Course Selection

University of Virginia College of Arts & Sciences undergraduate students select courses for the upcoming semester during the pre-enrollment period (typically November for spring classes and April for fall classes). The following steps are a guide to best practices when building a course schedule.

1. Check deadlines
2. Identify required courses you need
3. Select 4-5 courses from the Schedule of Classes in SIS
4. See your advisor (academic advising)
5. Enroll, add, drop in courses by deadlines on A&S academic calendar
6. Tips for Using SIS
7. Check for enrollment errors and student status

1. Check deadlines

Check the Academic Calendar deadlines for Arts & Sciences registration, advising, add or drop classes. UVA Arts & Sciences takes deadlines very seriously so check it regularly (recommended).

Other important calendars: Registrar Calendar, Department majors, Advising Newsletter, Office of Major Events

2. Identify required courses you need

1. Log into UVA SIS (Student Information System). See how to use SIS.
2. Check your Academic Requirement (AR) report. AR lists all the courses which you have completed or in which you are currently enrolled. The AR report shows:
   • Degree, major and minor requirements completed
   • Requirements remaining
   • A list of the courses that fulfill remaining requirements
3. Plan to satisfy degree requirements for the University of Virginia College of Arts & Sciences, which include:
• Competency Requirements
• Area Requirements
• Majors & Minors Requirements

TIP: Choose your courses with a plan to finish core requirements first, especially the First Writing, Foreign Language and Math/Science requirements.

With the move to the new SIS (Student Information System), all University course numbers have been converted from a 3-digit course number to a new 4-digit course number. Use the UREG Crosswalk to search for the new numbers.

Other considerations to help you identify courses you need:

• Course prerequisites
• Class section restrictions
• Requirements to transfer out to other University of Virginia schools

Errors in your Academic Requirement (AR) report should be brought to the attention of Judy Updike, University of Virginia College of Arts & Sciences Registrar (; (434) 924-8867; 138 Monroe Hall).

3. Select 4-5 courses from the Schedule of Classes

Most UVA students should take 15-16 credit hours, which is usually five courses.

1. Check the Schedule of Classes in SIS to see what is being offered in the upcoming semester.
2. Select several alternates for each of your top choices. Some classes fill up quickly, so there may be occasions when you will have to enroll in an alternate course. Place all courses you may want to take into Enrollment Requests.
3. Include discussion sections and labs as you select your classes. Select zero-credit labs, drills and discussions where required. You must follow the same procedure to select these as you do any other class.

Arts & Sciences provides a course selection worksheet (.pdf, 49KB) and a course enrollment time schedule worksheet (.pdf, 17KB) to help with this process.

NOTE: College students are limited to 15 credits through November 22. On November 23 students may enroll in 17 credits. Enrolling in 18 or more credits requires the permission of your Association Dean.

4. See your advisor (academic advising)

1. Schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor to review your course selections and your academic progress. Contact your advisor directly if he/she has not created an electronic calendar.
2. Remind your advisor to release your advising hold after your meeting. You can view your enrollment date and time in the SIS Student Center.
3. Read more details in the advising overview about
   1. Who are faculty advisors
   2. Who are association deans
   3. Additional advising resources

5. Enroll, add and drop courses by deadlines on A&S academic calendar

1. Enroll in courses using SIS beginning on the date and time listed in the Student Center; enrollment starts November 9 . You may enroll in 15 credits; on November 23 you may enroll in up to 17 credits.
2. Make any schedule changes (add, drop, withdraw)
3. Make any changes to your grading options (credit/no credit (CR/NC), audit) by the add deadline.
4. After you have enrolled in courses, verify the accuracy of enrollments (item #6 below) before the drop deadline.

6. Tips For Using the SIS

a. To view all classes in a department, use DEPARTMENT and one other search field. MAIN campus or credits (0 and 6) are good additional search criteria.
b. To find classes for the upcoming semester, use SEARCH FOR CLASSES in your Student Center (not the Course Catalog).
c. In advance of your appointment time, you can start placing courses you might want to take in ENROLLMENT REQUESTS.

Using SWAP and EDIT

a. To drop one class and add another simultaneously, use the SWAP function. http://www.sis.virginia.edu/CenterHelp/AddDrpSwpEdt.pdf (page 6)

b. To switch a discussion/lab section for a class in which you already are enrolled, and the new discussion/lab is open, use the EDIT function. See http://www.sis.virginia.edu/CenterHelp/AddDrpSwpEdt.pdf (.pdf) (page 6)

c. To switch a discussion/lab section for a class in which you already are enrolled, and the new discussion/lab has a wait list, you will lose your place in the lecture. If the lecture is full, you will have to go on the wait list.

d. To switch a discussion/lab section for a class in which you are waitlisted, delete the original wait list request. You will lose your place in the lecture wait list.

6. Check for enrollment errors and student status

It is your responsibility to:

• Check your schedule for errors
• Make any necessary changes, such as dropping courses you are not attending, or adding courses you are attending by the stated deadlines
• Verify the accuracy of your enrollments in SIS each time you make a change

Your Status as a Student

You are considered an enrolled undergraduate UVA Arts & Sciences student at the University of Virginia if you have

1. enrolled in at least 1 credit
2. paid your tuition bill
3. have no holds (previously called blocks in ISIS)

Denied enrollment and how to clear holds

If you have a hold (formerly known as a block) you will be unable to enroll in classes. If this hold is in place on the first Friday of the semester, you will be disenrolled and dropped from all your classes. As applicable, your University of Virginia ID card will be deactivated, and UVA Housing, UVA Dining, Cavalier Advantage and all other student privileges will be unavailable.

Full-time and part-time enrollment status

• Enrollment in fewer than 12 credits
• Enrollment in eight credits or less
• Part-time students