Office of the Registrar

Course Scheduling

Projected Course Offerings

The PRCO screen was created to assist in developing projected course offerings by allowing departments to easily identify the frequency of their course offerings and to update projected course offerings for up to six terms beyond the current term. PRCO also displays the number of students who have a specific course on their student degree plan for a given term.

The PRCO screen is divided into two main sections: Frequency and Projected Terms Offered. The Frequency section is sub-divided into Years and Terms. Under the Frequency Years column you are able to indicate if a course is usually offered during every year, even years, odd years, or varying years. Under the Frequency Terms column you are able to indicate if a course is usually offered every fall, spring and/or summer term. The Projected Terms Offered section allows you to identify the specific terms that a course will be offered; however, if the class schedule has already been built for a specific term, you will not be able to make changes to that term on PRCO. After the end of each semester, you will receive an email notification that it is time to review and update the projected course offerings for your department.

Building the Master Schedule

Departments build the schedule online using the Master Schedule File Start (MSFS) and Master Schedule File Build (MSFB) screens available through WIUP. Courses are generated based on the information identified on PRCO and MSFS for the given term. Macomb campus, WIU-Quad Cities, off-campus, video conference (CODEC), and online course information should be submitted together on the MSFB screen.

Classroom Scheduling

Classroom assignment reports are distributed to departments with the Master Schedule File Build screen instructions.

General Usage Academic Classrooms

General usage academic classrooms are scheduled through the Office of the Registrar. Your courses will be given first priority to use your assigned rooms when preparing the class schedule. After the class schedule has been finalized, our office will assign other classes/activities into these room as needed. Therefore, you must contact the Office of the Registrar to check on availability BEFORE using a room.

All Other Types of Classrooms

Departments are responsible for contacting the appropriate scheduling office for all other types of rooms.

Changes to the Official Class Schedule

Once the class schedule has been finalized, authorized users may submit changes to Macomb campus, online and off-campus courses via WIUP or MVS by using the following Master Schedule File screens:

  • MSFM - Master Schedule File Maintenance (MS-Word)
    Allows user to immediately update Action/Status(closed, canceled, hold), Maximum Enrollment, and Instructor WIU ID for a course.
  • MSFC - Master Schedule File Change (MS-Word)
    Allows user to submit a request to change various course information such as days, times, location, special permission, footnotes, etc. Requests are submitted to the Registration staff and processed the next business day.
  • MSFA - Master Schedule File Add (MS-Word)
    Allows user to submit a request to add a new course section. Requests are submitted to the Registration staff and processed the next business day.

Changes to WIU-Quad Cities and all video conference (CODEC) courses must be emailed to qcsched@wiu.edu.

Course Type Definition

Extension - A face to face course held at a location other than the Macomb or QC campuses. Also includes arranged courses, such as independent study, internships, student teaching, etc., for students who have completed the majority of their coursework at an Extension Site. (Special note: Nahant Marsh, Niabi Zoo, Figge Museum, Putnam Museum, Black Hawk College, and the Graduate Center are scheduled as QC campus courses.) Section numbers include E01-E89, E90-E99, LE1-LE9, T01-T99. (Distance Learning Charges apply, additional Access Charge for Video Conference receiving sites)

Hybrid - A primarily online course that requires limited face to face meetings. Face to face meetings cannot exceed 25% of normal contact time required for the amount of credit being offered. Section numbers include: H01-H99. (Distance Learning Charges apply)

Live Streaming - A face to face course taught at one location and synchronously live-streamed. Students are able to watch the lecture via their own device, from their individual location, for one or more class sessions. Section numbers include: L01-L99, LE1-LE9, LQ1-LQ9. (Macomb Fees, Quad Cities Fees, or Distance Learning Charges apply depending on the location of the face to face course) 

Macomb On-Campus - A traditional face to face course held in a classroom at the Macomb campus. Also includes arranged courses, such as independent study, internships, student teaching, etc., for students who have completed the majority of their coursework at the Macomb campus. Section numbers include: 001-199, 200-299, 300-399, L01-L99, W01-W99. (Macomb Fees apply, additional Access Charge for Video Conference receiving sites)

Online - A course that is entirely online. May include synchronous components (ie: real time chat), but cannot require face to face meetings. Section numbers include: I01-I99, IC1-IC9. (Distance Learning Charges apply)

Overseas Study (Study Abroad) - A course that a student is taking as part of the Study Abroad program at another institution. Section numbers include: S01-S99. (Additional Program Charges may apply)

