• If your course requires a learning tool/platform like Top Hat or Packback that requires students to pay a fee, please enter a LEARN Note stating which learning tool/platform students are required to use. The information will not appear in the SOC.
• To clarify that Special Topics sections cannot have CC designations, even if cross-listed or co-located with a section that does have CC designations, this comment will be placed on all Special Topics sections: “Special Topics sections cannot have CC designations.”   Please note, this refers to UG/UG co-locations.  UG/GR co-locations with Special Topics are no longer permitted.
• Please use ONCMP SEE NOTES sparingly.  Whenever it is used, be sure to put the location in the SOC comment. This is a safety issue.  If something happens on campus, we need to know where the students are.
• Review the Instructions for SWCSCHD and refer to the Banner 9 User Guide as needed.
  • REMEMBER! When it is time to proof, please use the SOC Proofing document: Check SOC Loading (Proofing) – Fall 2025. This enables you to ensure the major/class/college restrictions were coded properly. Be sure to check the codes used in major/minor/ concentration restrictions. If you have See Also’s, please use ‘Final SOC Proof for Departments (See Also Version)’ to check the accuracy of that coding.
  • REMEMBER! Please use the Note field to enter information that is just intended for the Registrar’s Office. Use Note type ROOM for room information, INSTR for instructor information, LEARN for learning tool information, HAZMAT for hazardous material information, and DPT for any other information. The SOC comment should only have information pertinent to students.
  • Travel Courses: Please enter “DOM TRAVEL” for domestic travel courses and “INTL TRAVEL” for international travel courses in the building/room fields.
• Co-locations with Special Topics courses (x990) that involve a UG course and a GR course are no longer permitted.  This was only permitted for Fall 23/Spring 24/Summer 24. The only approved UG/GR co-locations are in this list.
• Remember: Course Safety: If your course will use hazardous materials (chemicals, biological hazards, radio-isotopes) please enter “HAZMAT” as an SOC note. The information will not appear in the SOC. See Safety in Academic and Research Environments for information on hazardous materials.
• Important Safety Reminder – Distribute to All Faculty

This is a reminder for faculty. UVM strongly discourages the practice of holding classroom break-out groups in hallways, stairways or other areas not designed for assembly. Assembled groups of people in these areas may inhibit safe passage or impede egress in the event of a need to evacuate.  In the case of laboratory buildings, the risks are elevated.  Active laboratories transfer and receive potentially hazardous materials and supplies through these areas. Navigating through groups of people increases the risk of an accident or unplanned release.  

Contact safety@uvm.edu with any questions.   

While this reminder pertains to all locations, current laboratory buildings include:

• Aiken Center
• Colchester Research Facility
• Bioresearch Complex
• Delehanty
• Discovery Building
• Given Building
• Health Sciences Research Facility
• Patrick Leahy Building
• Innovation Hall
• Jeffords Hall
• John Dewey Hall
• Marsh Life Science Building & Carrigan Wing
• Perkins Hall
• Rowell Building
• Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Center
• Stafford Building
• Terrill Building
• Votey Building

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"Variable Content" Courses and Catamount Core Curriculum (CC) Designation

"Variable content" courses are those courses approved and included in the Catalogue at the course level with very broad definitions but offered in the Schedule of Courses at the section level with permanent content. The content of the sections must align with the broad definition of the course. There are three categories of "variable content" courses: Special Topics, Topics In, and Topics In First-Year Seminar Courses. An example of a "variable content" course and a specific section: Topics in American History (course); Revolutionary War Economy (section). Faculty are encouraged, where feasible, to regularize courses they plan to teach multiple times with similar permanent content by seeking a permanent course designation/number for them.

Special Topics

Special Topics courses and sections may not have CC designations in and of themselves.

Specific Special Topics sections may receive CC designations only as part of the retroactive coding of a permanent content course or when a section of a variable content course is converted to a permanent content course via a new course CAF. Retroactivity may be granted for a period of no more than four semesters.

