In anticipation of Fall 2023 registration, degree audits will begin displaying 4-digit course numbers.

Please note the following:

1. Your audit will always display the course you took. Courses you took as 3-digit will display as 3-digit. Courses you take as 4-digit will display as 4-digit.
2. Requirements will now display with 4-digit numbers, but your 3-digit courses will satisfy them. There are a few exceptions where 3-digit numbers still display in the requirement because they do not exist in the 4-digit world.
   
   
   
   In the example above, both CHIN 095 and FREN 095 do not exist in the 4-digit world. They remain listed to ensure that a student who took the course prior to Fall 2023 or transfers it in as a 3-digit course will continue to have it count toward the requirement.

The following tools are located in myUVM on the Dean or Chair tab under “Course Reports,” on the Resources tab under "Setting up Your Courses," on the Employee tab under the “Quick Links” section, and on the Student Tab.

• A course renumbering widget has been created to provide the new 4-digit course numbers for prior 3-digit course numbers.
• A course renumbering report has been created to provide all 3- and 4-digit course numbers for a college/department.

In the new numbering scheme, the first position (“level number”) communicates the course level as follows:

0 = Undergraduate experiences/pre-college/administrative (such as OSSP study abroad credits);  
       NOTE: 0000-level courses do not count toward graduation.

1 = Introductory (no pre-req(s) unless in an introductory sequence) (‘0xx’ courses in the existing three-digit scheme: e.g., MATH 019).

2 = Intermediate (has introductory pre-req(s) or other specified preparation such as “majors only”) (‘1xx’ courses in the existing three-digit scheme: e.g., BCOR 103).

3 = Advanced – Junior/Senior (‘2xx’ courses in the existing three-digit scheme: e.g., ARTH 282).

4 = Capstone/Senior (capstone, Senior seminar, Senior thesis, “Senior only”).

5 = Entry level GR     

• Also replaces the graduate component of the current 200-level Approved for Graduate Credit [AGC] courses while programs transition to fully graduate-level curricula over the next five years.
• Cannot be required for an Undergraduate curriculum but may be used as an option for completing requirements.

6 = Master’s (‘3xx’ courses in the existing three-digit scheme: e.g., HP 303).

7 = Doctoral (‘4xx’ courses in the existing three-digit scheme: e.g., CHEM 487).

9 = Graduate administrative courses.

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.

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.

All standard courses and Thesis/Dissertation Research were given the following numbers. The HON subject code was replaced with standard number 4996. Non-CAS honors courses were coded for the appropriate level as x996.

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

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 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).

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.

•  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 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.