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ROBINSON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
NUMBERING OF GRADUATE COURSES AND
OFFERING OF 900-LEVEL COURSES

I. Background

It has been an unwritten policy in the Robinson College of Business that 900-level courses will not be offered in the evening. The policy apparently was adopted in order to enforce the residency requirement for the Ph.D. programs and to prevent the offerings of part-time evening Ph.D. programs. It has been the explicit policy that 900-level courses are doctoral-level courses, since the Graduate Bulletin states that "courses numbered 900 and above are normally for students in the doctoral programs. Only advanced students preparing for doctoral Field or Preliminary Examinations may be registered for the Reading Seminars." (1985-86 Graduate Bulletin, p. 115).

In the past few years, the College Faculty has approved Master of Science majors that require 900-level courses. The 1985-86 Graduate Bulletin states, "The master's program . . . may be completed entirely at night" (p. 50). The prohibition against offering 900-level courses in the evening and the policy of offering all master's programs in the evening poses a dilemma. Clearly something must change.

Furthermore, there is no explicit statement regarding what level of course number (600, 800, or 900) should be assigned to a graduate course.

In order to rectify this situation, the following policy regarding the numbering of courses and offering of 900-level courses is proposed.

II. Numbering of Graduate Courses

New graduate courses should conform to the following numbering system. Existing courses which do not conform to the designated use of the appropriate number should be renumbered accordingly.

• 600-level courses. A 600-level number is reserved for foundation courses, i.e., courses which generally cover introductory undergraduate material, although at an accelerated pace.
  
  
• 800-level courses. An 800-level number is to be assigned to any graduate-level course (master's or doctoral) that does not fit within the 600-level or 900 level categories.
  
  
• 900-level courses. A 900-level number is reserved for courses designed for doctoral students who are majoring in the academic unit in which the course is offered. A 900-level course is expected to be a doctoral-level seminar that is oriented toward research. In particular, the purposes of a 900-level course would be to survey the (journal) literature in the discipline, cover advanced topics of a theoretical nature in the discipline, prepare students for preliminary exams, or assist students in selecting and developing a dissertation topics. Master's-level students would normally not want to take a 900-level course, nor would a faculty member normally recommend that a master's-level student take it.

III. Offering of 900-Level Courses

It is expected that courses that fit the 900-level course category would normally be offered during the day. It is not intended that this policy be used to enforce the residency requirement for Ph.D. students. The Associate Dean is charged with monitoring the offering of 900-level courses.

IV. Graduate Bulletin Statement Change

The following statement in the Graduate Bulletin (p. 115, 1985-86 Graduate Bulletin):

"Courses numbered 600-899 are available only to students in the various master's and doctoral programs. Courses numbered 900 and above are normally for students in the doctoral programs. Only advanced students preparing for doctoral Field or Preliminary Examinations may be registered for the Reading Seminars."

would be changed to:

"Courses numbered 600 and above are available only to students in the various master's and doctoral programs. Courses numbered 900 and above are normally for students in the doctoral programs."

(Approved by RCB Faculty at Winter Quarter 1986 Meeting)