Student Seeks HUD Work Credit for University Degree

A Freedom of Information Act request has uncovered documents in which an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago asked that the work he performed for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) be credited toward his degree. The student, who was collaborating with the university’s DOGE (Department of Government and Economics) research program, submitted a formal request to the university’s academic affairs office to have his HUD‑related project count as a required course or research component for his major.

The released documents detail the student’s rationale, citing the project’s alignment with the curriculum and the substantial hours of research and analysis he completed under HUD’s auspices. They also include correspondence between the student, the DOGE faculty advisor, and the university’s registrar, outlining the procedural steps for petitioning credit for external work. The university’s response, as recorded in the FOIA files, notes that such requests are evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis and that the final decision rests with the department’s academic committee.

These documents illustrate how the University of Chicago evaluates requests for external work to be recognized as degree credit. The case underscores the university’s formal process for integrating real‑world research experience into academic requirements and highlights the role of FOIA in providing transparency about institutional decision‑making.