There are a few things to keep in mind when you register for classes. Not all classes will be available to you—if you haven’t fulfilled the prerequisites (sometimes called “prereqs”), don’t have the required class standing, or (in some cases) aren’t a student in a certain school or department, you may not be able to register.
What you should know about prerequisites and components
Many classes have multiple parts, such as a lecture and a lab or discussion section—these are known as the components of the class. When you register, be sure to register for all required components. (The registration system will lead you through the process.)
Some classes have prerequisites—requirements you have to fulfill before you can register for the class, such as taking another class first. You’re responsible for making sure you’ve met the prerequisites before you register for a class, and you won’t be able to register for a class if you haven’t fulfilled all prerequisites.
You can check the prerequisites for a class you’re interested in. Although there are many choices you can make in this search, we recommend the following:
- From your landing dashboard, click Enrollment in the left-side navigation panel, then Shopping Cart.
- In the very top box, below the words “Shopping Cart,” search for and select the term you’re interested in searching, click the Add Class blue button on the far right of the screen, then click Class Search from the resulting menu. You will only see terms for which you have been term activated to register.
- Choose subject by entering the root characters in the Subject Code Begins With Box (for example CSCI), or alternatively, click the menu icon in the Subject box and scroll down the menu options to find, for example, “CSCI-B” for more targeted results.
- Choose Catalog Number by entering the catalog number of the target course, if known, and narrower results are wanted.
- With values entered, click the Search button to bring results on-screen.
- Any prerequisite course requirements will appear under the Class Notes display for each section returned in search results, preceded with the word “Prerequisites."
Some classes require you to have permission from the instructor or department before you can register for them. You’ll need to contact the department that offers the course to ask for permission to take the class. If the department approves, you will then be allowed to register for the class.
After you’re approved, log into One.IU to view your class permissions in the Student Center. If you see “Add,” you can add the class regardless of enrollment limits. If you see “If space,” you can add the class only if there are seats available.
Some courses are available only to students who have reached a particular class standing—for example, a class may be open only to juniors and seniors. Your class standing is determined by the number of academic credit hours you’ve completed within your program. Note that if you’ve changed degree programs, some of your previous credit hours may not apply to your current class standing.
If you haven’t reached the required class standing, you may still be eligible to register. Contact the school or department to ask for permission to take the class.
If you have questions about your class standing, check with your academic advisor.
| Class standing | Credit hours completed |
|---|---|
| Freshman | 0–29 |
| Sophomore | 30–59 |
| Junior | 60–89 |
| Senior | 90+ |
| Graduate | N/A |
Some schools and departments will allow only students who are officially enrolled in their programs to register for their classes. If you’re not a student in the school or department, contact them to ask for permission to take the class.