--- description: Alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev enrolled in an "Intro to Ethics" class the same semester of the Boston bombings. title: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Took 'Intro to Ethics' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfb1c624c6b5ead5/69878521a988ca08df6ad128/dzokhar-tsarnaev.jpg?branch=production&width=1920&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Courts](/tag/courts/) ## Courts Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Took 'Intro to Ethics' at Time of Boston Marathon Bombing by [Sabrina Toppa](/author/sabrina-toppa/) ## Sabrina Toppa Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 25, 2015 6:17 AM CUT  Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is pictured in this photo presented as evidence by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston on March 23, 2015. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is pictured in this photo presented as evidence by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston on March 23, 2015.Reuters by [Sabrina Toppa](/author/sabrina-toppa/) ## Sabrina Toppa Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 25, 2015 6:17 AM CUT Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, currently on trial for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that claimed five lives and injured 280, had a cumulative college GPA of 1.094 and enrolled in an “Intro to Ethics” class the same semester of the attack, according to university transcripts [revealed](http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/03/24/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-was-taking-intro-ethics-class-during-boston-marathon-bombing/NkCg0nsDVEpuVX9K4cjnxJ/story.html "undefined") in court Tuesday. UMass-Dartmouth Vice Chancellor Mark Preble exhibited Tsarnaev’s academic credentials as part of Tuesday’s testimony, showing an undeclared major receiving seven F’s on his [transcript](http://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/screen-shot-2015-03-24-at-6.18.03-pm.png "undefined"). In his final semester, uncompleted by Tsarnaev, the alleged bomber also enrolled in courses on Intro to American Politics, General Psychology and Finite Math, the Boston _Globe_ reported. > [](https://twitter.com/hollybdc/status/580518928146923520) Tsarnaev’s subpar academic performance prompted the university to cancel his financial aid, Preble said. In January 2013, Tsarnaev filed a Satisfactory Academic Progress Report to account for his low grades and reacquire financial aid eligibility: “This year I lost too many of my loved relatives,” Tsarnaev scribbled in his report. “I was unable to cope with the stress and maintain school work. My relatives live in Chechnya, Russia. A Republic that is occupied by Russian soldiers that falsely accuse and abduct innocent men under false pretences and terrorist accusations. I am at a point where I can finally focus on my school work. I wish to do well so one day I can help out those in need in my country, especially my family members.” \[[_Boston Globe_](http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/03/24/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-was-taking-intro-ethics-class-during-boston-marathon-bombing/NkCg0nsDVEpuVX9K4cjnxJ/story.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3757463/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-college-transcript-ethics-class/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3757463/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-college-transcript-ethics-class/"},"headline":"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Took 'Intro to Ethics' at Time of Boston Marathon Bombing","datePublished":"2015-03-25T06:17:07.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:17:44.090Z","description":"The 21-year-old's report card shows an undeclared major with seven Fs","url":"https://time.com/3757463/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-college-transcript-ethics-class/","keywords":["Courts","Academics","Dzhokhar Tsarnaev","Boston Marathon bombing"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfb1c624c6b5ead5/69878521a988ca08df6ad128/dzokhar-tsarnaev.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sabrina Toppa","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/sabrina-toppa/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfb1c624c6b5ead5/69878521a988ca08df6ad128/dzokhar-tsarnaev.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is pictured in this photo presented as evidence by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston on March 23, 2015.","caption":"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is pictured in this photo presented as evidence by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston on March 23, 2015.","creditText":"Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/courts/","name":"Courts"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3757463/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-college-transcript-ethics-class/","name":"Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Took 'Intro to Ethics' at Time of Boston Marathon Bombing"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Capturing the Real Face of Terror: Photographing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev","description":"In one of his first interviews since retiring, Sgt. 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