Course Planning
This page outlines important academic information and considerations for studying at Northwestern. In addition to reviewing the information below, it is crucial to understand the academic requirements set by your home university. To gain deeper insights into the academic experience and culture at Northwestern, we recommend speaking with past exchange students who have studied at Northwestern, as well as Northwestern students currently studying at your home university.
Important Dates Credit RequirementsChoosing Coursesregistration
Important Dates
Northwestern's academic calendar includes registration dates, the first and last days of classes, and more.
Credit Requirements
Most courses at Northwestern are worth one unit of credit and meet for three hours per week during the ten-week quarter. Some courses include additional required discussion or laboratory sections. Exchange students must maintain full-time enrollment at Northwestern, which means taking three to four credits per quarter. Taking five classes (considered an overload at Northwestern) is not recommended, given the various academic and personal demands both on and off campus.
For transfer purposes, one Northwestern credit unit should be considered equivalent to 2.66 U.S. semester hours. Be sure to confirm the specific credit transfer rules and guidelines with your home university.
Choosing Courses
As long as prerequisites are met, and courses are open, exchange students have full access to undergraduate courses in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, as well as limited access to courses in the following schools:
- Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
- School of Education and Social Policy
- School of Communication
- School of Professional Studies
Courses in the following departments and schools are not open to exchange students:
- Integrated Marketing Communications (Medill)
- Kellogg School of Management
- Pritzker School of Law
- Feinberg School of Medicine
- Bienen School of Music
- The Graduate School: Although exchange students are admitted to Northwestern as undergraduates, they may have limited access to graduate courses under special circumstances, assuming prerequisites are met. In general, exchange students should avoid 400-level courses (course numbers 4XX), as these are graduate-level classes.
For a list of courses, refer to the Undergraduate Catalog. Follow these guidelines as you are searching for classes in which you intend to register.
Registration
Northwestern cannot guarantee enrollment in any specific courses. Although exchange students are expected to list preferred classes in their application materials, it is important to identify various backup course options in case you are unable to enroll in your preferred courses. Be sure to work with your home university to ensure that preferred and alternative course options align with your degree requirements.
You will register online through CAESAR. Registration appointment times are predetermined by Northwestern student ID numbers, so you can register for classes at your appointment time and any time afterward, until the add deadline. Exchange students are not eligible for pre-registration. Consult Northwestern's academic calendar for registration periods.
Review registration resources before your enrollment appointment time and while registering to troubleshoot any issues you may have with online registration. GLO will also provide additional instructions and tips shortly before registration opens each quarter.