Numbering of Courses Courses are numbered according to plan, with the first digit indicating the level of the course. The 100-level courses are primarily for first-year students and the 200-level courses for sophomores. However, first-year students may in many instances elect 200-level courses and sophomores 300-level courses; they may even elect courses above these levels with permission of the instructor. Although 300-level courses are primarily for juniors and 400-level courses for seniors, they are open to graduate students with faculty permission.
The numbering of independent study courses should reflect the appropriate level of the course and be listed in the following series: 291, 391, or 491. If an independent study course is given which is identical to a regular course, it should be numbered and titled the same as that course, except that the letter Z is added to the course number to indicate that the course is being offered independently.
1. Numbering of Courses Courses are numbered according to plan, with the first digit indicating the level of the course. The 100-level courses are primarily for first-year students and the 200-level courses for sophomores. However, first-year students may in many instances elect 200-level courses and sophomores 300-level courses; they may even elect courses above these levels with permission of the instructor. Although 300-level courses are primarily for juniors and 400-level courses for seniors, they are open to graduate students with faculty permission.
The numbering of independent study courses should reflect the appropriate level of the course and be listed in the following series: 291, 391, or 491. If an independent study course is given which is identical to a regular course, it should be numbered and titled the same as that course, except that the letter Z is added to the course number to indicate that the course is being offered independently.
2.Scheduling of Courses The primary responsibility for scheduling of courses rests with the department chair, who, after consulting with the faculty, submits a list of scheduled courses, instructors, meeting times, and rooms to the division director for approval. General guidelines for scheduling courses are conveyed to the chairs by the division directors. Tentative projections are done two years in advance, with the final schedules being submitted for approval before Early Course Registration for a term (in February for the fall term, and in September for the spring term). Any change in this final schedule requires the approval of the division director and the associate dean of the faculty. When a change is approved, it is the responsibility of the department chair to report it to the registrar.
3.Early Course Registration Students are expected to participate in early course registration (known at other institutions as “pre-registration”) at the time announced by the Registrar, in November for the spring term and April for the fall term. In advance of these dates the registrar posts online a searchable list of scheduled courses, instructors, meeting times, and room assignments. Students select their primary and alternate courses, and complete the registration form (available on the registrar’s office web page). Students also use this form to obtain faculty signature for permission- only courses. In order to register themselves online using Banner self-service, students must obtain a six-digit “registration PIN” from their faculty adviser. This PIN permits them access to the web-based registration program.
Registration is done by class, with seniors first and first-year students last, and within each class, by alphabetic groups which are rotated each term in order to give all students a fair and equal opportunity in course selections.