Course Description Symbols and Terms

The following is a fictitious example of a catalog course description illustrating the notations and symbols used for course descriptions throughout the University Catalog.

UNIV 101A Introduction to Life 1.0–4.0 FS

  • Prerequisites: High school graduation
  • Corequisities: Validated enrollment in a minimum of 6 units, ENGL 001, and faculty permission.

A comprehensive introduction to life. A series of lectures by University figures, small group discussions and an independent project all geared to orienting the new student to life. 2.0 Hours lecture, 1.0 Hours discussion, 3.0 Hours supervision. ABC/no credit grading only. You may take this course for credit more than once; see the department for information. This is an approved General Education course. Special fee required; see the Class Schedule.

Line 1–Course Identification (Subject and Course Number), Title, Unit Value, and Semester Offered

The first line of the course description contains the official Course Identification used in the Class Schedule, student registration lists, and transcripts. It is followed by the complete course title, unit value, and semester-offered symbol.

Credit for courses offered by California State University, Chico is awarded in terms of semester units. The unit value of a course is computed on the basis of one unit for each hour of lecture or discussion, two hours of activity, two to three hours of laboratory, or three hours of independent study or internship per week, for a 16-week semester (15 weeks instruction plus mandatory final week for two additional hours minimum). Courses meeting for fewer than 16 weeks will require an equivalent number of hours pro-rated on a per-week basis. For most courses, two hours of out-of-class preparation will be expected for each hour of in-class lecture or recitation.

The semester a course is normally offered is symbolized as follows:

  • FA = during fall semester each year
  • SP = during spring semester each year
  • FS = during fall and spring semester each year
  • F1 = during fall semester odd years
  • F2 = during fall semester even years
  • S1 = during spring semester odd years
  • S2 = during spring semester even years
  • SM = during summer session
  • JA = during January Intersession
  • Inq = inquire at department, offered irregularly

Lines 2 & 3–Prerequisites, Corequisites, Faculty Permission

Registration requirements are outlined on the line immediately following the course title and are defined as follows:

Prerequisites: You must fulfill specific course work or other conditions before you will be allowed to enroll in the course. Prerequisites may be waived by the faculty member only on approval of a formal petition which fully outlines the equivalent attainment. You must have a passing grade for a prerequisite course. Your total number of units determines whether you meet a prerequisite for class level (e.g., sophomore), unless the requirement is otherwise defined and listed in the catalog.

The prerequisites line may also contain the following information:

Recommended Background: It is recommended that you have prior course work or knowledge; the term is used to advise and caution, but not to prevent your enrollment.

Corequisite: You must take concurrently the course or courses indicated. The requirement may not be waived.

Recommended Co-enrollment: You are advised to take a recommended concurrent enrollment; it is used to advise you of proper course sequence.

Faculty Permission: You must obtain permission of the instructor before registration can be allowed. Inquire in the department office for specific instructions regarding permission to register.

Line 4–The Course Description:

A complete course description is provided. You may assume courses meet for one hour of lecture per unit of credit with regular letter grading employed unless otherwise stated. At the end of the course description, a statement or series of statements will appear to indicate any special features of the course: activities, labs, or supervised activity; ABC/NC or CR/NC grading; courses permitting registration more than once; special fees associated with a course; and courses approved for General Education and Ethnic or Non-Western Studies. Courses with approved equivalents under the California Articulation Numbering (CAN) System also provide the equivalent CAN course number at the end of the description. This practice is subject to change without notice.

Course Numbering System

The following course numbering system is employed.

001–099: Pre-Baccalaureate

These courses are generally developmental or preparatory and carry no baccalaureate credit.

100–199: Freshmen or 1st Year, Lower-Division

These courses are designed for freshmen, but may be taken by others. Many community college courses may be comparable.

200–299: Sophomore or 2nd Year, Lower-Division

These courses are designed for sophomores, but may be taken by others. Some community college courses may be comparable.

300–399: Junior or 3rd Year, Upper-Division

These courses are designed for juniors, but may be taken by others. This course designation is appropriate for GE Upper-Division Themes. None of these courses are comparable to community college courses. Since community college courses cannot qualify for upper-division credit, it is presumed that upper-division courses at CSU, Chico should not be equivalent to similar courses at any community college.

400–499: Senior or 4th Year, Upper-Division or Graduate

These courses are designed for seniors, but may be taken by others. This course designation is appropriate for senior seminars and courses that require a high degree of disciplinary sophistication or a high degree of specificity in content. It assumes considerable prerequisite knowledge and experience. None of these courses is comparable to community college courses. Students receiving graduate credit for these courses generally are required to complete additional course work compared to students receiving baccalaureate credit.

500–599: Advanced Senior or Graduate

These courses reflect advanced study, which is appropriate for both seniors and graduate students. Students receiving graduate credit for these courses generally are required to complete additional course work compared to students receiving baccalaureate credit. These courses can include post-baccalaureate courses, such as those in credential programs, which are not permitted to be included in course work for graduate degrees.

600–699: Graduate

Graduate courses are open to post-baccalaureate students only, except that undergraduates with permission of the Dean of the Graduate School may enroll. They require an identification and investigation of a theory or principle; application of theory to new ideas, problems, and materials; extensive use of bibliographic and other resource materials; or competence in the scholarly presentation of independent study research.

700–799: Reserves For Future Use

800–899: Other

These courses focus on problems encountered in professional service and aim to meet the needs of groups seeking vocational improvement and career advancement. They are designed primarily for the purpose of meeting objectives that cannot be served by established graduate and undergraduate courses. Credit for these courses does not apply to degrees. However, in exceptional cases and with the approval of the appropriate department and college dean, students may apply these towards degree and credential programs for which such courses are deemed acceptable. Determination of the acceptability of these courses for degree and credential credit will depend primarily upon course content and approach. Students should not consider registering in these courses for credential or degree purposes without first consulting with the appropriate department.

