Instructions on How to File an Online E-petition for an Exception to the Bulletin

To submit an online e-petition for an exception to the Bulletin:

1. Log in to BC WebCentral.
2. Click the "E-Services" tab.
3. Click the "Undergraduate Student Transactions" tab.
4. Click "Petition for an Exception to the Bulletin."
5. Follow prompts to create and submit your e-petition.

Review the list below for types of petitions that may be submitted via the e-petition system. Please note that the e-petition system is not for grade challenges or readmission requests. For grade challenges, students should complete and file the Departmental Grade Appeal Petition (pdf). Students who were dismissed from Brooklyn College with below a 2.00 cumulative GPA or were absent from the college for one or more semesters and would like to be readmitted to the college should file a readmission application.

All petitions will be reviewed by the Committee on Course and Standing. The committee's decisions will be sent via e-mail. Therefore, please ensure that your e-mail address is correct. If you have further questions, visit the Office of Academic Standing, 3219 Boylan Hall.

Course Substitution/Exemption (Other Than Gen-Ed Curriculum)

Course Substitution (Other Than Gen-Ed Requirement)

If you wish to substitute a different course to satisfy a specific graduation requirement, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to clearly identify the course you wish to substitute in place of which specific graduation requirement, and outline why you think such a substitution should be allowed. You must also upload a "letter of position" from your major department that both outlines the academic justification for a substitution and states whether or not the substituted course satisfies a major, minor or concentration requirement.

Course Exemption (Other Than Gen-Ed Requirement)

If you wish to be exempt from a specific graduation requirement, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that warrant such an exemption. (For example, if you are fluent in another language, you may petition to be exempt from a course in that language.) In such cases, you will have to upload supporting documentation and a "letter of position" from an academic department outlining the academic justification for an exemption. The letter of position should come from your major department for a major course; the department that houses your minor or concentration for a minor or concentration course; or the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures for a foreign language course. (Please note that if you receive an exemption, you do not receive any credits for the course.)

Course Overload Request

Permission to Register for Additional Credits

If you wish to register for more than the allowable credits in any given semester, you may submit an e-petition after reviewing the grade point average (GPA) criteria. Please refer to the Bulletin. You will have to clearly identify the additional course, as well as the additional credits, that you wish to add. You must upload a "letter of position" from your major department stating whether or not the department supports your petition. (Please note that you will incur additional tuition fees.)

Writing Intensive Waiver

If you wish to be exempt from the writing intensive requirement, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that warrant such an exemption. In such cases, you will have to upload supporting documentation, and a "letter of position" outlining the academic justification for an exemption. The letter of position should come from your major department. (Please note that if you receive an exemption, you do not receive any credits for the course.)

Residence Requirement Waiver

Permission to Register for a Course at Another CUNY Senior College as Part of the Last 18 Credits

If you wish to register for a course at another CUNY campus (via the e-permit process), as part of your last 18 credits, you must submit an e-petition. You will have to clearly identify the specific course you wish to "e-permit," listing the course number and title at the other CUNY campus, and upload a CUNY TIPPS printout that states the equivalent course at Brooklyn College. You will have to explain why you think it is necessary to take the course at another CUNY campus as part of your last 18 credits. You must upload a "letter of position" from your major department stating whether or not the department supports your petition.

Permission to Register for a Course at a CUNY Community College

If you wish to register for a course at a CUNY community college after you have earned more than 60 credits (via the e-permit process), you must submit an e-petition. You will have to clearly identify the specific course you wish to e-permit, listing the course number and title at the other CUNY campus, and upload a CUNY TIPPS printout that states the equivalent course at Brooklyn College. You will have to explain why you think it is necessary to take the course at a community college rather than a senior college. You must upload a "letter of position" from your major department stating whether or not the department supports your petition.

Permission to Register for Course at a Non-CUNY Institution

If you wish to register for a course at a non-CUNY institute, you must submit an e-petition. You will have to clearly identify the specific course you wish to register for, listing the course number and title at the other institution, and upload an Undergraduate Permit Application (pdf) completed by the respective department at Brooklyn College. You will have to explain why you think it is necessary to take the course at a non-CUNY institution. You must upload a "letter of position" from your major department stating whether or not the department supports your petition.

Permission to Register for a Study-abroad Course at a Non-CUNY Program

If you wish to study abroad at a non-CUNY program, you must submit an e-petition. You will have to clearly identify the specific course you wish to register for, listing the course number and title at the other institution, and upload an Undergraduate Permit Application (pdf) completed by the respective department at Brooklyn College. The application form must also be approved by the Office of International Educational and Global Engagement.

Retroactive Withdrawal from a course for the current semester or a Full 

If you wish to retroactively withdraw for the current semester or a full semester, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that warrant a retroactive withdrawal and upload official documentation to corroborate those circumstances. You must also upload Instructor's Notes (pdf) from all your professors for that semester, or a "letter of position" from your major department stating whether or not the department supports your petition. Also, you will have to complete and upload a Financial Aid & Bursar Liability form (pdf), which acknowledges your financial responsibility if you are granted a retroactive withdrawal.

