School of Arts and Sciences

Registering For Classes

In This Section:

Schedule of Classes

Each term, the Schedule of Classes is available online. The Schedule of Classes lists classes by academic program, subject area, and catalog number. Each class is identified by a unique five-digit code referred to as the class number. If you scroll down, you will also find a link to the Final Exam Schedule for the term.

You may find the status of courses for which you have already registered by logging into www.my.pitt.edu and clicking on the Student Services tab, then clicking the View My Class Schedule link.

When planning your class schedule, please remember that the University of Pittsburgh's campus is expansive. Planning back-to-back courses held at opposite ends of the campus may cause you problems. The 10 to 15 minutes between classes may not be sufficient for you to arrive at your second class on time. Think strategically when planning your schedule. Check out the campus map, look at the campus shuttle schedules and routes, and remember that some professors may count tardiness against your overall grade.

What should I plan to take my first year of school?

The first term of school is an important time for you to make the transition from high school to university life, including university-level classes. Freshmen are encouraged to take a breadth of courses that fulfill general education and basic skills requirements, according to level and interest. If your placement tests indicate a need for algebra and/or basic composition, your academic advisor will strongly urge you to register for those courses in your first term. You are required to complete your algebra and composition requirements within your first year of school. You are further encouraged to register for courses that are at an instructional level that is most appropriate for you; for this reason, courses ranked at a 1000 level or lower are the only ones available to first and second year students. Introduction to the Arts and Sciences (FP0001), a one-credit course designed to assist students with a smooth transition from high school to college, is an excellent choice for the first term of your freshman year.

Browse courses at the Course Descriptions page.

How do I choose my courses?

When choosing your courses, consider the following principles.

  • If you have a major in mind, no matter how tentative, take courses in that field. Sometimes a subject you liked in high school or at a previous college will be very different in the School of Arts and Sciences, and you may change your mind. You may find that you still enjoy it and that you plan to pursue that major.
  • Explore new and different options and subjects, even if you think you know what you like. The School of Arts and Sciences offers many subjects that are not available in high school, and you may find the perfect subject for you is in a field you've never studied before. Remember that one of the primary purposes of a liberal arts education is to help you develop new interests and to expand the range of your abilities.
  • Take courses in which you are genuinely interested. Students tend to do better in classes that interest them, whether or not they may seem "easy." You will have course requirements that differ from those in high school, such as skills and general education course requirements, and your schedule will be a blend of required and elective courses.

Browse courses at the Course Descriptions page.

How will my classes at Pitt be different from my high school classes?

Class sizes at the University of Pittsburgh vary widely from 15 to 20 students in language or composition courses to 25 to 60 students in advanced courses to as many as 400 in some introductory lecture courses. Freshmen typically take a number of introductory courses and therefore often find themselves in several large classes during their first term. Both large and small classes will provide stimulating subject matter and conscientious professors who are available to meet with you during their weekly office hours should you wish to seek one-on-one assistance or conversation.

Large lecture classes often have teaching assistants (TAs) who assist the professor in delivering course material; these TAs are also able to help you understand course material. Some instructors of large classes encourage small study groups, as well, to help students learn from each other. Some large lectures include recitation sections, which are smaller group sessions to supplement the lecture. Recitations are usually led by TAs who answer questions, clarify concepts, review homework and exams, and provide additional practice. It is important to attend both the lecture and the recitation in order to get the full value out of a course.

University classes also differ from high school classes because they meet usually only two or three days per week. Each day of the week might mean a different schedule of classes for you, sometimes with several hours of unstructured time in between. You can plan a daily routine that is best for you when your advisor and you put together your class schedule. Some of your success in college depends on knowing your strengths and weaknesses and planning your schedule to match your preferences for personal habits and discipline. As a general rule, you should expect to study for two hours outside the classroom for every credit you take.

The biggest difference between high school and college classes is in the expectations of the instructors. You will find that instructors will want you to read and be responsible for information not covered in class. You will be expected to learn more material in a shorter period of time. You will be learning on your own, studying, writing papers, and producing individual and group projects or labs. With the independence of college comes a critical responsibility of keeping up with your workload. The Academic Resource Center is here to help with time management and skill-building workshops and to provide tutoring to help you do well in school.

Closed Classes

To maintain the most productive learning environment possible, the number of students in each course is limited. Once the limit is met, the course is deemed closed and students may no longer register for it. Over one thousand courses are offered each term, many of which have more than one section. However, popular courses close quickly. The School of Arts and Sciences endeavors to offer a wide variety of courses in the various majors for students of many levels. Most students discover that they can construct an interesting and appropriate schedule of classes each term. If you are interested in a course that is closed, try to take it in the following term. Because some courses close quickly, you should come to your registration appointments with several alternative courses in mind.

Admittance to a closed class is permitted only for a student who has obtained an Admission to Closed Class or Restricted Class form from the program chairperson or the class instructor. The form must be submitted with the Enrollment form. The Admission to Closed Class or Restricted Class form is required to register for restricted classes, designated in the course offerings section of the Schedule of Classes.

Student Computer Terminals

Student computer terminals with up-to-the-minute information about any particular course are available in several locations in Thackeray Hall. These terminals display the number of seats available and open sections of the same course. They can be found in the Advising Center (201 Thackeray Hall) and the associate dean's office (140 Thackeray Hall). Additionally, any terminal connected to PITTNET can access this information. The information regarding class availability changes continuously and the best place to obtain the latest information is online.

Registration for Classes and Your Student Status

Registration for classes and your status as a student can depend on where, when, and how many courses you elect to take. Below are some important things to know regarding full or part-time status, late registration, and taking courses at other institutions.

