Course Access & Request Policy - Department of Computer Science - Purdue University Skip to main content

Computer Science Course Access & Request Policy

Due to increased enrollment in Computer Science Department undergraduate and graduate programs, availability of courses designed for Computer Science (CS), Data Science (DS), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) majors is limited.

We cannot accommodate requests from non-CS, DS, or AI students for Computer Science Department restricted courses that are not required to complete a student's plan of study.

The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 

Courses

Core CS courses are reserved for CS, DS and AI majors during peak semesters (semesters when most CS, DS, and AI students take the course, see below).

  • CS 18000
    • FALL: CS 18000 is restricted to CS and DS majors only, even if there is space 
    • SPRING: CS 18000 is open to all students who meet the pre-requisite requirements.
      • AI majors take 18000 in spring, limiting availability.
    • SUMMER: CS 18000 will have the CS program restrictions lifted on dates listed below (must still meet pre-requisites).
    • Successful completion of CS 18000 is required for CODOs, CS second majors and the CS minor.
  • CS 18200, 24000, 25000, 25100, and 25200
    • During Peak Semesters these courses are restricted to CS, DS ans AI majors only, even if there is space. 
    • FALL (Off Peak): CS 18200, 24000 and 25200 will only be available to DECLARED* majors during batch registration.
      • DECLARED* CS minors will be able to register starting week two of open registration, space permitting.
    • SPRING (Off Peak): CS 25000 and 25100 will only be available to DECLARED* majors during batch registration
      • DECLARED* CS minors will be able to register starting week two of open registration, space permitting.
    • All requests during batch registration from non DECLARED* CS/DS/AI majors or CS minors students will be denied.
    • Requests from non DECLARED* students during open registration will be defered.
      • Students will be able to register once their academic record has been updated reflecting approved CODO, second major or minor.
    • SUMMER: CS 18200, 24000, 25000, 25100, and 25200 will have the CS program restrictions lifted on dates listed below (must still meet pre-requisites).
  • CS 24200
    • Restricted to DECLARED* Data Science and Artificial Intelligence students only.   
  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES
Table of CS Classes and Peak Seasons
CS 18000 CS 18200 CS 24000 CS 25000 CS 25100 CS 25200
Fall PEAK OFF OFF PEAK PEAK OFF
Spring OFF PEAK PEAK OFF OFF PEAK
Summer

OFF

March 28

OFF

April 20

OFF

April 20

OFF

April 20

OFF

April 20

OFF

April 20

  • When offered, the following CS courses are open to all students who meet pre-reqs:

    • CS 10100 – Digital Literacy

    • CS 15900 – Prog Appl For Enginrs

    • CS 17700 – Progrmng With MM Objs

    • CS 18000 – Prob Solving & O-O Programming (Spring and Summer ONLY)

    • CS 17600 (previously CS 19000DEP) - Data Engineering in Python
    • CS 23500 – Intro Organizatnl Comp

  • Declared* MACS and IMCS majors and declared* CS minors with fewer than 5 CS courses completed for the minor may submit an override request during open registration for needed 300 and 400 level courses. These students should not expect access to additional program-restricted CS courses once major or minor requirements have been met.
  • CS 38003
    • Lecture 1 is restricted to DECLARED* Data Science students only.
    • Lecture 2 is restricted to DECLARED* Data Science and CS students only.
  • For courses with CS program restrictions, non-CS and non-degree students who meet prerequisites may submit an override request through scheduling assistant.
  • Some CS courses are required for CS majors and could be unavailable for non-CS students, even if there is space (CS 50200, CS 50300, CS 52600, CS 53600, CS 55500, CS 56500, CS 57300, CS 57700, CS 57800 and CS 58000, CS 58400 and CS 58800 when offered). 
  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • When offered, the following courses are open to all graduate majors:
    • CS 50100 - Computing For Science And Engineering

    • CS 51400 – Numerical Analysis

    • CS 51500 – Numerical Linear Algeb

    • CS 52000 – Comput Meth In Optimization

    • CS 53100 – Computational Geometry

    • CS 57900 – Bioinformatics Algorithms

    • CS 59000L – Computing for Life Sciences

    • CS 59100SE – Security Seminar

CRN (Course Registration Number):

A CRN is a unique numerical identifier for each course and sub section.