Permission to Graduate Under a Prior Bulletin

If you wish to graduate under a prior Bulletin, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that warrant a return to a prior Bulletin (e.g., if you are a returning student who has completed all or most of the requirements under a prior Bulletin). In such cases, you will have to upload supporting documentation, and a "letter of position" from your major department confirming you have completed all or most of the requirements under a prior Bulletin. The letter of position must also identify which Bulletin year you are seeking to graduate under.

Gen-Ed Curriculum Substitution/Exemption

If you wish to substitute a different course for a gen-ed requirement or to be exempt from a gen-ed requirement, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that warrant such a substitution or exemption. In such cases, you will have to upload supporting documentation and a "letter of position" outlining the academic justification for a substitution or exemption. The letter of position should come from your major department. All petitions for a gen-ed substitution/exemption will be forwarded to the Gen-Ed Committee for additional review. (Please note that if you receive an exemption, you do not receive any credits for the course.)

Uncategorized Petition

Permission to Delete WN Grade or Drop a Class After the Deadline (Based on Non-attendance)

If you wish to delete a WN grade or drop a class after the deadline due to non-attendance, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from dropping the class prior to the deadline. Furthermore, you must upload supporting documentation, Instructor's Notes (pdf) from the professor of the respective class, and a completed Financial Aid & Bursar Liability form (pdf).

Permission to Resolve an INC (FIN) Grade After the Deadline

If you wish to resolve an INC grade after the deadline (when it converts to an FIN grade), and your professor is willing to accept missing course work after the deadline, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from completing the missing course work prior to the deadline. Furthermore, you must upload supporting documentation corroborating those circumstances and a letter from the professor outlining the academic justification for accepting missing course work after the deadline. (If the missing course work has already been evaluated by the professor, the letter from the professor should identify the new grade and when the missing course work was submitted. This letter must be cosigned by the respective chair or deputy chair.)

Permission to Change a Course After the Add/Drop Deadline

If you wish to change a course after the add/drop deadline, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to identify the new course you wish to add (including the CUNYfirst class number), as well as the course you wish to drop, and explain why you think a course change after the deadline should be allowed. You will have to upload a letter from the professor of the new course you wish to add confirming his or her approval for you to add the course.

Permission for Transfer Credit Re-evaluation

All initial requests for transfer credit re-evaluation should be directed to the Transfer Student Services Center, 1600 James Hall. If you wish to submit an e-petition for a transfer credit re-evaluation after the Transfer Student Services Center has denied your request, you will have to outline why you think this re-evaluation should be allowed and upload a "letter of position" from the corresponding department (e.g., Department of Psychology for a psychology course) outlining the academic justification for a re-evaluation.

Permission to Reverse a Retroactive Pass Option for a CORC Course

If you wish to reverse a retroactive pass option (i.e., change a grade of P back to the initial letter grade) for a CORC course, you may submit an e-petition. You will have to clearly identify the specific CORC course you wish to reverse the P grade for and outline why you think this reversal should be allowed.

Permission to reverse a retroactive pass option (other than Gen-Ed Requirement)

If you wish to reverse a retroactive pass option (i.e. change a grade of “P” back to the initial letter grade) for the course, you may submit an e-petition.  You must upload a “letter of position” from your major department stating whether or not the department supports your petition. Furthermore, both the appeal letter and the department position letter should clearly outline the reasons why the reversal should be allowed.

Permission to Repeat ENGL 1010 a Fourth Time

If you do not successfully complete ENGL 1010 within your first three attempts, you will have to submit an e-petition to repeat this course a fourth time. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from completing ENGL 1010 within your first three attempts and upload supporting documentation corroborating those circumstances. You must upload a "letter of position" from the Department of English stating whether or not the department supports your petition.

Permission to Repeat ENGL 1012 a Third Time

If you do not successfully complete ENGL 1012 within your first two attempts, you will have to submit an e-petition to repeat this course a third time. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from completing ENGL 1012 within your first two attempts, and upload supporting documentation corroborating those circumstances. You must upload a "letter of position" from the Department of English stating whether or not the department supports your petition.

Permission to Remain in the ESL Program for a Fifth Semester

If you do not successfully complete all your ESL courses within your first four semesters, you will have to submit an e-petition to remain in the ESL Program for a fifth semester. You will have to explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from completing all your ESL courses within your first four semesters and upload supporting documentation corroborating those circumstances. You must upload a "letter of position" from the Department of English stating whether or not the department supports your petition.

Permission to Apply an F-replacement for the Same Course With a Different Title

If you repeated a course you previously failed, but the course title is not exactly the same, CUNYfirst will not process the F-replacement. Therefore, you will have to submit an e-petition to apply the F-replacement. You will have to clearly identify the course and upload a "letter of position" from the respective department confirming that the course’s subject matter is the same as the course you previously failed. (Please note that you are allowed a maximum of 16 credits of F-replacement, CUNY-wide.)