Student Petitions

Students occasionally have reason to ask for an exception to the University's requirements for Essential Studies (or the General Education requirements if you began at UND before fall 2008 or transferred in before fall 2009). If you believe that you have a valid reason for such an exception, you may submit a petition to make your request.

Contact your academic advisor prior to submitting an ES petition. Especially if the course in question is a transfer course. Advisors can often resolve the issue without the need for a petition.

How to File an ES Petition

Student petitions are acted on by the ES Committee. They approve or disapprove, based on the quality of your petition.

Submit your petitions on the official Essential Studies Committee Student Petition Form.
In your petition, clearly and specifically provide your reasons why you believe an exception is warranted. Please give careful thought to your reasons and provide a full explanation for the exception that you are requesting.
A complete current academic transcript must be attached.
Submit your petition, with attachments, on the electronic form. Attach information that will help the Committee understand your request (e.g., if you are petitioning to include a course from another college as a ES course, attach a detailed course outline or full syllabus for the course you propose to substitute).

Tips for Filing a Petition

There are many reasons a student may want to petition for substitutions or waivers of ES requirements. Here are some suggestions about where to start for different questions before doing an ES Petition and hints about how to successfully complete an ES petition. If you are unsure, talk to your advisor!

Who to Contact for Issues

Study abroad ES-related course preapproval
Christina Fargo
christina.fargo@UND.edu

Transfer course that was not articulated
Breeann Flesch
und.essentialstudies@email.und.edu

Took a course during a semester it was not validated (but it is now or was at some point)

Breeann Flesch
und.essentialstudies@email.und.edu

Transfer student with partial credits in one BOK area (except MST)
Deans waiver - if more areas needed, ES petition
Ask your advisory

Issues

Advising error: Have the advisor write a brief memo that can be attached to the petition (PDF) about the error.
Breadth of Knowledge: Use both the BOK area rubric and mention a learning goal or two (use those rubrics) to make a strong case about a course.
Special Emphases: Use the Special Emphasis rubrics to make a strong case about a course.
“U” and “G” courses: Those rubrics are no longer posted. There is one thing that will make a petition for U or G course strong: that at least 1/3 of the course is devoted to learning about Human Cultural Diversity.
Fine Arts courses: Courses are validated for Fine Arts (vs. Humanities) because students in those courses are creating and presenting their creation. FA courses must be actively engaging students in actual creation – not just learning about it.
Social Science courses: Must include a component of social science research methodology.

Issues Typically Not Approved

A student can petition any situation however certain situations have tendency to not be approved by the committee. Some situations to keep in mind:

The ES Committee will likely not validate courses by petition (i.e., a student may not make a case for a UND course being included as ES via petition). Departments must decide to validate courses.
Experiences (e.g., I lived in a different country so I would like G credit) will likely not be approved as meeting any ES criteria. Substitutions and waivers should be based on earned academic credit.
Exam credit (e.g., CLEP, AP) does not carry Special Emphasis credit for ES even if articulated as course credits that would typically carry it. Exam credit only meets BOK criteria.

How the ES Committee Reviews a Petition

When it reviews your petition, the Committee will use the following procedures:

During the Fall and Spring semesters, student petitions will be reviewed at the Essential Studies Committee meeting following submission. During the Summer sessions, the Essential Studies Committee will consider student petitions within 5 business days of submission.
Following consideration of the petition by the Essential Studies Committee, the Director of Essential Studies will promptly notify you about the Committee's decision.
If you want further information about how the ES Committee arrived at its decision about your decision, you may email the Director of Essential Studies.

The Essential Studies Committee's denial of a petition should be considered final. However, you may resubmit your request one time under these circumstances: if you believe that the committee might have misunderstood the petition or if you can strengthen the petition with additional information or a fuller explanation. If you resubmit your petition, you must do so during the same semester in which the denial occurred (If the denial is at the end of the semester, you have a maximum of 60 days to resubmit.). The Essential Studies Committee will not consider more than one resubmission.

Fall 2025 Essential Studies Committee Meeting Dates

Wednesday, September 3
Wednesday, September 17
Wednesday, October 1
Wednesday, October 15
Wednesday, October 29
Wednesday, November 12
Wednesday, November 26
Wednesday, December 10

Common Reasons Why a Petition is Denied

ES Committee doesn't have enough information about a substitute course to make a judgment.
- Be sure to attach a course syllabus or similar information that describes the goals, activities, assignments, and evaluation system of the substitute course.
The student's reasons for the exception are not related to the purposes of general education at UND.
- Refer directly and specifically to the goals, learning outcomes, and the philosophy of Essential Studies in your petition. Explain how your alternative (e.g., substitution) helped you learn the ES goal and/or special emphasis that is part of the requirement that is in your petition.
The main reason for the request appears to be that the student wants to graduate soon.
- Add reasons why the request fits within UND's philosophy of general education. Also, give specific evidence of any scheduling or advising obstacles that may have prevented you from taking the course(s) that would have fulfilled the requirement in the petition (Do not simply state that "I couldn't fit this course in my schedule due to conflicts ...").