Courses

General Information

A course is a unit of teaching that focuses on a specific discipline area (e.g. English or Mathematics), and takes place within a specific timeframe. It will be led by an instructor (or instructors), and have a fixed roster of students, who may receive a grade and academic credit upon its completion. Some courses may also involved tutorials and/or practicals.

Students are cautioned that some university programs and courses require the completion of certain high school prerequisites or their equivalents. Information about prerequisites is found in the descriptions of programs and courses in this Calendar.

Students select courses through ACORN, and are responsible for the accuracy of their transactions. When selecting, adding and dropping courses in ACORN, students should always list their courses upon completing the transaction. Registration consists of two basic steps:

  • Course selection
  • Fees payment (or an arrangement of a fee payment deferment)

Both must be completed by the appropriate deadlines to be considered a "registered" student and to retain a place in any courses selected.

For additional information on registering in courses, as well as deadlines, see the Registrar's Guide or the Office of the Registrar website.

Visit the Course Regulations section to read about regulations concerning course selection, course load, course changes, and about taking courses at other UofT divisions or at other universities.

 

Understanding Course Descriptions

Course descriptions in this Calendar contain the following elements:

ElementWhat it MeansExample: See PSYC09H3
Course codeThe unique 8-character alpha-numeric code for the course.PSYC09H3 
Course titleThe title of the course.Applied Multiple Regression in Psychology
Course contentA description of what the course covers.An introduction to multiple regression and its applications in psychological research […]
PrerequisitesCourses students must already have passed before taking the described coursePrerequisite: [PSYB07H3 or STAB22H3 or STAB23H3] and PSYB70H3 
CorequisitesCourses students must take in the same semester as, or already have passed before taking the described course.This course does not have any corequisites. 
Exclusions Students who have already passed a course listed as an exclusion, or received transfer credit for a course listed as an exclusion, cannot take the described course for credit.Exclusion: MGEC11H3 
Recommended Preparation Background material or courses that enhance a student's understanding of a course.This course does not have any recommended preparation. 
Breadth RequirementIndicates the category of breadth requirement the described course fills.Breadth Requirements: Quantitative Reasoning
Course Experience Indicates the main type of experiential learning experienced by students at the undergraduate level.Course Experience: University-Based Experience 
Note Any additional non-curricular information about the course. Note: Priority will be given to students in the Specialist/Specialist Co-op and Major programs […]

 

Interpreting Course Codes

All course codes are unique 8-character alpha-numeric codes.

ElementWhat it meansExamples
The first three charactersIdentifies the discipline area that the course belongs to.ANTA01H3 is an Anthropology course. 
BIOB50H3 is a Biology course. 
ENGC09H3 is an English course.
The fourth character

Identifies the level of the course:

  • A-level corresponds to the first year
  • B-level corresponds to the second year
  • C-level corresponds to the third year
  • D-level corresponds to the fourth year
ANTA01H3 is a first-year course. 
BIOB50H3 is a second-year course. 
ENGC09H3 is a third-year course.
The fifth and sixth charactersThe number assigned to the course in sequence, or as assigned, for example: 01, 50, 37.ANTA01H3 is assigned 01. 
BIOB50H3 is assigned 50. 
ENGC09H3 is assigned 09.
The seventh character

Identifies the credit value of the course:

  • H courses have a value of 0.5 credit
  • Y courses have a value of 1.0 credit
ANTA01H3 is a 0.5 credit course. 
PSYD98Y3 is a 1.0 credit course.
The eighth character

Identifies the campus on which the course is offered:

  • 3 indicates UTSC
  • 1 indicates St. George (FAS, FASE, Daniels, etc)
  • 5 indicates UTM
ANTA01H3 is a UTSC course. 
CHM135H1 is a St. George course 
PSY100H5 is a UTM course.
The ninth character
(This appears in the timetable only)

Identifies the session in which the course will be taught:

  • F indicates Fall (or the first semester of the Summer session)
  • S indicates Winter (or the second semester of the Summer session)
  • Y indicates both Fall and Winter (or both semesters of the Summer)
ANTA01H3F is a Fall course (or the first semester of the Summer session) 
LINA02H3S is a Winter course (or the second semester of the Summer session) 
PSYD98Y3Y is Fall and Winter course (or both semesters of the Summer)

 

Common Notations in Calendar Descriptions

Prerequisites in Square Brackets [ ]

Square Brackets are used in prerequisites to indicate aggregate or alternate choices. For example:

[MGEB01H3 or MGEB02H3] and [MGEB05H3 or MGEB06H3] 

indicates that students must take two courses as follows:

one of MGEB01H3 or MGEB02H3,
AND 
one of MGEB05H3 or MGEB06H3;

but

[MGEB01H3 and MGEB02H3] or [MGEB05H3 and MGEB06H3] 

indicates students must take two courses as follows:

both of MGEB01H3 and MGEB02H3,
OR
both of MGEB05H3 and MGEB06H3.

Prerequisites, Corequisites and Exclusions in Round Brackets ( )

Courses enclosed in round brackets; e.g., (POLB50H3) have been retired, and are no longer offered.

Students who have completed, in a previous session, a prerequisite or corequisite course that is no longer being offered (i.e. appears in round brackets) may make use of the course to meet the requirements of the course being described.

Students may not register for credit in any course, which lists as an exclusion, a course they are currently taking or have already passed, even if the excluded course is no longer offered (i.e. appears in round brackets). Such courses will count as “extra” (EXT).