Course Information - Undergraduate

Courses listed in this catalog are subject to change through normal academic procedures. New programs/courses and changes in existing coursework are initiated by departments or individual programs and approved by the appropriate academic dean, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and the Faculty Senate. Additions to the curriculum for the ensuing years are published in the official Undergraduate Curriculum Committee minutes by Faculty Senate and are on file with the Office of Records and Registration. 

Many course descriptions list the semester/year during which a course is normally offered. This serves as a guide; however, actual offerings may vary depending on staffing levels and enrollment demands.

Undergraduate course repeat policy

Courses may be repeated for credit if they are officially designated as repeatable for credit in the course catalog, i.e., performance studio, independent study, practicum, etc.

Courses that are not designated as repeatable for credit and in which a student has earned a grade of "C" or better at UWL may not be repeated at UWL. However, a student could choose to repeat the course at another institution. When a course is repeated, the original attempt and grade earned will remain on the permanent academic record; however, the highest grade earned is used to calculate the UWL cumulative grade point average, and the lower grade is dropped from the UWL cumulative grade point average calculation. If a student withdraws from a course taken as a "repeat," the original grade earned will remain in the UWL cumulative grade point average calculation. Courses deemed equivalent through transfer can only count once toward credits earned and GPA. A student may choose to repeat a course at another institution, including when the original grade earned is a "C" or better, but that transfer repeat course will not be used in the UWL resident GPA or count toward the UWL academic standing for that term.

Repeating a course in residence at UWL, instead of through another institution, is usually in the best interest of the student because the credits earned will count toward the degree and an improved grade in residence will increase the UWL cumulative grade point average. If a student chooses to repeat a course four or more times, the student must meet with the Dean of the College or School where the course is housed prior to the start of the term, or the student may be administratively withdrawn from the course. Minimum UWL in-residence credit requirements for degrees continue to apply. The student's UWL GPAs are permanently recorded on the transcript at the time their degree is awarded. Repeating a course after graduation will not affect the recorded degree GPA.

Repeatable for credit undergraduate courses

A course marked "repeatable for credit" may be repeated for credit only once unless otherwise specified. See the undergraduate course repeat policy for information on repeating a course to improve one's grade.

Remedial math placement policy

The UW System remedial education policy was approved by the Board of Regents in November 1988. Remediation data supports the notion that a high percentage of students needing remediation in the skills area (English/math) continue to be successful college students.

Placement and registration in math courses is determined by using the scores earned on the Wisconsin Regional Placement Exams (WRPT) and the American College Test (ACT). Students not demonstrating adequate competency in math will be required to enroll in a remedial math course(s).

MTH 050 Basic Algebra and MTH 051 Topics in Intermediate Algebra are remedial courses designed for students whose test scores indicate a low probability for success in college-level courses. Students are required to complete one or more of these courses before they can take a math course that counts toward the General Education Program's Mathematical Systems requirement. In addition, students who place into MTH 051 may be required to enroll in this course for their major(s). These credits do not count toward graduation. MTH 050 and MTH 051 are letter-graded ("F" counts as credits attempted and is averaged into GPA; other grades do not).

Students required to take MTH 050 must complete the requirement prior to earning 30 degree credits. There is no prerequisite to enroll in MTH 050. However, students must have taken a placement test in order to enroll in MTH 051.

English placement policy

Placement and registration in ENG 110 College Writing (3 cr.) is determined by using the scores earned on the Wisconsin Regional Placement Exams (WRPT) and the American College Test (ACT). Students not demonstrating adequate competency in English will be required to enroll in ENG 100 and ENG 110 concurrently (six credits).

ENG 100 College Writing Workshop (3 cr.) is a non-remedial course designed to give students additional practice in and strategies for developing writing skills in post-secondary academic contexts. Students taking ENG 100 and ENG 110 together will have enhanced support in writing composition to help them successfully complete the General Education Program's Literacy requirement in their first Fall semester. ENG 100 and ENG 110 are letter graded with the grades calculated into the GPA. These credits count toward graduation.

Students required to take ENG 100 must complete the requirement prior to earning 60 degree credits. They will not be allowed to register in higher level English courses until they have successfully completed this requirement.

Cross-listed courses

A course offered by more than one department that has the same course description, credits, and title but different prefixes (e.g., ECO/THA 376; BIO/MIC 714) is a cross-listed course. Students may earn credit only once for taking a cross-listed course.

Undergraduate course numbering policy

Courses with numbers in the 100/200 series are primarily for first years and sophomores; those in the 300/400 series, which normally carry a prerequisite, are primarily for juniors and seniors. Many courses in the 500 series are "slash" courses; they are graduate courses with a companion number in the 400 series and are open to upper level undergraduates who have earned at least 60 credits and graduate students. Students may not earn credit in a slash course at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. All courses with numbers in the 600, 700, 800, or 900 series are for graduate students only.

Undergraduate students must earn at least 40 credits in the 300/400 numbered courses. See university degree requirements for more information.

Course prerequisites

Course prerequisites, listed in the course description, indicate the academic preparation required for successful completion of the course. Occasionally students may have sufficient knowledge to enter courses without the formal prerequisites. In these circumstances, students may ask instructors for consent to enroll; all instructors retain the right to admit any student to their classes, subject to departmental policy. Students who do not meet the stated prerequisite(s) or the required class standing must obtain permission to enroll in a class. Students will not receive credit for courses for which they do not have the appropriate class standing, specified prerequisites, or permission to override the requirements.