900–999: Non-Credit

These non-credit courses are designed to provide opportunities to pursue cultural, intellectual, and social interests.

Other Numbering Conventions

The following course numbering conventions have been adopted to facilitate identification of course content across disciplines.

189, 289, 389, 489, 589, 689: Internship and other experience-based courses. These courses involve community work with placement in a public or private agency under the supervision of a qualified professional. A maximum of 15 internship units may be applied to a bachelor’s degree (a department may limit the number of units which count towards its major requirements).

198, 298, 398, 498, 598, 698: Special topics and experimental courses offered on a one-time only basis or new courses offered between catalogs. No University limit on the number which may count for a degree. A major may limit the number of units which count towards its major requirements.

Sustainability Courses

Courses marked with a leaf symbol are a part of CSU, Chico’s devotion to sustainability practices and education. These green courses emphasize environmentally responsible awareness and learning.

199, 299, 399, 499, 599: Special problems courses used for independent study with variable units (indicated in the Class Schedule by VAR). You are strongly advised to enroll in no more than 3 units of independent study per semester; a total of 6 units may apply towards a bachelor’s degree. All courses are graded CR/NC, and none apply in a master’s degree program. See the University Catalog, Independent Study and Special Purpose Courses section, for full details.

199H, 299H, 399H, 499H, 599H: Honors courses are available to students eligible for the University Honors Program. The 3- or 6-unit independent studies course, normally taken in the senior year, culminates in a research paper, project, or performance that is publicly presented. You must receive a grade of B or higher in the course for Honors credit.

597, 697: Graduate Independent Study: See “Graduate Education.”

699: Graduate Master’s Study: See “Graduate Education.”

California Articulation Number (CAN)

The California Articulation Number (CAN) System identifies some of the transferable, lower-division, introductory, preparatory courses commonly taught within each academic discipline on college campuses.

The system assures students that CAN courses on one participating campus will be accepted in lieu of the comparable CAN course on another participating campus. Example: CAN ECON 2 on one campus will be acceptable for CAN ECON 2 on another participating campus. Each campus retains its own numbering system. The CAN course identification where applicable is identified at the end of the course description in this catalog.

Course Subject Abbreviations

Abbreviation
Definition
AAST
Asian American Studies
ABUS
Agriculture Business
ACCT
Accounting
AFAM
African American Studies
AFRI
African Studies
AGET
Agriculture Engineering Technology
AGRI
Agriculture
AIST
American Indian Studies
AMST
American Studies
ANSC
Animal Science
ANTH
Anthropology
APCG
Applied Computer Graphics
ARAB
Arabic
ARTS
Art
ASST
Asian Studies
BADM
Business Administration
BIOL
Biological Sciences
BLAW
Business Law
BLMC
Education-Bilingual/Multicultural
BSIS
Business Information Systems
CHLD
Child Development
CDES
Communication Design
CHEM
Chemistry
CHNS
Chinese
CHST
Chicano Studies
CIMT
Concrete Industry Management
CIVL
Civil Engineering
CMGT
Construction Management
CMSD
Communication Sciences and Disorders
CMST
Communication Studies
COMM
Communication
CSCI
Computer Science
EECE
Electrical & Computer Engineering
ECON
Economics
EDAD
Education Administration
EDCI
Education–Curriculum and Instruction
EDMA
Education–Master’s Program
EDSL
Education–Second Language
EDTE
Education–Teacher Education
EDUC
Education
EFLN
English as a Foreign Language
ENGL
English
ENGR
Engineering
ENVL
Environmental Literacy
FINA
Finance
FLNG
Foreign Languages and Literatures
FREN
French
GEOG
Geography
GEOS
Geological and Environmental Sciences
GERM
German
GNED
General Education
GSTP
General Studies Thematic Program
HBRW
Hebrew
HCSV
Health and Gerontology
HIST
History
HNDI
Hindi
HNRS
Honors
HUMN
Humanities
IDST
Interdisciplinary Studies (Graduate Level)
INST
International Studies
INTB
International Business
INTD
Interdisciplinary Studies (Undergradute Level)
ITAL
Italian
JAPN
Japanese
JOUR
Journalism
KINE
Kinesiology
LAST
Latin American Studies
LATN
Latin
LBST
Liberal Studies
LDRS
Leadership Studies
MATH
Mathematics
MCGS
Multicultural and Gender Studies
MECH
Mechanical Engineering
MECA
Mechatronic Engineering
MEST
Middle Eastern Studies
MFGT
Manufacturing Technology
MGMT
Management
MINS
Management Information Systems
MJIS
Modern Jewish and Israel Studies
MKTG
Marketing
MTHE
Mathematics Education
MUSC
Music
NFSC
Nutrition and Food Science
NSCI
Natural Sciences
NSCT
Natural Science Teaching
NURS
Nursing
PHED
Physical Education
PHIL
Philosophy
PHYS
Physics
POLS
Political Science
PORT
Portuguese
PSSC
Plant and Soil Science
PSYC
Psychology
QBAN
Quantitative Business Analysis
RDGL
Education-Reading/Language Arts
REAL
Real Estate
RECR
Recreation Administration
RELS
Religious Studies
RUSS
Russian
SCMS
Supply Chain Management Systems
SOCI
Sociology
SOSC
Social Science
SPAN
Spanish
SPED
Education-Special Education
SWRK
Social Work
THAI
Thai
THEA
Theatre Arts
UGED
Undergraduate Education
UNIV
University Academics
VIET
Vietnamese
WMST
Women’s Studies