Selecting Courses
Preliminaries
A first step in course selection is to determine how many of the forty-two course credits required for graduation have already been earned. For current students, both course and AP/PT/IB credit information is listed on the transcript. New students should consult the AP/PT/IB table in the publication Information for Entering Students which they will receive by mail over the summer.
Note: Credit is measured by course on a 1:1 basis, not by credit hours or another scheme. The University Registrar offers guidelines for the conversion of credit to/from credit hours.
A second step in course selection is to determine if the College language and physical education requirements have been met. This information is found on the unofficial transcript. If these two graduation requirements are unfinished, plan to complete them within the first two years of study.
Create a Workable Schedule
In order to create a reasonable and workable schedule, students should consider extracurricular demands on their time, including athletics, intramural sports, house activities, clubs, volunteering and other activities (family, friends, religious activities. Many students will also seek employment, but undergraduate students are limited to 15 hours of employment per week during the academic year. Students seeking a waiver should petition the Dean of Students in the College.
A workable schedule must set aside time for meals and transit time to/from school, parking as well as a reasonable amount of time for sleep. Classes at 8:30 a.m. are probably not a great idea for persons who stay up late, and afternoon or evening classes will not always work for athletes or long-distance commuters.
Additional considerations
- Full-time study is either three or four courses per quarter
- Tuition/fees is the same for three or four courses
- Students who enter the College with no PT/AP/IB credit can graduate on time in twelve quarters having spent half their time taking three courses per quarter
- Seniors searching for employment, applying for graduate school, and writing theses often take three courses in those quarters
- Sequences, prerequisites, or study abroad might require four courses in a single quarter
- A ten-minute break between classes is sufficient to get across campus
Note: One or two courses is considered less than full time and has both residency and financial aid implications. Read the part-time study policy before deciding whether to switch to half-time status.
Use the weekly time schedule, Four-year plan, and Degree Program worksheets to arrange a quarterly class schedule and long-range academic plan.
Nuts and Bolts
For some students the choice of which classes to take will be relatively simple because many courses have prerequisites and all majors have requirements. When making the decision to choose one class over another it is best to gather as much information as possible before the first day. Sitting in on a class for one or two days is probably the least efficient method to learn about that class. Consider these alternate research methods:
- Read course descriptions in the College catalog
- Read course descriptions posted on the bulletin board near the advising reception desk
- Talk to the instructor and review the syllabus (ask the instructor for a copy)
- Read previous course evaluations
- Look for information on Chalk
- Review the reading list in the bookstore
- Talk to the undergraduate program chair in that department
- Talk to your College adviser
- Talk to students who have taken the course before
- Check the Time Schedules
Taking a Fifth Class
Upperclass students seeking to register for a fifth class should attend the class and obtain a signed pink slip. Petition the Dean of Students in the middle of third week to register for the class and attach the signed pink slip to the petition form. The extra tuition for a fifth class is equal to the charge for one class. Refer to the front of the printed Time Schedules or the Office of the Bursar Web page for current tuition rates.