Quad Cities On-Campus - A traditional face to face course held in a classroom at the QC campus. Also includes arranged courses, such as independent study, internships, student teaching, etc., for students who have completed the majority of their coursework at the Quad Cities campus. Section numbers include Q01-Q99, Q90-Q99, LQ1-LA9, TQ1-TQ9, WQ1-WQ9. (QC Fees apply, additional Access Charge for Video Conference receiving sites)

Short term study abroad - A faculty led program consisting of one or more courses. Program is coordinated through Study Abroad and Outreach. Typically includes a number of face to face meetings and a trip to another country. Travel time can vary from 1 week to 3 months. Section numbers include: V01-V99. (Additional Program Charges may apply)

Sponsored Credit - A course offered through agreement with Study Abroad and Outreach and a third party, such as a Regional Office of Education (ROE), for a specific group of students. Often offered as professional development. Section numbers include: D01-D99.

Video Conference - A course where students register to attend at one location, from a choice of two or more locations. Students must register in the proper section (ie: location) for the course. Often offered simultaneously on both the Macomb and QC campuses, and connected via live video technology. Instructor teaches primarily from one location, which determines the sending section. Section numbers include: 200-299, 300-399, Q90-Q99, TQ1-TQ9, E90-E99, T01-T99. (Macomb Fees, Quad Cities Fees, or Distances Learning Charges apply, additional Access Charge for receiving sites applies)

Weekend - A face to face course that is held between 5:00 pm Friday and 11:59 pm Sunday. Courses that meet primarily on the weekend but also meet during the week are not considered weekend courses. Section numbers include: W01-W99, WQ1-WQ9.

Unit of Credit Definition

A credit hour (elsewhere referred to in this document as s.h. or semester hour) shall be the unit of University academic credit representing an average of three hours of work per week by a student throughout a fifteen-week (fall, spring) semester (exclusive of final examination period) or its equivalent in total work for summer session or irregularly scheduled courses. Specifically, and consistent with U.S. Department of Education Program Integrity Rules published October 29, 2010, Western Illinois University defines a credit hour as:

"an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than

(1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or

(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours."

For traditional lecture, seminar, special topics, and experimental courses, a one credit hour class meets a minimum of 50 minutes per week over the course of the semester. Laboratory courses, including music ensembles and applied study, typically meet a minimum of 100 minutes per week for one credit hour. Internships and student teaching generally require at least one full-time five-day week of the experience for one credit hour. Credit for clinical or practicum experience is determined in accordance with recommendations of the program's specific accrediting body or applicable state regulation. NOTE: The definition of faculty workload is outlined in the bargaining agreement.

This credit hour policy applies to all courses that award academic credit, regardless of the location of the course or the mode of delivery, including, but not limited to, individual study, independent study, online, hybrid, and distance education courses.

Approval authorities at Western Illinois University, to include administration and curriculum committees, are charged with following the policy on credit hours in their review and approval of all courses and certifying that the expected student learning for the course meets the credit hour standard. The determination of credit hours is made when a new course or a revision to an existing course is proposed. The submitted syllabus is examined for contact time as well as for assignments and evaluation mechanisms. WIU collects and manages data on all courses to ensure, through periodic checks, that there is compliance and consistency with the credit hour policy.

Block Scheduling

  • View instructions for Summer School Scheduling (MS-Word)

  • For spring and fall semesters, please use the appropriate begin and end time designations:

    Intended for 3-hr course three times a week (MWF):           
    8:00-8:50                     1:00-1:50                                             
    9:00-9:50                     2:00-2:50                                             
    10:00-10:50                 3:00-3:50                                             
    11:00-11:50                 4:00-4:50        
    12:00-12:50

    Intended for 3-hr course twice a week (TTh):
    8:00-9:15                     12:30-1:45 
    9:30-10:45                   2:00-3:15 
    11:00-12:15                 3:30-4:45        
     
    Please indicate the specific time for an evening class:
     
    Meeting Two Evenings Per Week:                                
    2 sem. hrs. class meets 6:30-7:20                                   
    3 sem. hrs. class meets 6:30-7:45                                   
    4 sem. hrs. class meets 6:30-8:10

    Meeting One Evening Per Week:
    1 sem. hr. class meets 6:30-7:20                                   
    2 sem. hr. class meets 6:30-8:10              
    3 sem. hr. class meets 6:30-9:00
    4 sem. hr. class meets 6:30-9:50
     
    Evening classes with labs should meet longer:  2 hour lab = 1 hour lecture