Information for Faculty

In November 2007, the Montana Board of Regents adopted a new policy requiring all units of the Montana University System to adopt common course numbering (CCN) as a means of facilitating transfer.  Since then, faculty from all units within the system have been working to identify courses that are sufficiently similar to warrant common names and numbers, and courses that should be uniquely numbered. The links below point to additional information about this process and about the decisions that have been reached.  Here, only a few key points will be made:

• Over the next few years, all undergraduate courses will undergo a review process and are likely to have new subject abbreviations/rubrics

• This process does not involve any changes in course content or curricula. 

• Where faculty agree that there are equivalent courses being taught at more than one campus, common numbers and titles are assigned.

• Courses with the same number now have common outcomes. Faculty can consult the common outcomes and put them on their syllabi.

• Courses that are unique to one campus are assigned unique numbers and titles. 

• In many cases, subject abbreviations (or "rubrics" as we often call them) had to be changed to avoid duplication of course numbers within existing course prefixes, a requirement that must be met simultaneously at all campuses.

• To make this work at all schools in the state, it is generally necessary to group courses under common subject prefixes rather than prefixes indicating the department.  It is likely that many departments will end up teaching courses listed under more than one course prefix.

• Currently, only undergraduate courses are being considered in the common course numbering process.  However, as subject abbreviations change, departments can choose to use the new subject abbreviations for the graduate courses as well. 

• The Registrar’s Office is in final stages of implementing the changes to these disciplines in the course schedule and changes are occurring daily.

  • The “static” element is the five-digit CRN.
  • We recommend ensuring students planning their schedules write down the CRN for the course as it will not change even if the course abbreviation and course number do…
  • Changes have been made with the course schedule link to make it more user-friendly.
    • One such enhancement is grouping of disciplines that have been split out as a result of common course numbering. 

• The Operational Guidelines document available at link #3 below, provides many more details.

USEFUL LINKS

• MSU Common Course Equivalency Tool
• Frequently Asked Questions
• MUS Web Site on Common Course Numbering

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