Course Registration Restrictions:

Some courses have restrictions that must be met before a student can register.

 Common Course Restrictions:

  • Major/Program/Field of Study – Course is restricted to students in specific majors or minors
  • College – Course is restricted to students in a specific college
  • Level – Course is restricted to students in a specific level, UG or GR
  • Pre-Requisite – Academic qualifications that are required to be complete before enrollment

 Course Types

  • Lecture (Lec)
  • Laboratory (Lab)
  • Recitation (Rec)
  • Practical Study Observation (PSO)
  • Individual Study (IND)
  • Research (Res)

 Course Sub Sections

Sub sections are secondary required course sections linked with a lecture (recitations, labs or PSO).

Sub sections are linked to a specific lecture. The link cannot be broken.

  • Lecture 1:
    • Labs 1-6
  • Lecture 2:
    • Labs 7-12

You must register for all required parts of the course

 VT (Variable Title):

VT courses are often used for independent study/research courses (CS 19000, 29000, 39000, 49000, 59000).

Requesting Access to CS Program Restricted Courses:

All course access requests (undergraduate and graduate) MUST be submitted through the scheduling assistant. Emails, phone calls and walk-in requests WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. A request is not a guarantee that a seat in a course will be offered or that the request will be approved, even if space is available in the course. Click here for Scheduling Assistant FAQs (PDF).

 

Your override request will either be approved, deferred or denied.

  • If approved, you will received a scheduling system generated email stating you are approved. You need to register for the class. The system DOES NOT REGISTER YOU. (NOTE: Starting the second week of classes, the requests system will register you.)
  • If deferred, your request will be held until a future date. This will only be done for full (closed) section requests. The request may or may not be approved at a future date, depending on space. Only CS or DS majors, CS minor, MACS and IMCS majors will be deferred.
  • If denied, we are unable to provide you access to the course. Please read any notes given at time of denial. Waitlists will not be maintained for high demand graduate level courses.
  • The only time conflicts that will be approved are ROTC or BAND.
  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • Registration information for Current Students
  • Not all courses are available to all students. Some courses are restricted to students in a specific major. Only students in that major may register for that course, even if pre-requisites are met and space exists.
  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES
  • Registration Error Help
  • Please be familiar with the add/drop schedule for each semester.
  • Registration Timeline
    • Waitlist will be available from the start of open registration until the Friday before classes begin
      • All course requests must be made through Scheduling Assistant 
      • Once waitlist closes, all pending waitlist requests will be removed from the requests system.
      • Instructors do not receive course requests.
    • Week 1 of classes
      • All course requests must be made through Scheduling Assistant 
      • Instructors do not receive course requests
    • END OF WEEK 1 (Friday after 5pm), instructor and advisor permission is needed to ADD
      • All course requests must be made through Scheduling Assistant  
      • Any pending course requests from week 1 will be removed from the system and new requests will need to be submitted.
      • Instructor and advisor receive requests.

 

Additional information for specific majors or minors is below.

 

I am (my student is) a:

  • Declared* CS, DS and AI Majors must use scheduling assistant to request an override including pre-req, level and full section. Email requests will not be accepted.

  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 

  • Instructors cannot override full sections.

  • Declared* CS Minors will be able to register for core courses in off-peak semesters starting week two of open registration, space permitting. Minors will not be given access to core courses in peak semesters. Plan accordingly. 

  • Students requesting more CS courses than needed to complete the minor will have the request denied.

  • All efforts will be made to accommodate requests, however CS and DS majors have priority.

  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • Instructors cannot override full sections.

