Course Enrollment Information

Students have three opportunities to enroll in elective courses each term:

  • course selection, which happens approximately two months before the start of the upcoming term
  • add/drop (also known as you're enrollment appointment), which happens approximately one month before the start of the upcoming term
  • the add period, which immediately follows the add/drop period

You will use Quest to enroll in courses during all three enrollment periods. 

First time users of this system should check out Quest...How Do I...

Contacting SE for help with enrollment

In most cases, you'll be able to add courses during course selection, add/drop (also knows as your enrollment appointment), or the add period using Quest.

However, there might be times when you receive an error message when trying to enroll.

If you receive an error message, follow the two-step process below to add courses.

Step 1: Email the department offering the course for the necessary approval i.e. requisites, class limit, or time conflict (see below for more specific instructions based on the error message you receive). 

Step 2: Forward the department's approval to the SE program manager

  • Emails should come from your UW account, and should include:
    • Your student number and first/last name in the subject line.
    • The course name i.e. PSYCH 101, the 4 digit class number, and the 3 digit section number for all course components i.e. lec/lab/tut – get this info from the schedule of classes. You don't need to include these details during course selection but we do need them for add/drop and the add period.
  • Let us know what we're overriding i.e. term maximum, time conflict, etc.
  • Sometimes, you're unable to enroll for multiple reasons i.e. you're missing requisites and there is a time conflict.
  • Before emailing us, make sure you've identified and resolved all possible enrollment errors.

Term maximum exceeded error message

You'll receive this message if you're trying to take a course on co-op or overload during an academic term. Students can take one course on co-op without employer permission and two courses with employer permission. Your employer must send an approval email to the SE program manager or associate director.

Action:

  • Email the SE program manager if you're taking a course on co-op. 
  • Email the SE associate director if you'd like to overload during an academic term. 
  • If you're overloading, you must select an elective (LE or SCE) to get coded DRNA - degree required, not in average. This course will get excluded from your average but will still count towards fulfilling your degree requirements. 

Overloading Criteria

It is possible, in some cases, to take an extra course during an academic term or on co-op.

Overloading during an academic term:

It is considered overloading a term if you take more than the required number of courses in a term. The required number of courses in a term is usually 5 or 6. There is a corner case in 4B: the 4B term definition requires 5 courses (SE491 + 4 electives). However, a student who has overloaded in prior terms might not need 5 courses in 4B to meet degree requirements. But, by Engineering promotion rules, they must take at least 4 courses in 4B.

Students who have overloaded in previous terms and only need 3 courses (SE491 + 2 electives) to meet degree requirements must still take at least 4 courses (SE 491 + 3 electives), and pass all 4 courses in order to graduate. If any of the 4 courses are failed, then graduation will be delayed until the failure is cleared, either by retaking the elective or by taking an approved substitute. 

If you're overloading, your overloaded elective (LE, SCE, or open elective) will get coded DRNA - degree required, not in average. This course will get excluded from your average but will still count towards fulfilling your degree requirements. 

Action:

  • Email the SE associate director.
  • Technical courses: requires a prior term average of at least 80% or a cumulative average of at least 80%.
  • Complementary studies: requires a prior term average of at least 70% and a cumulative average of at least 70% and a good reason if your averages are below 80%.
  • Tuition: you still pay the normal Engineering tuition rate, regardless of how many courses you take.

An extra course during co-op:

  • You may take one extra course during co-op.
  • Availability: List of course offerings for next term says what is being taught --- and indicates which courses are taught online.
  • Courses taken on co-op are not included in your average calculation.
  • Tuition: You will be charged the UW per-course rate.

Action:

Department consent error message

With the exception of SE 499, this message does not refer to consent from the SE program - it refers to the department offering the course. 

Action:

Requisites Error Message

You'll get this message if you’re missing the pre-requisites or co-requisites for a course.

Action:

  • Check the courses descriptions to see which requisites you’re missing.
  • For ECE courses, email Tracey Szarka  or Claire Fermin.
  • For CS courses, email the CS advisors.
  • For other courses, email the program advisor or course professor to get permission. You could be missing the pre/co-requisites or it could be a mismatch situation as in the case of STAT 206.
  • If they agree, forward their email to the SE program manager or associate director and we’ll get the course added for you.

Course Reserved Error Message

You will get this message if the course is reserved for a specific group of students.

Action: 

  • Contact the department offering the course to see if they'll override the reserve.
  • If they agree, forward their email to the SE program manager or associate director and we’ll get the course added for you.
  • If they're not able to override the reserve, then ask if they’re keeping a waiting list. This is the case for some ENGL and CS courses.
  • All reserves will get dropped around the second week of classes, so you should be able to self-enroll through Quest if there’s still space available. 

Course Full Error Message

You'll get this message if the course is currently full.

Action:

  • Email the department offering the course to see if they’ll override the class limit.
  • For ECE courses, email Tracey Szarka  or Claire Fermin.
  • For CS courses, email the CS advisors.
  • If they agree, forward their email to the SE program manager or associate director and we’ll get the course added for you.
  • If they don’t agree, then keep watching the course – a spot might become available as students make changes to their schedules.

Time Conflict Error Message

You'll get this message if there is a time conflict between between two courses.

  • For SE courses, email the instructor to get permission. Look up the instructor on the schedule of classes.
  • For ECE courses, email Tracey Szarka.
  • For CS courses, email the CS advisors.
  • For other courses, email the professor to get permission.
  • If they agree, forward their email to the SE program manager or associate director and we’ll get the course added for you.
  • Remember to let me know if you’re overloading and which course should be coded DRNA.

 Students are responsible for dealing with the consequences of time conflicts.

Getting into a Computer Science Course

Course Not Offered

Elective requirement

Refer to your class homepage for your elective requirements.

It is possible to have other electives approved by the SE director.

Clearing Failed Courses

The options for clearing failed courses do not apply in a term with a Required to Repeat or Required to Withdraw academic standing. A successful repeat term will clear all courses failed in the original term.

Students must pass failed courses that are required for their degree so that their failure count is equal to zero prior to graduation. We strongly encourage students to clear failed courses ASAP while the course material is still fresh.

If a student accumulates three failed courses, they must go into a non-degree term and take courses to bring their failure count down to one in order to proceed in the program.

Learn about the options available for clearing failed courses.

Full Course Load

Each term students are expected to enrol in at least the number of courses specified in the calendar they are following. A reduced-load student may drop one elective course per term by obtaining approval from the associate director. Dropped electives must be completed prior to graduation. 

Student are not allowed to drop core courses unless they've recieved permission from the SE associate director to go on an approved reduced load.

Specializations, Options, Minors, Joint Honours, Concurrent Degree, etc