4130 - Standard Course Numbers

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Last updated: Sept. 26, 2025

A. STANDARD COURSE NUMBERS. University-wide standard numbers have been established for certain categories of courses. These courses need not be listed in a subject-field section in the catalog. They may be offered and listed in the Class Schedule whenever they are needed. Catalog course numbers are assigned by the Office of the Registrar at the time of approval by the University Curriculum Committee.

B. AUTHORIZED COMBINATIONS OF STANDARD COURSE NUMBERS AND TITLES. The following course numbers and titles are authorized: 2000, 4000, 5010, 6010 Seminar; 2030, 4030, 5030, 6030 Workshop; 2040, 4040, 5040, 6040 Special Topics; 4050, 5050, 6050 Professional Development; 2980, 3980, 4980, 5980, 6980 Internship; 2990, 4990, 5020, 6020 Directed Study; Optional 4000s number Practicum in Tutoring; 2999, 4999 Undergraduate Research; 5000 Master's Research and Thesis; 5970 Graduate Practicum; 5990 Non-thesis Master’s Research; 6000 Doctoral Research and Dissertation. (Courses in this group that are appropriate to the College of Law are assigned analogous numbers in the 8000s and 9000s.)

C. CONDITIONS.

C-1. Authorized Fields. With the exception of Practicum in Tutoring, the undergraduate-level standard courses may be offered in any subject field, excluding those approved for graduate degrees only. Practicum in Tutoring and Undergraduate Research courses may be offered in subject fields in which a bachelor's degree has been approved. Courses 5010, 5020, 5030, 5040, 5050, may be offered in subject fields in which graduate-level courses or degree have been approved. Courses 5970, 5980, 5990 may be offered in subject fields in which a graduate degree has been approved. Course 5000 must be offered in, and only in, those subject fields in which a thesis master's degree has been approved. Course 6000 must be offered in, and only in, those subject fields in which the doctorate-level programs are offered. Courses 6010, 6020, 6030, 6040, 6050, 6980 must be offered in, and only in, those subject fields in which doctoral-level programs are offered.

C-2. Expanded Titles and Descriptions. All of the foregoing titles, except for 5000, 6000, and Practicum in Tutoring, may be expanded (in the nature of subtitles) to indicate the subject more specifically. This possibility is indicated by the symbol “(s)” between the number and the title in the catalog entry. If more than one such specific topic is to be offered, they will be listed in the Time Schedule as separate sections. Also, special conditions or restrictions may be added to the course description. Illustrative catalog entry: MusH 4000 (s) Seminar (cr arr); Illustrative Time Schedule entries: MusH 4000 Lec 01 Seminar (cr arr); MusH 4000 Lec 02 Seminar in Ethnomusicology (3 cr); MusH 4000 Lec 03 Seminar in Medieval Music (1-3 cr).

C-3. Credits. All of these courses, except Practicum in Tutoring, may be offered on a variable-credit basis (cr arr). Practicum in Tutoring is to be offered for one credit and may be repeated once (1 cr, max 2).

  • Directed Study: A method of delivering specially designed content to a student outside of the normal classroom environment. A student cannot repeat the same directed study. Directed study courses cannot duplicate an existing course.
  • Internship: Supervised practical experience related to a student’s major.
  • Practicum: Course of study that involves the supervised application of previously studied theory.
  • Practicum in Tutoring: Tutorial services performed by advanced students under faculty supervision.
  • Professional Development: A professional activity designed to provide information or skills, which have practical value. Usually developed to meet the needs of a particular group of practitioners.
  • Graduate Research: Supervised collection of information about a particular subject.
  • Seminar: A course offered to a group of advanced students studying under a professor with each doing in-depth study and discussion of the course material with the professor and other students.
  • Special Topic: Extended discussion on a topic or subject area not covered in an existing course offering. Topic cannot be offered more than three times under this course number. After the second offering appropriate curricular approval paperwork must be filed.
  • Workshop: A usually brief, intensive course for a relatively small group of students that focuses on techniques and skills in a particular field.
  • Undergraduate Research: A mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seek to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge.

C-4. Prerequisites. Prerequisites are not usually listed for courses 5000. Courses in the 6000-series are intended for doctoral students only and will carry a system-enforced prerequisite of enrollment in a doctoral program (Ph.D., Ed.D.).

C-5. Grading. Seminars, workshops, directed studies, Practicum in Tutoring, and internships may be graded on the P/F basis or normal mode.

C-6. Limitations. A separate special-topics course should not be offered under the number 2040, 4040, 5040, or 6040 more than three times; after the third offering, it should be assigned its own number, title, and description so that with few exceptions the official descriptions of courses students take will be in the catalog. Use 5990 for research not directly related to a thesis or dissertation. A maximum of 10 credits in course 5000 may be applied toward the minimum of 30 credits required for a thesis master's degree; nevertheless, the number of credits a student may earn in course 5000 is not limited to the number required by the student's department. Credit in course 5000 cannot be counted toward the minimum of 30 credits required for a nonthesis master's degree. Credit earned in 4050, 5050 and 6050 will not be accepted toward graduate degree programs. Courses numbered 6000-6999 may never be conducted jointly and can be cross listed only with 6000-level courses in a second department. Standard course numbers may not be cross- or joint-listed with catalog courses

C-7. Limitations on Directed Study. Directed study is intended as a method of delivering specially designed content to the student outside of the normal classroom environment. General classroom space is not available for this purpose and enrollment in any directed study course should not exceed five. Students cannot repeat the same directed study. Directed study courses cannot duplicate an existing course.

C-8. Reserved Standard Course Numbers. Course numbers 2991, 2992, 2993, 2994, 2995, 2996, 2997, 2998, 4991, 4992, 4993, 4994, 4995, 4996, 4997, 4998, 5991, 5992, 5993, 5994, 5995, 5996, 5997, 5998, 6991, 6992, 6993, 6994, 6995, 6996, 6997, and 6998 are reserved for future standard course numbers and may not be used for regular catalog courses.

Version History

Amended September 2025. Course numbers changed from three digits to four. Standard course numbers added for undergraduate research. Numbers reserved for future standard courses.

Amended July 2011. Clarified the cross-listing of special topics and directed studies courses. Additionally, minor grammatical changes were made.

Amended July 2005. Possibility of cross-listing special topics and directed studies courses were clarified.

Amended in 2004. Added 600-level courses specifically for doctoral students, definitions added under C-3 and a new paragraph C-7.

Amended July 1994. Common internship numbers were specified, as well as the possibility of grading internships on a pass/fail basis.

Amended February 1991. Clarification regarding expanded course titles was added.

Adopted 1979.