Registration Basics
- Most one semester long courses at Carleton count as 0.5 credits.
- Most students in the BA take 2.0 or 2.5 credits (four or five courses) each semester.
- Students must complete 20.0 credits to receive an Honours degree.
- If a student pursuing a BA Honours degree takes 2.5 credits each semester, they can graduate in four years. If a students takes less than 2.5 credits each semester, they will need to take summer classes or take more than 2.5 credits during at least one semester to have the ability to graduate in four years. (First year students cannot take more than 2.5 credits in a semester.)
- Tuition costs the same whether a full-time undergraduate student takes four or five classes in a semester.
- Most degree programs in the BA have one required first year course. So most students take three or four courses of their choosing outside their major each semester during their first year.
- Many first year courses in the BA last for a full year and are worth 1.0 credit.
- Most degree programs in the BA require students to fulfill Breadth Requirements. You must take 1.0 credit from three out of four breadth areas before graduating from Carleton. Because you take more courses in your area of study as you progress, it is easiest to complete the breadth requirement during your first two years of study.
- 1000 level courses are usually for first year students (ex. ENGL 1000) and 2000 level courses are often only for second year students. There are exceptions to this rule, though, such as most 2000 level History courses.
- Some courses have prerequisites (courses that you must complete before taking the course you are considering).
- Some courses have two components – a lecture and a group or tutorial. If the course has these two components, you must register for both (for example, you may take the lecture LAWS 1000 section P, which is worth 0.5 credits each semester, and the tutorial LAWS 1000 section P01, which is worth 0 credits). The lecture will most likely be with a larger group of students and the instructor will do the vast majority of the talking. The class will then break down into smaller groups (often with around 30 students) to meet with a teaching assistant or instructor. The group or tutorial is the best time for you to ask more in-depth questions and receive clarification about the material discussed in the lecture.
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