Topics In 

Multiple "variable content" Topics In courses may be created with similar titles, but with different constellations of CC designations. Ex: SPAN 2200 "Intermediate Spanish II" and SPAN 2202 "Interm Span II: Sustainability".  Topics In courses and their sections must have the same CC designations. 

Topics In courses may only be assigned CC designations when they are initially created. Once the CC designations are approved, they cannot be changed. (This is not the case for permanent content courses.)

Topics In sections must receive Catamount Core Curriculum Committee (CCCC) approval for the identical "variable content" course CC designations in order to be listed under that "variable content" course in the SOC. CC designations will be attached to individual sections for 5 years, at which point proposers will need to apply for reapproval (see “Tracking Process” below).
An individual section that does not receive CCCC approval in the section approval process must be entered in the SOC as, or changed to:

1. A Special Topics section, or a compatible Topics In section with no CC designations, if no CC designation has been approved. As outlined above, Special Topics sections cannot carry CC designations (see note above re: retroactive coding).

Or

2. Another "variable content" course carrying the identical CC designations it did receive.

Timelines

All New Courses

The February 15 deadline remains in place for the establishment of all new courses (whether they are "permanent content" or "variable content" courses).

Course Revisions

The February 15 deadline remains in place for all course revisions except CC designation of sections of "variable content" courses.

"Variable Content" Course CCCC Review Process

CAFs seeking CC designations for a new variable content COURSE must be in the GenEd queue by January 20. Submit the CAF with the requested CC designation(s). The CCCC only requires that the requested CC designation(s) "make sense" with respect to the course title and description. Please do not wait for a section syllabus review to request a new "variable content" course with a particular CC designation for the COURSE. Missing the January 20 deadline to ensure the course has progressed fully through the CAF workflow by February 15 will delay the creation of the "variable content" COURSE until the following catalogue year. 

"Variable Content" Course Sections for CCCC Review

The CCC designation review of sections of the following "variable content" courses may continue beyond February 15; multiple sections of the same course may be attached to a single CAF for CCC review/processing.

When entering a CAF:

1. Attach a copy of the syllabus for each section (if multiple sections are submitted on a single CAF).
2. Check “Yes” for “Does this course action include a General Education action?”
3. In the “Brief Description” box list title(s), the desired CC designation(s) (all must be the same on the CAF and must match the course CAF designations), the first term the section is to be offered, and if retroactive coding is desired, to which terms.
4. Do not check any of the General Education boxes

The General Education process coordinator (John Sama) will notify both the RO and the Provost’s Office when CCC CAFs need to be advanced through workflow after February 15. Note that the deadlines below do not reflect any additional time that would be needed in cases of requests for proposal modification, and committee decisions will be final for the following semester.

Extenuating circumstances such as late hires, instructor changes due to medical leaves, etc. may allow for expedited approval of an offering within a Topics In "variable content" course carrying CC designations. In these cases, the Associate Dean responsible for enrollment management should contact J. Dickinson and Veronika Carter as soon as possible with a copy of the proposed syllabus.

Tracking Process

The General Education Coordinator (John Sama) will maintain a spreadsheet of all "variable content" course sections approved or denied for CC designation(s), as well as the date by which approved courses must be reapproved (generally, 5 years from the approval semester). The Registrar’s Office will refer to this spreadsheet to confirm the eligibility of "variable content" course sections listed in the Schedule of Courses.

Variable Content Sections, CC Designations, and Co-Locations

Cross-listings and co-locations are only permitted between sections that have the same CC designations.

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UG/GR Co-location and SOC information

The concept of ‘Approved for Graduate Credit’ (AGC) where a single course meets the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students does not exist in the four-digit numbering system. While programs establish independent graduate-level curricula over the next five years, to be completed by Fall 2028, the aim of AGC for prior 200-level AGC courses was achieved with 3/5000-level or 4/5000-level co-locations. Only prior 200AGC courses were set up to be co-located across undergraduate and graduate levels and only if they were approved for potential co-location with the relevant paired new course in the process carried out in 2023-2024. The process for offering co-locations each term follows.

