New Course Scheme
Vanderbilt’s course numbering system will follow a prefix-plus-number model: ENGL 1654; MGT 6145; SPED 8723. Existing alphabetical subject-matter prefixes will (largely) be retained.
Letter identifiers have been significantly restricted, making allowances only for specific meaning. For example, ECON 3257W = satisfies writing requirements; BSCI 1501 and 1501L denote lecture and lab co-requisites. Course sequences will be designated through last digit(s), rather than a, b, c, d.
Where possible, standard numbers will be used across the curriculum for common course types (for example, independent study, senior seminar, dissertation research).
1. BASIC OUTLINE OF NUMBERING
| 0000–0799 | Non-credit, non-degree courses that do not apply to a degree program |
| 0800–0999 | Courses that will be eventually given credit (e.g. study abroad) |
| 1000–1999 | Lower-level introductory undergraduate courses. Generally, no prerequisites |
| 2000–2999 | Lower-level intermediate undergraduate courses. May have prerequisites |
| 3000–3999 | Upper-level intermediate undergraduate courses. Likely have prerequisites or require instructor permission |
| NOTE: The range 3400–3599 has been reserved for future program growth and is not to be used at the present time | |
| 4000–4999 | Upper-level advanced undergraduate courses. Usually have prerequisites or require instructor permission |
| 5000–5999 | Introductory-level graduate and professional courses (including those co-enrolled with undergraduates) |
| 6000–7999 | Intermediate-level graduate and professional courses |
| 8000–9999 | Advanced-level graduate and professional courses |
Departments will cluster courses within a range to convey specialization and groupings for a given subject area.
2. COURSE RENUMBERING CONVENTIONS: UNDERGRADUATE
In the recommendations below, the letter “X” can be any number 0–9. Thus, 389X represents all numbers from 3890 to 3899.
| New Number / Number Range | Description |
| SENIOR EXPERIENCES: 3900s & 4900s | |
| 4998, 4999 3998, 3999 |
Honors Thesis |
| 398X, 498X | Honors Seminars |
| 4978, 4979 3978, 3979 |
Thesis |
| 3970–77 | Capstone Project - includes art studios, recitals, and projects |
| 496X | Senior Seminars / Capstone courses |
| 495X | Capstone Experiences (like HOD internships, student teaching) |
| EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: 3800s | |
| 389X | Special Topics |
| 388X | Internships |
| 387X | Practica |
| 3865–69 | Field Research - Includes field study |
| 3860–64 | On Campus Research - Lab research - Directed lab research - Honors Research |
| 385X | Independent Study - Includes independent readings |
| 384X | Directed Study - includes directed readings |
| 383X | Service Learning - can also be tracked through course attribute outside of this number range |
| OTHER CONVENTIONS | |
| 3400–3599 | DO NOT USE: held for new programs needing common tracking |
| 2000–2099 | Transfer courses with no equivalent at VU 2000–49 = NoEq that does not count toward major or minor 2050–99 = NoEq that counts toward major or minor |
| 111X | Freshman Seminars 1111= A&S First Year Writing Seminars (formerly 115F); 1117=Peabody first year seminars |
| 1001 | Commons Seminars |
| 09XX and 08XX | Courses that will eventually receive credit |
| 07XX | Non-credit experience, e.g. Visions, athletics, marching band. 0700 = VV |
- Letters a,b,c that previously signified course sequences will be replaced; departments should use last digit(s) to signify course sequencing in the curriculum.
- “L”: Lecture and co-requisite lab that are graded and taught as independent courses will share the same number; the lab course will be noted with “L”
- “T” will no longer be used; transfer courses will be tracked through course set-up
- “W” will be retained for writing courses
3. COURSE RENUMBERING CONVENTIONS: GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL
| New Number / Number Range | Description |
| 9999 | Dissertation Research |
| 8999 | Non-Candidate Research |
| 8000s and 9000s | Generally Doctoral Level |
| 7999 | Masters Thesis |
| 6000s and 7000s | Generally Master’s Level |
| 6000-6009 | Transfer no-equivalent |
| 5000s | Preparatory courses and Grad/Prof level courses that undergrad can take |
- These are intended as general guidelines only; principles of content clustering almost certainly will result in variance at the professional School level
4. COURSE RENUMBERING CONVENTIONS: CAT/GRAD (Courses with combined undergraduate/graduate enrollments)
Cat/Grad courses should have two separate numbers that are close echoes of one another, e.g. HIST 3325 and HIST 5325. (Matching the numbers makes easy reference.)
All Cat/Grad courses should have separate syllabi, one for undergraduates and one for graduates, and these should reflect the differential workloads expected of the two populations.