COURSES, CLASSROOMS, AND SCHEDULING
Where can I find a listing of all approved Econ courses?
An official listing of all approved economic courses can be found in the Course Catalog of the Berkeley Academic Guide. Please note that lower-division courses are numbered 1-99; upper-division courses are numbered 100-199; courses designated 200 and above are for graduate students.
Where can I find the current course schedule?
The current schedule can be viewed at the University's Online Schedule of Classes or at the Department of Economics Website, which is searchable by semester and type of course.
How do I get a new course approved?
The Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) of the UC Berkeley Academic Senate approves all new courses and course updates. The Committee on Courses of Instruction Handbook describes procedures for proposing new courses. For information about deadlines, the COCI meeting schedule, and how to prepare a course proposal, please see the COCI Course Toolbox. Before being submitted to COCI, new courses must be approved at the Department level. Please contact the Vice Chairs to share your ideas as the initial step.
How are courses scheduled in the Economics Department?
The Vice Chair of the Econ Department works directly with the faculty and student services team to set the undergraduate and graduate course offerings for the Economics Department. The course planning for a semester takes place nearly a year prior to the start of the actual semester. Typically, by the end of October, the course offerings and teaching assignments will be set by the Vice Chair for the next academic year (fall and spring).
In terms of the actual scheduling process for the following fall semester, you will be contacted in November by the department scheduler regarding your day, time, and room-inventory preferences for your assigned courses. Registration for the fall semester begins in mid-April of each year. For the following spring schedule, you will be contacted in May regarding your schedule preferences for your assigned courses. Registration for the spring semester begins in mid-October of each year.
Please note the heavy demand for classroom space requires that the department scheduler assign facilities according to standard time blocks, and each department is limited in terms of its 'prime-time' requests (9-3, M-F). Given these constraints, not all instructor preferences can be accommodated. More details will be shared in the department scheduler's request.
How are classrooms assigned to courses?
Although nearly all graduate-level economics courses are scheduled within Department classrooms (597, 639, and 648), all undergraduate courses are scheduled in University classrooms, called General Assignment (GA) classrooms. GA classrooms are assigned by the Registrar. Rooms are assigned to classes based on their availability during the time block we request. The Department will do its best to obtain an instructor's preferred schedule, but we cannot guarantee that we will receive what we ask for.
How do I find another classroom if the one I've been assigned is inappropriate?
Room assignments are handled by the Classroom Scheduling Office in the Office of the Registrar. If your classroom is too big or too small or is inadequately equipped for your audiovisual activities and other instructional needs, contact the department scheduler to request a new room. It is important to include more scheduling options when department scheduler contacts you in November and May. Requests for classroom changes are accepted during the first two weeks of the semester; you will be notified of the final status of your request no later than the third Friday of the semester. No classroom changes are made after the third week of the semester.
Use the General Assignment Classroom Inventory to see what is installed in every general-assignment classroom on campus. If none of the technology-equipped rooms are available, you can request portable equipment from ETS.
How are the Departmental classrooms scheduled?
The Department of Economics has three classrooms: 597, 639, and 648. These rooms are primarily used for graduate courses and are normally in use during the week. However, they can be used for one-time meetings if available. To reserve a departmental room, please contact one of the work-study students in the main office, Room 530, (econmainoffice@berkeley.edu).