Courses and Registration

This page will help you plan your courses and academic career more effectively.

When selecting your courses for the term, it is helpful to review the Program Requirements. If you have questions regarding course selection, please contact our undergraduate advisor team.

At any time you can build a sample timetable within Carleton Central or through the Public Class Schedule.

Registration

First Year Registration Guide

Welcome to Carleton and your Bachelor of Data Science degree program! Please read this degree guide prior to registering.

First Year Registration Guide ↗

Academic Audit

The academic audit is the ‘road map’ to academic success. It lists which courses you are required to take in order to complete your degree at Carleton. The audit will inform you of the progress you have already made, as well as show you the courses that you will need to take in the future. Remember to check your audit regularly to ensure you are fulfilling your degree requirements.

Understanding your Academic Audit ↗

Prerequisites and Restrictions

A prerequisite is a course that must be successfully completed (with a minimum grade of D- or above unless otherwise noted) before you are able to register into the course. A course may also have additional restrictions that require students be in a particular program, and/or have a specific year standing (first, second, third of fourth) in order to register.

A prerequisite map can be found here:

The Carleton University Institute of Data Science strictly enforces calendar prerequisites. If you do not meet the prerequisites for your course, then you may be deregistered. More information on deregistration can be found in Section 2.1.7 of the Undergraduate Calendar.

Before you register

Course registration is done online through Carleton Central. It is your one-stop service for registration, student records, admission, and fee information.

Refer to the Registrar’s Office website for how-to videos to assist you in navigating the Carleton Central registration system. You can find information regarding important registration dates (first day to register, last day to register, last day to drop a class, etc.) on the Registration Dates and Deadlines webpage.

After You Register

Pay your tuition by the payment deadline each term to avoid penalties or late fees. The Student Accounts office has information on how to make a payment.

Electives and Prohibited Courses

Electives are courses required for completion of your 20.0 credit degree program. Many first year students find it difficult to choose electives. Our best advice is to choose a topic you enjoyed in high school or are generally interested in studying.

Find course titles and descriptions in the courses section of the undergraduate calendar.

Read the course descriptions to ensure you have the prerequisites, and then check the Public Class Schedule in Carleton Central to see when the course is offered.
Be aware of preclusions in the course descriptions. If a course precludes additional credit for another course, that means you cannot get credit for both of those courses. Please note that preclusion does not mean equivalent, though in some cases it may be. Please contact your undergraduate advisor for further clarification.
If you encounter a restriction when trying to register, please submit a Registration Override Request on Carleton Central, and the department owning the course will get back to you.

Free Electives

Free Electives are all courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Public Affairs, the Sprott School of Business, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering and Design except for courses in the Prohibited Courses category. Free electives can include COMP, CSEC, DATA, MATH and STAT courses.

Prohibited Courses

Prohibited courses cannot be used for credit towards any program requirement (ie. electives, minors, etc.) for students enrolled in a B.D.S. Program. Please always refer to the most recent Undergraduate Calendar for the most-up-to-date list of prohibited courses, and for all prerequisites and preclusions.

IMPORTANT: Maximum Number of Credits Below the 2000-level.

A student may count a maximum of 7.0 credits below the 2000-level toward fulfillment of graduation requirements.
Credits in excess of this limit will be set aside as Extra to the Degree (ETD), No Credit for the Degree (NCD), or Forfeit. This allows students to increase their CGPA by pushing out low grades below the 2000-level through replacement by higher grades at the same level.

Course Selection FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding course selection:

What is a prerequisite?

Some courses require you to take one or more prerequisites in order to get into the course. A prerequisite is a course that must be successfully completed (with a minimum grade of D- or above unless otherwise noted) BEFORE you are able to register into the course. By first taking all of the required prerequisite course(s), this will ensure that your knowledge level is adequate for you to understand the material in the course that you are trying to register into. Always look at the most current Undergraduate Calendar in order to determine which prerequisites are required for the course that you are trying to take. Some COMP/DATA/STAT courses will require a prerequisite grade that is higher than D-. The Institute of Data Science, and School of Computer Science strictly enforces prerequisites as outlined in the calendar.

What is a preclusion?

When two courses have very similar (or overlapping) material, the calendar often indicates that the courses will preclude one another. This means that you cannot have both of these courses count as credit towards your degree requirements. Precluded courses are not necessarily equivalent. Do not assume that one course can substitute for another simply because it precludes the other course. You should always check with your Undergraduate Advisors to be sure. Note that if you take a course that precludes another course that you have already taken, the most recent grade will count. Preclusions are listed in the course description in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Where are the DATA courses on the Public Class Schedule?

The Bachelor of Data Science is introducing all new DATA courses as part of the curriculum. These courses will be developed, and released, as the first cohort of students progress through their program. 2000-level DATA courses will be released in the 2026-27 Academic Year, 3000-level DATA courses will be released in the 2027-28 Academic Year, and finally the remaining 4000-level DATA courses will be released in the 2028-29 Academic Year. As of May 2025 all core DATA courses will be listed in the Undergraduate Calendar, but will not appear on the public class schedule until they are offered for the first time.

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