Note: This is the 2020–2021 eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or .
Course Information and Regulations
The University reserves the right to make changes without prior notice to the information contained in this publication, including the revision or cancellation of particular courses or programs.
At the time this publication was finalized, new courses and modifications to some existing courses were under consideration. Students preparing to register are advised to consult and refer to www.mcgill.ca/students/courses for the most up-to-date information on courses to be offered.
Not all courses listed are offered every year.
Class Schedule
Course Information and Regulations: Class Schedule
for the upcoming Fall and Winter terms normally becomes available in March prior to the opening of advising. The Summer term schedule is normally published in early February. Class Schedule includes the days and times when courses are offered, class locations, names of instructors, and related information. You can also access the details of scheduled courses by clicking the course reference number (CRN) that appears with each course section shown in Class Schedule.
You should make a note of any preregistration requirements for a course, such as placement tests or departmental approval/permission required.
Class Schedule information is subject to change and is updated as courses are added, cancelled, rescheduled, or relocated. It is your responsibility to consult Class Schedule at the time of registration, and again before classes begin, to ensure that changes in the schedule have not caused conflicts in your schedule.
Once you have selected some courses from the Class Schedule, try (VSB) to view your possible class schedules in an easy-to-read weekly schedule format. Please note that you cannot use Visual Schedule Builder to register but you can copy your choice of course reference numbers (CRNs) from VSB to have handy for registration in Minerva.
Please note that the last day of classes in a term varies according to a course's schedule pattern (e.g., Mon-Wed-Fri, Tues-Thurs, Monday only, etc.). You may verify these details at www.mcgill.ca/importantdates/key-dates.
Course Numbering
Course Numbering
Each 鶹AV course is assigned a unique seven-character course “number”.
The first four characters (subject code) refer to the unit offering the course.
These codes were implemented in September 2002, replacing the three-number teaching unit codes previously used. A complete list of teaching unit codes and their subject code equivalents can be found at www.mcgill.ca/student-records/transcripts/key in the section Cross-walk of current subject codes to pre-2002 course numbers.
The three numbers following the subject code refer to the course itself, with the first of these indicating the level of the course.
- Courses numbered at the 100, 200, 300, and 400 levels are intended for undergraduate students. In most programs, courses at the 300 and 400 levels are normally taken in your last two years.
- Courses at the 500 level are intended for qualified senior undergraduate students but are also open to graduate students.
- Courses at the 600 and 700 levels are intended for graduate students only.
Two additional characters (D1, D2, N1, N2, J1, J2, J3) at the end of the seven-character course number identifies multi-term courses.
Course Terminology
Course Terminology
Prerequisite: Course A is prerequisite to course B if a satisfactory pass in course A is required for admission to course B.
Corequisite: Course A is corequisite to course B if course A must be taken concurrently with (or may have been taken prior to) course B.
Credits: The credit weight of each course is indicated in parentheses beside the course title. For D1 and D2 courses, the credit weight is indicated after the course number. For further information, refer to University Regulations & Resources > Undergraduate > Student Records > Credit System.
Course Nomenclature in Program Descriptions
Course Nomenclature in Program Descriptions
Required Courses: Mandatory courses that must be completed to fulfil the requirements of a program (e.g., major, minor, etc. at the undergraduate level or specific courses at the graduate level), unless the student receives exemptions. Students have no choices among required courses.
Complementary Courses: Courses selected from a restricted list, a particular subject area, or a discipline. In some programs, students must include a number of these to meet program requirements. Complementary courses are not electives.
Elective Courses: Courses, in some cases, taken outside of a student’s program of study that do not count toward the fulfilment of the specific program requirements. Some restrictions may apply, but students have the most choice in selecting elective courses. Some faculties also permit students to take elective courses using the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option. Undergraduate students should consult their faculty regulations concerning electives; graduate students require the approval of their Program Director and Enrolment Services.