Academic Catalog

Course and Credit Information

Course Numbers

Course numbers show the level of the material presented. The numbers and the academic levels follow:

Number Academic Levels
0000-0999 Courses in the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture, may not be taken for degree credit by Baccalaureate students.
1000-1999 Introductory courses, usually with no prerequisites, primarily intended for First-Year Students and Sophomores.
2000-2999 Courses, usually with no more than one prerequisite, primarily intended for Sophomores.
3000-3999 Advanced undergraduate courses primarily intended for Juniors and Seniors.
4000-4999 Advanced undergraduate courses primarily intended for Seniors.
5000-5999 Entry-level and intermediate Graduate courses.
6000-6999 Advanced Graduate courses.
7000-7999 Law School courses.
8000-8999 Medical School courses.
9000-9999 School of Dental Medicine courses.

Unless their school or college has more stringent requirements, undergraduate seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 2.6 or above may take 5000-level courses. Other undergraduates must have the permission of the instructor and the student’s academic dean to enroll in a 5000-level course.

Consent Courses

Many University courses require consent of the instructor for enrollment. The course directory section of this Catalog specifies the required signatures.

Enrollment Requirements

Prerequisites and Corequisites

The term prerequisite implies a progression from less advanced to more advanced study in a field. Students must satisfy the prerequisite(s) before registering for the course, unless exempted by the instructor. Corequisite courses must be taken concurrently. When a course is listed as both a prerequisite and a corequisite, it may be taken prior to or concurrently with the other course.

Prerequisites taken out of sequence within a single department shall not count towards degree credit unless the head of the department offering the course grants an exception. For example, assume that courses A and B are in the same department and A is prerequisite to B. If the instructor permits the student to take B without having taken A, and the student passes B, the student may not take A for credit without permission. The student seeking credit for A must have the permission of the head of the department offering the course. The department head must notify the Registrar in writing.

Restricted Credits

Students should read carefully the course descriptions in the Undergraduate Catalog before they register because some of the course credits may not count toward graduation. Some examples of credit-restricted courses are:

Students who have had three or more years of a foreign language in high school cannot receive credit for the elementary language courses in that same language. However, transfer students who were placed in an elementary language course through a proficiency exam at another institution of higher learning may contact the Literatures, Cultures and Languages Department Head about permission to receive credit for the elementary language courses.

Course restrictions also apply to independent study courses (see Independent Study, Special Topics, and Variable Topics courses), repeated courses (see Repeating courses), and prerequisites taken out of sequence (see Prerequisites).

In credit-restricted courses, the earned credits are reduced on the transcript. However, full credit will be used in the determination of full-time status and in the calculation of grade point averages.

Recommended Preparation

Denotes that the instructor will assume that students know material covered in the course(s) listed. Students who register for a course without the recommended background may experience difficulties and are encouraged to consult with the instructor prior to registration.

Satisfying Course Requirements by Examination

A student may, with the permission of their academic dean, meet school or college course requirements by examination. The student earns no credit. The department offering the course gives the examination.

Independent Study, Special Topics and Variable Topics Courses

Students wishing to study a subject independently, for credit, must find an instructor to supervise the project. The instructor and the student then agree on the number of credits the student may earn. Without special permission, students may not register for or earn toward the degree more than six credits each semester in any one or combination of independent study, special topics, and variable topics courses. To increase this limit, students must consult with their advisor and get the permission of their academic dean. Please see registrar.uconn.edu/forms for the appropriate forms.

Repeating Courses

Any student who is regularly registered for courses and who satisfies the requirements shall receive credit except that no student shall receive credit for the same course twice, unless it is specifically stated, as in a variable content course. Courses with the same number that cover the same course content cannot be counted more than once for credit. The parenthetical phrases (Formerly offered as...) and (Also offered as...) that follow a course title as a cross reference indicate that a student may not take both the course and the cross-referenced course. A student is regularly registered for a course only if he or she has conformed to all university or college regulations or requirements applying to registration for the course.

A student may repeat a course previously taken one time without seeking permission in order to earn a higher grade. The student may take the course a third time with the permission of the dean of the school or college in which the student is enrolled and the instructor of the course. Under no circumstances may a student take a course more than three times.

When a student repeats a course, credit shall be allowed only once. Furthermore, in the computation of the grade point average, the registered credit and grade points for the most recent taking of the course shall be included in the GPA calculation and the registered credit and grade for the prior taking of the course shall remain on the transcript, but shall be removed from the GPA calculation.

The student should note that repeating a course that was previously passed can have negative consequences. For example, if a student fails a course previously passed, the student would lose credit for the first, passed, attempt and not earn credit for the second, failed, attempt. Repeating a previously passed course may also have an effect on financial aid. Students considering repeating previously passed courses should consult their advisors and Student Financial Aid Services staff.

