First Course Registration

Many first-time students ask the admissions representative, “When should I register for courses, and which is the first course I should register for?” This article attempts to answer these questions.

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First-Time Undergraduate You may register upon completing the admission application.	It is suggested that you complete your general education courses first, as they are more likely to transfer between programs of other universities.
Undergraduate Transfer You may register upon completing the admission application. If you are enrolling in a program where you already have a significant amount of core credits to transfer from another university, then it is recommended that you wait until the transfer credit evaluation is finalized before registering for any courses.	We recommend NOT registering for any electives or general education courses until your transfer credit evaluation is complete. You can use our Transfer Evaluation Database (TED) to get an idea of which of your previous courses will transfer here. Also, it would be wise to have a copy of your transcripts from other colleges on hand during registration.
Graduate Students You may register as soon as we receive proof of a conferred bachelor’s degree or higher.	If your graduate program includes a Research Methods course, you should complete that class in the first session, as it will dictate the standard research and citation practices in your field.
Graduate Transfer Students You may register as soon as we receive proof of a conferred bachelor’s degree or higher.	You may request a Preliminary Transfer Credit Review (PTCR) via your Admissions Representative to check potential transfers before registering. Email or call your Admissions Rep to begin the PTCR. It’s suggested that you avoid registering for courses in the electives portion of your program if you will be transferring in credits. If your program includes a Research Methods course, you should complete that class in the first session, as it will dictate the standard research and citation practices in your field.