The fall 2021 Yale College course enrollment timeline and the Yale College registration system are changing. While the familiar Preference Selection will continue to be used, Online Course Selection (OCS) will be retired for Yale College Students.
How Yale College Course Enrollment Changes Impact You
New Course Enrollment Timeline – Registration related dates and timelines have been determined by the Yale College Dean’s Office. The 2021-2022 Yale College Programs of Study will publish on April 1 and Yale Course Search will open that same day with Fall 2021 courses. Preference Selection and instructor and department run applications will open April 6 and remain open for two weeks. Refer to the departmental website for department run course enrollment information. Refer to the course description in YCS or on the course Canvas site for instructor guidelines for a course that requires instructor permission. A full chart of dates, student activities, and department activities is provided at the end of this message and on the Registration website.
New Registration System – Yale Course Search (YCS) will be enhanced to allow Yale College students to officially enroll in courses in real time and to provide temporary visitor access to Canvas course sites. Students will still be able to fill out preliminary worksheets prior to the opening of registration on May 3. This information will not populate to the Registration or Canvas worksheets.
- Students will have two default worksheets within YCS
- Registration Worksheet – when registration opens, Yale College students may enroll course-by-course in real time using the Registration Worksheet. Schedules may be adjusted until registration closes. When enrolled in a course, a student will appear on the Canvas roster with a “Student” status. The registration worksheet is limited to 5.5 course credits; additional course credit enrollment requires approval of the residential college dean during the Add/Drop period. When the registration system closes, the Registration Worksheet will be locked.
- Canvas Worksheet – students may explore courses and plan tentative schedules using the Canvas Worksheet. Up to 10 courses may be added to the Canvas worksheet which will provide access to the Canvas course site. Students will appear on the Canvas roster with a “Visitor” status. The Canvas Worksheet becomes available to students when the registration system opens and will remain open for changes until the end of the Add/Drop period.
- Instructor Permission
- The new registration system offers a formal permission request and grant process. If course enrollment has reached enrollment capacity or if a course has been marked as “Instructor Permission Required,” students who attempt to enroll in the course will be prompted to submit a formal permission request. Instructors will receive a daily email notification if a permission request is awaiting review.
- During the Early Registration period, students WILL NOT select discussion sections. Students will only enroll in the lecture portion of courses. After the Early Registration period ends, academic departments will assess section demand and teaching fellow needs. When the Add/Drop period opens, Yale College students who need to pair their lecture course with a discussion section will be notified.
- Discussion Section selection
Refer to the Registration website for current information, FAQs, and a growing library of registration system tutorials and instructional documentation. Keep an eye out for additional communications from the University Registrar’s Office and the Yale College Dean’s Office.