When a student repeats a course after receiving a degree, the student’s transcript will indicate a grade, but no registered credit, for the repeated course. The grade and registered credit recorded for the course prior to receipt of the degree shall continue to be included in the GPA and credit calculations.

A student must have department head permission to repeat a course that is listed as a prerequisite or corequisite for any course that the student has passed. For example, a student who received a “D” in CHEM 1127Q General Chemistry I and subsequently passed CHEM 1128Q General Chemistry II may not retake CHEM 1127Q General Chemistry I without permission.

Earning Course Credits by Examination

The student should obtain a Petition for Course Credit by Examination from the Office of the Registrar or registrar.uconn.edu/forms, pay the Credit by Examination fee at the Bursar’s Office, and take the form to the instructor of the course and the department head for review of the student’s academic qualifications and approval to take the exam. The student must then take the form to the student’s academic dean for final approval. When all approvals have been obtained, the student must take the form to the academic department to arrange for the examination.

When acceptable candidates apply, departments arrange examinations once a semester, as shown in the University calendar. The course instructor prepares and grades the examination. The student writes the answers unless the material makes an oral or performance examination more appropriate. Examinations in laboratory courses test the student’s mastery of laboratory techniques. Students may not elect the Pass/Fail option when taking an examination for course credit. Posted grades are from “A” to “D-” with the corresponding grade points, and if the student fails the examination, the Registrar does not record a grade. If the department permits, students may review past examinations.

Students may not:

  • take an examination for credit if they previously covered a substantial portion of the material in a high-school or college course for which the University granted credit.
  • earn credits by examination for any course they have failed, by examination or otherwise.
  • earn credits by examination for ENGL 1003 Academic Literacies for Multilingual Students, ENGL 1004 Introduction to Academic Writing, or for 1000-level foreign language courses. Schools and Colleges may exclude other courses from course credit by examination.
  • earn by examination more than one-fourth of the credits required for the degree.

Advanced Placement

Various academic deans have approved Advanced Placement Examinations as a basis for granting advanced standing to students at the time of admission. The department teaching the subject matter covered by the test determines whether the student:

  1. receives full credit for a specific course, or
  2. may use a specific course in meeting prerequisite requirements for more advanced courses or in fulfilling course requirements for graduation, or
  3. neither of the preceding alternatives. See the College Board AP Examination Transfer Guidelines chart for more information.

College Board AP Examination Transfer Guidelines

For information on the College Board AP Examination Transfer Guidelines please refer to the Office of Admission website at admissions.uconn.edu/apply/transfer/transfer-credit/AP-IB-A-level-credit/.  

Earning Course Credits through Concurrent Enrollment Programs

Students who have earned college credits while in high school through a concurrent enrollment program, also known as dual enrollment, should request an official transcript from the issuing institution and meet with their academic advisor regarding the transferability of the credits.

UConn Early College Experience (ECE)

UConn ECE Students coming to any UConn campus for their undergraduate career will automatically have all non-degree work (Pending Classes) from UConn ECE noted on the non-degree portion of an official UConn transcript.

Students, need to meet with an academic advisor to decide one of two options:

  1. elect to move UConn ECE credit to the degree portion of the official undergraduate transcript (accept the credit) or
  2. leave the credit on the non-degree portion (reject the credit)

Refer to the Pending Class Rules section of nondegreedecisions.uconn.edu and the department specific deadline before making a decision about moving credits.

The deadline to accept or reject UConn ECE credits is typically at the end of the first semester on campus, depending on the college or program. In most cases, if a decision is not selected, the credit is automatically moved to the official undergraduate transcript. Once a decision has been made to accept or reject credits, or they are automatically accepted, the decision/action is irreversible.

Note: Credits on the degree portion of an official undergraduate transcript are counted towards GPA calculation and credit total towards graduating. Credits on the non-degree portion are not included in GPA calculation or credit total towards graduating, but they will appear on the official UConn transcript under the Non-degree Career section.

Visit nondegreedecisions.uconn.edu for additional information and deadlines.

Transfer Credits for Continuing Students

Students who wish to take courses elsewhere and apply the credits toward their degrees should consult their advisor, their academic dean and the Transfer Admissions Office beforehand. Otherwise, the credits may not apply toward the student’s degree. The student must complete the Prior Approval Process and submit an official transcript as soon as coursework is completed to the Transfer Admissions Office. Students must meet the University-wide residence requirements, as well as the residence requirements of their individual school or college.

Transfer courses must have a grade of “C” (2.0 on 4.0 scale) or above in order to transfer. Grades and grade points do not transfer. If the student earns grades of “P,” “CR,” or the like, for work completed elsewhere, the student must provide the Transfer Admissions Office with official letter grade equivalents to have the work evaluated.