UNIVERISTY OF PITTSBURGH POLICY 02-01-02

CATEGORY:              ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

SECTION:                  Academic Programs
SUBJECT:                 Course Structure
EFFECTIVE DATE:   September 20, 2000 Revised

PAGE(S):                   3

I.    SCOPE

      This policy establishes a system for course structuring, applicable to all courses offered

      at the University of Pittsburgh, and includes:

      Cross-Listed Courses - Guidelines for the cross-listing of courses among schools/

      campuses of the University

      Course Enrollment Restrictions - Restrictions on course enrollment and special enrollment

      counseling sections

      Fractional Credit/Variable Courses - Restrictions on variable credit and fractional credit

      courses

      Course Numbering - A system for course numbering, applicable to all courses offered at

      the University

      Prerequisite/Corequisite Courses - Regulations on prerequisite and corequisite courses

      Course Subtitles - Regulations on the use of course subtitles

      Course Type - The categorization of courses by course type, the method of instruction

      used in delivering educations programs to students

II.   POLICY

      Cross-Listed Courses

      Cross-listed course sections must be offered at the same level (Lower Level Undergraduate,

      Upper Level Undergraduate, Master Level Graduate, Doctoral Level Graduate, First

      Professional Programs, Career Development Undergraduate, Career Development

      Graduate, and Non-Credit).

      Exception:  Courses that are cross-listed within the same department program course

      abbreviation within the Pittsburgh campus or a regional campus, may be cross-listed at

      different levels to accommodate faculty teaching loads and low enrollment.

      Courses must be offered at the same time, in the same classroom, by the same instructor,

      and must be the same course type.

      Course titles, credits, and grade options must be identical for all cross-listed course

      sections.

      No more than three course sections may be cross-listed.  This assumes one course section

      is the base or primary section and up to two subordinate sections may be cross-listed, with

      the program paying most or all of the instructor(s) salary as the primary course.

      The appropriate dean(s) must approve all cross-listed course listings before they are added

      to the Course Inventory.

      Course Enrollment Restrictions

      Course enrollments may be restricted to:

      -     Two Schools

      -     Four program classifications of students enrolling in such courses

      Requests for special enrollment counseling sections within a program will be limited to:

      -     Independent Study

      -     Directed Study

      -     Thesis/Dissertation

      -     Practicum

      -     Clinical Education

      -     Courses that require an interview, such as internships

      Special enrollment counseling courses will be identified as an information item in the

      schedule of classes.

      Fractional Credit/Variable Credit Courses

      Courses offering variable credit sections must be of the following course types:

      -     Independent Study

      -     Practicum

      -     Internship

      -     Directed Study

      -     Thesis/Dissertation

      -     Clinical Education

      Based on curriculum needs, departments may offer any course in 1/2 credit increments.

      Course Numbering

      The four position numeric course number identified below will be used consistently by the

      entire University:

      -     0001 - 0999 or

            7000 - 7999     Lower Level Undergraduate

                                    (7000 - 7999 numbering system not used after term 97-3)

      -     1000 - 1999 or

            8000 - 8999     Upper Level Undergraduate

                                    (8000 - 8999 numbering system not used after term 97-3)

      -     6000 - 6999     Career Development Undergraduate

      -     5000 - 5999     First Professional Programs (Medicine, Dental Medicine and Law)

      -     2000 - 2999     Master Level Graduate

      -     3000 - 3999     Doctoral Level Graduate

      -     4000 - 4999     Noncredit

      -     9000 - 9999     Career Development Graduate

      Prerequisite/Corequisite Courses

      A department may associate with any course in the course inventory a maximum of four

      prerequisite courses.

      A department may associate with any course in the course inventory only one corequisite

      course.

      Course Subtitles

      Only Independent Study and Directed Study course types may have subtitles as they

      pertain to the individual student's academic study.

      Subtitles are limited to 32 characters.

      Course Type

      All courses offered by the University must be characterized by course type as defined in

      Table Number 12131 of the Data Element Dictionary.

      An Internship must be categorized as either an Independent Study or a Practicum,

      depending on the teaching method and the instructional experience.

III.  REFERENCE

      Data Element Dictionary, Table 12131