1. Co-location requests from the pool of previously approved co-locations must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate College each term.
2. The list of approved co-locations is available. This list is final. No additional co-locations will be approved.
3. Submit the syllabus for both the UG and GR sections of the course. Co-located courses at different course levels MUST have separate syllabi; the outcomes, assessments, readings, and other course components must show evidence that the two different courses are each being taught at their corresponding levels.
4. Send the email to gradcoll@uvm.edu with ‘Colocation Request’ in the subject line.
5. The deadline for submitting the co-location request is determined by the Graduate College and is listed in the SOC memo instructions sent each term.
6. Co-location requests for 3/5000-level and 4/5000-level courses are valid until Fall 2028. After that time, the co-location will expire. These co-locations serve as a ‘bridge’ while the units develop permanent 5/6/7000-level courses.
7. Below is information that was historically correct but is no longer in effect:
   • In the Spring of 2023, the Graduate College approved a finite list of courses that are eligible for co-location.*  Only courses from this list can be co-located in future terms but still must be approved each term.
   • For Fall 23/Spring 24/Summer 24 ONLY, co-location requests with Special Topics may be requested.  This one-time exception is to allow units time to create the actual permanent courses desired for co-location. UG/GR co-locations with Special Topics are only permitted with 5990 Special Topics sections.
   • New Co-location requests submitted after May 8th will no longer be considered. As explained in February 2023:
     If you are unable to complete the work for the 200-level AGC co-locations by the February 15 deadline, an extension to May 8, 2023 is allowed. Courses that are not received by May 8, 2023 are no longer eligible for co-location.  Academic Deans may submit a request for an extension of the co-location deadline to February 15, 2024; this request must be submitted by May 1, 2023 and approved before May 8, 2023.
   • See the “Cross-listing, Concurrent Cross-listing/Co-located” section for processing instructions for courses that were granted an extension.

General Co-located Rules

• With the exception of approved 3/5000-level or 4/5000-level co-locations, courses separated by more than one level may not be listed as co-located (e.g., a 1000-level and 2000-level co-location is acceptable; a 1000-level and 3000-level co-location is not).
• 4000-level courses (capstone, Senior seminar, Senior thesis, “Senior only”) may only be co-located with a 4000-level course or a 5000-level course.
• 6000-level courses may only be co-located with 6000- or 7000-level courses.
• Co-located courses at different course levels MUST have separate syllabi; the outcomes, assessments, readings, and other course components must show evidence that the two different courses are each being taught at their corresponding levels. Students from each section may meet together either in-person or on Teams, but each section must have its own gradebook in Brightspace as graduate students will have more advanced expectations and different learning activities and assessments.  This means the sections cannot be merged.  Certain tasks may need to be done manually, such as adding students to a Teams meeting or using limited Yellowdig functionality.

3/5000-level or 4/5000-level Co-located Rules

These are the rules that were used when the final list of co-locations was created.

• 3/5000-level and 4/5000-level co-locations are only permitted for courses that were formerly 200-level AGC. No new 3/5000-level or 4/5000-level co-locations will be approved.
• No more than 50% of the 200-level AGC co-location requests will be approved.  Other 200-level AGC courses should transition to only 3/4000- or only 5000-level without a new course to be approved to be co-located.
• The approved 5000- and 3000- or 4000-level courses must have separate syllabi; outcomes, assessments, assignments, and course materials must demonstrate and distinguish the different levels of work for each course.
• Review of requests for approved co-locations among 3/5000-level and 4/5000-level courses by the Graduate College will be required each semester before they can be listed in the Schedule of Courses. This review will require the submission of current syllabi for both courses. Co-location requests for Spring must be approved before the SOC is posted in mid-October, for Summer before posting in mid-February, for Fall before posting in mid-March. The process for approval is being developed and will be noted here in March 2023.
• 3/5000-level or 4/5000-level co-locations will no longer be combined in Banner or Blackboard/Brightspace. Class rosters, grade books, etc. will all be separate rather than combined.
• Consistent with NECHE guidelines, units should not rely on 3/5000-level and 4/5000-level co-locations to support their programs. Units should focus on developing 6000-level courses for their graduate programs and 3/4000-level courses for their undergraduate programs. New 5000-level courses can be approved, but not with new co-located 3/4000-level courses.
• The Graduate College will expect a minimum of 6 credits of required 6000-level coursework in master’s curricula and 9 credits of required 6000/7000 level coursework in doctoral curricula.

