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is course enrollment
Please note this information applies only to Ithaca-based courses.
Questions about INFO courses at Cornell Tech should be directed to studentaffairs@tech.cornell.edu.
Need Bowers CIS Course Enrollment Help?
Please consult the information below to see if your question is answered here. If not, please submit a ticket on our Courses Help page.
PRE-ENROLLMENT
Due to high demand, the majority of Information Science courses (course prefix “INFO”) are restricted during the pre-enrollment period. Students who do not meet the relevant pre-enrollment criteria (including IS minors) must add themselves to the Student Center course waitlist once waitlists open during add/drop.* Pre-enrollment and add/drop dates for the forthcoming semester are available on the Cornell Guide to Enrollment webpage.
ENROLLMENT POLICIES
Discussion Section Swaps
Discussion section swaps must be done online via Student Center:
• If you are enrolled in a course but cannot make your section time work with your schedule, you must find a section with open availability, otherwise you have to drop the course.
• You can swap sections, but only if the section you want has open seats.
• If you attempt to swap into a discussion section that is already full, the system will automatically drop you from the course.
• Please see How to Swap a Class for instructions.
Enrollment Restrictions
Enrollment restrictions vary by level. If you are unable to enroll in a course you want (either because you do not meet the criteria or the course is full), please enroll in a back-up course and add yourself to the Student Center course waitlist when it opens during add/drop.*
INFO 1000 and 2000-Level Courses
• Pre-enrollment is reserved for IS/ISST majors and unaffiliated students in Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Engineering (EN).
• Waitlist priority is first given to students who meet the pre-enrollment criteria, in descending order by class year and term.
• If space remains, other Bowers CIS majors (BTRY, CS, and STSCI) will be prioritized (in descending order by class year and term) over non-Bowers majors.
INFO 3000 and 4000-Level Courses
• Pre-enrollment is reserved for IS/ISST majors.
• Waitlist priority is first given to IS/ISST majors, in descending order by class year and term.
• If space remains, other Bowers CIS majors (BTRY, CS, and STSCI) will be prioritized (in descending order by class year and term) over non-Bowers majors.
INFO 5000-Level Courses
• Pre-enrollment is reserved for Information Science MPS students.
• Waitlists will open during add/drop in Student Center.*
• Waitlist priority is first given to IS MPS students.
• If space remains, other Bowers CIS professional/graduate students will receive priority over non-Bowers professional/graduate students.
INFO 6000-Level Courses
• Some INFO 6000-level courses are restricted to Information Science PhD student enrollment only; others are open to any Cornell student with graduate standing (PhD and MS students only; this does not include professional students).
• If a 6000-level course needs a waitlist, IS students who meet the enrollment criteria will always get first priority.
*Please note that some INFO courses require applications; these courses will not have waitlists in Student Center. Details and related links will be listed in the Course Roster under the course notes.
COURSE WAITLISTS
Waitlists will open in Student Center during add/drop.While we do everything we can to accommodate waitlisted students, it is critical that you pre-enroll into a backup course in case you do not get off the waitlist during the add/drop period.
Course waitlist FAQs:
Q. I am pursuing the Information Science minor. Why can’t I pre-enroll?
A. Due to high demand for our courses, we must prioritize majors. Please add yourself to the course waitlist when the add/drop period opens. Our minor is extremely flexible and there are many ways to fulfill the requirements if you are unable to enroll in the course you are targeting. Learn more.
Q. When do waitlists open?
A. Waitlists open on the first day of the add/drop period. You can review add/drop dates on the Cornell Guide to Enrollment webpage.
Q. Will all INFO courses have waitlists in Student Center?
A. No. A few courses require special applications or instructor permission. In those cases, more information will be posted on the course listing within the “Course Roster".
Q. How will I be able to tell if a course has a waitlist?
A. Once add/drop begins, any course with an online Student Center waitlist will have a "waitlist if class is full" checkbox on the "Select a Class to Add - Enrollment Preferences" page.
Q. How do I add myself to a course waitlist?
A. During add/drop, select the “waitlist if class is full” checkbox on the "Select a Class to Add - Enrollment Preferences" page in Student Center before you complete your enrollment. This will ensure you are added to the waitlist when you “check out” with your “shopping cart” of courses.
If the course does not have a Student Center waitlist, please review the notes within the course’s listing within the online Course Roster to see if there is a different waitlist process available.
Q. In what order will students be admitted to a class from the waitlist?
A. Your waitlist number does not reflect your actual place on the waitlist. Instead, priority is given to Information Science students, typically in descending order by class year and term (e.g., IS/ISST majors who are second-semester seniors would be given first priority, followed by first-semester seniors, then second-semester juniors, etc.).
If all IS/ISST majors are cleared from the waitlist, non-majors will be moved off the waitlist, beginning with other Bowers CIS majors (BTRY, CS, and STSCI) in descending order by class year and term.
Please note that while you are on the waitlist, your best course of action is to enroll in a back-up course. You can drop your back-up if you get in off the course waitlist during add/drop.
Q. How will I know if I have been moved from the waitlist to the course?
A. You will receive an email with a permission number (PIN) to enroll. Permission codes are distributed on a rolling basis by the Bowers CIS course team beginning on the Thursday after add/drop begins. See “How to Use a Permission Number” page for instructions.
Q. The course I want has a 4000 and 5000-level version. Which one should I choose when placing myself on the course waitlist?
A. All graduate and professional students must place themselves on the waitlist for the 5000-level version of the course. The New York State Department of Education does not allow graduate or professional students to use any undergraduate course credit (defined as 4000-level and below) toward their degrees. You will not receive a PIN if you place yourself on the waitlist for the 4000-level version as a graduate or professional student.
Similarly, undergraduates must place themselves on the waitlist for the 4000-level course. The only exception is undergraduates who are pursuing the “early credit option” for the Information Science MPS program. Those students should add themselves to the 5000-level course waitlist after add/drop opens; they are not permitted to pre-enroll or waitlist for the 4000-level section.
KEY LINKS
• Bowers CIS Courses Help webpage
• Cornell University Guide to Enrollment
• IS & ISST Major Checklists (affiliated students only; requires NetID log in)
RESOURCES
Undergraduate Academic Advising
• Information Science majors and pre-majors are welcome to make an academic advising appointment with one of our professional staff advisors to discuss their course plans.
• Advising assignments, office hour information, and appointment booking can be accessed by logging in to Cornell Chatter and navigating to the Bowers CIS Student Services tab.
• Have a quick question? Write isadvising@cis.cornell.edu.
Course Enrollment Questions
• Please submit a ticket on our Courses Help page.
Last Updated: May 7, 2024