The course schedule for the Spring 2024 semester is live for viewing as registration season approaches.
The Office of the Registrar released the schedule on Monday, Oct. 23 and emailed students with important information regarding course sign-ups, saying that students can expect another email on Thursday, Nov. 2 with information about their registration date.
Students can view the schedule through the “Look Up Classes” link under “Registration Tools” on Treehouse.
The Office of the Registrar urged students to begin planning their Spring 2024 schedule in preparation for registration, which starts the week of Nov. 6, 2023.
To register for the Spring 2024 semester, students must have their alternate PIN, the correct course registration numbers and no registration-blocking holds on their account.
Emails to students with registration-blocking holds will be sent by the Office of the Registrar on Monday, Oct. 30, so students can clear holds before registration begins.
Full-time undergraduate students should plan a schedule with a minimum of 12 credits a semester, unless they submit a request for a policy exception to the Academic Standing Committee.
Most standard courses count for four credits. Students can check how many credits a course counts towards when they view sections of courses on the schedule.
Jeremy Blatter, assistant professor of media and communications and an academic advisor, urged students to make a schedule that includes courses they are passionate about.
“Really try to think about what resonates with you and balance what you find interesting with requirements. You’ll be more successful if you’re taking classes that interest you,” said Blatter.
However, Blatter also wants students to keep an open mind about any courses they have to take as requirements to graduate. “Don’t write off requirements, get out of the mindset of seeing curriculum as an obstacle but instead as guideposts of your education,” he said.
As an additional piece of advice for students planning their class schedules, Blatter said, “unless a student is a senior, they should have back-up options for each of their classes, especially if they are popular and tend to fill up quickly.”
The Office of the Registrar told students that “it is in your best interest to make an appointment with your advisor as soon as possible,” in their email about course registration.
Faculty advisors are the only people students can receive their alternate PIN from—without this PIN students cannot register for courses. Students should note that their PIN changes every semester, so they have to meet with their advisor before every registration period begins, even if they still have a PIN from the past.
Students can find the names, email addresses and departments of their advisors under the “Academic Profile” section on Treehouse.
Students should “come into advising meetings knowing what courses are being offered, what the prerequisites are, and the meeting times so they can troubleshoot conflicts,” said Blatter.
He also noted that it is best for students to avoid relying on third-party websites, like Coursicle, to plan their schedule. He warned that these systems do not always use the correct catalog of courses and can mistakenly say a class is being offered when it is not, leading to issues during registration and advising meetings.
Furthermore, the Office of the Registrar urges students to double check the course schedule before registration. “The schedule is always subject to change; thus, we strongly encourage you to double check your desired classes for the Spring term right before registration opens to ensure no major changes were made to the classes you intend to register,” the Office of the Registrar said.
For students planning to register for courses with restrictions, such as unmet prerequisites, the Office of the Registrar encourages students to reach out to class instructors before registration week to review and receive override requests. They also noted that certain courses, such as specialized Honors Thesis, Independent Studies and Directed Research, require students to submit Special Registration Forms.
Students should note that these requests are different from petitioning the Registrar. Advising faculty urged students who are interested in petitioning the Registrar to do so outside of registration season and to trust their advisors about the right time to submit a petition.
For more information about the registration process, students can consult the registration page of the Office of the Registrar’s website and view the instructional video about how to register for classes that can be found under the Registrar section on Treehouse.
Sierra Walker is a junior majoring in media and communications and marketing and minoring in Spanish.