When do courses begin?
Check the school's academic calendar to make sure you know when classes begin. It is important to be on time and attend courses on the first day, and throughout the semester, because absences affect your ability to earn credit. See SAIC’s Attendance policy and the syllabus for each of your courses for more information.
Where do my courses meet?
Every semester you should log in to SAIC Self-Service and review your schedule a few days before classes begin, as there are occasionally last-minute room changes. You can see your course schedule by visiting the Current Students dashboard and clicking the Self-Service link. You will find your course schedule under Manage Classes non-mobile, then select View My Classes.
Download the SAIC Campus Map with the classroom locations listed by their abbreviation of your class schedule.
What should I bring to my courses?
Most classes, including studio, will provide you with a list of materials needed on the first day. However, plan on bringing notebooks and writing materials to the first class so you can take notes. You may also visit the DePaul University book store website to see if the courses you enrolled in have any required texts available for purchase there.
Am I enrolled correctly?
Login to Self Service to check your course schedule, your unofficial transcript, and your degree audit. If you have any questions, contact your academic advisor.
If you are a new student, you can also work with SAIC Admissions the first two weeks of your first semester.
You should also:
- Read more about your degree requirements
What if I want to change my classes?
For your first semester at SAIC, the Office of Admissions will register you for classes. You may work with them prior to the start of your first semester, or with your academic advisor once the semester begins, regarding any schedule concerns. You may contact Admissions at Sullivan Center, 36 South Wabash Ave., suite 1201, or 312.629.6100.
If you are a returning student, you may work with your advisor before classes begin to make sure you are comfortable with your course selection. We highly recommended you make any schedule changes before the semester begins. Adding and dropping classes after they begin can seriously impact your ability to receive credit. If you miss a course session because you added it after the first course meeting, this counts as an absence and can affect your standing in the course.
What is a prerequisite?
If you try to enroll in a class, but receive a message saying "Requisites have not been met," this means there are classes you need to complete before taking this course. Prerequisite requirements indicate the class builds on skills learned in a previous course(s). You will need to enroll and receive credit for the course(s) listed as a prerequisite—which is listed under the course information in Self-Service.
How do I substitute or waive a class?
If you believe you qualify for waiving any course prerequisites, you should contact your academic advisor to discuss your situation. Your academic advisor may refer you to the faculty or chair of the department depending on your situation.
The class I wanted to take is full. What should I do?
It's important to have two to three class options prepared in case your first choice is full. You should register for these back-up classes and check back to see if a place opens up in the class you wanted. You may also add yourself to a course’s waitlist. For more information on how to waitlist for a class, please visit the Registration and Records’ waitlist guide.
What is a hold?
A hold can come from a number of departments (the Media Center, the Flaxman Library, Student Financial Services, etc.), and can be placed if you have not returned items, or if you have outstanding payments to make. A hold can prevent you from using SAIC resources (e.g., checking out library books), and can also affect your ability to register for classes. You may check to see if you have any holds by logging into SAIC Self-Service and looking under Tasks. When you click on the individual hold, you can see details such as who to contact to resolve the hold, and when the hold is active. You may see a hold on your account that is active on a future date. This hold will not prevent your from registering until that date.
For more information about how to register for classes, visit Class Registration.
