ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
(Please note that instructors do not directly manage course enrollment)
We also have an enrollment policy page for students, so please feel free to check it out.
Why is my undergraduate course so crowded?
The enrollment limit in undergraduate economics courses is determined by the department; maximum enrollment cannot exceed classroom size. However, most undergraduate courses are severely impacted and demand often exceeds the number of seats available. At the beginning of the semester, you might have more attendees than are listed on your enrollment roster because waitlisted students will be attending your class during the first few weeks of instruction in hope of eventually getting off the waitlist. Students often register for more courses than they intend to take and drop their unwanted courses between the third and fifth week (a.k.a. "shop and drop"). Your classroom may be crowded during this time, but after the fifth-week drop deadline, your room will be able to accommodate all of your enrolled students.
What is my obligation to students on the waitlist?
For undergraduate courses, you will not play a role in giving students a place on the waitlist. If students pressure you for a place on the waitlist, instruct them to write to an advisor at ugrad@econ.berkeley.edu. Unless otherwise requested, Cal Central will create a waitlist when your course—or any particular seat-reservation category—is full. Waitlists are managed automatically. Cal Central automatically enrolls waitlisted students as space becomes available, and waitlists are processed four times each day. If a student is on the waitlist, they will simply need to wait until a seat becomes available. If a student mentions any extenuating circumstances for their need to enroll, they may be eligible for a permission number (see below). There is nothing more you need to do.
What is the "Permission Number" process?
Core classes and a few high demand electives have a few seats set aside for enrollment by permission number. In the Econ Dept, these seats are managed by the Head GSI (headgsi@econ.berkeley.edu) by means of an application process and a set of priorities (majors, graduating seniors, etc). Please direct any students interested in applying for a permission number to our enrollment policy page. It has all the instructions. The Head GSI accepts applications for permission numbers via a Google form starting the first day of classes and up to the end of the second week of classes. If there happens to be a student you specifically want enrolled into the course (for some special circumstances), please let the Head GSI know.
Can I have a student dropped from the course?
Economics does not generally process administrative drops for non-attendance. You still have discretion over section attendance requirements, but the Department won't drop students for not attending during the first week of classes.
Can I add an undergraduate student to my graduate level course?
Undergraduate students may enroll in graduate-level courses, but only with the instructor's approval. If you feel an undergraduate student is qualified to enroll in your course, please send an email with the student's name and SID to the Curriculum and Enrollment Coordinator (bvantassel@berkeley.edu). If the course is impacted, undergraduate students must wait until at least the end of the 3rd week of class to ensure all graduate students have been given an opportunity to enroll first.
How late in the semester are students allowed to drop or add my course?
Undergraduates may drop or add most classes up until Wednesday of the fourth week of the semester. The campus usually shares these dates before the semester starts, so please pay attention to your email inbox. Changes to students' schedules after these deadlines are handled by the College of Letters & Sciences and please feel free to share these instructions with the students. If you have additional questions regarding this, please feel free to contact our undergraduate advising team at ugrad@econ.berkeley.edu.
Graduate students may add or drop until the last day of instruction.
What are the policies for allowing concurrent enrollment?
The Concurrent Enrollment program allows individuals to enroll for credit in regular campus courses through UC Berkeley Extension without formally applying and being admitted to the University. Individuals must meet course prerequisites and can be admitted only if space is available after all regular students have been admitted. The enrollment of concurrent students is at the discretion of the Department, and enrollment is subject to any conditions the instructor or Department may prescribe.
Concurrent-enrollment procedures for the Economics Department follow a 3-step process. Step 1: Student completes the online application with the Concurrent Enrollment program. Step 2: If the student is accepted by UC Berkeley Extension, their request for a particular course is entered into an enrollment database that is shared with the Economics Department. Step 3: If space is available in the requested course, the department's enrollment manager will approve the request and the student will become enrolled. The enrollment manager would start approving the applications at the beginning of the semester, but for classes with no open seats, the approval/denial often needs to wait until the end of the 4th or 5th week of the semester.
Students who enrolled in your course through concurrent enrollment will be identified on your enrollment roster as UC Berkeley Extension students.
If a concurrent student contacts you about enrollment, please refer them back to their concurrent program coordinator.