Courses with the last two digits between 20 and 79 (ex: CS 429, CS 378) are upper division courses. Those with the last two digits lower than 20 are lower division (ex: CS 314). Those courses with the last two digits greater than 79 are graduate courses (ex: CS 380C).
Most lower Div courses are similar in difficulty, though with few exceptions depending on professors. The Upper Div courses, however, will be more difficult in topic and curve, as many people that did not do so hot or were not as motivated will have dropped out before reaching Upper Divs.
Writing in the Professions
There are two types of classes offered at UTD - upper-level classes and lower-level classes. Upper-level classes begin with the number 3 or 4. Lower-level classes begin with the number 1 or 2. An example of a lower-level class would be ATCM 2301.
Lower-division courses are offered for freshman and sophomore level credit. All courses offered at a community college are lower-division courses. Upper-division courses are offered for junior and senior level credit. These courses are not offered by community colleges.
A typical GPA for an upper division course will fall in the range 3.0 - 3.5, depending on the course and the students who enroll. For example, a GPA of 3.2 would result from 45% A's, 40% B's, 10% C's, and 5% D's and F's.
Upper Second-Class Honours (60-70%): there are two levels of second class degree. An upper second class, known as a 2:1 or two-one, is the higher of the two levels. Lower Second-Class Honours (50-60%): a 2.2 or two-two is the lower level of the second class degree.
Any class with a number between 1 and 99 is a lower division course, and any class with a number between 100 and 199 is an upper division class. • 100-499. Other schools, like the University of Arizona , might start the numbering higher. All lower division classes are numbered from 100 to 299.
Depending on the size of the school, lower division classes are often larger because they may cover a broad swath of material that applies to multiple majors and areas of study. A lower division class might even have more than one section a semester because so many students need to take it.
Once students know their area of study, then comes the selection of courses. Upper and lower signify beginner and advanced courses in an academic career.
Third- and fourth-year students are more likely to be in these courses, typically because they’ve taken the prerequisites. • Smaller classes. Whereas lower division classes may be large lectures, upper division classes start to get smaller, in part because the curriculum is more specialized.
College beginners might have restrictions in the courses they can enroll in. Unless they bring in AP, IB, or college credits, they’ll need to take (and pass) lower division courses in their major before being able to sign up for upper division courses. Lower division courses are the building blocks of an undergraduate’s major.
Due in part to their larger class sizes and structure, students can often expect multiple-choice tests in lower division courses. Of course, every college’s policies on classes is different, but for the most part, students can expect to take lower division courses as they begin their academic career.
If lower division courses are the foundation an education is built on, upper division courses are the structure on top. Lower division courses sometimes count as prerequisites for upper division classes. That means an undergraduate must take, and pass, a lower division class before enrolling in an upper division course.
In colleges/universities, undergraduate courses are categorized into two divisions:
The course number designated to a course indicates its course level. While some universities utilize three-digit course numbers, others use four digits for their course numbering system. Nevertheless, most institutions have similar interpretations for the course number designations.
Lower-division courses are primarily focused on fundamental theories, concepts, perspectives, principles, methods, and procedures of critical thinking that serve as foundations for higher courses.
Upper-division courses involve specialized and advanced coursework that improves your problem-solving and analytical skills and allows you to apply theory into practice. These courses build on basic knowledge and skills learned and developed from lower-division course academic experiences.
In general, upper-division courses are more sophisticated and challenging than lower-division courses. With higher course numbers, the complexity of the study also increases.
In climbing a flight of stairs, you take one step at a time until you reach the top. Similarly, completing your undergraduate degree requires significant steps for you to move from one level to the next.
Lower-division courses, numbered from 100 to 299 , are designed primarily for freshmen and sophomores. Certain classes are closed to freshmen who lack the designated prerequisites or whose majors are outside the units offering the courses. This information is available in the course catalog or from the student’s academic advisor.
Graduate-level courses, numbered from 500 to 799 , are designed primarily for graduate students. However, an upper-division undergraduate student may enroll in courses numbered 500-599 with the approval of the student's advisor, course instructor, department chair and dean of the college in which a course is offered. If such a course does not meet an undergraduate graduation requirement, it may be eligible for use in a future graduate program on the same basis as work taken by a nondegree graduate student. Undergraduate students should review additional information about graduate credits earned by undergraduate students.
492 Honors Directed Study (1-6) Independent study in which a student, under the supervision of a faculty member, conducts research or creative work that is expected to lead to an undergraduate honors thesis or creative project.
What Are Considered Upper-Level College Courses? College is an exciting and challenging time in a person's life. Understanding how to navigate the numerous requirements and rules that all accredited colleges and universities have makes your college experience one of positive growth, both intellectually and socially.
It is important to note that not every senior can register for a senior-level course. Some programs limit enrollment to students in programs offered by that department. You might be required to gain special permission from the instructor or from the department head to register for a course.
It is a safe assumption that a course whose number begins with a 1, like College Composition 112, is a freshman course. Sophomore courses generally begin with a 2, as in Calculus 220. Also, when a course begins “Introduction to,” it is almost always a freshman course. It is useful to read the course description in your institution's college ...
Upper-division seminars (numbered 190–194) are small seminars, with between 15 and 20 students, that focus on research practice or issues. Many are designed to be taken along with a tutorial course in the 195–199 series.
Undergraduate courses are classified as lower division and upper division. Lower-division courses (numbered 1–99) are often surveys of and preliminary introductions to the subject field. They are designed primarily for freshmen and sophomores, though upper-division students may enroll for unit and grade credit.
With approval of the major department, graduate students may take 100–series courses toward satisfaction of master’s degree requirements.
Concurrent courses (identified by a capital C before the course number) are pairs of courses, usually within a single department or program, for which credit is given at two levels—undergraduate and graduate. Concurrent courses are offered at the same time and place with the same instructor, but work levels and performance standards are evaluated differently for students at each level.