Scheduling of classes for Cal

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
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<p>Hi, I was looking at the class schedule and came across something that confused me a bit. The first course in a series (all of the 120s, for example) mentions the Professor's name, says it meets at 2-3MW, and accepts 80 students. After that, there is a list of maybe 10 of the same class, with no professor's name, only meets one day (10-11Tu, for example), and has room for 15 students. </p>

<p>What does all this mean?! I'm so confused. If I look at it, it makes me feel like I have to choose between one class meeting per week with fewer students or 2 per week with more students, but I dont think this is right.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>@ smartyskirt: Yeah I was confused by that at first as well. The smaller, 15 person class is probably part of the class that meets from 2-3 MW. It’s just the discussion section. Someone could chime in, though, if I’m wrong about this.</p>

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<p>OOhh, that would make sense, emil, since people have been talking about that. So would there only be one large lecture class for each section?</p>

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<p>It’s probably a discussion section. Classes usually have a lecture section which takes a bunch of people, then a bunch of discussion sections that you can choose from. So you have to take both.</p>

<p>Actually I kind’ve have a question. When you pick lecture times sometimes there are two sections so like LEC 001 and LEC 002, and then discussion sections that start with either 1 like DIS 102 or 2 like DIS 202. Do these correspond to the lecture sections? If I’m in LEC 002 do I have to take a DIS 2__?</p>

<p>Thanks. Oh and I hope I answered your question.</p>

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<p>I think you did, I wish I could answer yours :confused: Hopefully a Golden Bear will come along and save the day :slight_smile: I’m so excited to transfer, I’m already looking up all my possible classes, professors at ratemyprof, etc. Phase I for registering is already going on, I wanna get myself LOCKED IN! :-D</p>

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<p>Yes, if you are in LEC 001 then you must take DIS 1XX, LEC 002 takes DIS 2XX, and so on. When you do Telebears, you will first put in the CCN for the LEC, and it will display the corresponding DIS, so plan your schedule accordingly (I mean, you are physically unable to sign up for a non-corresponding DIS, but it’s good to know before one plans one’s schedule around a DIS one is unable to take).</p>

<p>If there are two Lectures and both fit into your schedule, then pick the better prof ;)</p>

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<p>The key to these is the terminology in the course name displayed by schedule.berkeley.edu</p>

<p>For example, PHYSICS 8B P 001 LEC is physics 8b, P is the primary session for the class, it is lecture 001 and there is another lecture as an alternative, PHYSICS 8B P 002 LEC</p>

<p>Then most classes have discussion sessions in addition to the lecture. These are secondary, thus PHYSICS 8B S 101 DIS and PHYSICS 8B S 201 DIS where the S means secondary to the main lecture, DIS means discussion and 101 or 201 is the number of that discussion. When you see the first digit of all the discussions matching the lecture number, it lets you know that you have to pick a discussion aligned with the same lecture - if you choose lecture 002, then you would have to pick one of the 2xx discussions. </p>

<p>Some classes also have laboratory work. PHYSICS 8B S 201 LAB is a secondary class, type is laboratory, and because the first digit starts with 2, it is aligned with lecture 2. For most classes with both lab and discussion, you pick the same number for both - discussion 201 and lab 201. </p>

<p>If there is only one lecture choice, any discussion will do. </p>

<p>Sometimes the discussion or lab is NOT tied to a particular lecture. CHEMISTRY 1A P 001 LEC, CHEMISTRY 1A P 002 LEC, and CHEMISTRY 1A P 003 LEC are three choices for lecture, but the lab sections are independent. You pick any lab you want and any lecture. CHEMISTRY 1A S 110 LAB is one lab choice, but so are CHEMISTRY 1A S 230 LAB, CHEMISTRY 1A S 330 LAB whcih so far look like labs aligned with lectures 1 2 and 3 but then you see CHEMISTRY 1A S 420 LAB, CHEMISTRY 1A S 520 LAB, CHEMISTRY 1A S 640 LAB, CHEMISTRY 1A S 700 LAB and even CHEMISTRY 1A S 850 LAB, but there are only three lecture sections! The instructions in the writeup of lecture tell you to pick any lab and any lecture. They are not aligned. Also, this particular class has no discussion sessions (that function is done by the GSI in part of the lab time). Interestingly, while you sign up for a specific lecture, in this particular class you have the flexibility to sit in the other lecture if that is more convenient in a particular week or day, as they stay strictly synchronized.</p>

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<p>Thanks rider I was finally enlighted with that! You are always very helpful.</p>

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<p>Glad nobody asked me about VOL sections - All I know is that they stand for voluntary, but beyond that, it is an enigma.</p>

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<p>@ smartyskirt: See you in the psych department at Cal! Go Bears and Psych majors! :)</p>