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Permission to Repeat a Course

Students petitioning to take a course that they have already taken two or more times should do the following:

1.  The student should write a reflective essay (1-2 pages, but at least one full page) on why they have been previously unsuccessful in the course and create a plan for success in the course.  The student should reflect on which parts of the material have caused problems in the past, and how they will overcome these difficulties if they are granted permission to take the course another time.  Students who have taken a course several times without success usually have established habits of the mind that prevent them from succeeding. Simply working harder usually does not lead to success as such a plan does not address the root causes of the academic problem.

2.  The student should contact the professor with whom the course was taken most recently and send the above essay to him/her.  The student should ask for feedback as to whether the primary causes for the previous academic difficulties have been identified and if the proposed plan will lead to success.  The student should incorporate the professor’s feedback in a revised essay.

3.  The revised essay, together with the feedback from the professor, should be submitted along with the “Repeat of Course Authorization Form(first signed by the major department chair) to either the department chair or associate chair for consideration.

4. A student may take a course at TCNJ at most three times.

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