Before reading this section, you may want to print out a handy worksheet (pdf)!

Using the Online Schedule of Classes
This section will review how to use the Online Schedule of Classes. Follow the instructions below to search for a class, and learn what all the information in the Online Schedule means.

You can review these steps in order or choose which topics you'd like to learn about.

Getting to the search page

Searching for a specific class

Searching by other methods

Interpreting the search results

Getting to the search page
Begin by either opening a new window in your web browser (go to: File on the menu bar, choose "New Window") or by printing these instructions before accessing the Online Schedule of Classes (http://schedule.berkeley.edu).

On the first page, select the appropriate semester and click "Search Schedule of Classes."

You'll now see the online Schedule of Classes search page.

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Searching for a specific class
You can search for classes using many different methods. In this example, we're going to search for a specific class, Computer Science 3. Select "Computer Science" in the drop-down menu labeled "Department Name."

Then enter "3" in the "Course Number" box.

Click "Begin Search."

You will see a list of all Computer Science 3 (CS 3) lecture, lab, and discussion sections. The "LEC" notation indicates a lecture. The "LAB" notation indicates a lab section, and the "DIS" notation indicates a discussion section.

The course listing will also show "P 001." This refers to two things. The P indicates that this is the Primary, or main, meeting of the course. The "001" refers to the lecture's section number. CS3 only has one lecture section, but several lab and discussion sections. Below the primary section, you'll often see a list of secondary discussion and/or lab sections that are associated with that primary section.

Tip: If only some of the results are shown, click "see next results" on the list of links at the bottom of the page.

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Searching by other methods
You can insert text into fields in different combinations to get different kinds of results. The following are the fields that are most often used.

Course Classification: Choosing an option under this menu limits results to classes for a certain type of student - lower division, upper division, graduate student, etc. This field is usually used in combination with Department Name or Course Title Keyword (e.g. choosing Course Classification: lower division and Department Name: Computer Science to find all lower division computer science courses.)

Tip: Incoming frosh will probably be choosing lower division (first year and sophomore) courses; these are usually numbered 1-99. Before enrolling in some upper division (junior and senior) courses, you may be required to have completed lower division prerequisites or be declared in that particular major.

Transfer students in Letters & Science: you officially enter the University as undeclared (regardless of the major you indicated on your application), and this may affect which upper division classes you can enroll for in your first semester.

Course Number: Course numbers are also used to determine class types (e.g. introductory courses are usually numbered 1, 2, 3, 10, or 20.)

Tip: Freshman and sophomore seminars (small classes that explore topics for learning's sake) are popular among new undergraduates. Most freshman and sophomore seminars are numbered 24, 39, or 84.

Course Title Keyword: Searching by keyword brings up all results with that keyword in the Course Title. This is helpful if you're not sure which department a class is offered under.

Tip: Partial keywords are also accepted (e.g. "poli" would find classes with "Politics," "Political," and "Policy" in their titles.)

Additional Information: Sometimes classes are listed with additional information. This field is most often used to search for classes that fulfill certain requirements.

Tip: Search "American Cultures," "History," "Institutions," "Reading and Composition," or "Entry Level Writing" to find classes that fulfill each requirement.

Remember, since the search works with partial information, you don't have to fill in every field! Although you can insert text into many fields, make sure you don't narrow your search so much that you don't get any results.

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Interpreting the search results

1. Location: Where and when a class will be held.

Tip: All classes at Berkeley start ten minutes after the printed time, so it's okay to schedule classes back-to-back!

2. Instructor: The last name of the instructor teaching the course. If the instructor is listed as "The Staff," that usually means one has not yet been determined by the department.

3. Course Control Number (CCN): A five-digit number, unique to each section, lecture, and lab. This is used when enrolling through Tele-BEARS, Berkeley's course enrollment system.

4. Units: This number indicates how many units of academic credit you will receive for the course.

5. Final Exam Group: A number between 1 and 20, indicating the date and time of a course's final exam. The Final Exam schedule is available from the home page of the Online Schedule of Classes by clicking on "Final Exam Calendar" under the appropriate semester (http://schedule.berkeley.edu/).

Tip: Do not schedule classes with conflicting final exam groups.

6. Restrictions: Provides information about any restrictions on enrollment. For detailed information, click on the link "Click here for current enrollment information and course restrictions" following the primary section.

7. Enrollment: Shows how many seats a course has available, how many are filled, and how full the waiting list is. Updated once daily, so it may not always be perfectly accurate in real-time.

Tip: For further information about a class, click the "(course website)" link next to the Course and the "(catalog description)" link next to the Course Title.

To print your search results, click the "Printable version" link at the top of the page. (Remember to use the "Landscape" orientation.)

So how do you select a lab and discussion section? Read on!

Chemistry 1A and 1B are important exceptions to this rule. For these courses, all of the lab and discussion sections are available to students regardless of which lecture section they are enrolled in.

For detailed information, go to the Online Schedule of Classes website at http://schedule.berkeley.edu/about.html.