Full-time and Part-time Status

Any undergraduate student registered for 12 – 18 credits in the fall or spring terms is regarded as a full-time student and receives the current undergraduate "flat" tuition rate. Undergraduate students registered for 11.5 or fewer credits are considered part-time, and tuition is charged on a per-credit basis. No student in the School of Arts and Sciences may register for 18 or more undergraduate credits without written approval from an assistant dean. Undergraduate students who register for more than 18 credits will be billed on a per-credit basis for each credit that exceeds their full-time tuition rate. All Arts and Sciences summer courses are offered on a per-credit basis.

Late Registration

Students who register after the official end of the registration period need the approval and signature of an assistant dean on their Enrollment form. Continuing students have an earlier registration deadline than new or readmitted students. In the summer term, all students (continuing and new) have the same registration deadline dependent upon the summer session(s) for which they enroll. Students who register after classes have begun may not have enough time to decide if they are satisfied with their schedule before the end of the add/drop period, and they may be charged late fees of approximately $25 - $35, depending on the tardiness. All add/drops must be processed by the established add/drop deadlines listed on the term calendar. The Enrollment form is used for both registration and add/drop and must be processed by the Registrar's office.

Cross-Registration

Cross-registration is available at 10 colleges and universities that comprise the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE). Full-time students may cross-register for courses during the fall and spring terms only. No tuition payment is made to the host institution; however, in some cases special course fees may apply. Students may register for one course per term at another institution as long as they maintain full-time status (registered for 12-credits or more) in the School of Arts and Sciences during that term. Students must have their cross-registration forms signed by a staff member in Student Records, 140 Thackeray Hall.

Your Class Schedule

When you complete the course registration process you will receive a copy of your Schedule/Study List. This copy is your receipt of the transaction. Please review this copy before you leave your appointment with your academic advisor to make sure that it is accurate. You may also check your Study List online at www.my.pitt.edu.

Purchasing Textbooks

Most courses require textbooks. After you register, you can take your study list to the University Book Center and place an order for the books that are required for each course. To efficiently assist you, the staff at the Book Center will need to know the catalog numbers (i.e. ARTSC 0109) and the class numbers, which are unique, five-digit identifiers that indicate the courses' times and locations. This information is on your study list. It is a good idea to plan your time and money because the Book Center tends to be crowded at the beginning of each term, and used, less-expensive books are not always available.

Classroom Change

Occasionally, departments change course information after the Schedule of Classes is produced. A change may occur in the building, room number, day, or time a class meets. You will not receive notification of any of these changes, so you should check your study list on a regular basis at www.my.pitt.edu in the weeks before classes begin to keep yourself informed and make any necessary adjustments to your schedule of classes. You may need to contact your academic advisor for assistance in course selection.

If a class is cancelled, an e-mail message will be sent to you via your Pitt e-mail account informing you that you must drop the course from your schedule within two weeks or it will be dropped by the registrar. You should act quickly to revise your schedule, especially if the cancellation leaves you with a part-time schedule instead of a full-time schedule, which may have an effect on your housing and financial aid.

Changing Your Schedule

Sometimes you may register for a course and realize afterward that you need to change your schedule. It may be that you registered for the incorrect section, need a pre-requisite first, or you may encounter an extenuating circumstance that precludes you from completing the course. Following is a list of options available should you need to change your study list or status as a student.

Add/Drop

You have the option to add or drop a course before the end of the add/drop period (approximately two weeks after classes start). If you drop a course, no grade is recorded and tuition is recalculated if enrollment falls below 12 credits. Note: You will no longer be considered a full-time student if you drop below 12 credits, and this status change could have an effect on your housing and financial aid.

If you add a course with the result that your schedule is 18 or more credits, you must call 412-624-6480 and make an appointment with an assistant dean for official approval. To add or drop a course, submit a completed Enrollment form to the registrar's office. Changes made after the add/drop deadline require an assistant dean's approval; call 412-624-6480 to make an appointment with an assistant dean.

Resign

At some point in the term, you may choose to resign from the University, and you may be eligible for a refund of some portion of your tuition. To resign from all of your courses, you must do so by the deadline, which is approximately halfway through the semester. A grade of "R" is recorded for all of that term's courses on your official transcript. Note that resigning from the term can affect your housing and financial aid.

Monitored Withdrawal

You may withdraw from individual courses after the end of the add/drop period through the ninth week of the term by submitting a completed Monitored Withdrawal form. Monitored Withdrawal forms are available in the associate dean's office in 140 Thackeray Hall. You do not need the instructor's signature or an assistant dean's approval to withdraw from a course in the School of Arts and Sciences within the widrawal deadline. A grade of "W" is recorded for withdrawal, no tuition is refunded, and no credit is earned.

Withdrawing from All Courses

You can withdraw from all courses on your schedules until two weeks before the end of the term. A grade of "W" is recorded for each course, no tuition is refunded, and no credit is earned.

Appeal for Late Withdrawal

To withdraw from a class after the Monitored Withdrawal period, you must process an Appeal for Late Withdrawal form, which you may obtain at the associate dean's office in 140 Thackeray Hall. You will need to obtain your instructor's signature, provide a written explanation of the extraordinary circumstances that warrant consideration of the withdrawal, and provide relevant documentation. If approved, a grade of "W" will be recorded, no tuition will be refunded, and no credit will be earned.

Termination of Registration (Drop all Classes)

You may drop all of your classes through the last day of the Add/Drop period by using the Enrollment form. If you do so, all of your course-related tuition charges and fees will be cancelled. To drop all of your classes after the Add/Drop period has ended, you must resign through the Office of Student Accounts and your charges may be prorated. You may resign in person, by telephone at 412-624-7585, or by mail.

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