  • Declared* MACS or IMCS students will be able to register for core courses in off-peak semesters during open registration, space permitting.

  • These majors should submit a request for all 300+ courses during open registration.

  • All efforts will be made to accommodate the requests.

  • Students requesting more CS courses than needed to complete the major will have the request denied.

  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • Instructors cannot override full sections.

  • A majority of CS course are restricted to declared* CS, DS and AI majors. Non CS majors or minors should not plan to take CS courses.

  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • Instructors cannot override full sections.

  • When offered, the following CS courses are open to all students who meet pre-reqs:

    • CS 10100 – Digital Literacy

    • CS 15900 – Prog Appl For Enginrs

    • CS 17600 (previoulsy CS 19000DEP) - Data Engineering in Python
    • CS 17700 – Progrmng With MM Objs

    • CS 18000 – Prob Solving & O-O Programming (Spring and Summer ONLY)

    • CS 23500 – Intro Organizatnl Comp

  • Declared* STAT-CS joint MS students are limited to a total of 5 CS program-restricted courses. Students may be denied override requests once 5 CS course are completed, even is space is available. 

  • All efforts will be made to accommodate the request, however, no course is guarenteed.

  • Some CS courses are required for CS majors and could be unavailable for non-CS students, even if there is space (CS 50200, CS 50300, CS 52600, CS 53600, CS 55500, CS 56500, CS 57300, CS 57700, CS 57800 and CS 58000, CS 58400 and CS 58800 when offered). 
  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • Instructors cannot override full sections.

  • Students interested in other CS program-restricted courses must use scheduling assistant for requests. Some CS courses are required for CS majors and could be unavailable for non-CS students (CS 50200, CS 50300, CS 52600, CS 53600, CS 55500, CS 56500, CS 57300, CS 57700, CS 57800 and CS 58000, CS 58400 and CS 58800 when offered).
  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • Instructors cannot override full sections.

  • When offered, the following courses are open to all graduate majors:

    • CS 50100 - Computing For Science And Engineering

    • CS 51400 – Numerical Analysis

    • CS 51500 – Numerical Linear Algeb

    • CS 52000 – Comput Meth In Optimization

    • CS 53100 – Computational Geometry

    • CS 57900 – Bioinformatics Algorithms

    • CS 59000L – Computing for Life Sciences

    • CS 59100SE – Security Seminar

I want to or plan to:

  • CODO Requirements

  • Applying for a CODO does not guarantee approval.

  • If your CODO request or added CS, DS, or AI major has not been approved at the time of your course override request, your request will be denied.

  • If your CODO request or added CS, DS, or AI major is approved, once it is added to your academic record, you will be able to register, space permitting.

  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 
  • CS minor application process

  • Applying for a CS minor does not guarantee approval.

  • If you have not been approved for the CS minor at the time of your course override request, your request will be denied.

  • If the CS minor is approved, once it is added to your academic record, you will be able to register, space permitting.

  • The Computer Science Department will be using the WAITLIST FOR ALL COURSES 

*DECLARED Major students have had their major request approved, and it has been added to the student’s official academic record by the Office of the Registrar.

*DECLARED Minor students have had their minor application approved, and it has been added to the student’s official academic record by the Computer Science Undergraduate Advising Office.

Note: Only the Computer Science Undergraduate Advising Office may add a student’s Computer Science Minor.

Requesters stating that they are planning to CODO or have applied for a CS major or minor will not be considered DECLARED* during pre-registration and will have their request for CS program-restricted courses denied. If their request is approved later in the registration cycle, all efforts will be made to grant access to desired courses.  

Last Updated: Apr 6, 2023 9:07 AM

Department of Computer Science, 305 N. University Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Phone: (765) 494-6010 • Fax: (765) 494-0739

Copyright © 2023 Purdue University | An equal access/equal opportunity university | Copyright Complaints

Trouble with this page? Disability-related accessibility issue? Please contact the College of Science.