Course Numbering and Description Key
Each course at Boise State University has a course description that consists of a 1) prefix, 2) course number, 3) title, 4) credit code, 5) semester code, 6) additional information, 7) list of requisites as well as the content description. These elements of the course description are described below.BIOL 527 STREAM ECOLOGY (3-3-4)(F)(Odd years). The biology and ecology of flowing waters is emphasized; their biota, management, and ecology at both the community and ecosystem level will be discussed. PREREQ: BIOL 323 or PERM/INST.
Course Prefix/Subject
The prefix indicates the department or academic unit offering the course.
Course Numbering System
Each course offered is assigned a unique number, indicating what type of course it is and what sort of credits may be earned in the course. Courses are numbered as follows:
- 00 – 99 non-academic credit courses
- 100 – 299 lower-division undergraduate courses
- 300 – 499 upper-division undergraduate courses
- 500 – 699 graduate courses
Course Title
The official title of the course.
Credits
The unique course number of each course is followed by a sequence of three numbers that indicate the number of classroom hours per week that the course meets, the number of special hours (laboratory, studio, field) per week that the course meets, and the number of credits a student earns by completing the course. The following examples show typical uses of these additional numbers:
- (3-0-3) a 3-hour lecture class carrying 3 credits
- (3-4-5) a 3-hour lecture class with a corresponding 4-hour laboratory class, carrying 5 credits
- Note: a V is used to indicate variable credits or hours.
Semester Offered
- (F) fall semester only
- (S) spring semester only
- (F,S) fall and spring semester
- (F/S) fall semester, spring semester, or both
- (F,SU) fall semester and summer session only
- (S,SU) spring semester and summer session only. If the semester code is not indicated, then the course is offered during the fall and spring semesters and summer session (although there may be some exceptions).
Additional Information Additional information associated with the scheduling of the course such as a notice of alternate year offering may be given in parentheses after the semester code.
Requisites
The list of requisites specifies any prerequisites and corequisites using the following abbreviations:
- PREREQ: prerequisite (condition to be met before enrollment)
- COREQ: corequisite (condition met before or during enrollment)
- PERM/INST: permission of instructor required to enroll
- PERM/CHAIR: permission of department chair required to enroll
- ADM/PROG: student must be admitted to the appropriate graduate program
- The most common prerequisite is a specific course that must be successfully completed prior to enrollment. The most common corequisite is a laboratory course that must be taken during the same semester or term as a related science course.