Course Numbers
Courses with a number of less than 100 do not count toward any degree program. For purposes of qualifying for financial aid, however, the unit value assigned to those courses will count for the semester in which those courses were taken. Lower-division courses are numbered from 100 through 299. These courses are designed primarily for Freshmen and Sophomores. They provide breadth of understanding and the foundation for the more specialized work in upper-division, advanced courses. Approved General Education courses are listed online and are offered at both the lower‑division and upper-division levels; no upper-division General Education course may be used in a graduate degree program. Lower-division courses are open to Junior, Senior, and Graduate students; however, lower-division courses may not be applied to any graduate degree program.
Upper-division courses are numbered from 300 through 499. These courses are open to students who have completed the prerequisites to the course, if any, stated in the course description and other departmental regulations given in this Catalog. A "Prerequisite" is a completed course or other measure of academic preparation which provides a foundation for the more advanced course.
Freshmen (fewer than 30 units) are not allowed to enroll in upper-division courses without permission of the instructor. Sophomores wishing to enroll in upper-division courses which indicate no prerequisites should consult with the course instructor or other knowledgeable advisor prior to enrollment. These courses are presented to meet the expectations of academically advanced students.
Certain 400‑level courses are double‑numbered with 500‑level courses. In these courses the expectations of graduate students, who must enroll in the 500‑level course, are greater than the expectations of undergraduates. Grading scales are different for the 500‑level course and additional work is required of graduate students. A student may not earn credit for both the 400‑ and 500‑level versions of a course.
Graduate‑level courses are numbered from 500 to 799. Courses numbered 500‑599 may be opened to senior students upon favorable petition. Courses numbered from 600 to 799 are open only to graduate students.
Included with some of the course numbers is a supplementary letter, or suffix, such as L for "laboratory" or A and B for a year‑long sequence. "A‑B" means that the courses must be taken in alphabetical sequence; "A,B" designates related courses which need not be taken in sequence. The student is given degree credit for each part of the sequence satisfactorily completed, whether or not the remaining part of the sequence is completed. Funding, student demand, and instructor availability may require that a course be offered in a different semester or session or be postponed until a later academic year. The online class schedule appropriate to the semester or session in question should be consulted for actual course scheduling information. Some of the courses offered during the fall and spring semesters are also offered during the summer session.
The University reserves the right to make changes in course offerings without notice.
