Levels and Course Numbering of and Enrollment in Courses

OFFICE OF RECORD:	Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs
ISSUED BY:	Registrar/Dean of Graduate Studies & Research
APPROVED BY:			03-05-00
EFFECTIVE DATE:	09/12/88		(Last Revised: 11/28/06)

POLICY

Every course offered by Dakota State University has a designated course prefix and a three-digit course number.  The course prefix indicates the academic discipline; the three-digit number indicates the difficulty of the course content and, as a consequence, the academic year in which the course should be taken.   

Lower-level courses (numbered 100- and 200-level) generally require no or limited prerequisite background in the discipline.   Upper-level courses (numbered 300- and 400-level) build on the background of the lower-level courses and typically have course prerequisites that must be completed prior to enrollment in upper-level courses.   Graduate courses (numbered 500-, 600-, 700-, and 800-level) are restricted to students who have successfully completed a bachelor's degree.  

Dakota State University adheres to the common course numbering system developed at the BOR system level, as one means of facilitating student transfer of credit between institutions. 

PROCEDURE

Undergraduate Students taking Graduate Courses

Undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 96 credit hours may enroll in a limited number of 500-level courses.  The Vice President for Academic Affairs may grant an exception for enrollment in a 600-level course.  The student shall pay graduate tuition and the course shall be recorded on a graduate transcript.  These graduate courses may apply to an undergraduate degree.

(Refer to BOR Policy 2:8 Level and Numbering of and Enrollment in Courses for a more detailed explanation of course levels and enrollment policies for different course levels.)