Standard Course Numbering System

PURPOSE

This memorandum is intended to clarify the standard course numbering system and to point out some variations and limitations.

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

All courses authorized for degree credit must be numbered according to guidelines established by the University. The numbering schemes may vary by academic unit and may change over time.

2. STANDARD COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM

a. For all courses in the DN, LW, and MD academic units, and for courses in the GU academic units prior to Fall 2006, the numbers assigned to courses are normally categorized as follows:

• 001-049 Courses primarily for first and second year undergraduates
• 050-099 Courses primarily for third and fourth year undergraduates
• 100-199 Courses for advanced undergraduates and graduate students
• 200-299 Courses for graduate students only
• 300-399 Seminar and Research courses for graduate students
• 400-499 Numbers reserved for special categories of registration
• 600-699* Interdisciplinary courses for undergrad and graduate students
• 700-799* Interdisciplinary courses for graduate students only

*Interdisciplinary numbers are assigned in sequence. Departments in the DN, LW & MD academic units should contact the University Registrar for the next valid number when establishing these courses. Course must involve two or more campus schools/academic units to qualify for interdisciplinary numbering.

b. For courses in the GU academic unit starting in Fall 2006, the numbers assigned to courses are normally categorized as follows:

• 000-009 Reserved for University Registrar
• 050-089 First-Year Seminars
• 009-399 Undergraduate Level Courses
• 100-189 Introductory Undergraduate Courses*
  
  
  • 190, 290, 390 Undergraduate Special Topics Courses
  • 195, 295, 395 Undergraduate Research Courses
  • 196, 296, 396 Undergraduate Independent Study/Reading Courses
  • 199, 299, 399 Undergraduate Experimental Offerings
  
  
• 400-699 Courses for advanced undergraduates and graduate students
  
  
  • 496, 596, 696 Undergraduate/Graduate Independent Study/Reading Courses
  • 499, 599, 699 Undergraduate/Graduate Experimental Offerings
  • 691H, 692H, 693H, 694H Senior (Undergraduate) Honors Thesis
  • 697, 698 Capstone Courses (Undergraduate)
  
  
• 700-994 Graduate only courses
• 799 Graduate Experimental Offering
• 890-899 Graduate Special Topic
• 900-991 Graduate Research
• 992, 993 Master's Thesis
• 994 Doctoral Dissertation
• 995-999 Reserved for University Registrar

* Foreign Language Courses should be numbered in this manner: 101,102 and 401, 402 - Beginning level; 203, 204 and 403, 404 - Intermediate level; 601, 602 and 603, 604 - Graduate foreign language requirement

3. AVAILABLE SUFFIXES

a. For all courses in the DN, LW, and MD academic units, and for all courses in GU academic units prior to Fall 2006 the following suffixes may be used:

• A - First part of a series of courses, or an advanced course
• B - Second part of a series of courses
• C - Third part of a series of courses, or correspondence course
• E - Denotes elective credit for the Dental School
• H - Honors course or course for advanced students
• L - Credit-bearing laboratory course
• M - Open to majors only
• R - Denotes a review course
• X - Denotes no graduate credit. Satisfies language reading knowledge examination. For undergraduates, denotes an intense language review course

b. For courses in the GU academic unit starting in Fall 2006 (with the exception of subject = MBA*), the following suffixes may be used:

• H - Honors course or course for advanced students
• L - Credit-bearing laboratory course
• I - Interdisciplinary course

* MBA courses may use any other suffix not listed above, but should not use the suffixes H, L or I unless they are used for the specific course content as designated for each suffix.

4. LIMITATIONS ON NUMBERING AND SUFFIXES

Alphabetic suffixes are limited to one. More than one suffix and hyphenated course numbers are incompatible with the system now in use.

A course number should not be re-assigned to another course having a different content until at least five years after the previous course was taught. This is to prevent the same course number from appearing twice on a student's record representing two different courses.