Course Numbering System

Course Number Description
Basic skills courses 0000-0999 Courses that do not count toward degree requirements-primarily used for skill development. May NOT be cross listed or cross level.
Freshmen-level courses 1000-1999 Entry-level courses that have only skill development courses for course prerequisites. (Test scores, etc. are acceptable prerequisites.) Considered lower-division. Community College courses will be considered equivalent to this level. May NOT be listed as cross level with 5000-8999.
Sophomore-level courses 2000-2999 Intended primarily for second-year or sophomore students who have the essential prerequisites or background. Considered lower-division. Community College courses will be considered equivalent to this level as well. May NOT be listed as cross level with 5000-8999.
Junior/Senior-level courses (Upper Division) 3000-3999 Upper-division courses that may NOT be listed as cross level with 5000-8999. Intended primarily for third and fourth-year (juniors and seniors) students who have the essential prerequisites or background. Often restricted to students admitted to junior-level entry degree programs.
Junior/Senior-level courses (Upper Division) 4000-4999 Upper-division courses that may be listed as cross level with 5000-7999. Intended primarily for juniors and seniors. Note special sub-ranges for capstone, research and departmental honors courses.
Undergraduate Research courses 4950-4959 Upper-division, undergraduate research courses
Capstone courses 4970-4990
Capstone/Honor courses 4991 Courses that are both capstone and departmental honors courses
Capstone/Reading courses 4992
Capstone/Internship courses 4993
Capstone/Research courses 4994
Extended Research & Departmental Honors course 4995 Multiple term duration courses based on research
Departmental Honors courses 4996-4999 Used only for departmental honors courses. Include Dept. Honors in title or course description. No “H” is listed after the catalog number.
Professional-level courses 5000-6999 Professional-level courses for Law, Vet. Med, Medicine, and Occupational/Physical Therapy. Generally, not for undergraduate credit. May be listed as cross-level with 4000- 4999 courses.
Beginning Graduate courses 7000-7999 Graduate-level courses for beginning and mid-level graduate students primarily. Generally not for undergraduate credit, but may be listed as cross-level with 4000-4999 courses.
Mid-level Graduate courses 8000-8999 Graduate-level courses intended primarily for mid-and upper-level graduate students. Not for undergraduate credit. May NOT be listed as cross-level with 4000-4999 courses.
Upper-level Graduate courses 9000-9999 Graduate-level courses intended primarily for upper-level graduate students. Not for undergraduate credit. May NOT be listed as cross-level with 4000-4999 courses.

“H” after a number indicates that it is an Honors course, approved by the Honors College for use toward Honors Certificate or University Honors. Not applicable to courses only designated for departmental honors.

"W" after a number indicates that it is a Writing Intensive course, approved by the Campus Writing Board for use toward fulfilling MU's writing requirement.

Undergraduate Topics Courses

Final two digits represent the distribution category within the University requirements.

Distribution Category Description
01 General
02 Biological Sciences
03 Behavioral Sciences
04 Social Sciences
05 Humanities
06 Mathematical Sciences
07 Physical Sciences

Guidelines for Cross-Listed and Cross-Level Courses*

*

Approved by Faculty Council February 13, 2003

Per the faculty approved policies, only 4000 and 7000 level courses may be cross-level listed. Courses that are cross-listed should be from different departments, but cover the same content, with matching course descriptions.

Cross-Listed Courses must:

  • Be at the same level
  • Cover the same content
  • Not meet different general education requirments

Cross-Listed Courses may:

  • Not have the exact same number, but it is preferred that they do
  • Have different additional fees. However, students may need to enroll in a specific course to meet a requirement and may or may not be allowed to substitute the cross-listed course to avoid the fee. There are limits on enrollment and space may not be available in the non-fee course or section.
  • Exceptions: Fine art and music “skills” classes such as painting or drawing may have different levels meeting in the same room at the same time, such as 1000, 2000, etc. with the instructor requiring the appropriate additional quality and/or quantity of work for the respective level.

Cross-Level Courses:

  • Only 4000 and 7000-level courses may be cross-level listed.
  • The 7000-level course must require work appropriate for graduate credit and be approved as such by the Graduate Faculty Senate.
  • Exceptions: Fine art and music “skills” classes such as painting or drawing may have different levels meeting in the same room at the same time, such as 1000, 2000, etc. with the instructor requiring the appropriate additional quality and/or quantity of work for the respective level.

Courses that are not cross-level may not meet in the same room at the same time or near each other at the same time so that they attempt to “get around” this rule.

Restrictions by Course Level

Not allowed:

  • 0000-0999 - May not be cross listed or cross leveled outside of the 0000-0999 range
  • 1000-3999 - May not be cross listed or cross leveled with 5000-9999
  • 4000-4999 - May not be listed as cross level with 8000-9999
  • Linked cross-leveling may not result in a 1000-3999 level being linked with a 4000-4999, that is subsequently linked with 5000-7999, and a 7000-7999 that is cross-level with 8000-9999

Permissible:

  • 1000-3999 - May be cross-listed and/or cross-leveled with 1000-4999
  • 4000-4999 - May be listed as cross level with 5000-7999
  • 5000-6999 - May be listed as cross level with 4000-4999 or with 7000-7999
  • 7000-7999 - May be listed as cross level with 4000-6999 or with 8000-8999, but not both