Department of Religious Studies
Undergraduate
Registering
- Celebrating Hanuman’s birthday, Pandharpur, India
Important: Majors must meet individually and in person with the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) prior to registration each term to plan their schedules, discuss their academic standing as well as University and department requirements for graduation, and talk about their undergraduate careers. Exceptions are made only for students who are studying abroad for credit during the registration period.
Classes fill up fast, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, so please plan ahead! Students who fail to register during the open registration period are charged a late fee. Check the Academic Calendar or Ex Cathedra for the registration period for the upcoming term.
- Preparing for your Pre-registration Appointment
- How to Register
- Add/Drop Procedures
- Cross-registering
- Studying Abroad
Preparing for your Pre-registration Appointment
- Sign up for a pre-registration advising appointment. A sign-up appointment sheet is posted outside the office door of the DUS beginning about one month prior to registration for each term. Check Ex Cathedra for appointment dates.
- Check your account on my.pitt.edu to make sure there is no hold on it that would block your registration.
- Review Requirements for the Major (or Old Major, if following that option). You may also want to consult with faculty members in your areas of interest about course recommendations and curriculum and career planning.
- Review General Education and Other Degree Requirements.
- Review Course Descriptions for the courses you would like to take. Courses may be viewed by department, general education requirements, instructor, or course title.
- Check PeopleSoft for recitation sections and up-to-date schedule information.
- Get signed special permission forms from other departments or the Honors College for restricted classes that you wish to take.
- Fill out the Registration Worksheet (DOC) with the courses for which you want to register. Be sure to accurately include course titles, course catalogue numbers, five-digit class numbers, and days/times of classes. Be especially careful when indicating recitation or lab sections. Selecting alternatives in case courses are filled is strongly recommended.
- Complete the Checklist for Majors (DOC) (or the Checklist for the Old Major (DOC), if following that option).
- Complete the General Education Requirements Checklist (DOC).
- Complete the Accomplishments and Milestones Form (DOC).
- Print out a copy of your advising transcript. To access your transcript on PeopleSoft: log onto my.pitt.edu, click Student Services » View My Academic Info » View My Degree Progress Report, and select Academic Advising Transcript in the drop-down menu next to Report Type.
Important: Bring four documents to your meeting: Registration Worksheet, Checklist for Majors, Gen Ed Checklist, and transcript—plus any special permission forms and the Milestone Form (if applicable). Make sure you have your PeopleSoft ID number (not your Social Security number) and current contact information on file with us.
How to Register
Seniors: Students who will have earned at least 84 credits by the end of the current term may register in advance of other students as seniors. Senior registration always begins on a Thursday; general registration opens on the following Monday.
After going over your registration form with the DUS, you have three registration options.
- You may leave your form with the DUS who will register you when registration opens.
Important: Should problems with scheduling (or a block on your account) arise that cannot be resolved by using your Alternative Course Selection list, the DUS will not complete your registration until you respond to an e-mail inquiry or stop by in person. Make sure your e-mail account is active and check it often during the start of registration.
- You may return to the DUS at the beginning of the registration period and have him sign your registration form and then take the signed form to Thackeray Hall when registration opens and submit it to the Registrar's Office.
- If you want the DUS to register you while you are present in real-time, you may make an appointment to meet with him again early in the registration period.
Upon completion of the enrollment process, you may access your class schedule on the Student Information Web site. Changes that you make to your class schedule appear immediately. You can access your schedule for the last three terms in which you were enrolled.
See also Transferring Credits.
Add/Drop Procedures
Routine add/drop during the first two weeks of each term must be processed through Thackeray Hall. It does not require a signature from the department. If your add/drop changes affect your progress in the major, however, please inform the DUS by e-mail. Check the Academic Calendar or Ex Cathedra for the last day of add/drop.
Cross-registering
Full-time students may cross-register for one course per term at the following Pittsburgh Council for Higher Education (PCHE) affiliated institutions for credit towards graduation: Carlow University, Carnegie Mellon University, Chatham College, Community College of Allegheny County, Duquesne University, LaRoche College, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Point Park College, and Robert Morris University.
Students who cross-register do not pay tuition to the host institution; however, they are responsible for any additional fees associated with the course such as laboratory fees and books. Cross-registration is only available during the fall and spring terms. During the summer, students may attend one of the above colleges as guest students, but they must pay that institution’s tuition and fees. Students are discouraged from cross-registering during their term of graduation to avoid any delays in receiving course credit needed to graduate. Students should meet with the director of undergraduate studies before cross-registering.
See also Transferring Credits.
Studying Abroad
Pitt offers many opportunities for students to study abroad during the academic year or summer. The Department of Religious Studies encourages study abroad for our majors and thinks that the ideal time to take advantage of these programs is in the junior year. Students should not plan to study abroad in their senior year during the fall capstone seminar. Students must consult the director of undergraduate studies before leaving for their study abroad programs. Visit the Study Abroad Office for details on programs and funding opportunities.