Course modes of instruction

  1. Face-to-Face (F2F) or In-Person or On Campus: Course in which content delivery, course activities, and assessments take place in a physical classroom.
  2. Hybrid/Blended: Course in which content delivery, course activities, and assessments take place in a physical classroom and online. This combination of online and in-person elements is based on meaningful learning strategies that best serve an instructor’s pedagogical goals and objectives. This classification signals to students that there is an expectation of both physical presence and online learning in the instructor's design of the course. While a percentage is not mandated, hybrid courses are traditionally 30% to 50% of seat time replaced with online components. Hybrid courses include a class note available to students at registration, which indicates anticipated in-person and online class time.
  3. Online courses (fully) - students do not meet in person at a physical site. All content and course activities take place online. 
    1. Synchronous - some or all of the elements of the class occur in real time. Elements can be required (e.g., a lecture or exam) or optional (e.g., office hours or discussion times). The course should be listed as online in the timetable and a meeting date/time should be noted.
    2. Asynchronous - although there are deadlines for students by which they need to complete work, there are no requirements for a specific date/time when the student must be available.
  4. Independent Study - individual reading or research under the guidance of a faculty member.

Curriculum requirements

A statement of various major and minor course requirements (the curriculum) accompanies the list of courses offered in each department and/or program, with a few exceptions. In addition to major and minor course requirements, students also must meet general education requirements, the applicable college/school requirements, and university degree requirements in order to earn an undergraduate degree.

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) is the curriculum review faculty body for all academic programs at the baccalaureate level. Membership of this committee consists of nine faculty, with proportional representation by college, and three students. The Provost/Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Director of the Library, and academic deans, or their designees serve as administrative consultants.

A full copy of the UCC bylaws is in the Faculty Senate's articles and bylaws.

Course prefixes

The following is a list of course prefixes used by departments and programs at UWL. Both undergraduate and graduate prefixes are included.

  • ACC: Accountancy
  • ANT: Anthropology
  • ARA: Arabic
  • ARC: Archaeology
  • ART: Art
  • ATS: Athletic Training
  • BIO: Biology
  • BLAW: Business Law
  • BUS: Business Administration
  • CEI: Cooperative Education and Internships
  • CHE: Community Health Education
  • CHI: Chinese
  • CHM: Chemistry
  • CI: Curriculum and Instruction
  • CLI: Clinical Laboratory Science
  • CMP: Computational Science
  • CPE: Computer Engineering
  • CS: Computer Science
  • CST: Communication Studies
  • CT: Computational Thinking
  • CYB: Cybersecurity
  • CYC: Child Youth Care
  • DMK: Digital Marketing
  • DMS: Diagnostic Medical Sonography
  • DOS: Medical Dosimetry
  • DS: Data Science
  • ECE: Early Childhood Education
  • ECO: Economics
  • EDM: Educational Media
  • EDS: Education Studies
  • EDU: Education
  • EFN: Educational Foundations
  • ENG: English
  • ENV: Environmental Studies
  • ERS: Ethnic and Racial Studies
  • ESL: English as a Second Language
  • ESS: Exercise and Sport Science
  • FIN: Finance
  • FNT: Financial Technology
  • FRE: French
  • FYS: First-Year Seminar
  • GCL: Global Cultures and Languages
  • GEO: Geography
  • GER: German
  • GRC: Graduate Registration Continuation
  • HCA: Healthcare Administration
  • HED: Health Education
  • HIMT: Health Information Management and Technology
  • HIS: History
  • HMG: Hmong
  • HP: Health Professions
  • HPR: Health, Physical Education, & Recreation
  • HWM: Health & Wellness Management
  • IB: International Business
  • INS: International Studies
  • IS: Information Systems
  • ITM: Information Technology Management
  • JPN: Japanese
  • LS: Liberal Studies
  • MIC: Microbiology
  • MIND: Mindfulness
  • MGT: Management
  • MKT: Marketing
  • MS: Military Science
    MTH: Mathematics
  • MUA: Applied Music
  • MUS: Music
  • NEU: Neuroscience
  • NMT: Nuclear Medicine Technology
  • NUT: Nutrition
  • OT: Occupational Therapy
  • PAS: Physician Assistant Studies
  • PH: Public Health
  • PHL: Philosophy
  • PHY: Physics
  • POL: Political Science
  • PSY: Psychology
  • PTS: Physical Therapy
  • PUB: Public Administration
  • RAD: Radiologic Technology
  • RDG: Reading
  • REC: Recreation Management
  • RGS: Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
  • RT: Radiation Therapy
  • RTH: Therapeutic Recreation
  • RUS: Russian
  • SAA: Student Affairs Administration
  • SHE: School Health Education
  • SOC: Sociology
  • SOE: School of Education
  • SPA: Spanish
  • SPE: Special Education
  • SPY: School Psychology
  • STAT: Statistics
  • THA: Theatre Arts
  • TSL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
  • UWL: University-wide Learning
  • WGS: Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

(See graduate catalog for graduate courses and program descriptions.)