Course Attribute Overview

WHAT ARE COURSE ATTRIBUTES?

Course attributes are used for a few reasons:

1. to identify if a course fits a requirement in Ladder (the degree audit), including:
   • if a course fulfills a general education requirement (CLA) or a requirement that spans many subject areas
     
     
2. if a course can count in a subject area other than one specified by the subject code
   
3. to be used as search criteria by students in the dynamic schedule
   

HOW TO ADD COURSE ATTRIBUTES*

If the attribute is just for one term: meaning the attribute may fit the requirement in some terms but not others, it should be added at the section level during the call for classes. If the class is in a different department or subject area, you should have a conversation with the instructor/department chair/program director of the subject before requesting the attribute to make sure everyone is in agreement. You many also use the section edit form to add or remove attributes.

If the attribute always fits a requirement or in the curriculum: it should be added at the course level. Subject/program area attributes can be sent directly to [email protected]; preferably in a spreadsheet format, including: subject code, course numbers, title, and attribute. If the course to add the attribute is outside of your department/program, a conversation with the program/department should occur before submitting the file to make sure everyone is in agreement.

*General education attributes for courses or sections need to be submitted to CAPC for review and approval.

WHY COURSE ATTRIBUTES ARE HELPFUL

• Using course attributes reduces the amount of curriculum maintenance by the programs/departments. Instead of having to adjust a list of courses that count in a specific requirement, a department or program can use an attribute and add or remove courses at will without having to update the static curriculum.

• Students are able to search by attributes in the schedule which allows them to see results from multiple subject areas and schools that will fulfill requirements in Ladder (the degree audit) without having to search course by course or subject by subject.

• Reduces the amount of cross-listing. By using attributes, the same course regardless of subject can count in multiple majors and minors without cross-listing. Coding by attribute allows for more flexibility in curriculum set up and better logic for the degree audit negating common issues like departments and programs forgetting to include the subject codes of all possible cross-lists in their catalog page and students registering for the “wrong” one and it does not automatically pull into the requirement in Ladder.