by the NCAA. Approved courses can be found under the NCAA designation in the Course Catalog.