• Courses at the 6000-level should have fewer than 25% undergraduate students (not counting Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) students taking them as a graduate student prior to bachelor’s completion); courses at the 7000-level are not open to undergraduate students.

   

Cross-listing and Co-located

Same-course cross-listings still exist in the 4-digit course numbering scheme. Early in the renumbering project, we introduced the term ‘concurrent cross-listing’ to describe different courses that meet together. We have replaced ‘concurrent cross-listing’ with the clearer term ‘co-located’.

The concept of ‘Approved for Graduate Credit’ (AGC) where a single course meets the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students does not exist in the new numbering system. While programs establish independent graduate-level curricula over the next five years, the aim of AGC for existing 200-level AGC courses can be achieved with 3/5000-level or 4/5000-level co-locations. That said, the use of 3/5000-level and 4/5000-level co-locations should be minimized. No more than 50% of the 3-digit 200-level AGC courses should be used as 3/5000-level or 4/5000-level co-locations.

NECHE accreditors were concerned with the number of credits in graduate programs that were 200- level courses approved for graduate credit – noting specifically that not all course syllabi for these courses had the required clearly defined graduate- level expectations exceeding those for undergraduates.

We need to show significant progress towards increasing the percentage of our graduate curriculum that is graduate only (6000- and 7000-level) in the 2024 5-year interim report to NECHE. This is why only 200-level AGC courses are permitted for undergraduate/graduate co-location. It is also why these undergraduate/graduate co-locations will expire in 2028. The co-location is intended to serve as a bridge while the unit develops 6/7000-level courses.

Cross-listing

• Refers to two or more courses that are identical with the exception of the subject prefix and sometimes course number.
• If they do not already exist, courses in a proposed cross-list must be created via the CAF process.
• Reviewed and approved via the CAF process.
• Require only one approval at the time of the initial cross-listing.
• Are continuing in nature, and recorded in the Catalogue.

Co-located

• Refers to two or more different courses meeting in the same space at the same time, taught by the same instructor during a specific semester.
• If they do not already exist, courses in a proposed co-location must be created via the CAF process.
• If they include only undergraduate courses, do not require formal approval each semester but must be monitored by the college/school dean’s office(s) for separate syllabi and no more than one course level of separation when they are included in the Schedule of Courses.
• If they include both undergraduate and graduate courses, are reviewed and approved each term, initially (for Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024) via the CAF process.
• If they include both undergraduate and graduate courses, must have formerly been a 200-level AGC course.
• Are periodic in nature, and recorded in the Schedule of Courses.

Co-location Process for Courses that were Granted an Extension

• Submit a new course CAF for the missing course (3/4000- or 5000-level) of the co-location.
• Attach both syllabi to the CAF.
• Note in the comment section of the CAF the subject prefixes and course numbers of the co-located courses.
• Submit the CAF as soon as possible. It should reach the Graduate College by January 16, 2024 to maximize the likelihood of its review and approval for the February 15, 2024 deadline. Courses not received by this deadline are no longer eligible for co-location.
• Back-and-forth communication and syllabi revision is often required before co-location approval is granted; the sooner the CAF is submitted, the greater the likelihood it will be approved in time to meet the February 15 deadline.
• Colleges/schools may have earlier internal CAF submission deadlines which should be observed.
• Co-location requests for 200-level AGC courses are valid until 2028. After that time, the co-location will expire. These co-locations serve as a ‘bridge’ while the units develop permanent 6/7000-level courses. 

Variable Content Sections, CC Designations, and Co-Locations 

Cross-listings and co-locations are only permitted between sections that have the same CC designations.

