Navigating the Miami University Course Catalog: A Comprehensive Guide
Miami University's course catalog serves as a vital resource for students, faculty, and staff. It provides detailed information about all courses offered across the university's campuses. Understanding the catalog's structure, terminology, and policies is crucial for academic planning and success. This guide aims to demystify the Miami University course catalog, offering insights into its various components and functionalities.
Understanding Course Descriptions and Codes
The course catalog provides brief descriptions of each course offered at the university. These descriptions offer a glimpse into the course's content, learning objectives, and any specific requirements. In addition to the descriptions, various codes and abbreviations are used to convey important information about the course.
- CAS-A, CAS-B, etc.: These codes indicate that the course fulfills a specific section of the College of Arts and Science requirement. Students should consult the College of Arts and Science section of the bulletin for more details.
- Co-requisite: This signifies that certain courses must be taken concurrently during the same semester due to their similar or complementary subject matter.
- Course Sections: Large enrollment courses are often divided into sections, identified by letters (e.g., SLM 120A).
- Credit/No-Credit Course: In these courses, students receive credit for a D- or better grade, but no grade is recorded. These courses do not affect the GPA. There are limitations on the number of credit/no-credit courses a student can take, and major courses usually cannot be taken this way. Freshmen may register for courses on a credit/no-credit basis, providing they are concurrently enrolled for 12 semester hours for grades. After 20 percent of the class meetings, you cannot change from credit/no-credit to a letter grade or from a letter grade to credit/no-credit.
- Cross-listed Course: This indicates that the course material spans multiple disciplines.
- Department Topics Courses: These are permanently approved courses, typically with a course number ending in zero. A single topic can be offered for up to eight consecutive academic terms.
- Field Experience (FE): This is a planned, paid work activity related to a student's occupational goals (e.g., geology, archaeology). It can be taken in place of elective or required courses with faculty advisor permission.
- GPA: Grade point average.
- Lec. Lab.: This indicates the distribution of credit hours between lecture and laboratory components (e.g., 3 Lec.). Associated Laboratory courses are noted with L.
- Practicum: A practicum is an on- or off-campus work experience integrated with academic instruction, where students apply learned concepts to practical situations.
- Prerequisite: This denotes course(s) that must be completed beforehand to provide the necessary background for the course in question.
- Semester Credit Hour: This is the unit used to measure course work. The number of credit hours usually corresponds to the number of hours the class meets per week.
- Service Course: Designed by a department to fulfill the program requirements of another department or division.
- Sprint Course: A course that runs for less than the full semester, typically in periods of four, six, eight, or twelve weeks.
- 500-850: Graduate level courses, restricted to graduate or certificate-seeking students, or post-baccalaureate students admitted to the graduate school under continuing graduate status. Course numbers at two levels (such as 433/533) may be taken either for undergraduate or graduate credit. Course numbers separated by a comma (such as 233, 234) are related.
Internships and Independent Studies
The course catalog also provides information on internships and independent studies, which offer unique learning opportunities for students.
Internships
Internships are partnerships between students, the university, and employers, formally integrating academic study with work or community service experience. They are typically of a specified duration and may or may not involve credit hours or compensation.
- Optional, Noncredit Internships: These are student-initiated internships that are not required for the degree and do not receive academic credit.
- Optional, For Credit Internships: These internships are not required for the degree but qualify for undergraduate academic credit because they relate to the student's program of study.
All Miami students must complete the appropriate online internship form, regardless of the type of internship pursued. These forms are available at the Center for Career Exploration and Success or One Stop webpages.
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Independent Studies
An independent study is a course taken under the ongoing supervision of an instructor for rigorous learning and knowledge enhancement in a particular area of interest beyond the courses offered. Enrollment in an independent study becomes part of the student's academic load, and withdrawal procedures are the same as for regular courses. Independent study courses are numbered 177, 277, 377, or 477, based on the student's class level.
Independent study projects must be approved by the instructor and the department chair. Students completing experiential learning in association with a Miami Plan course will register for 177E, 277E, 377E or 477E. Students completing research for independent study purposes will register with an R modifier in the appropriate 177R, 277R, 377R or 477R.
Course Numbering System
Miami University employs a specific numbering system to categorize courses based on their level and purpose.
- 100: This number is reserved for seminars offered by each department in the College of Arts and Science, cross-listed with at least two departments. These seminars provide students and faculty with an opportunity to explore how different disciplines approach the same problem. Credit for these courses is limited to four semester hours.
- 177, 277, 377, and 477: These numbers are designated for independent study. Students can register for zero to six hours of independent study each semester, with a maximum of 10 credit hours per number. Registration is based on the student's class level.
- 199, 299, 399, 499/599, and 699: These numbers are used for workshops or similar offerings. Workshops require annual approval and can be offered a maximum of five times before requiring a proposal for permanent course approval.
- 300: This number, "Special Topics," is offered based on student request and instructor permission.
- 340: This number is used for internships.
- 640: This number is used for graduate internships, offering up to 12 semester hours of credit depending on the agreement between student and instructor.
- 677: This number is used for departments/programs without an established Independent Study course number. Students can register for 0-6 credit hours of independent study each semester (no more than 10 per year).
Semester credit hours are indicated in parentheses following the course title (e.g., 282 Art and Politics (3)). Some courses offer variable credit, such as independent study, special topics, or thesis hours.
Important Policies and Resources
University Policies
Miami University is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment and upholding policies that protect individual rights.
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- The university prohibits harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
- Students with disabilities can contact the Miller Center of Student Disability Services for assistance.
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination in higher education, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. The university has designated Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Title IX Coordinators to address these issues.
- Sections 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit discrimination based on disability. The university has a designated Section 504 and ADA Coordinator.
- All Miami University campuses are smoke- and tobacco-free environments.
Course Search
The university offers a course search tool to help students find courses based on various criteria, including campus, attributes, days, and credit hours. In Spring 2023, additional options were added to the attribute filter. Students who entered Spring 2023 or earlier follow the Global Miami Plan and should use the attributes that begin with "FND" or Advanced Writing, Intercultural Perspectives. The search tool also allows students to view only courses with available seats or courses that meet on specific days.
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