Selecting Courses
Q: Where do I find the list of courses that are offered for the semester?
A: There are three ways to view the Schedule of Courses. First, you
can go to http://www.bc.edu/courses
and select Course Descriptions and then Course Schedule. Second,
you can pick up a Schedule of Courses newspaper in the lower level
of Lyons Hall. Third, you can click on Course Offering Schedule from
your 
Agora list.
Q: How do I register?
A: Students register using either:
- U-Dial voice response system
- U-View Plus
Q: What do I need to access the registration system?
A: You will need the following:
- Username or Eagle Number
- Password
- Access code (undergraduates in A&S, CSOM, CSON, and LSOE only)
- Degree audits and advisors
Q: What is a degree audit?
A: Degree audits are available for students in A&S, CSOM, CSON, LSOE, and
the Law School. A degree audit is a computer-generated analysis that enables
you and your advisor to review your academic progress and unfulfilled requirements.
The degree audit is a valuable tool for academic planning because it matches
the courses that you have taken with the requirements of your degree program.
You should carefully review your degree audit in consultation with your advisor.
On
Agora, you can request a degree audit or
a simulated degree audit (which shows the requirements for different schools,
majors, and minors) to be downloaded to your computer, emailed to you, or available
for pickup in Lyons 101. You may request a degree audit at any time.
Q: How do I read my degree audit?
A: Degree requirements are printed on the left side of the degree audit. Courses
completed successfully and courses in progress are printed beside the requirement
on the right side of the audit. A requirement is marked complete (***) upon
receipt of a satisfactory grade. The requirement is not marked complete if the
course is in progress (IP) or if the course is a year-long course that is graded
at the end of the second semester (J).
The Language Proficiency Requirement for A&S and CSOM is marked complete after the student has either received a satisfactory score on the SAT II's or has completed at least the second semester of an intermediate level course. All other language courses leading up to the fulfillment of the requirement are listed as electives.
Thirty-eight 3-credit courses which include all Core and major requirements are required to earn a degree. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 32 of the 38 required courses in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Labs, withdrawals (W's), failed courses (F's), and advanced placement credits (AP) are printed at the bottom of the form in the section marked Labs and other courses not counting toward the 38 required for the degree.
Elective courses are printed at the bottom of the degree audit in the section marked Courses counting toward degree not matched to above requirements. Some courses can be reused to fulfill both Core and major or minor requirements, but count only once in the degree summary tally at the end of the report.
Q: How do I get my degree audit with the registration information?
A: During the advising/registration period, students receive registration/degree
audit forms from their faculty advisors. CSOM upperclassmen meet with Dean Keeley
and CSOM freshmen meet with their peer advisors. If your advisor has not contacted
you, you should email him/her for an appointment.
Q: What if I have a registration hold?
A: Remember that if you have an outstanding balance on your student account
or have failed to submit proof of immunization to the Health Services Office,
a hold will be placed on your registration. If a registration hold message appears
at the bottom of your Registration Information/Degree Audit Form, you
must see the appropriate office (Outstanding Balance-Student Services, Immunization-Health
Services) to resolve the situation before you can register.
Q: What should I do to have a course count towards a requirement on my degree
audit when it is not being counted correctly?
A: If it is a course that normally counts toward the specific requirement, it may not be counting due to an error in the system, in which case you should contact your recorder (A&S - Mary McCrosson; CSOM and CSON - Terry Rezzuti; LSOE - Terry Lepore) in Lyons Hall. If it is a course that does not usually fulfill the requirement that you would like it to count for, pick up a Degree Course Waiver and Substitution Form from Student Services, take it to the appropriate department; and bring the signed form to Lyons Hall. For example, the department may approve an upper level course to fulfill a Core requirement or a course transferred from another institution may be approved to fulfill a specific major requirement.
Q: How do I find information about my advisor?
A: Your advisor's information is available on Agora.
Once you are logged in, choose U-View - your personal records from
the pull-down menu. Academic advisor is listed under All Student
Information. New freshmen and transfer students will continue to be advised
by their orientation advisors through late September. Second semester seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences do not have advisors and receive their access codes by mail. Graduate students should check with their departments for advisor assignments.
Closed, Restricted, and WCAS (Evening) Courses
Q: How can I gain access to a course that requires permission or is closed or
restricted?
A: Students may go to the department that offers the course. The department
will do one of the following: decline permission, add the course to your schedule
at the time, or provide you with a stamped override form that you should bring
to Student Services, where the staff will add the course to your schedule.
Q: Can a day undergraduate student register for a WCAS (evening college) course?
A: WCAS designates a limited number of spaces in certain courses for students in A&S,
CSOM, LSOE, and CSON. Students may enroll in only one WCAS course per semester. For the fall and spring semester,
students can sign up for WCAS courses in McGuinn 100 beginning on the first day of classes. Courses are offered on a first come,
first served basis, and there are a limited number of spaces in each course. Freshmen may not enroll in WCAS courses.
Pass/Fail and Overloading
Q: How do I designate pass/fail electives?
A: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may enroll in a non-major or non-Core course
on a pass/fail basis anytime during the registration period. Pass/fail choices
cannot be made subsequent to the drop/add period.
No more than one pass/fail course may be taken in any semester. No student may take more than six pass/fail courses for credit toward a degree.
Language courses taken before the language proficiency requirement is fulfilled may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
No student may take CSOM or WCAS courses on a pass/fail basis. No CSOM student may take an A&S requirement (including Core or CSOM curriculum requirements) pass/fail. Courses used to fulfill a minor cannot be taken pass/fail.
Q: Who can register for a sixth course?
A: Students who have earned at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in a full course load,
or a minimum 3.0 GPA in the semester immediately prior to the one for which
the overload is sought, may register for a sixth course. Students whose averages
are between 2.0 and 3.0 may, under exceptional circumstances, be allowed, with
their Associate Dean's permission, to enroll in a sixth course. Students are
not permitted to take a sixth course during their first semester at Boston College.
All students taking a sixth 3-credit course for acceleration will be charged
at the prevailing 3-credit hour rate.
Q: How do I register for a sixth course?
A: Students should register on-line for the sixth course during the first week
of class and must notify the Dean by October 2 in the fall or February 15 in
the spring if they wish to drop the course.
Troubleshooting
Problems you may encounter when registering:
Invalid Password (Unable to sign-in to the UIS system.)
Check to make sure that you correctly inputted your username and password or
pin. If you are still having difficulties, contact the Office of Student Services
at 617-552-3300.
Wrong Index Number
Check to make sure you are inputting the correct 4-digit index number, not the
course number (e.g., 9999 rather than LL999.09). Refer to Schedule of Courses
for index numbers.
Time Conflict Message
Check the Schedule of Courses or the on-line open course list again.
If there is still a problem, there may have been a time change. The information
on the system is correct, since it is the most up-to-date.
Course Restricted to Major or School
You must get the appropriate department or school approval to be allowed to
override these restrictions.
Course Closed or Requires Department Permission
If a course is closed, please try again later to register for the course.