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4-Digit Course Levels and Numbers

See undergraduate or graduate catalog for details. 

4-Digit Course Levels and Prerequisites

Prerequisites should be assigned to courses in the new numbering scheme as follows:

• 1000 courses have no prerequisites unless they are in a sequence.
• 2000 courses must have a minimum prerequisite of 3 hours prior study at the introductory level in the discipline, or in another specified discipline, or some specified equivalent preparation.
• 3000 courses must have a minimum prerequisite of 3 hours prior study at the intermediate level in the discipline, or in a related discipline, or some specified equivalent preparation.
• 4000 courses must have a minimum prerequisite of 3 hours prior study at the intermediate level in the discipline, or in a related discipline, or some specified equivalent preparation.
• 5000 courses may have graduate, but not undergraduate prerequisites. Enrollment should be managed through program restrictions and/or Instructor permission, not through course prerequisites. Are open by default to UG and PACE students without approval, but this is not required. May be limited to GR students only by entering ‘Graduate student’ in the prerequisite field. May use ‘Graduate student; others with Instructor permission’ to allow some UG/PACE students.
• 6000 courses may have graduate prerequisites and/or program restrictions including Instructor permission.
• 7000 courses may have graduate prerequisites and/or program restrictions including Instructor permission.

4-Digit Course Levels and Enrollment Restrictions

Provided the student also meets the course prerequisites/restrictions, enrollment restrictions by course level follow:

• 0000-4000: UG/PACE students may enroll; GR students may only enroll with permission from the Graduate College. Courses at levels 0000-2000 will not count toward the graduate degree. Master's students can count 3 credits at levels 3000-4000 towards their degree. Doctoral students can count 6 credits at level 3000-4000 towards their degree.
• 5000: Open by default to UG, PACE, and GR students without approval, but this is not required; are limited to GR students only when the prerequisite states ‘Graduate student’.
• 6000: GR students may enroll; UG/PACE students may enroll with Instructor permission; it is expected that no more than 25% of the enrollment in 6000-level courses will be UG/PACE students.
• 7000: Master’s students and PACE students who hold a baccalaureate degree may enroll with Instructor permission; UG students may not enroll.

Standard Course Numbers

X99X numbers are reserved for Standard Courses. They should not be used for any other course.

The standard course titles should only be used for standard courses. (i.e. course title components such as "Special Topics" may not be used outside of the standard course numbers).

• Special Topics: X990 (levels 1-7)
• Internship: X991 (levels 1-7)
• Independent Study: X993 (levels 1-7)
• Teaching Assistantship: X994 (levels 1-7)
• Undergraduate Research: X995 (levels 1-4)
• Graduate Independent Research: X995 (levels 5-7)
• Honors: x996 (levels 1-4)
• Master’s Thesis Research: 6391
• Masters Project Research: 6392
• Doctoral Dissertation Research: 7491 

Standard Course Titles

Because we are standardizing standard course numbers, we can now accommodate modest changes to standard course titles, and more significant changes to standard course section titles.

• Revised standard course titles should still include a significant portion of the original title, should be broad enough in scope to support a wide variety of section titles, and must clearly identify which standard course it is. For example:                          

                           “Internship” could become “Art History Internship” or “Psychology Internship”.

                           “Undergraduate Research” could become “Ugrad Biochem Research”.

          Changes to standard course titles should be submitted on CAFs.

• Revised standard course section titles can be modified more liberally. For example:

                             Course “Art History Internship” could have a section “Internship: Fleming Museum”.

                             Course“Psychology Internship” could have a section “Family Counseling Internship”.

          Changes to standard course section titles are submitted with the department’s Schedule of Courses (SOC).

Standard Course Credits

 Standard courses are no longer required to be 1-18 credits. You may reduce the credit range of a standard course by submitting a CAF, but please anticipate any number of unusual situations that may arise and preserve the flexibility that may be necessary to support students (i.e., 1-3 credits is likely too restrictive).

General Purpose Classrooms