McGill.CA / Class Scheduling / FAQ

Courses

1) What are course combinations?

  • Blocks of courses that need to be conflict free with each other for each program and each year of that program and each term in that program.
  • Example: Major in Economics - U1 for the fall term - there could be many combos for the Fall depending on how many courses are offered and the various combinations that are necessary for students to choose from and meet their requirements and prerequisites for the following terms and years within the program.
  • View the Course Combination User Guide.

2) What is a Course Constraint form?

  • An information form that is completed yearly by academic units for every course section that is offered through their academic unit. It consists of course scheduling parameters, such as term offered, CRN, pattern, instructor, and constraints.

3) What are some examples of course section constraints?

  • A course section requires set-up time and therefore cannot be scheduled in the morning. On the Course Constraint form for the course section it should be indicated not to be scheduled in the AM.

4) What is a pattern and where do we enter a pattern for a course section?

  • A pattern indicates what frequency and the number of hours the course section is offered per week. The pattern is entered in Banner in the Meeting Type field.

5) What happens if a course does not need a time?

  • NTN should be entered in the pattern field on the meeting line in Banner.

6) What if a course section needs a specific time?

  • Contact ES to find out if FRC should be entered in the pattern field. If yes, the specific day and time should be indicated on the meeting line.

7) What if a course section does not need a room?

  • "No room" should be entered in the building field of the meeting line, and "needed" should be entered in the room field.

8) What do we do if a course section requires a specific room but no specific time (for example "lab" sections)?

  • On the meeting line for the appropriate course section in Banner, enter the required building and room. The appropriate fields are in the second block. You will need to scroll to the right to see the Building and Room fields.

9) Where do we provide Enrolment Services with needed classroom attributes for a specific course section?

  • Indicate the attributes that are needed for the course section in Banner, under the section in SSASECT headed “Room Attribute Preferences.”
  • For more information on adding room attributes for a given course section, see Banner: Course / Section Scheduling Instructions: Banner Instructions [.pdf].

10) What needs to be done when two course sections need to be cross-listed?

  • All relevant details should be sent to the classschedule [at] mcgill.ca (Class Scheduling Coordinator)

11) How do we indicate that two sections of the same course need to be at different times?

  • Part C of the Course Constraint Form is where course sections ties are indicated. Not only can it be indicated that they are different times, additional constraints such as whether they should be on different days can also be indicated.

12) How much are we allowed to change the max enrolment by?

  • 10% is the maximum allowable change to the max enrolment. Do not increase maximum enrolment beyond 10 % without providing the Class Scheduling Team with a reason, so that approval can be granted.

13) How do we indicate that a course section needs to be taught for 3 times a week for one hour?

  • On the meeting line in Banner (second block), click the arrow above the Meeting Time field. A dialogue box will open with a list of available patterns. Select 3x1.

14) How do we indicate that two different courses need to be conflict free with each other?

  • Indicate the courses in the course combination Minerva form or submitt them to the Class Scheduling Team only after the CC form has been closed in Minerva.

15) What is scheduled in departmental rooms?

  • Any course section belonging to the department that meets the enrolment size specifications and respects the required room attributes needed for the course section, can potentially be booked into a department room.

16) What needs to be done if a course section is offered in one term but no longer offered in the subsequent term?

  • The course Status code needs to be changed in Banner after the rollover date. If the course section is not offered for the next year but will be offered in subsequent years – the status should be changed to “cancelled” and a note should be attached to it in Banner. If the course will no longer be offered in the indefinite future – then the status should be changed to “inactive”.

17) What room characteristics do we enter if an instructor requires a chalkboard or a whiteboard for their course section?

  • If a chalkboard is specifically needed, then chalkboard attribute should be indicated in the Room Attribute Preferences section of the course section in Banner. If either a chalkboard or whiteboard is acceptable (either or) then no attribute needs to be indicated. Every room is fitted with either a chalkboard or whiteboard.

18) How do we indicate if a lab section has a pre-lab?

  • Indicate the schedule type PLB (New schedule type code) on the meeting line in Banner.

19) How do we indicate if a course section requires a breakout room?

  • Indicate the schedule type BR on the schedule type field in SSASECT form in Banner

20) What steps are involved in reviewing existing constraint forms?

  • Existing constraint forms will be provided to each academic unit prior to the course section rollover in Banner. At this time the academic units have the opportunity to review the information and indicate (by hand) on the printouts any changes to the details. The printouts must then be returned to the scheduling team by the deadline prior to the rollover. The relevant changes must also be made in Banner.
  • Note: if there are no changes to a course section, course combination, instructor unavailability, etc. - then “no change” must be indicated on form.
  • All forms must be returned to the class schedule team, change or no change. 

21) How do we indicate that a course section needs to be held in a departmental room?

  • If absolutely necessary, then indicate the specific Building and Room required in the respective fields on the course section meeting line in Banner.
  • If the course section can go in any department room, indicate the corresponding room attribute (e.g. S132).

 

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